Friday, December 30, 2011
2NE1 wins a rookie award at the ’53rd Japan Record Awards’!
2NE1 has won a rookie award at TBS‘s ‘53rd Japan Record Awards‘!
On December 29th, Japanese media outlets reported that the girls had been awarded the rookie award at the ’53rd Japan Record Awards’. The girls arrived on the 28th for rehearsal and commented to reporters, “We’re glad to receive such an honorable award just three months into our Japanese debut. We’ll work hard every year in hopes of winning the Record Award.”
They continued, “We’ll be expressing the power of women in our stage performance.”
2NE1 will be sharing the honor with Japanese singers Ito Miyu, SUPER☆GiRLS, and fairies. KARA will also be attending the awards ceremony on December 30th.
Source + Photos: Nail News via Naver
Credits: Allkpop
The battle of the sexy legs at the 2011 SBS Gayo Daejun Red Carpet!
I am pretty sure you are still in a hyped up mood after watching SBS Gayo Daejoon, an amazing night with so many outstanding performances by the most excellent K-Pop idols.
The idols' fashion has also become one of the hottest topics of the day. Short dress has become a trend among female idols like 2NE1's Dara, After School's Lizzy and Kahi, Kara's Seung Yeon, Dal Shabet's Seri, Sistar's Bora, Davichi's Min Kyung and Hae Ri, T-ara's Ji Yeon, So Yeon and Qri were spotted wearing sexy short dress at the red carpet.
Who captured your attention the most??
Who captured your attention the most??
Photo Source: Newsen
Credits: DKpopNews
Photos: WeLoveDara + DKpopNews
Park Bom apologizes to her fans for ‘SBS Gayo Daejun’!
Park Bom consoled her fans who attended ’2011 SBS’ Gayo Daejun’.
On December 30th, she tweeted, “I really want to buy the Black Jacks jjajangmyun [black bean noodles] today. Truthfully, even though it was a terrible day today, if there are days like today, there are bound to be better days as well.”
In the selca, her face is partially covered in a blue and red cheetah patterned scarf as she frowns at the camera, as if to show the frustration fans must have felt.
The ‘terrible day’ Bom is in reference to the problems that occurred during SBS‘s ‘Gayo Daejun‘. It’s been rumored that in addition to the clumsy progression of the show, there were also quite a few sound problems as well. In addition, there were not enough seats in comparison to the large crowd of fans who had shown up.
Netizens replied with, “It’s not you who has to apologize, Bom unnie, it’s the crew,” “Miss Bom who soothes the angry hearts,” and “Can I get tangsuyuk (sweet & sour pork) instead?”
Source: Korean Economy via Nate
Credits: Allkpop
Park Siblings snapped a lovely selca at the backstage of SBS Gayo Daejun!
Sandara Park shared a new photo on her official Me2day with his brother, Thunder.
She is seen posing with her brother MBLAQ's Thunder in the photo above. Both of them performed on SBS Gayo Daejun yesterday.
Although they seem tired but happy at the same time to be able to perform on the same stage.
She is seen posing with her brother MBLAQ's Thunder in the photo above. Both of them performed on SBS Gayo Daejun yesterday.
Although they seem tired but happy at the same time to be able to perform on the same stage.
Photo: Dara's Me2day
Credits: DKpopNews
CL discusses 2NE1′s achievements in 2011!
CL recently sat down for an interview with OSEN to discuss the group’s various achievements this year.
Chosen as one OSEN’s ‘Hottest People of 2011‘, CL and her members were praised for their ability to churn out chart-topping hits one after the other. The group has gone through a wide spectrum of genres this year which attributed to their success, but CL humbly chalked it up to “good timing.”
CL began, “I don’t whether we’re trusted 100% yet, but our success benefited a lot from our music. Producer Teddy oppa wrote us really great songs and we released them at a great timing. ‘Lonely‘ was released when there weren’t many quiet songs on the market, and then we came out with ‘I Am the Best’ right after.”
All year long, the girls have been dominating the charts, starting with “Don’t Cry“, “Lonely”, “I Am the Best”, “Hate You“, and “Ugly“. These are achievements any singer would die for, but CL claims it’s not enough.
“I admit that we’re a group with a different color, but I think we’re still far from success. I want us to slowly create an image for ourselves that people can conjure up immediately when they hear the name 2NE1.”
As their current image stands today, the girls are known for their independent, confident style that has won the support of a lot of female fans. “We don’t only represent women, but since we’re women ourselves, we do not want to provide them with more power. It started with ‘I Don’t Care’, and we just hope that women will live more confidently. Not only through our lyrics, but through our performance and even clothing, we just want to create the image of a confident woman. I personally love that style so people tend to think I’m scary on stage, but I’m really not in real life (laughter).”
