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Nichkhun’s DUI Accident

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in thailand

PARK SOL& NARU

**THE SOLUTIONS

Hallyu Korean Entertainment and Culture Magazine

EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief/ Head Director Korea Director Asst Editor Publicist Tanslator

ART

Chief-Art-Editor Head Artist Art Editors Senior Artist Artists Photographers

Other

Writing Dept. Head Writing Editor Deputy Writing Editor Editors Writers

Special Thanks &Association

PR&MEDIA PR Director KOREA Staff

24/7KPOP MBC 2012 College Music Festival HappyRobot Records “Catch The Wave” Arirang Radio Running Into The Sun SMTOWN Indonesia Promoter: MP Enter and W Production Connect with us! Hallyumagazine@hallyumagazine.com Join our Staff! info@hallyumagazine.com Press Contact/Promotion: press@hallyumagazine.com

Singapore Rep SouthEast Asia Staff Social Network

PHOTOSHOOT Director

Creative Coordinator Casting Video Operator Hair&MakeUp

Nadezhda Hope Michael Choe Kay Lee/Eva Islam Ly Nguyen Kh Yoonjo Ahn/Kyung Min Boo

Nadezhda Hope Aaliyah Grose Asel Sadekova Stefanie Johnson Phoungpaulica Lay Dena H Nguyen Kirsy Marlin Crystal Srock Nindea Isaac Kaile Rooney Lauren Higuchi Cinnamon Monique Cristiano J. Jorda Henry Kutniawan Sunflower132 Sister Media of 24/7KPOP Stefanie Johnson Darla Cornett Marcus Im Algie Lesia Stephens Jaelle Hwang Gabrielle Luu Mei Ling Amy Saiauski J’mescia P Kim Soo Jung Munique Kurtz Nassha d’Queen Ryann Ellis Robert Kashfia Tamar Herman Nadezhda Hope Emy Esmirna Juliao Lily Jennifer Jaelle Hwang Korapun Sritongsuk Pharttana Anantawana Emy Esmirna Juliao (FB) Kay Lee (FB/Twitter) Mariah Sky (FB) Aaliyah Grose (Tumblr) Amy Saiauski (me2day)

Asel Sadekova Ly Nguyen Kh Josh Brewer Aaliyah Grose Phoungpaulica Lay Emy (Korea) Lexx Paria Julia Gavryliuk

Contents

SMTOWN Indonesia CAT CHANG Interview Say Hello To CHAD FUTURE Variety Shows: Don’t Walk But Run The Art of Gift Giving

THE SOLUTIONS Cover Interview

Increased KPOP Activity in America RED SOUL Interview PARK YUCHUN Exclusive Fan Meeting G-DRAGON: One Of A Kind Past and Present NICHKHUN’s DUI

Fan Etiquette Korean Etiquette MINA Interview International Stars

YOON JUNG LEE Film Maker Interview KIM KI DUK: Lifetime Achievement Award Variety Shows Meets Image

Idols With Recognizable Voices HANGENG Press Conference Planet of Snail Review

Phantasmagoria Review HALLYU Special Crossword EXO Mini Live in Thailand

DONG BANG SHIN KI: Review Korean Fall Fashion Trends 2NE1 World Tour Concert Asian Youtube Celebrities

XIAH JUNSU Takes on LA! World Tour SIWON in Thailand Press Conference PSY Gangnam Style RYUICHI Paris Asian Travel Guide

Talk To Me In Korean: HYUNWOO Interview

Autumn 2012 Issue No.5

HALLYU Korean Entertainment and Culture Magazine

SMTOWN

INDONESIA

HALLYU MAGAZINE ATTENDED SMTOWN INDONESIA ON SEPTEMBER 22. CHECK OUT THESE EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS THAT OUR STAFF CAPTURED!

Hallyu interviews singer

Can you tell us a little bit about your background? I am a Korean American, born in NY. I lived in Korea briefly for about maybe 10 years, not even. I went to elementary school here, due to father’s business, I moved around a lot, moved to Singapore, went to 4 different high schools, went to Tampa High School. Claimed my independence, by getting out of my parent’s house, discover who I am, looking for a dream, 7 different cities including Seoul, I ended up moving to Atlanta, late 90s, that’s where I settled down and called home and went to college there, went to Georgia State University, studied journalism

and broadcasting, While I was in college, I started out as a music performance major, classical music, I’m classically trained, started piano when I was 5. I became a classically trained vocalist at 10. Music was always in me, President of choir in high school, lead music role in play. In college, I learned music management, the business aspect. An influential person who was a huge entertainment lawyer, Jimmy Buffett, opened all the doors for me, a well connected man. He represented Greenberg Truaige. His partner, Joel Katz is well known in the entire music industry. My

lawyer Jeffrey Smith represented Mary J. Blige and Janet Jackson.

Is it difficult for a Korean American to make it as a singer in America? Yes, it was. One of the main reasons why I didn’t get to the level I wanted to. Working with Janet Jackson producers, they saw the talent in me, saw that I was qualified enough to create an album. They were working with really famous Japanese artists, like Utada in Japan and the States. She flopped on MTV and TRL. Record bringing Asian American in states didn’t work despite selling 10 million albums in Japan.

Regardless how much talent I had, made them reluctant to spend time with me. Destiny, no matter how I tried, it was almost that it was a shortened fate. I couldn’t do much to change people’s minds. It was really hard to break the mold and pattern of how things how have been and were always done. Independently I tried to make it, I started to work with independent producers, people who weren’t major, who had enough talent, and fresh sound. Vision, known producer in industry, Deaf Soul recordings, he produced Buff Daddy, P2K, Aya (famous pop singer who worked with Christian Aguilerra). He produced 80% of first album in 2007.

What are some of the obstacles? How did you market yourself? Started a band and used myspace a lot to market music. The team and band members used online marketing a lot as form of marketing. Create an e-mail blaster, collect e-mail addresses to create an e-mail blaster, send mass e-mail, used a lot of online marketing, different local magazines, radio shows, used those articles and media to market, and the rest of it was performing. Performed a lot locally. 70% of marketing was done online through MySpace, Twitter, Facebook, and my own website, catchang.com. I came out, blowing up 2005.

When did you first start

singing? At 10, I started with lessons and did it professionally after moving to Atlanta in 2000.

What motivated you to start? Hobby, not as career, seems like a very daunting challenge, how many people really make it as a singer, joined a cover band, people told me I have a great voice, singing in band, people would notice a voice, offers from independent producers and managers, rest of it came being in the right industry with the right people, right people giving access, singers and musicians who had the desire for the dream to be turned into a reality.

How much does singing have to do with talent and how much can be learned? Having the talent, good enough singing ability, half of the battle, what really gets to be successful, rest of it is luck, being in the right place right time, chance.

How often did you practice? Through 2000-2009 Full time, 2-3 hours warm up and scaling, 4-5 hours every day gearing up for show. Depended on how many shows, 2008 big shows very often.

Where have you sung? What did you perform? Las Vegas, Belaggios, opening act of Atlanta gay pride,

2nd largest event in nation, opening in 2008. I sang the national anthem for Ultimate Fighting Championship ESPN 2009 (250,000 all over the world), International Shows, Turkey, Greece, most of the concert venues in Atlanta (Jill Scott, John Legend, Matchbox 20). Best vocal trainer in entire world, Jan Smith (Usher vocal trainer, currently on tour with Justin Beaver), trained all of TLC members, ranked #3 most reputable in US. Training with her helped polish my skills, get to the next level. You can find many of my performances at Cat Chang or catchangcom on Youtube.

What was the name of your 1st album? Name of album was the Cat Chang Show and I produced 1,000 CDs.

How did you get connected to the sound company? I was already working as a songwriter, I didn’t have to pay any studio time, got to use studio time for free.

Who was your target audience? People in 20s and 30s, people who aren’t teeny boppers, who had enough understanding and who could appreciate lyrical content in songs, 20-30s.

What do you love most about singing? Best moment in entire career was when I performed song in piano something about

relationship and recovery. Women came up and cried saying lyrics healed her and gave her comfort. I’m most rewarded about music, speaking to people. Personal level has been best at, most natural at doing, entertaining people has been in my blood.

What is the hardest thing about singing? Discipline, being human not motivated all the time, continuous commitment, industry fluctuates, not to lose passion and desire, continual effort, reinventing yourself, recreating yourself.

