K-pop and hip hop

Big Bang in the old days from left to right: TOP, Seungri, Taeyang, Daesung, and G-Dragon

   I never imagined that K-pop would become this big. When I was introduced to the genre three years ago, I wasn't interested in it all. However, K-pop is such a strong force that made me listen to it again and again. Take PSY (싸이) who sang the famous Gangnam Style (강남 스타을). Big Bang (빅뱅) and 2NE1 (투애니원) became my favourite groups, and they're the only ones I really liked. There must be something about their talent agency, because Big Bang (빅뱅), 2NE1 (투애니원) , and PSY (싸이) are all in the same agency, YG Entertainment.

Big Bang Alive Album Promotional Poster

 2NE1 photo

   These artists are very popular in South Korea. Idol groups (or K-pop groups) are the most popular because they look good, sing, and dance. PSY, who's real name is Park Jae Sang (박재상), is also a rapper. He was already familiar to me because I see him when I watch YG Family interviews, but I never noticed him until I listened and watched his Gangnam Style (강남 스타을) music video. I'm not surprised if it has more than 160 million views because it's really a catchy song. Here's a live performance of the song at the Summer Stand Live Concert:

    I still don't know yet whether I'll get tired of listening to this song or not. I don't listen to it everyday, but the song and dance routine are so catchy that I find myself listening and watching it once a week. To anyone who is introduced to k-pop for the first time, PSY is a good example. After PSY, you can start exploring the different idol groups. And because I'm biased, listen to Big Bang and 2NE1 first (but more on Big Bang). After listening to these artists, you can then begin expanding and pick your idols. You can try these artists: Se7en, Super Junior, Wonder Girls, and Girls Generation. There are a lot more idol bands out there (and I mean a lot), but since I'm not familiar with them you can just visit allkpop for your K-pop idol needs. 

Big Bang performing "Fantastic Baby" at SBS Inkigayo and being their playful selves

2NE1 performing "I Love You" at SBS Inkigayo

YG Entertainment

    I'm not too familiar with the Korean hip hop scene either.  Big Bang does hip hop too, but not every song. I only know two hip hop artists, and they are Epik High (에픽하이) and LeeSsang (리쌍). I can't remember how I was introduced to Epik High; I think it was because I used to spend a lot of my free time listening to Korean artists on youtube and Epik High was on one of the recommended videos. I don't really listen to them, although they do have good songs. Here's Map the Soul (Worldwide version): 

    

    As for LeeSsang, my friend Borj introduced me to this hip hop duo months ago, but I never got into them. Probably because my friend didn't show me this song until my other friend showed it to me:

English subbed by Kpoppin' Subs

   Though Epik High and LeeSsang are both good hip hop groups, I prefer LeeSsang's songs (Don't worry Tablo I'll always have a soft spot for you ^__^).

    If this is your first time listening to k-pop and Korean hip hop and you don't understand Korean (or 한글) and would like to appreciate the song better by understanding and knowing what the words mean, you can look them up (or Google them). There are a lot of fansubbers online, and they're wonderful fans who are willing to translate Korean, Japanese, or Chinese songs for us who don't speak these languages. Just like Gangnam Style, I was able to appreciate it more after I googled the translated english lyrics. Same with Big Bang, 2NE1, and LeeSsang. So to anyone who's new to k-pop and hip hop, good luck! There are so many choices out there. 

the k-pop fan in me

BigBang from left to right: Seungri, G-Dragon, Taeyang, Daesung, and T.O.P.
photos above and below from MTV EMA via BigBang updates

  I'm not gonna lie, I got excited when Big Bang won as the Worldwide Act in the 2011 MTV Europe Music Awards held at Belfast, Ireland on November 6, 2011. I don't usually listen to other music aside from Filipino or Western artists, but because I watch Korean and Japanese dramas and movies, I tend to like some of the soundtracks. So while I google for these songs, I divert my attention to South Korean pop groups such as Big Bang and 2NE1. I am also familiar with Wondergirls, Girl's Generation, Super Junior, DBSK (or TVXQ or JYJ), SS501, T-Max, CN Blue, and F.T. Island to name a few because I come across their performances whenever I browse youtube. However, I have a bias for the YG artists (a Korean talent agency and record label) Big Bang and 2NE1 because I like their music and style better than the others (and no bashing please; to each their own). I kind of understand why some people prefer SNSD (Girl's gen) or DBSK because I think these artists worked really hard before they reached the success they're having now.

  So on Sunday while I was doing my paper I was listening to Big Bang's "Haru haru", Tae yang's "I need a girl", and 2NE1's "It hurts" over and over again. The repeat button probably feels harassed already. Heh. Two or three years ago I would have no idea who the Big Bang or 2NE1 members were even though I was familiar with them, the same as how I have a Si-won, Hee-chul, and Kim Ki-bum bias in Super Junior (or SuJu, as they are commonly called). I mean, I know what Si-won, Hee-chul, and Ki-bum look like when I watch SuJu videos but I don't know the others nor listen to their songs all the time. But after browsing these groups, I realized that I lean more on 2NE1 and Big Bang. And who could resist these boys? 

uploaded by TheAsiaMission

  The more I watch their live performances, the more I like them. Thank goodness there's youtube that I can watch them anytime I want. I used to like G-Dragon (Kwon Ji-young) and T.O.P. (Choi Sang-hyun) but lately GD is slipping away from me as Tae yang (Dong Young-bae) makes his way into mine (pffft.). Especially after I heard this song and watched the music video. 

uploaded by KEV1saurus

  
  I find the song really catchy and Taeyang doesn't hurt either. One can't really blame me if I keep listening to this song the whole day and even the day after that. However, that's just my inner K-pop fan who loves these Big bang boys and their female counterpart 2NE1. Funny though, because the next day the song was still playing in my head but when I kind of got tired listening to them I switched to The Magic Numbers and involuntarily sang a Rivermaya song. So yeah. That pretty much says that these artists are in me unlike the boys who are just hanging out in my subconscious, waiting to be tapped. But really, I am glad that they won so that people would be familiar with them and the k-pop fandom. Hah, take that, Britney Spears!

BigBang at The MTV EMA 2011
from left to right: Seungri, Daesung, Taeyang, T.O.P., and G-Dragon
photo from allkpop