At the mention of her being shyer than some of the more feminine girl groups, she quickly agreed. “Right? But I guess I have something scary inside of me. My image on stage, however, is just one side of me.”
When asked to pick the happiest moment of the year, she replied, “I was a bit frustrated in the beginning of the year. Our Japanese promotions were delayed in the spring so we couldn’t do anything up till May. I worried about what would be happening to our promotions, and that’s when our mini-album was released. I had a lot of fun promoting it, and honestly speaking, I don’t remember anything that happened since the filming of our ‘Lonely’ music video.”
She continued, “We went on our first concert tour this year. A lot of people came to our Korean and Japanese stops, and you will never know how happy that made me. I also can’t forget our performance in New York. We were in a greater mood than expected, and I think it’s because we had no idea, really. We’ve been promoting for two years but have had few opportunities to meet directly with our fans so I was grateful to be able to visit other countries and meet with so many people this year.”
At the mention of all of the achievements they’ve made thus far, such as winning the ‘Best New Band in the World’ on MTV Iggy, ranking in at 6th place on ‘SPIN‘ magazine, and ranking 3 music videos into the ‘Top 10′ most watched K-Pop music videos of the year, CL stated, “Through music, we’re diminishing the border between countries in the world. Instead of setting one country as a target, I’m just looking forward to our music being accepted everywhere. This is only our beginning, and people often ask us about what we’ve accomplished so far when it’s only been two years since our debut. I guess people think we’ve been around for a while (laughter). We have a long road ahead of us.”
YG Entertainment has already announced that they’ll be releasing a new girl group next year with a ‘pretty concept.’ CL concluded, “I’m not upset. Positively speaking, we’re different from other girl groups (laughter). I think it’s right for YG’s next group to be different from us. We’re going to just make sure we keep our uniqueness going, haha!”
Source + Photos: OSEN via Naver
Credits: Allkpop
Dara waves goodbye to 2011!
On December 30th, 2NE1‘s speedy news correspondent Sandara Park went straight to her me2day after performing at SBS‘s ‘Gayo Daejun‘ to express her feelings on their latest show.
She wrote, “Did you see SBS’s Gayo Daejun? +.+ 2NE1 finished their last performance of the year in Korea… I’m sad~! We wanted to perform all the songs that came out this year but we choose two! I feel… weird and sad^^ ;; Next year, we’ll also work hard! To become even better~! Let’s do it!^.^ Fighting!”.
Sandara snapped a selca of herself waving goodbye to 2011, and recorded 2NE1′s mark on the year by jotting down song titles on the photo. “I Am the Best“, “Don’t Cry“, “Ugly“, “Lonely“, “Hate You“, and “Don’t Stop the Music” could all be seen on the captions.
Netizens commented, “What an amazing year for 2NE1″, “Girls, nolza forever!” and “Good luck in Japan!”
2NE1 will be performing at the 53rd Japan Record Awards on December 30th.
(If you haven’t checked out 2NE1′s performance at SBS’s Gayo Daejun, you can check it out here.)
Source + Image: Sandara’s me2day
Credits: Allkpop
2NE1's Performance in SBS Gayo Daejun Performance!
In the midst of numerous year-end events and programs, one that, perhaps, shines the brightest is the ’2011 SBS Gayo Daejun’ which always presents itself with glitz and glamor.
The Hallyu-themed show has brought out a star-studded line-up of many of the biggest names and the most anticipated rookies in K-Pop including TVXQ, 2PM, Super Junior, 2NE1, SNSD, Wonder Girls, KARA, B2ST, CNBLUE, F.T. Island, Brown Eyed Girls, T-ara, miss A, f(x), Lee Seung Gi, IU, Kim Hyun Joong, After School, MBLAQ, INFINITE, Dal Shabet, Boyfriend, A Pink, B1A4, SECRET, 4minute, G.NA, SISTAR, Davichi, K.Will, TEEN TOP, Rainbow, U-Kiss, SHINee’s Taemin & Jonghyun, Zelo & Bang Yong Guk, EXO, and Pledis Boys.
Check out 2NE1's performance below!
Image Source: Osen News
Source: Allkpop
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Winners from ’2011 Bugs Music Awards’ revealed!
Bugs, one of the most popular music sites in Korea, has just released their results for the ’2011 Bugs Music Awards’.
Fans were able to start voting on December 8th and had up til December 22nd to submit their votes. Bugs calculated the votes into the overall scoring system (downloads + streaming) to determine the winners for this year, and has just revealed the results!