Can you tell us about your experience singing in Korea? I sung on 2 special occasions. Intercontinental 8th best hotel in world, Coex Intercontinental, main lobby performer grand piano performer, never been lounge performer, communicate to different foreigners, 250 each night and performed for the US army in Yongsan Army base. They said I was the best performance in 7 years.

What motivated you to sing in Korea? Having dinner in the Intercontinental Seoul Coex, I wondered how do you get to sing here, agency to sing for, so I came in and auditioned 30% Korean songs and 70% American songs.

What type of company did you work for?

My own business, Cat Chang Entertainment LLC 2006 until 2012, two major parts, performing which is revenue created by concert profit, ticket and album sales. The other part is the music school which consists of a music academy training young students violin and piano training, private training course after school, and going to a student’s home to give private lessons.

of music, older and more mature, real musical talent, everything being synthetic sounds like machines, mature musicians make it in the industry regardless of age and physical beauty, an Alicia keys of Korea, not enough of the older generation to appreciate.

How competitive is it to sing in Korea? They had a singer, just contacting them out of random, made a separate appointment. They really liked me and gave me an immediate contract due to my talent.

Who was your audience in Korea? What are some of your future plans in Korea and the US? Move back to LA, applying to several companies, two companies. I may take the contract from Intercontinental in Korea in September and start singing again.

What would you like see changed about the Korea Society in terms of singing? A lot of singers, artists are duplicated, there’s too much repetition in terms of style and names. There’s only one dimension teeny bopperish idol stars, girl and guy bands. The Korean music market needs to be more wide, they would deal with a wider range

What words of encouragement would you give to those thinking of singing in Korea or in US? They need to have a good sense of reality of what’s practical and what works, what’s limitations are, talent, ability, think they need to know that it’s a really hard and tough industry to break in, doctor and lawyer they need to know what they’re getting into, not to have high expectations, not to give up on their dream. ʜ

VARIETY SHOWS

{THIS ISSUES’S EDITION}

running man don’t walk “ but run ”

WRITTEN BY JMESCIA

veryone loves getting gifts, be it on your birthday, Christmas, Valentine’s Day who cares. Gifts make everyone happy, so why not share the happiness with your bias. A lot of people don’t understand why fans would choose to spend money on an idol, or even spend time making them something when they don’t even know you. The answer is simple, fans give gifts to idols because they love them and want them to know how much they appreciate the songs they write and things they do. If idols didn’t get gifts do you think that they’d feel appreciated and loved? I think not. If I was an idol and I worked hard I would be a little disappointed if no one had acknowledge all the hard work I put into making an album for my fans. Fans work hard when it comes to gift giving and it’s a way not only for the idols to feel appreciate but for the fans as well. When an idol shows appreciation for the gifts that a fan has given them it not only makes the giver feel good but it also shows that the idol has a kind enough heart to appreciate even the small things. So, if you still don’t understand why fans choose to give gifts to their favorite idols, then maybe you should try giving out one and seeing how it makes you feel.

THE ART OF GIFT GIVING MOST COMMON FAN GIFTS

CLOTHES

FOOD

CARE PACKAGES

RICE DONATIONS

Wonder Girls’ Lim posed for the camera while wearing a shirt from a fan.

Fans prepared lunch for Jaejoong and the staff of “Protect The Boss”.

Seven received vitamins, chocolate, messages, and more from fans.

Fans of IU donated 716kg of rice to help the poorlyfed children.

PARK SOL & NARU

On behalf of THE SOLUTIONS, staff of HALLYU KOREA has attended Discovery Concert in Muse Live at Olympic Park. The concert was live with energy and charisma! THE SOLUTIONS opened the concert with Sound of the Universe, a popular hit that got the crowed excited in a split second! Parksol lead the show with lead vocals and on and off performances of powerful guitar solo sections. He then swayed everyone for encore with piano performance. Naru was focused on his amazing guitar skills and then surprised everyone with lead singing several songs! Both gave the crowed acknowledgement and had a nice chat breaks every 2-3 songs. A fan shouted, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Marry me so you can sing for me everyday!â&#x20AC;?

At the high of the concert the whole venue rose to its feet and started clapping, singing and dancing for 5 songs in a row! THE SOLUTIONS showed various sides of themselves from fun rock to serious emotional songs, which was greatly appreciated by the attendees. After the 2 song encore fans filed out in a long line for the Autograph session! Discovery was an amazing live concert where fans discovered who are the true sincere guys of THE SOLUTIONS! Check out THE SOLUTIONS! Discover their music! HALLYU: Can you tell us a little bit about yourselves? NARU: We are THE SOLUTIONS, this is Parksol the singer and I am Naru, the guitarist. We play all kinds of British/American rock music in Korea. Our first album just came out a few days ago HALLYU: Did you debut as a new artist? PARKSOL: I have had a solo album prior to THE SOLUTIONS. HALLYU: Who came up with the name THE SOLUTIONS? NARU: Me, when we met and tried to make our name there were many other options but they were too childish. THE SOLUTIONS was the best. HALLYU: Does your name THE SOLUTIONS have a deeper meaning? NARU: The meaning and the pronunciation was good to us. We just liked it. When you use our names together the sound is similar to SOLUTIONS HALLYU: What motivated you two to come together to form this group? NARU: Parksol was making his solo/single album and I joined as the producer to arrange his songs. HALLYU: What sets you apart from other musicians? NARU: Our music and lyrics are English except for one song. At first we didn’t intend to write English, but when we tried to write Korean lyrics the song and lyrics weren’t working well together. We can’t sing English very well but we try very hard. HALLYU: Where did you learn English? NARU: I was in America when I was a child for 5 years but I can’t remember it. I learned English in Korea, but I liked English when I studied it. PARKSOL: When I was 20 years old I traveled abroad for one year. HALLYU: When did you get into music?

Naru: I started playing guitar when I was a teenager but I started writing songs when I was 20. We started music a little later so we tend to try harder. HALLYU: Was that a problem for you because you started late? NARU: I don’t think so, I feel like I have made my style and I like my style. People tell me it is good. HALLYU: What other instruments do you play? NARU: Guitar is my main instrument but I like to play many instruments when I am alone as a hobby. Bass, guitar, or drums, but I can’t play them very well. PARKSOL: I can play guitar. And, I can play a little bit of drums and piano. HALLYU: Have you ever thought of adding another member maybe in the future? PARKSOL: Not yet, maybe not. HALLYU: Do you write your own lyrics? NARU: Yes. We do our own lyrics. HALLYU: What inspires your music and lyrics? NARU: Usually the melody and we inspire each other. HALLYU: What about outside inspiration? PARKSOL: I like philosophy, postmodern. I like to think what I’m feeling. HALLYU: Have you ever thought of ever including dance into performances? PARKSOL: We are not very good dancers. *They both have a good laugh at the idea* HALLYU: A lot of newer groups in the industry are Pop but you’re Rock Pop, how come you want to be Rock Pop and not follow the rest of the industry?

NARU: We are influenced by MTV music and songs.We listened and watched MTV when we were growing up.

a father? NARU: Side job maybe produce some other albums.

HALLYU: Would you want to switch your style in the future? PARKSOL: As a hobby I do some, but I don’t know yet.

HALLYU: What are some of the obstacles or challenges have you have faced and where do you think you are right now? PARKSOL: I wanted to do the bands when I was a teenager in high school but I didn’t know what to do and there was no one to play together with. This is why I started later than other people and now I’ve met Naru, a musical friend and I’m really happy and want to work hard. NARU: My parents didn’t like me playing guitar or meeting musical friends.

HALLYU: Do you have a certain image you are trying to convey? NARU: Simple but effective music. HALLYU: What about personal image of the group? How do you want to show yourself? NARU: Go our own way, a serious image. HALLYU: Whose idea was the music video for Sound of Universe? NARU: It was directed by a person who liked our music and we liked his style. He suggested and we agreed. HALLYU: Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Or even 5 years? PARKSOL: Still singing in THE SOLUTIONS and maybe

HALLYU: Is there a leader between you two? PARKSOL: Naru is. We write songs mutually but arrangement or position is Naru’s part. NARU: Parksol inspires me with melody. HALLYU: You mentioned you have produced other musicians, who have you worked with so far and in the future who do you want to work with? NARU: Now a days I am producing for a female musician.

HALLYU

Her album is in process now. Our company friends the KOXX, I like them. I made a song with them before. HALLYU: Where would you want to preform? Dream Stage? NARU: Olympic stadium. PARKSOL- America

BONUS QUESTIONS! Hallyu asked The Solutions some un-

HALLYU: During shows or performances if you have you had a mistake or have you ever had a mistake? What do you do? NARU: Our first show, Parksol tried to take off his jacket and it got stuck! It was supposed to look cool but it turned out funny. He did succeed in taking it off. *laughs*

01.

usual questions! Check out their answers below!