‘Netizens’ Popularity Award’
1 – Super Junior
2 – Girls’ Generation
3 – Huh Gak
‘Best Rookie’
1 – Dal Shabet
2 – A Pink
3 – Jang Jae In
‘Best Male Group’
1 – Super Junior
2 – B2ST
3 – Big Bang
‘Best Female Group’
1 – Girls’ Generation
2 – T-ara
3 – 2NE1
‘Best Solo Artist’
1 – Huh Gak
2 – Kim Bum Soo
3 – Kim Yeon Woo
‘Best Overseas Musicians’
1 – Maroon 5
2 – Lady Gaga
3 – Britney Spears
‘Ballad of the Year’
1 – Huh Gak – “Hello”
2 – IU – “The Story Only I Didn’t Know”
3 – Davichi – “Don’t Say Goodbye”
‘Hip Hop/R&B Song of the Year’
1 – Leessang – “Turned Off The TV”
2 – Park Jung Hyun – “I Wish Now It Would Be”
3 – Wheesung – “Words That Freeze My Heart”
Rock Song of the Year:
1 – CNBLUE – “Intuition”
2 – Kim Kyung Ho – “Between Love and Friendship”
3 – Boohwal – “Secret”
‘O.S.T. of the Year’
1 – Im Jae Bum – “Love”
2 – Baek Ji Young – “I Love You Even Today”
3 – Hyun Bin – “That Man”
‘Music Video of the Year’
1 – f(x) – “Pinocchio (Danger)”
2 – TVXQ – “Keep Your Head Down”
3 – SECRET – “Shy Boy”
‘Tap Sonic Best Play’
– Girls’ Generation – “Gee”
– Girls’ Generation – “Gee”
- Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP – “We No Speak Americano”
- Noh Hong Chul & Psy – “Shake It”
- Psy – “Right Now”
- Walter Klien – “Mozart, Turkish March”
Congratulations to all the winners!
Source + Photos: Bugs Music
Credits: Allkpop
Dara reminds fans to attend 2NE1′s pre-recording for ‘SBS Gayo Daejun’!
On December 28th, Dara, reminded fans about 2NE1′s pre-recording for SBS Gayo Daejun.
She wrote, “What’s up?!? ^_^ You know that tomorrow is SBS Gayo Daejun, right?!? We are even pre-recording it tomorrow morning! It will be at 9am at KINTEX.. Because it’s cold and so early, I don’t know if Blackjacks will be able to make it.. ㅠ.ㅠ But it will be the first time in a while that we’ll be able to meet closely, so I’m looking forward to it! It will be a special time between 2NE1 and Blackjacks in a long while!..”
With the picture, Dara posted a picture of herself with a written message reminding fans. She’s pointing to a sign that reads, “Blackjacks~ come on!” with the message below stating, “December 29, Ilsan KINTEX, 9am” and “P.S. It’s been a while since we’ve done a pre-recording, so I’m anticipating!”
Fans commented, “I want to go!~~ 2NE1! fighting~!“,“Wow! I’m definitely going to watch! Do well!!”, and “Please show us an awesome performance!”
Source: Dara’s me2day
Credits: Allkpop
Davichi sings 2NE1′s “I Am the Best” at their concert!
On December 27, Davichi held their ’Adieu 2011 Shining a Light Concert‘ at Seoul Bangi-dong’s Olympic Hall.
During the concert Davichi sang their hit songs such as “Accident“, “8282“, “Love and War“, and “Stopping Time“.
At one point however, Davichi surprised their fans with the display of their fierce side by singing and dancing to 2NE1‘s “I Am the Best“. They also revealed their cute retro side by singing and dancing to T-ARA‘s “Roly Poly” with a special guest appearance from T-ara themselves.
Source + Image: TVReport
Credits: Allkpop
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
2NE1 unable to attend the 2011 KBS Music Festival!
2NE1 will be absent from the 2011 KBS Music Festival that is scheduled to take place at the KBS Hall in Yeoido.
An insider from the industry informed StarNews stated, “There is an award ceremony taking place in Japan the same day as the KBS Music Festival, and unfortunately, it looks like [2NE1] will be unable to attend as well.”
The 2011 KBS Music Festival will air on KBS 2TV on December 30th.
Source & Image : StarNews
Credits: Allkpop
2NE1 make it to Spin.com’s ‘Favorite Pop Tracks of 2011′ list!
On December 27, the website for music magazine Spin revealed their favorite pop singles of 2011.
Among the various songs by A-list pop icons, two K-pop songs made it to the list. At #3, HyunA‘s “Bubble Pop” beat #4 pop princess Britney Spears‘ “Till the World Ends“, and 2NE1‘s “I Am the Best” took the #8 spot.
HyunA & 2NE1′s appearance on this list is just another example of the Hallyu wave’s continuous expansion across the world. Congrats to both of these artists!
Source + Image: Spin magazine
Credits: Allkpop
2NE1's Success on Top 50 Overall Hits on Melon Music Yearly Chart for 2011!