PARKSOL: I would have three people dig with a shovel to bury the soccer ball while directing them with a microphone!

HALLYU: When did you release your first song? NARU: Our first single was in June/July, the full length album is the end of August. HALLYU: Have you practiced your autographs? So if your fan comes up to you? NARU: Yes. We say thank you! HALLYU: What do you do besides music? NARU: Watching movies and TV shows. PARKSOL: Reading books and exercising. NARU: I like drawing, I wanted to go to art school. HALLYU: What principles guide your life? NARU: I want to be happy by playing the guitar, meeting people, reading books. HALLYU: What was the most unusual situation you were in? NARU: Three years ago I was driving on a highway and I almost died. I was in the hospital. The gas was stuck and I couldn’t stop. But thankfully it was a special Korean fuel car so it didn’t turn out fetal.

NARU: I would use all three to make music! Shovel in one hand and microphone in the other, and hitting the ball. *laughs*

02. NARU: A show where I invited musicians and we make music on the show.

03. PARKSOL: I would go back to get it. NARU: I would leave it.

04. PARKSOL: Intimate. NARU: Small intimate.

05. NARU: I am not good at jokes. When I speak or do something suddenly it’s funny but when I try to do a joke it’s not funny.

PSY performs Gangnam Style on The Today Show in NYC

BIG BANG has 2 sold-out concerts scheduled in November for Los Angeles and New Jersey

BY RYANN ELLIS As KPOP becomes ever more popular throughout the world, the world is starting to see more activity from KPOP artists overseas. This year alone there have been at least five concerts in the States that range from J. Tune Camp to YG Entertainment and, of course, SM Entertainment. Recently there was an article stating that KPOP is losing its spark amongst the Korean community, but has dramatically increased popularity amongst the American and Korean-American population. With the upcoming BIG BANG concert in Los Angeles and U-Kiss performing in Colombia, it can surely be concluded that the communities outside of the Korean diaspora are taking note. Korean artists have been performing all around South America: U-Kiss in Colombia, BIG BANG in Mexico, and MBLAQ in Peru. Not only does the increased

activity in the Americas promote the companies, but it also allows the genre and culture to be better appreciated by a larger audience. For a lot of people this could be the next best thing to hit the music industry. Psy’s Gangnam Style has started a huge commotion in North America. His song has been featured all over television, including news shows on CNN’s World News. It has even entered the world of politics, Mitt Romney who is running against U.S President Obama opened his campaign entering the stage dancing to Gangnam Style. Millions of people have covered the song with differing styles and content, and viewable on Youtube. His video has been viewed over 94,093,166 times and even non-KPOP listeners have heard of the catchy tune. Nelly Furtado has shown great interest in working with him in the future,

even going as far as performing his signature dance during her own performance. Videos of her homage can be found on the internet. Artists are also becoming involved in more collaborations with American artists like Akon, Flo-Rida, and Justin Bieber. The Wonder Girls have opened up shows for Bieber and The Jonas Brothers, and, along with the support of JYP, have even made a movie that was aired on Nickelodeon. The KPOP industry is definitely making its move to promote more in America. You can see it all over the news and the internet. It is only a matter of time before Korean world tours in America is a yearly and normal event. For many fans around the Americas this is a blessing and a great opportunity. ʜ

RED SOUL

Interview Hallyu Exclusive

Hallyu: Hello! First of all congratulations on completing your Asian tour. There are people who didn’t know about Red Soul, maybe you could give a brief info about the group? Red Soul: Red Soul is a vocal harmony group singer for R&B music, and we express many genres in Red Soul’s own way. Also the members are talented enough to be composer, lyricist, and arrangement. What’s the meaning behind the group’s name Red Soul? We wanted to express R&B music for which we are looking with strong feeling of ‘Red.’

Previously Red Soul was known as Remind. What’s the story about the name change? Remind was our group’s name when we are not professional in high school. After we became professional, we wanted to find better name to express our music. That’s the reason of it. So the group consists of 5 active members, could you introduce yourself and what are your position in the group? Music director & lead vocal Hwang Taeik (䞝䈐㢩), Musical instrument player & vocal Kim Gihyeon (ὴὤ䜸), Vocal of sweet

voice Lee Haneul (㢨䚌⏌), Rap & Chorus Jeon Taeik (㤸䈐㢩), Percussion Kang Inchang (ᵉ㢬㵱). But now because of military service of Mr. Lee Haneul, and vocal nodules operation of Mr. Hwang Taeik, we invited Ryu Haesung (⨜䚨㉥), and Jo Young (㦤㜵) as guest members. What are your specialties? Each member can compose, make lyrics,

and play musical instrument, and we have very fine teamwork to sing a capella everywhere. How do you meet with each other and what made you to decide to form Red Soul?

world? Our debut was 2009. Did someone have to push you to make music? No, we love music, and we volunteer to make songs.

artists, but if we stop to be artists, we feel like to remorse. So we give our word to do well. How do you feel when people interpret your work differently?

When it comes to promotions, what’s the best medium in your opinion and why?

Of course, music is an art, so people can interpret it in different ways. But as pop music artists, we are trying to satisfy people.

Of course, TV is the best. The reason is that TV is the best method to promote our team to many people.

Recently you just concluded your overseas fan meeting. How does it feel like to be able to perform outside Korea?

Which of your artwork / track is your favorite? We mostly like the first studio album’s title song “Stay here please (㢼㛨㩌).”

We are surprised that there are people who know us in outside of Korea. We thought that we should try more, and meet them more often.

Are you the best at what you do in your opinion?

How was the reaction you get during the tour?

Considering the part of the songs, we decide the tone of voice at first. Usually Mr.Hwang,Taeik, the lead vocal, charges refrains.

We are not the best yet, but we are always trying to be the best.

What are the chemistry amongst the group members?

We have been better and better. But we are still trying to be the best, and we believe that we will be better.

We are surprised of their hot response like Korea, and we had a happy time. In Kuala Lumpur, KLCC was very inspiring us, and Kota Kinabalu’s natural view was really beautiful. And in both cities, there was a hot response from our many fans.

We met each other as seniors and juniors of same high school, and our love of music made ‘Remind’. After that, we work hard consistently, now we made ‘Red Soul.’ So what’s the reason you guys decided to go with Harmonic Vocal R&B as the group’s genre? It’s because R&B music is the music which we can express and play well. Red Soul was featured twice in a famous Korean talent show called “Star King”. What was the effect after appearing on the national TV? Do people start to recognize you or asking for autographs? And more offers? When did you start making music? First, music is made by all of us. And with the TV show, “Star King,” people recognize us little more and more, and some of them asked us for our autographs. After the appearance on the show, we could release our first album. So the show was very meaningful for us. Have you ever felt pressured trying to meet the standards after winning so many competitions? Yes, we do. After many awards, people expect our music more than before, so we feel pressured to make better music. But, that fact becomes a motive to make us more developed. During recording sessions, how do you decide which person to sing which line in the track / song?

We really know each other’s everything including both music and the other side. Is it easy to harmonize? How long does it take to harmonize with someone? At first, it took much time to have teamwork, but, with many practices and hard work, we even can see eye to eye. Who are the biggest inspiration for Red Soul when it comes to and music? We encountered ‘Boyz II Men’ when our group is Remind, and their fantastic R&B music mostly inspired us. How long have you been in the entertainment

How much has your work developed throughout the years?

Do you have a dream collaboration maybe with a big name in the industry? In Korea, we want to work with ‘Girls’ Generation.’ Furthermore, we also want to work with ‘Boyz II Men.’ What’s the best thing about being an artist? We are happy to be able to express our music with musical instruments or voice. Also we are happiest to be artists. Did you ever feel like giving up? We did at the first time we started to be

You did two stops in Malaysia, which are Kuala Lumpur and Kota Kinabalu. Could you tell a bit about your travels to these places? We felt that KLCC is the most inspiring place in Kuala Lumpur. In Kota Kinabalu, the natural view was very beautiful. Like the climate of Malaysia is warm, Malaysians are warm. Any favorite cuisine that you like when you were in Singapore & Malaysia? I mostly remember Nassi aap, Nassi lemac with Southeast Asian flavor. How was the crowd? We had a performance, a fan meeting, and an autograph session. Unlike Korean fans, they are shy and embarrassed. Like them, we also became shy. (joke) Red Soul even released a short Malay song for the Soulmates. How or what is the feeling like recording a song in foreign language?

Making a song in a foreign language was very interesting in itself. In addition, we loved to make the song, thinking ‘Soulmates’ would be happy to listen to the song. Let’s talk more of the current time and the future. You guys are currently preparing for a new album. What can you tell HM about it? New album is going to be released at September with warm and cute music especially for women. The point is, the songs in the album are composed by Mr.Kim Gihyun. So expect our new album more.

Do you think you still have the passion for music just like when you first started out? Of course, we have been more passionate. More we try and work hard, bigger stage, and bigger responses to us. That makes us more passionate. Describe Red Soul in 5 words. ㋀(So) 㟬(OOl) ⮈(Me) 㢨(Ee)G䏬(T) (Soulmate) What advice do you have for aspiring artists out there? Not advice, but we should always try to make better music for people. ʜ

What are your future plans for Red Soul? We want to be the best R&B group in Korea, furthermore, if we have a chance, we want to be one of the best artists even in America, the homeland of R&B music.

RED

SOUL

PA R K Y U CE XHC LU N USIVE &I N T H A I L A N D FA N M E E T I N G P R E S S CO N F E R E N C E

SEPTEMBER 16, 2012

ONE OF A KIND G-Dragon’s mini album (EP) One of a Kind released digitally on September 15th and the physical album released on September 18th. Track list revealed, with “Crayon” serving as the title track. Jaurim, Nell, Tablo, DOK2 and other compelling musicians to be featured. G-Dragon is the team leader of BIGBANG and has participated on every BIGBANG album as a songwriter and producer. His debut solo album, Heartbreaker was the most successful and top-selling album in Korea of 2009 and won Album of the Year at the MNet Asian Music Awards as well as the Melon Music Awards. His 2010 collaboration with bandmate T.O.P., for the album

GD & TOP went #1 with 3 singles grabbing the #1, #2, and

which features ‘? of YG New Girl Group’. Fans are speculating

#3 spots including the single “Knockout” which was produced

that an unnamed member of YG’s upcoming female group

by Diplo. G-Dragon has most recently collaborated on label-

member participated in the album following Jennie Kim’s

mate PSY’s recent album which includes the #1 hit “Gangnam

appearance as the female lead in G-Dragon’s “That XX”

Style” on the opening track titled “Tree Frogs”. BIGBANG

music video.

also won Best Worldwide Act at last year’s MTV Europe Music

Also making an appearance on the album is Jaurim’s Kim

Awards and is currently on a 25-city, 16-country Live Nation

Yoona, who is featured on the 5th track “Missing You”

World Tour with stops at Honda Center in LA on 11/3 and

while Nell’s Kim Jong Wan participated on the 6th track

the Prudential Center in NJ on 11/9.

“Today”. In addition, the 7th bonus track titled “Light the

After a 3 year hiatus as a solo artist, G-Dragon will be

Fire” features artists such as Tablo and underground rapper

making his comeback with a new mini-album. The album’s

DOK2, raising the anticipation for how the artists’ and

track list was revealed on YG’s official blog, www.YG-Life.com.

G-Dragon’s musical styles will blend on the track.

One of a Kind, which is scheduled for digital release on

Meanwhile, “That XX” has taken the #1 spot on music sites

September 15th and physical release on September 18th

and is being noted for being the first track deemed restricted

contains seven tracks, of which the second track, “CRAYON”

for minors, to have taken the first place spot on music charts.

will be the title song. “Crayon” was co-produced and co-

As a result, it is evident that G-Dragon’s music appeals not

written by G-Dragon along with YG Entertainment’s main

only to teens and those in their 20s, but to a wider range of

producer Teddy Park. The name “Crayon” is derived from a

age groups.

combination of the words ‘Crazy’ + ‘G-Dragon’.

The music video for “One of a Kind” gathered over 10

The album has building fans’ anticipation as much for

million views in one week while the video for ‘That XX‘

G-Dragon’s personal participation in the production of all

received over 8 million views in just two weeks after its

seven tracks, as well as the various artists who are featured

release, and even before official promotions, G-Dragon has

on the album.

been receiving much love. ☆

Raising the most interest on the track list is “Ultimately”

Past and Present

NICHKHUN’S DUI

interview with

“

It’s normal for those working in the broadcasting industry to practically live at the office. Some don’t get to go home for the entire week, until Friday, because there’s that much work to be done.

”

pop is composed of many different cultures. From their songs, where they perform, their fanbases, and where the idols originate. They come from USA, China, Phillippines, and even Macau. Most members of some groups didn’t even live in Korea. So let’s find out where our favorite idols lived. Many idols come from the US, but the majority live in California. Girls Generation’s Tiffany and Jessica, along with her sister Krystal, lived in California. Dani, trainee for T-Ara, has attracted attention for previously living in the US. Miss A’s Min, 2NE1’s Bom, and Aron of Nu’est, along with his stepsister NS Yoon G, lived there too. (Fun Fact: NS Yoon G and Kara’s Jiyong are cousins!). Speaking of Kara – Nicole, f(x)’s Amber, 2PM’s Nickhun and Taecyeon, Super Junior’s Kibum, and U-Kiss’s Kevin, lived in Cali too. We all know Jay Park came from the US, but he lived in Washington. Further north, G.NA grew up in Canada. After School’s Rebekah lived in Hawaii. All of these idols speak fluent English. Some idols lived in Asia, but not Korea. F(x)’s Victoria, Exo-M’s Luhan, Lay, and Tao lived in China. Lim of Won-

der Girls lived in Hong Kong. Dara of 2NE1 and MBLAQ’s Cheon Dung lived in the Phillippines. They are both fluent in Tagalog, the Philippines’s official language. Former U-Kiss member, Alexander, lived in Macau, a Chinese/Porteugese island. As previously mentioned, most members of some groups didn’t live in Korea. In F(x), 3 of the 5 members grew up elsewhere outside of Korea. Members Amber and Krystal lived in the US, while Victoria lived in China. 75% of Miss A is foreign; Fei and Jia lived in China, as Min lived in the US. 2NE1’s Dara and Bom came from opposite ends of the Pacific Ocean – Dara in the Phillippines and Bom in the US. The other members of the groups must be jealous of these members! Obviously, K-pop is made up of different parts of the world. Some idols aren’t even Korean, a lot of fans aren’t from Korea, and groups often perform all over Asia. It’s amazing how one could live in Malaysia, talk to Thai K-pop fans, while watching their favorite group of Chinese idols perform in Japan, singing Korean and English. In the end, it’s what makes K-pop shine.

YOON JUNG LEE FILM MAKER

OON JUNG LEE is a filmmaker and visual artist. As a film director, her short films have been screened in various venues internationally. As a visual artist, her experimental works have been introduced at galleries and museums. HALLYU MAGAZINE: What first got you interested in Korean film? YOON JUNG LEE: In the first place, I was interested in working for dance or theater performances with film or video during my undergraduate study concentrating in drama as an Enghish literature major. So I went to study filmmaking at CalArts in the US where I can explore more experimental works across different disciplines in performing arts. Once I started to put my hands on filmmaking, I realized that I loved most directing a single channel film or video made to be screened in classical cinema environments. So I came back to Korea after graduation and jumped into film industry. HALLYU MAGAZINE: What and when was your first action of pursuing a Korean filmmaking career? YJL: Right after finishing my graduate study, in 2005, I started to work in film industry as a script supervisor for My Sweet, But Brutal Girl directed by Jae-gon Son. HALLYU MAGAZINE: How did you finance your first feature/short Korean film? YJL: The first “Korean” film that I directed was the short version Remember O Goddess(2010). I made it with my wedding money sort of crowdfunded by my friends. This year, it is going to be made as a feature film, which is globally crowdfunded through Kickstarter. HALLYU MAGAZINE: Who or what do you cite as major inspirations (they do not have to directly relate to film) for your work? YJL: It’s always a tough question since I don’t usually catch the moments when I am inspired. The inspirations somewhat remain with me and often come up to me during a shower or drive. Still, if I try hard to recollect, I can say that some lines from the books that I like or the pieces of music that touch me stick with me and make me feel like making movies.