The girls of 2NE1 have dominated this year, successfully listing their hit songs “I Am the Best”, “Ugly”, “Lonely”, “Hate You” on the list of Top 50 overall hits at #3, #6, #16, and #27 respectively, while Park Bom’s solo track “Don’t Cry” secured the #15 spot. Altogether, the girls secured five songs on the list of top 50, while their label mates Big Bang secured a few spots on the list with songs like “Tonight”, and "Love Song”. Additionally, Big Bang’s sub-unit GD&TOP secured two spots in the Top 50 with “Oh Yeah (feat. Park Bom)” and “High High”. Needless to say, it has been a fruitful year for YG Entertainment, releasing 9 hits total from group, solo, and sub-unit promotions.
IU managed to break the Top 50 with three songs, “Good Day” which was released last year and “Only I Didn’t Know” along with “Someday“. IU currently continues to dominate the charts with her new song, “You & I”. Even though both Girls’ Generation and the Wonder Girls released their albums late into the year, they performed well on the albums chart, ‘The Boys‘ came in at #10, while ‘Wonder World‘ earned the #13 slot. Programs like ‘I Am a Singer’ as well as ‘Super Star K‘ have made room for new artists to make their name known in the industry as well as creating opportunities for older artists to re-establish their reputation.
Source: Melon
Credits: Allkpop
Melon Music releases Yearly Chart for 2011!
Melon has released a collective report of the best hits on their website for 2011!
BEST OVERALL HITS
The most popular song in 2011 was none other than T-ARA‘s “Roly Poly“, being the most streamed and downloaded song overall. It’s catchy, upbeat melody and easy-to-follow dance moves have been a big hit with the fans. GG‘s addictive track “I Cheated” featuring Park Bom earned the #2 slot, while the ladies of 2NE1 secured two spots on the Top-10 list with their hit song “I Am the Best” at #3, and “Ugly” at #9.
Best Overall Hits (2011.01.02~12.10)
1.) T-ARA – Roly Poly
2.) GG – I Cheated (feat. Park Bom)
3.) 2NE1 – I Am the Best
4.) B2ST – On Rainy Days
5.) Leessang – I Turned Off the TV
6.) 2NE1 – Ugly
7.) SISTAR – So Cool
8.) 4MEN – Once In A Lifetime
9.) IU – Good Day
10.) miss A – Good-bye Baby
2.) GG – I Cheated (feat. Park Bom)
3.) 2NE1 – I Am the Best
4.) B2ST – On Rainy Days
5.) Leessang – I Turned Off the TV
6.) 2NE1 – Ugly
7.) SISTAR – So Cool
8.) 4MEN – Once In A Lifetime
9.) IU – Good Day
10.) miss A – Good-bye Baby
MOST DOWNLOADED
6 of the 10 artists on the Top-10 Most Downloaded tracks of 2011 were female, including T-ARA who came in at #1 with “Roly Poly”, 2NE1′s “I Am the Best” at #3, miss A and their song “Good-bye Baby” at #5, Davichi with “Don’t Say Goodbye” at #6, SISTAR‘s “So Cool” at #7, SECRET with “Shy Boy” at #9, and soloist G.NA rounded out the top 10 with “Black and White“
Most Downloaded (2011.01.02~12.10)
1.) T-ARA – Roly Poly
2.) GG – I Cheated (feat. Park Bom)
3.) 2NE1 – I Am the Best
4.) Leessang – I Turned Off the TV
5.) miss A – Good-bye Baby
6.) Davichi – Don’t Say Goodbye
7.) SISTAR – So Cool
8.) Kim Bum Soo – Please
9.) Secret – Shy Boy
10.) G.NA – Black and White
2.) GG – I Cheated (feat. Park Bom)
3.) 2NE1 – I Am the Best
4.) Leessang – I Turned Off the TV
5.) miss A – Good-bye Baby
6.) Davichi – Don’t Say Goodbye
7.) SISTAR – So Cool
8.) Kim Bum Soo – Please
9.) Secret – Shy Boy
10.) G.NA – Black and White
ALBUM CHART
Infinite Challenge‘s West Coast Highway Music Festival came in at #1 on the list of most-sold albums in 2011, each track on the album breaking the top 100 song list of the year. Survival program ‘I Am a Singer‘ was obviously a huge hit this year, as two of the albums from the program have broke the top 10 list. Leessang‘s ‘AsuRa BalBalTa‘ secured the #2 spot, while GD&TOP‘s 4th mini-album came in at #3. Four of Big Bang‘s albums broke the Top-50 list of most-sold albums in 2011, displaying their undying international fame.