HALLYU MAGAZINE: Who are some of your favorite screen actors? What do you admire about their acting? What about their techniques should aspiring screen actors study? YJL: There are too many actors who I admire to choose a few. The admiration for actors made me want to be a director. To make a fairly short list, I like Bill Murray, Jim Carey, Kate Winslet, Andrew Garfield, and Scarlet Johansson. In Asia, I love Kitano Takeshi, Chow Yun-fat, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai. I won’t list Korean actors since there are literally too many actors who I want to work with. I don’t want to say that actors should learn this or that, but I know what excites me most when I meet those actors on screen. They act the characters but show themselves. They let the audience know the actors in person but not entirely. Crossing back and forth the border between the character and the person who acts it creates the tension and attraction keeping my eyes onto the screen. HALLYU MAGAZINE: How would you define the actual role that a director is supposed to fill? YJL: A director is the first spectator of the film who knows exactly what film he or she likes to see. If a film can satisfies one person perfectly, then it’ll attract more than one. People are not very different.

HALLYU MAGAZINE: How would you describe your filmmaking process? YJL: I’m not particularly unique in having special filmmaking process when I do a narrative film. One thing maybe different is that I make an audio script as the first step of preproduction. Since film is a time-based art, a written script is not concrete enough to vision the finished product. I record the script read aloud by several people and edit it with music. The audio script helps me to feel familiar with the experience of watching my not-yet-made film. HALLYU MAGAZINE: What kind of salary would a Korean director expect to make in the independent scene, or is it completely dependent on the success of the movies? YJL: The independent film directors are basically the executive producers, so they don’t get hired or paid by someone else. Yes, it is completely dependent on the success of the movies. HALLYU MAGAZINE: What limitations does a Korean movie director have, in example can he also work as an editor or cinematographer as well as a director on a film? YJL: There is no limitations completely set. Some directors act in their films. It’s hard to do cinematography and direct simultaneosly if you make a feature film, but it’s not a limitation set by rule in Korea. HALLYU MAGAZINE: What distinguishes film from Korean dramas? YJL: I hope it doesn’t sound stupid: the running time. It’s the main difference of the two media. The film audience wants to see a ‘finished, well-made’ product because they pay for the tickets, transportations, and popcorns. When they watch 20-hour-show in their couch or bed for 10 weeks, they want to take rest. I do, actually. HALLYU MAGAZINE: What distinguishes mainstream Korean films from Korean independent films? YJL:So far, Korean independent films have dealt with the YJL: social issues that may not attract the major audience but need to be addressed. In recent years, many independent films tried experimental approach in making films and its content. Korean independent films are rising, so they are becoming more diverse. HALLYU MAGAZINE: What do you consider the elements of a good Korean film? How does this compare with US films? YJL: It seems that Korean mainstream films still have the virtues of US independent films. Regarding the budget, actually it makes sense. Since Korean audience can choose US films any time in local theater, Korean films have to offer something different from Hollywood films. Like a good US independent film, a good Korean film has a

good US independent film, a good Korean film has a unique story with a strong perspective and message.

TO THOSE WHO WANT TO CREATE FILM, WELCOME TO OUR PAINFUL-LIKE-INHELL HEAVEN.

”

HALLYU MAGAZINE: What sort of things do you study and consider when watching a Korean film? YJL: Acting is my biggest interest when watching Korean films since it’s the direct result of directing. I try to find new charms from the actors that I know or other potentials from the new actors. HALLYU MAGAZINE: What sort of internships and jobs have you had that relate to your field? What advice do you have for students interested in gaining the same types of opportunities in Korea? YJL: I worked for a couple of film festivals, but it didn’t help a lot in making film. Since Korean film industry is so small and keep changing so fast, honestly, I can’t give an advice of a specific path to become a director. I would say, if you can enjoy what you’re doing now, then you may keep going and have fun with us, but if you are looking for a result of what you’re doing now, this world may not return what you deserve. HALLYU MAGAZINE: What are some qualities in yourself and others that make one suitable for film directing? YJL: Respect for others. Respect for your colleagues, of course, and respect for human beings. Your characters are not always respectable, but if you don’t respect each character, your actors will be disregarded. You should know why every character is worth to be represented in the film. I believe it comes from basic repect for others. HALLYU MAGAZINE: Can you tell us a summery of your current film that you are working on? YJL: Remember O Goddess is about a man who lost his memory and the people he had forgotten. The main character tries to be connected with the people who remembers him, but doesn’t know how he hurts them by forgetting them. It addresses the implanted loneliness in the modern cities. HALLYU MAGAZINE: Where do you hope to see yourself in ten years? YJL: I don’t dream ten years. Sorry, I don’t.

STARRING

KIM JUNG TAE

REMEMBER O GODDESS

We have an official website of Remember O Goddess that readers can view the short version of the film and read about me and my crew. You can still contribute to the production through paypal on the website. www.rememberogoddess.com www.facebook.com/RememberOGoddess www.vimeo.com/altoran (YJLâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s personal account)

HALLYU MAGAZINE: What type of impact would you like to make in independent Korean film industry? YJL: I hope that independent filmmakers will succeed to find diverse financial sources after my success in Kickstarter. Korean independent films are supported by governmental grants and several film festivals, but it seems that filmmakers depend on the limited sources too much. Since independent film budgets are fairly small, there must be other ways of financing. The more diverse the financial sources are, the more diverse films will be made.

HALLYU MAGAZINE: Any last words for those interested in Korean film or those who want to create film? YJL: I learned that the love for Korean film made it possible for us to succeed in Kickstarter. No matter if you have contributed to our production or not, I would love to send you our biggest gratitude for your interest in Korean film. And please keep your eyes on the future of my first feature film, Remember O Goddess. To those who want to create film, welcome to our painful-like-in-hell heaven.

KIM KI-DUK TO WIN LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

irector Kim Ki-duk, the Korean Martin Scorsese, has been receiving awards for his work for two decades. Now, at a very young age of 52, he is receiving his first lifetime achievement award: Douglas Sirk Award at the Berlin International Film Festival. International audiences started to see his films with the existential thriller The Isle, an odd story about the love affair among a mute fishing boat renter, a runaway convict, and a prostitute. Known for his sparse style and careful timing Kim’s films have become the film world’s artistic reflection of itself. With each new release, Kim’s observations about life and film’s role in it was a respite for a growing audience who were getting tired of formulaic stories in an already aging medium. Not only is Kim receiving the award for his body of work, but his two latest films are noted specifically Arirang is a self portrait, in the tradition of painters. Since he identifies himself as a filmmaker, the piece is not just an honest reflection his person but also of his career. As a director, he holds artistic vision of a project and, at times, the life of individual contributors. While Kim had always ob.

served others, in Arirang he reflects on his own existence, initiated by nearly having killed an actress during the filming of Dream. Pieta is story about a debt collector who works for a loan shark and a woman who claims to be his mother. Pieta means “mercy” in Italian and is a famous sculpture by Michelangelo in the Vatican. Kim’s film is inspired by and makes references to the Michelangelo, the Catholic church and the bible. It is expected to be shown in Berlin, Venice and Toronto film festivals prior to its full release. For the last decade, Kim has been a coveted director for Korean actors who want to give themselves both the exposure to western audiences as well as the willingness to bare it all, emotionally and physically. With Pieta, with it’s readily western references, and the Douglas Sirk Award, a highly coveted achievement, Kim sets himself up for potential partnerships with larger western producers and distributors. He would be following the steps of Asian directors who have made successful ventures into producing films for both Eastern and Western audiences like Ang Lee, Wang Kar Wai, and Zhang Yimou.

VARIETY SHOWS

MEETS IMAGE

We all like it when we see our favorite idols on variety shows like Running Man, We Got Married or Strong heart, but we never think about why. Sure with some of the well-known idols it’s because they’re well-loved and have a huge fan base, or they want to promote their new song, drama, or movie but what about the rookie idols that are just getting started? When a rookie group wants to get more publicity and become well known they start appearing on variety shows playing various games and doing stuff. The more they appear the more they start getting recognized and the bigger their fan base becomes. The better you perform on a variety show the better chance you have at returning and becoming a regular. Variety shows can improve the image of any idol that appears on one in many positive ways. On Strong Heart, not only do you get to see the comical side of an idol you also get to see the sensitive side as well. It lets us fans know that even though idols are like superstars to use they are just as human. Not only that but you get to see many other talents that an idol can possess. But not all’s fun and games, for some being on a variety show could potentially make your image worse. Even though majority of variety shows are scripted to help keep idols from completely doing something drastic, they still could be portrayed a certain way. Take Taemin from SHINee, when he appeared on Hello Baby he was portrayed as the young maknae pretty much a baby himself, and ever since then he is still seen as the baby to some even though he’s all grown up now. So even though watching a Variety show can be the highlight of our evening we should remember that it could changes an idols image in a second.