Album Chart (2011.01.02~12.10)
1.) Infinite Challenge – West Coast Highway Music Festival
2.) Leessang – AsuRa BalBalTa
3.) GD&TOP – GD&TOP 1st Full-Length album
4.) Big Bang – Big Bang’s 4th Mini-Album
5.) I Am a Singer – Survival ‘I Am a Singer’ 2nd Contest
6.) IU – Real
7.) Ooh La La Session – Super Star K3 Top 11 Part 1
8.) I Am a Singer – Survival ‘I Am a Singer’ Contest 3-2
9.) 4MEN – The Artist
10.) Girls’ Generation – ‘The Boys’ The 3rd Album
2.) Leessang – AsuRa BalBalTa
3.) GD&TOP – GD&TOP 1st Full-Length album
4.) Big Bang – Big Bang’s 4th Mini-Album
5.) I Am a Singer – Survival ‘I Am a Singer’ 2nd Contest
6.) IU – Real
7.) Ooh La La Session – Super Star K3 Top 11 Part 1
8.) I Am a Singer – Survival ‘I Am a Singer’ Contest 3-2
9.) 4MEN – The Artist
10.) Girls’ Generation – ‘The Boys’ The 3rd Album
Source & Image(s) : Melon
Credits: Allkpop
Park Bom scolds her manager in defense of a fan
It’s been revealed that Park Bom scolded her manager in defense of a fan.
Recently, an online community posted a video titled “Apostle Park Bom who showed up at Incheon Airport“, where Bom was seen scolding her manager for pushing a fan. The clip shows that the fan holding the camcorder was almost knocked down as they were trying to hand Bom a present, and Bom believed that it was the manager’s fault.
She immediately bristled and said, “Why did you push her? Don’t push her.”
As it turns out, the fan was taking a step backwards when she tripped over the manager’s feet. Alarmed by Bom’s ferocity, the manager quickly offered an apology to the fan.
In response, netizens said, “She’s really kind”, “Her tone is soft and cute”, “Her manager is really kind too and the incident is funny”, and “She seems fine with the situation since she’s laughing about it too.”
Check out the video!
Source: Sports Chosun via Nate News
Credits: Allkpop
Monday, December 26, 2011
2NE1 to release a new album in Japan in February!
2NE1 has finally confirmed plans for new Japanese promotions starting February 2012!
Representatives of YG Entertainment disclosed to OSEN, “2NE1 will be advancing into the Japanese market with a new album in February. Whether it will be a mini-album or a single has not been decided yet, but we have confirmed February to be the date.”
2NE1 kicked off their Japanese promotions this year and already has a considerable fanbase growing in the country. The group performed on Nihon TV‘s ‘Best Hit Song Festival‘ on December 24th and are beginning to make a name for themselves not only in Japan, but all over the world.
2NE1′s Japanese album will certainly be turning heads with their unique promotional style, so be sure to stay tuned for more info!
Source + Photos: OSEN
Credits: Allkpop
’2011 Seoul Tokyo Music Festival’ performance of 2NE1!
SBS MTV and Japanese station TBS have teamed up to bring K-Pop fans in Japan a special event called the ‘Seoul Tokyo Music Festival‘!
This music festival took place at the Saitama Super Arena on Christmas Day (December 25th). Artists like 2NE1, KARA, MBLAQ, TEEN TOP, INFINITE, Rainbow, Heo Young Saeng, Kim Kyu Jong, Dal Shabet, M Street, Seungri, Brown Eyed Girls, ZE:A, and F.T. Island performed for over a thousands fans.
Big Bang‘s Seungri, KARA’s Gyuri and Hara, and F.T. Island’s Hongki ran the show as the MCs.
Check out 2NE1's performance below!
Source: Allkpop
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Dara wishes fans a very Merry Christmas!
On December 25th, Dara shared some festive selcas through her me2day as a last-minute Christmas present for her fans.
Dara posted, “Whoaaa~! ^_^ It’s finally Christmas! Clap clap clap!!! Ahahaha.. Because I was rolling around and sleeping at home all day, dark circle explosion on my bare face and my hair is all messed up… ㅠ.ㅠ But I wanted to send my greetings to Blackjacks, so I took pictures! Ahahaha… For some reason, I want to listen to ‘UGLY‘! Poof… My lovely Blackjacks! Merry Christmas~!^.^”
Dara is seen without any make-up, looking natural and carefree on her rare day off. She scribbled a caption onto each selca to explain her expression. “I tried smiling brightly but..^_^;”, “But I can’t smile.. ㅠ.ㅠ”, “I’m not happy!!!_ _+”, and “Bbooack~!!!ke@.@”, she wrote.
Fans commented, “Dara, Merry Christmas to you too~!>.<”, “Merry Christmas! Hope you spend it with your loved one! Have a blessed Christmas! <3″, and “Unnie, Merry Christmas!!! Is 2NE1 on break these days?? Get lots of rest~ You were really busy, right?? 2NE1 nolza!”
Source: Dara’s me2day
Credits: Allkpop
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Minzy gives Blackjacks a Christmas present on Minzy’s TV #4!
Minzy is back with another edition of Minzy’s TV.