IDOLS WITH IMAGE CHANGES A Pink first debut in 2011 with “ I Don’t Know”. Their pure and innocent images won the hearts of many fans, however during “Oh My School”, Bomi lost her fairy image when she impersonated a gorilla walk. Since then, Bomi has tried to regain her fairy image through “A Pink News”.

EXO-M debuted this year through a series of teasers. In his teasers, Tao displayed his dark, charismatic nature. Tao’s dark, charismatic image disappeared when it was revealed on “Happy Camp” that this cute, romantic Kung Fu panda likes to take strolls along the beach alone.

B.A.P debuted at the start of this year with a powerful and charismatic single. Before debut, Himchan was an ulzzang alongside C.N. Blue’s Yonghwa. Himchan is the visuals of B.A.P, however during music shows, Himchan abandoned his pretty boy image with his psychotic eyes.

IDOLS WITH RECOGNIZABLE

VOICES

A few idols like IU, Yunho and Changmin, 2NE1’s Park Bom and CL, Big Bang’s GD and Top, and Sistar’s Hyorin have no problem standing out. WRITTEN BY JMESCIA With Kpop growing everyday it starts to become difficult to distinguish which artist is singing what song, but if you have a unique voice you’ll never have to worry about no one knowing who you are. Here are a few Kpop artists that have no problem standing out with their amazing voices. First we have T.O.P and GD whenever T.O.P opens his mouth all the girls swoon. He has an amazingly deep voice that sounds good no matter what he’s doing. Then we have G.D who can rap anything and make it sound good, G.D has a certain style that we wish we had, it’s no wonder why they’re a duo. Then we have Park Bom and CL both have different styles but they each have powerful voices that can’t be missed no matter what. Next we have the guys from DBSK Yunho and Changmin, whenever one of their songs comes on we can instantly tell them apart. IU has that sweet poppy voice that can’t be missed, and Hyorin has a soulful voice that could make any guy melt. These are just a few voices that possess a certain quality; there are many more that continue to shine and stand out.

HANGENG RECENTLY VISITED THAILAND FOR A PRESS CONFERENCE CONCERT AT SIAM DISCOVERY. CHECK OUT THESE PHOTOS FROM THE EVENT!

PLANET OF SNAIL DIRECTED BY: YI SEUNG-JUN RELEASE DATE: 25 JULY 2012 (USA) GENRE: DOCUMENTARY , DRAMA RUNNING TIME: 1 HR. 27 MIN. RATING:

Review By Hyeonjin Estar Park

OUNG-CHAN is the titular subject of the documentary, Planet of Snail, directed by YI Seung-jun, which shows us a world that Young-chan himself cannot see or hear. People like Young-chan, lacking the senses of sight and hearing, refer to themselves as snails, because like the gastropods, their primary way of experiencing the world is through their sense of touch. Though this deprivation may seem restrictive, the documentary shows that Young-chan leads an active and artistic life, with the help of his wife, SOON-HO. Due to a childhood accident that injured her spine, Soon-ho has a tiny body, requiring assistance to reach the height of a normal countertop. She is his eyes and ears, and he is her ladder. The story the documentary tells, however, is not one of their mutual dependence on each other for survival; rather, it is a love story that is at the foundation of this film. To

communicate with Young-chan, Soon-ho uses finger Braille, tapping out letters directly onto the backs of his outstretched hands. Young-chan would frequently pull Soon-ho into a spooning embrace while she tapped his fingers, making an everyday method of communication even more intimate. The closeness they share feeds into Young-chan’s creativity; together, they adapt a Biblical story into a skit and direct it in a local church production and advise a theater company on staging a play in which the female lead is a blind character. He creates small sculptures of animals and people out of clay, which she proudly shows off when their friends come over for dinner. When he insists on taking a day trip without her to keep his navigational skills fresh, though the necessity of such a separation is understood, we are all visibly relieved when he returns home and pulls her in close. Not just because he has returned safely, but because they are once more together. What could quickly devolve into humdrum prosaicness is magnified by the cinematography: the frequency of close shots mirror the closeness of the couple. When they go on walks where Soon-ho describes the trees to Youngchan, who then hugs them to get to know them, or when the underwater camera shows us Young-chan swimming in the ocean with a rope tied around his middle so he doesn’t drift away, we are invited to imagine ourselves in the snail’s world, a world without light and sound but full of sensation. When a ceiling light bulb flickers out in their apartment, changing the broken lightbulb, an activity which would take seconds for a person of normal height and unimpaired senses, requires much more time and several attempts at coordinating between Soon-ho and Young-chan. The challenges may be of a different nature and degree in a snail’s world, but the experience we take away from Planet of Snail is of the love between these two, which affords them a freedom to delight in this world, a freedom the film encourages us to go out and find.

Review:

A Night with Phantasmagoria BY M A R C U S I M

ANGELA EJ KOH On the evening of August 29th, 2012, in a

her achievement in receiving a publishing deal,

couture bookshop a block away from the East River

however small, Koh bares all in her prose poetry.

in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, NY, the sun was setting

She is not shy about the text but presenting it

into the Manhattan skyline and a night of literary

live is of great weight, which is quite evident in

fantasy was about to begin.

her delivery. And then to find out that her mother

Word Brooklyn is a 2-floor bookshop. That is

sat in the front row, listening to what she has

exaggerating the capacity of the space. It is the size

revealed... It only makes the audience root for her

of a livingroom in a small rowhouse and an equal

more.

space in the basement. The bookshop is curated

Red takes place in a fantasy world with spirits,

for the literary-type who might live around the

battles and sass all with an undertone of a young

corner and may steal a paperback from time to

lady, naive and strong, learning that naivete is not

time. The selections range from Erik Larson to Paul

particularly useful and strength has limits. The

Auster. Short on biographies of rich people, it tries

prose is unashamed about usage of the vernacular

greatly to edit itself down to works that require

to keep it punchy. The dialogue is quite Bret Easton

imagination.

Ellis. The movements read like stage directions.

The basement performance space needed much imagination to be considered a performance space.

The descriptions draw from popular culture, just the dark side.

With the help of Angela EJ Koh, the small audience,

Koh is an up and coming poet who’s been

just ten in attendance, was taken to a world where

published in Susquehanna Review and will be

spirits and humans interact. Red, as the author put

publishing her debut novel, due out for release

it, is Haruki Murakami-meets-Kill Bill. A little bit of

on October 31, 2012. This book does not have the

Kim Ki-duk seemed to have slipped into the novel

ingredients to make it a bestseller, but it’ll put her

as well. The dialogue was intense, the descriptions

on the map for greater reviews in the future.

drew from the audience’s own set of knowledge about sewers, prisons and non-artillery weapons. Koh has an endearing personality. Self deprecation to hide her intense pride about

(Disclosure: the reporter bought $83.73 worth of merchandise and pre-ordered Red by Angela EJ Koh. No stealing here.) ☆

C R O S S WO R D

ACROSS 2 As One, Davichi, and now, ___ 7 ___ releases “Supersonic” album 8 Which group is “a little different”? 10 ___ debuts “Beautiful Target” in Japan 11 New 5-girl group from DSP 12 Wonder Girls covers “Nothin’ on You” by ___ (2 words) 14 Which 2ne1 member shaved half of her hair this year? 15 Hallyu Magazine Cross Word Girl of the Issue in July (Hint: from After School) 17 Nelly (2 words) 18 IU’s real name (3 words) 19 Justin Bieber’s agency offers a deal to whom? 23 Hallyu Magazine July 1, 2012 issue cover boy (2 words) 27 Hallyu Magazine back cover boy in July Issue (3 words) 28 Author EJ Koh’s forthcoming novel 32 Lee Minjung’s new beau (2 words) 34 Korean word for “star” 36 Korean Thanksgiving 37 Location of the Korean Winter Olympics in 2018 38 F(x)’s Victoria wins gold in ___ (2 words) 41 Davichi’s “Because It’s You” sung by ___ (2 words) 42 Who released the Korean fight song for the 2012 Olympics? 43 BoA’s releases less than two (2 words) 44 2012 drama featuring actress Seo Hyun Jun (4 words) 45 Actor/singer who opened his own pasta restaurant