The fourth edition of Minzy’s TV features a special treat for Blackjacks as she wrote a special Thank You message to her fans and also covered Beyonce‘s ‘Halo‘.
She wrote,
"2011 is already ending.. With 2NE1 there were a lot of happy and joyful moments, I think it’s because of all the love and support from all of you. Thank You very much. From now on, I will keep on growing and show everyone a better 2NE1. For all of you who have gave me encouragement, here’s a small Christmas present for you~^^ This song is for all the Back Jacks.”
Check out her cover below!
Source: Minzy’s twitter
Credits: Allkpop
Friday, December 23, 2011
2NE1 ranks on SPIN Magazine’s ’20 Best Pop Albums of 2011′!
American music magazine ‘SPIN‘ have released their annual ranking of the best pop albums of 2011.
Adroitly titled, ‘SPIN’s 20 Best Pop Albums of 2011‘, the magazine considers pop albums from all over the world for spots in their top. This year, 2NE1‘s 2nd mini album and SNSD‘s ‘Girls’ Generation’ album have placed 6th and 18th, respectively.
This is what the writers of SPIN had to say:
6. 2NE1
2nd Mini Album The TLC of K-Pop dropped this stopgap, six-song EP compilation in July, and for pure (purely impure?) sonics, it might be the year’s most boldly thrilling recorded statement. A collision of electro-house, hip-hop, and pop-rock guitar, with yet another undeniable hook cropping up every 15 seconds, it is the primary work of producers Teddy Park (formerly of Korean-American rap group 1TYM) and Kush. But this all-female foursome clearly own their persona more than most K-Poppers, particularly on the spicy, playalistic “I Am the Best” and the body-image throwdown, “Ugly.” There’s even a solo turn by the group’s vocal powerhouse Park Bom, who considers the cosmos over a springy sprint to a piano-plinking chorus. (C.A.)
18. Girls’ Generation‘Girls’ Generation‘
This nine-member, all-girl K-Pop drill team fully exploits South Korea’s 800-pound neighboring market with a Japanese-language album (plus English choruses!). And though it may be a translation trainwreck, these chipper, reality-show vets behave with real zeal — eagerly beaming, winking, chattering, emoting when it’s called for — over terrifyingly sophisticated dance tracks (echoes of Latin Freestyle, Italo disco, every Backstreet/Britney scrap from 1999), plus a dutifully aching ballad or two. The peak is “Run Devil Run,” a white swan/black swan kiss-off with a chorus so confidently sassy it could stop a North Korean missile in mid-air. (CHARLES AARON).
Congratulations to 2NE1 and SNSD!
Source +Photos: SPIN
Credits: Allkpop
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Dara muses over the quick passage of time!
The idol wrote, ”Woohahaha~Its gonna be Christmas already in 3 days! =.= Last year and the year before, I spent an enjoyable time with our fans at music programs.. This year it’ll be lonely.. I would rather work~! TT_TT New Year’s will come in a blink of an eye.. When I start working busily, another Christmas will come… Time sure flies!@.@ haha”
In the accompanying photo, Dara is seen wearing an outfit that doesn’t quite seem to match the Christmas theme, but somehow looks festive.
Netizens and fans commented, “Merry Christmas Sandara!“, “I hope you find your soulmate this holiday“, and “You have your fans, so don’t feel lonely!”
Source + Photos: 2NE1 Sandara Park’s me2day
Credits: Allkpop
Line-up for Hallyu-themed ’2011 SBS Gayo Daejun’ revealed!
SBS will be holding their ‘2011 Gayo Daejun‘ on the night of December 29th live at 8:50 p.m. KST!
Representatives of SBS revealed, “We’re preparing stages centered around the theme of Hallyu. Like our previous festivals, singers will be holding joint stages together. The details aren’t hashed out yet, nor are the MCs confirmed.”
Super Junior‘s Kim Heechul and CNBLUE‘s Jung Yonghwa hosted the event for two consecutive years, but as one is currently on army duty and the other is busy with other schedules, SBS has been forced to search for replacements.
As such, Yonghwa will only be performing with CNBLUE for the event. His representative explained, “CNBLUE will be beginning their Asia tour next month so their schedule is booked.”
As of now, the line-up for the ’2011 Gayo Daejun’ includes TVXQ, 2PM, Super Junior, 2NE1, SNSD, Wonder Girls, KARA, B2ST, CNBLUE, F.T. Island, Brown Eyed Girls, T-ara, miss A, f(x), Lee Seung Gi, IU, Kim Hyun Joong, After School, MBLAQ, INFINITE, Dal Shabet, Boyfriend, A Pink, B1A4, SECRET, 4minute, G.NA, SISTAR, Davichi, K.Will, TEEN TOP, Rainbow, and U-KISS. (The list may be changed)
Credits: Allkpop
Youtube reports the 10 highest viewed K-pop Music Videos in Korea for 2011!