DOWN 1 Song “Pandora” 3 The Group Project ___ (on page 73 of July 1, 2012 issue) 4 Korean director, Hamburg Film Festival Winner of Sirk Award for lifetime achievement (3 words) 5 An idol who went public with her relationship (on page 37 of July 1, 2012 issue) (2 words) 6 Korean for mental collapse due to being overwhelmed 9 First generation Hallyu group that made a comeback this year (on page 47 of July 1, 2012 issue) 11 Actress in “No Such Thing as Nice Guys” (3 words) 13 Koreans call the silver medal ___ (2 words) 14 Member of Big Bang to hold his first solo concert this year 16 Who left T-ara? 20 BoA’s drinking buddy (3 words) 21 Comedian who accidentally kissed Suzy of Miss A during Gag Concert (3 words) 22 Girl with glamorous body and baby face is a ___ (2 words) 24 Actress from the movie “Always” (3 words) 25 Jay Park’s video for “New Breed” features his face as a ___ 26 Traditional Korean instrument 29 “Oppan ___” (2 words) 30 Actor who plays “The Horse Healer” (3 words) 31 Korean-English translator for “Please Look After Mom” by Shin Kyung-sook (on page 38 of July 1, 2012 issue) (3 words) 33 Korean equivalent of the White House in Washington, DC, USA (2 words) 35 Korean word for Japanese martial art judo is ___ 39 What famous Kpop veteran did What answer ☆ not renew her concert with CCM? was repeated? 40 Transgender Kpop singer

composer crayon gdragon ji yong leader missing you

R A P P E R G A W S

V N R E D A E L X U

O X N G E D O R F A A G K O I N N S D R

G-DRAGONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

M R Y I E O S C U S U N I D G N O N G R O Y P Y O C I U E J

One of a Kind Special

F B J X X T A H T O

O K T N O Y A R C D

U N R E S O P M O C

one of a kind producer rapper swag thatXX young

EXO

mini

CHECK OUT THESE EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS FROM EXO’S MINI LIVE IN THAILAND OUR HALLYU STAFF CAPTURED!

DONG BANG SHIN KI KASHFIA ARIF

An electronic voice goes “Catch

Me if you

on 24th September 2012 and in little more than 24 hours (at

wanna” and the dream dissipates into the morning sun.

the time of this article), it has achieved more than 1 million

It was a warm dream full of sunshine, but my new alarm has

views. The physical album also achieved instant results by

its way of getting attention, especially from a Cassiopeian

topping Hanteo charts within a few hours of release on 26th

heart. The catchy hook from Dong Bang Shin Ki’s 6th album’s

September. Minimal teasing, swift release and maximum

title track has been the much repeated phrase ever since its

impact. This is DBSK.

teaser. As the nation and the world goes crazy trying to catch Yunho and Changmin thanks to their issued challenge of “Catch Me”, Cassiopeia shines a little brighter with pride of the boys’ accomplishment. While the “return

There are 11 tracks in the album (arranged in order): Catch Me, Viva, Destiny, Like a Soap, I Don’t Know, Dream, How Are You, Getaway, I Swear, Gorgeous, and Good Night. And this time around the boys explored a variety of genres, balancing

of the kings” had been hinted

out the album quite nicely. Catch Me, I Don’t Know and

at for a while now, the announcement of their comeback

Gorgeous can be considered electro pop and dance tracks,

was rather sudden as was the super-fast back-to-back teaser

and Getaway is a rock track. Viva is Hip-Hop while Destiny

releases and the album release. I believe the pre-album

and Good Night are more R&B with Like a Soap and Dream

promotions and pre-orders only went on for two to three

representing pop. Balancing out these faster and mid-tempo

weeks. I guess it just goes to show the power of DBSK as they

songs are the ballads How Are You and I Swear.

once again achieve the best results. The Music Video to the title track Catch Me was released along with the digital album

In an album full of great songs, how

do you pick

a winner or a loser? After listening to the album

several hundred times (ok, around 10 times), I realized I

violin n orchestral music and that is aptly used here adding

had favourites based on the song genre because the only

to beauty of the song. Adding to the flowing melody are

other way I could do this was by picking out nuances in the favourite track is the one I heard first and fell in love with

beautiful and heartfelt lyrics, which were penned by Changmin himself as a gift for Cassiopeia and Bigeast. The vocals are kept

immediately no questions asked. There’s something to be

simple which add to the charm of the song.

songs that made them stand out more than the others. My

said about waking up in the morning to a song and falling in love with it while brushing your teeth. My top favourite song from the album is the ballad I

If there’s one song that blows my mind, it’s Getaway. It’s easily the heaviest song in the album, music-wise since it’s a rock track. The heavy rock music appeals to my senses and

Swear. I love ballads and this is another fabulous piece from

it’s so different from their recent work. The last time I heard

these ballad maestros. If anyone had previously questioned

DBSK exploring the rock genre properly was in Tri-Angle. I

whether Yunho and Changmin had the necessary skills to

am glad they included such a genre in the album, especially

pull off a proper ballad fitting to DBSK standard, with the

after Changmin stunned everyone with the collaborated rock

Japanese Shiawase no Hana they put those suspicions to

version of Super Junior’s Don’t Don in SMTown Los Angeles

rest. While DBSK’s current line-up may be stronger with

in 2010. They played to that strength combining Yunho’s

the faster dance tracks and the R&B numbers, they still

lower vocals with Changmin’s rock falsettos n soaring range.

handle ballads with an effortless grace. And this ballad is so

Beautiful work.

effortlessly melodic. The violins soar. I’m a sucker for good

The third song that stands out for me is Viva. The style

of hip-hop attempted in this song is very different from

that have jaw-dropping effects. Not only musical boundaries,

prior attempts by the boys and this really makes it stand

DBSK has also constantly challenged the boundaries of dancing and choreography. The boys apparently spent three

out. It’s

one of those songs that you end up liking without realizing when that happened despite not catching attention immediately

days shooting the MV and the effort shows. SM mentioned

like the others. Electronic effects are added to the song but

the use of LED-lights in a new manner to showcase the

they don’t overwhelm the hip-hop essence of the song which

special “Hulk-dance” that was prepared specifically for

is very refreshing.

the duo’s comeback. Well, it is definitely something new

The other songs are just as brilliant. While I Swear is slower, How Are You is more mid-tempo. The violin work here is even heavier and more dramatic than in I Swear and that’s this track’s highlight. I Don’t Know (Korean Version) is just as dynamic and powerful as the original Japanese and it hits all the right beats. It’s also one of the heavier songs in the album, which I think helps the balance of the album. The songs Like a Soap (the name is intriguing in itself) and Dream are what I like to call anime and CM songs. If they were used for anime OSTs or for CMs, they’d add extra high spirits to those. These songs just made me smile, with their cheerful guitars and happy drumming and the playful vocals. They’re “feel-happy” songs, perfect for anime and CMs. Then there are the R&B tracks Destiny and Good Night. Destiny is slower and dreamier and what I like most about Good Night is the whispered ending of “1, 2, 3, 4… 1, 2, 3, 4… Good Night”. This ending is significantly two-fold. Not only does it reveal the sweet concern of the boys in the song itself, since it’s the last track of the album it also serves as a “good night, till we meet again” message for the fans. Musicality and vocal power has always been DBSK’s strong point. Even when their music is light, it’s heavier and more complex than that of other artists. And yet, the effects they produce are so utterly simple, it becomes hard to believe that such complexity lies underneath. Of course, paired with the powerful vocals that have become DBSK’s trademark, this is a deadly combo. Despite being heavily diminished in current member line-up, Yunho and Changmin have proved once again why DBSK stands head and shoulders above the rest, and not just in physical stature. The music video to Catch Me is another excellent danceoriented masterpiece from SM and DBSK. Both the video and song is heavy on choreography with complex moves

and worth watching as we see the boys transform

from lean muscular men suddenly into pumped up hulk-ish frames. The dance’s team synchronization shines through in this dance as it’s important for the group to have the perfect coordination to pull through the transformations. In a way, it was like watching Transformers DBSK-version. Other things that stood out in the choreography were the segments they lowered and lifted Yunho and Changmin’s bodies alternatively and the hip-hop moves they executed decked all in white.