The K-pop craze that’s taking the world by storm was also manifest on the largest video portal site in the world, Youtube.
On December 21st, Youtube reported the top 10 most-watched music videos by domestic citizens in Korea (not including overseas views) since January 1st, 2011.
According to the report, the #1 most-watched K-pop music video in Korea for 2011 was Wonder Girls‘ and their hit track, “Be My Baby“.
HyunA‘s solo single “Bubble Pop” came in at #2, while SNSD‘s “The Boys” came in at #3, holding a record for immediately receiving 400,000 views upon release.
At #4 was “STEP” from KARA‘s third full-length album which is earning much love and support in Japan, and at #5 and #6 were 2NE1‘s “Lonely” and “I Am the Best“, respectively.
T-ara‘s “Roly Poly” came in at #7, followed by f(x)‘s “Pinocchio” at #8, SISTAR‘s “So Cool” came in at #9, and miss A‘s “Good-bye Baby” rounded out the top 10.
Yeum Donghoon from Google Korea remarked, “K-pop has an ever-growing impact on the world, so much that Youtube has launched an official ‘K-pop’ category on the site. I think the driving force behind K-pop spreading so quickly and intensely all over the world is the never-ending love and support the national fans show their favorite artists.”
Source & Image: MyDaily
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
2NE1 on The Most Futuristic Music of 2011!
Put away your grandpa-style indie rock sweaters and salute the year's most futuristic music. By that I don't just mean music that sounds like it comes from the future (though there's quite a bit of that); I also mean music that is indicative of larger future trends. Shall we begin?
2NE1, 2nd EP Release
2NE1 are the queens of Korean pop, which is even more insane than Japanese pop, and their anthem "I Am the Best" is the best song of 2011…because it sounds like the best song of 2111. If The Fifth Element were remade today (not that I'm suggesting it should be-it's an unimpeachable masterpiece), 2NE1 would replace both the blue-skinned diva and Ruby Rhod. They're just that awesome. Here's their video for "I Am the Best."
Source: io9
2NE1 and Tablo picked as 2011's Best Acts!
YG Entertainment artists 2NE1 and Tablo have been chosen by Slant Magazine and MTV Iggy as two of the Best Acts of 2011.
Tablo’s solo debut album “Fever’s End” has been chosen as No. 5 Best 20 Debut Albums of 2011 by MTV Iggy.
“Korean rapper Tablo’s epic two-part solo album ‘Fever’s End’ includes brooding, brainy tracks like 'Home' among more upbeat R&B influenced numbers. His English-language kiss-off to the fame game, ‘Dear TV’ is a spare, envelope-pushing standout, but the whole album consists of that kind of reflective, solid material. There’s a post-hip hop/singer-songwriter vibe throughout, but it’s the sprinkling of K-pop dust that gives this debut just the right amount of kick,” MTV Iggy described the album.
Last September, Tablo signed up with YG Entertainment and “Fever’s End” is his first project.
The two-part album was released last November and it entered the Billboard World Albums Chart. “Fever’s End: Part 2” peaked at No. 2 and “Fever’s End: Part 1” entered at No. 5.
The album also shot up to the No. 1 position on iTunes hip-hop charts in the US and Canada.
On the other hand, SLANT magazine has picked 2NE1’s “I Am the Best” as one of the 25 Best Singles of 2011.
“One of 2011's best developments was that the Western world finally discovered the unmitigated joy of K-pop. Even within a music scene characterized by its fearless appropriation of pop, hip-hop, and dance styles, 2NE1's ‘I Am the Best’ is a jaw-dropping, vibrant triumph of pure swagger and verve,” according to SLANT magazine.
In addition, MTV Iggy chose “I Am the Best” as the No. 1 Coolest Non-English Tracks of 2011.
“No surprise here, right? In 2011, millions of adoring fans chanted ‘Nega Jeil Chalaga,’ or ‘I’m the Best’ in Korean, at concerts worldwide, on Twitter, Facebook, and fan sites. It was all for the pop wunderkinds 2NE1, whose brand of gleaming pop production, four-to-the-floor beats, and sassy fashion sense have made them one of Korea’s breakout acts,” MTV Iggy said of 2NE1.
2NE1 was recently crowned as MTV Iggy’s Best New Band in the World and performed at the MTV Studios in New York City.
Here’s the list of SLANT magazine’s 25 Best Singles of 2011:
1. Kanye West, "All of the Lights"
2. Tyler, the Creator, "Yonkers"
3. Adele, "Rolling in the Deep"
4. Lana Del Rey, "Video Games”
5. Lady Gaga, "Born This Way"
6. Robyn, "Call Your Girlfriend"
7. Fleet Foxes, "Helplessness Blues"
8. Lady Gaga, "The Edge of Glory"
9.. Beth Ditto, "I Wrote the Book"
10. Azealia Banks featuring Lazy Jay, "212"
11. Das Racist, "Michael Jackson"
12. Gotye featuring Kimbra, "Somebody That I Used to Know"
13. Florence and the Machine, "Shake It Out"
14. Lana Del Rey, "Blue Jeans"
15. EMA, "California"
16. Britney Spears, "Till the World Ends"
17. SBTRKT featuring Yukimi Nagano, "Wildfire"
18. Lykke Li, "I Follow Rivers"
19. Girls, "Vomit"
20. Frank Ocean, "Novacane"
21. 2NE1, "I Am The Best"
22. Patrick Wolf, "The City"
23. St. Vincent, "Cruel"
24. Beyoncé, "Love on Top"
25. Battles featuring Matias Aguayo, "Ice Cream"
Source: Manila Bulletin PH
Monday, December 19, 2011
Dara drops by with presents for Bom’s nephew’s birthday party!
Bom proved to be no match for her young nephew’s adorable charms!
On December 18th, she wrote on her Me2day, “We were throwing a birthday party for my nephew’s birthday when auntie Dara stopped by. She came with so many presents. A first reveal of Julian! He looks exactly the same as I did when I was little.”
She added, “This shot took 30 minutes to take. A lot of people are in front trying to get him to pay attention.”
With Julian in her arms, Bom poses alongside Dara, who’s managed to grasp onto his hand in a mid-wave. Their excitement and joy clearly show on their faces.
Netizens commented, “A clone of Park Bom”, “The nephew must take after Park Bom, he’s really adorable”, and “So jealous of the nephew for receiving such infinite love”.
Source + Photos: Park Bom’s me2day
Credits: Allkpop
Sunday, December 18, 2011
2NE1 on Kpop Cheat Sheet: The Bands To Know Before They Blow Up!
The Lowdown — Forget any thoughts of sugary tunes, frilly dresses, and cutesy looks — the girls behind 2NE1 are badasses and are proud of it. Consisting of CL, Sandara, Park Bom, and Minzy, these girls have already taken the world by storm with their hip-hop infused songs. They've even going so far as to declare "I Am The Best" in their latest hit (which has already racked up numerous awards this year). You might think they're being boastful, but it's kind of hard to disagree — their thumping beats, unique and versatile voices, ability to drop rhymes like the best of them, and their flawless style have already earned them the attention of Will.i.Am, who has produced several of their tracks. The group just won MTV Iggy's Best Band in the World contest, which has earned them their first concert in NYC. But then again, their awards shelf is not exactly empty — they've earned no less than 40 other awards and 74 nominations in the past two years since they made their debut. If any group is poised to take over the world, it's this one.
Their Style — 2NE1's style isn't for the faint of heart. These girls prove that, no, you can't have too many layers of color, texture, and pattern in any given outfit. 2NE1 are usually decked out in leather, patterned leggings, graphic tees, and piles of jewelry — and some sky-high heels to top it all off. They're also not afraid to rock a hairstyle that's a little less than normal — whether it's bright blue, red, or sticking out at an angle we can't compute without a protractor. Designer Jeremy Scott numbers amongst the group's devoted followers, and has even collaborated with them to create a line of his iconic winged kicks. But while their image may be loud and in-your-face, these girls certainly aren't afraid of their feminine side. Every now and then, you'll see them in a sleek little LBD, but rest assured — they might just accessorize with a pointy-shouldered blazer, or a nail-studded bra.
Jeremy Scott Skeleton Big Sweater, $1,035, available at Opening Ceremony; Topshop Black Aztec Print Leggings, $40, available at Topshop; Dries Van Noten Cacey Contrast Print Blouse, $569, available at My Theresa; Dr. Martens Izzue Stud Boots, $240, available at Dr. Martins; Style Stalker Viper Room Bustier, $125, available at Glassworks Studios.
Their Songs
I Am The Best — With a title like "I Am The Best," the subject of this song needs little introduction — let's just say the lyrics contain Kanye-level boasting. Not that we mind — 2NE1 is kind of the best, and we're totally smitten with how they manage to be both eclectic and totally glam at the same time.
Ugly — "Ugly" showcases 2NE1's refusal to sugar-coat anything. While the lyrics are downright depressing (the chorus, sung in English, pretty much says it all), we appreciate that 2NE1 uses this anthem-like song to dive head first into those feelings of hopelessness and self-loathing that we all feel at one point or another in our lives.
Follow Me — This hypnotic, techno-heavy song features some of the most fantastic fashion 2NE1 has ever done, plus their moves are pretty sweet. Even though we've already bedazzled a pumpkin for Halloween, we're thinking of following CL's lead and bedazzling our faces next year.
Source: Refinery29
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)