“IT WAS LIKE

WATCHING TRANSFORMERS

DBSK-VERSION”

TVXQ

DBSK

Blinded as I am by the boysâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; magnificence, I cannot overlook things that I feel could have been slightly better. Most lie with the MV. Frankly, even after repeatedly listening to the album, I come up empty-handed on flaws. Perhaps the only thing I desire is for the album to have a more cohesive flow. But then again, that one thing seems to be SMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eternal problem. As for the MV, for a track that shows the ardent desire of a man trying to

The words â&#x20AC;&#x153;quitâ&#x20AC;? or â&#x20AC;&#x153;giveâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;upâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;limitâ&#x20AC;? do

tell his beloved to return and love him again, I

not exist in the Dong Bang Dictionary and especially

would have liked a storyline of some sort. It had so

in that order as the boys set forth to break their own

much potential and it would have opened up the

records and limits time and again. This particular

emotional connection to the otherwise electro pop

trait of DBSK so visible in this album reminds of a

dance track.

past song of theirs: The Fighting Spirit of Dong Bang.

The amount of effort put into the album to produce quality music is visible. Each

track LV Ă&#x20AC;QH WXQHG WR SHUIHFWLRQ WR Ă&#x20AC;W WKH YRFDO VNLOOV RI <XQKR DQG Changmin, playing to their individual strengths. The tracks have strong rap sections suited to Yunho and plenty of high soaring notes that are Changminâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s specialty. The perfect control he exhibits at that high a range is truly remarkable, especially in Getaway. But thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not to say that the

:KDW , Ă&#x20AC;QG PRVW DPD]LQJ LV WKH VWDQGDUGV WKH\ VHW IRU WKHPVHOYHV taking themselves as their own biggest rivals and competition, working to beat their own achievements over and over. When this level of dedication and work ethic lie at the core of such splendid work, one doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t wonder why they keep stunning people repeatedly and take this granted as part of the Dong Bang Shin Ki magic. And as if the success of Catch Me wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t enough

vocal work is shoddy. Far from it. You can literally

to send Cassiopeia into throes of ecstasy, the boys

feel the amount of work the boys have put into

are embarking on a world

improving their shortcomings and this effort has

Catch Me Live World Tour kicking off in November

paid off big time. The vocal are much stronger than

in Seoul. So make sure to take up the challenge

Keep Your Head Down and much more expressive.

and catch their magic live. After all, gods are there

The emotions come across more clearly and this is a

to awe us into silence and the rising gods always

vast improvement.

bedazzle. Ę&#x153;

tour titled TVXQ -

concert

REVIEW :

written by Estar Park For a group that only debuted in 2009, YG's girl group 2NE1 has world domination in its sights. To add to winning multiple song-of-the-year awards, debuting in Japan, receiving an MTV Iggy Award for best group, and collaborating with will.i.am on a projected 2013 US debut, 2NE1 launched their first ever world tour. The NEW EVOLUTION World Tour kicked off at Prudential

2NE1

NEW EVOLUTION WORLD TOUR

Center in Newark, NJ. The crowd was incredibly diverse, with fans of all ages and ethnicities. Mirroring 2NE1's eclectic fashion sense, fans sported all sorts of hair colors and styles, most noticeably Dara's tall ponytail from Lollipop. One male fan even had "2NE1" shaved into the side of his head. Due to technical difficulties, attendees were not seated for over an hour. When

the doors were finally opened, I trooped in with a mixed group that had stuck fake moustaches on their faces. Inside the stadium, the fortunate VIP ticket holders, who had early access to attend the soundcheck, were clustered around a U-shaped catwalk protruding from the main stage. Inside the U, band equipment had been set up. Hanging over the back of the stage was a huge video wall, with two large screens set up on either side. To get the crowd energized, animation featuring the Blackjack logo played on the screens, along with 2NE1 music videos. The crowd erupted when Psy's Gangnam Style started playing. For a group known for their killer presence, only a killer stage would do. The concert opened with a video montage, then a set piece built out of platforms of different heights began moving forward, revealing the girls and their dancers. Individual platforms broke off and began moving around the stage, with a 2NE1 member each on her own platform. The video wall burst into digital flames as 2NE1, in glittery outfits, opened with their first hit Fire. CL screamed, "I'm gonna make this show worth the wait!" as they got into Clap Your Hands, then I Am the Best. They each wore a huge initial necklaces which together spelled out "2NE1," matching their blingy Adidas jackets. The live band really came into focus as the girls chilled out the mood by sitting together on a couch mid-stage, singing the reggae remix of I Don't Care. At the end of the next song, Don't Stop the Music, Dara, Minzy and Bom disappeared backstage while CL suddenly rose 20 feet off the floor in her own custom DJ booth. As she spun a mix of her favorite songs, including Girls Just Wanna Have Fun by Cyndi Lauper, CL was fearlessly rock-

ing out as the crowd danced along. The stage darkened and Bom, in a flowing kimono-style dress, appeared from behind a blanketed structure on stage to do a solo set of Don't Cry and You and I. She struggled a bit with her high notes, prompting me to wonder if she was maybe feeling a little unwell, but she looked and sounded lovely in her range. As she finished, she pulled off the

the cover to the structure to reveal a giant drum with dancers inside. As they drummed out a bass beat, the rest of the girls joined Bom on stage in pep-rally outfits for Follow Me. Dancers filled up the entire stage and the catwalks. The next song, Please Don't Go, showed their unique stage production with Minzy and CL singing from inside a roller coaster car, which followed a

back her up. She was out dancing them all, to the screams of the crowd. Next, Dara continued to make everyone scream with a slow jam rendition of Kiss, which electrified the crowd when she leaned over to kiss a fan in the pit! While the crowd erupted, she ran behind the video wall, which began to show 2NE1 running around, getting makeup done and outfits on while I'm Busy played. They were really using the video wall to its maximum potential to keep the concert flowing seamlessly. The end of the video showed the girls entering the space beneath the stage as the arena went dark. They rose up from openings in the stage floor in voluminous trench-coat dresses, surrounding a tree festooned in twinkle lights, singing I I Hurt, then Lonely. Despite the sad lyrics, Lonely was getting the loudest fan singalong. The girls were joined onstage by their backup dancers for In partners. They got the crowd back on its feet with I Love You, their latest single, and pumped the volume up to stratospheric levels with Ugly. Guys in business casual wear, ladies in their club swag, kids waving glow sticks and their soccer moms

track displayed on the video wall. It was a visually arresting use of digital effects to enhance the live performance, but an even more impressive stunt followed: the girls sang Pretty Boy while one of the male dancers walked around the stage in a giant bubble! Time for Minzy’s solo. The maknae wasted no time, emerging in a choreographed set with five male dancers to

with their hands in the air, everyone knew the lyrics, jumping and head banging ferociously as the girls sang Let's Go Party, Scream, and Go Away. Before vanishing off stage, the girls performed Can't Nobody in English. The crowd’s enthusiastic cheers were eardrum busting, only relieved when the girls reemerged to perform I Don’t Care on the catwalk, mugging for cameras and greeting fans. CL called out the live band members one byone for an introduction, then they reprised I Am The Best as their closing number. There were some hiccups in the production, most noticeably the delayed start. These issues manifested during the show in buzzing, over-amped speakers and some instances of mic volume not being leveled properly. Just like the lyrics in their song, Can’t Nobody, can't nobody hold Blackjacks down from exuberantly enjoying a visually clever and attractive production. From the elaborate stage costumes to the stellar inclusion of a live band, 2NE1's first world tour may indeed be a new evolution of what fans should expect when the Hallyu Wave splashes down on their shores.

ASIAN YOUTUBE RYAN HIGA

KEVJUMBA

DAVID SO

JOHN LUC

DAVID L

DANIEL SHIM

IN TODAY’S WORLD YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE AN ACTOR, SINGER, OR ATHLETE TO BECOME “FAMOUS”. WRITTEN BY AMY SAIAUSKI

he internet offers so many people a chance that they may never have dreamed of before. Websites such as YouTube have become an outlet for many talents to be discovered and show what they are made of.

NIGAHIGA The Asian community has carved a nice niche out in YouTube, and a wonderful example would be Ryan Higa who for two years was the most subscribed YouTube Channel and even now still ranks as the number 2 with over 5.61 million subscribers. Ryan who goes by the name niga higa on YouTube is from Hawaii and is Japanese American. Ryan is part of a group called YTF Legacy which formed through networking on YouTube. He is not the only Asian member of this 7 member group as he shares it with others such as Chester See, Victor Kim, Dominic Sandoval (D-Trix) and former member Kevin Wu (KevJumba). Each member has their own channels with Kevin having over 2.4 million subscribers, D-Trix and Chester over 800K and Victor over 490K. Recently Ryan was a judge on “Internet Icon” the search for the next big YouTube star. Chester was the host and D-Trix made an appearance as a special judge for one episode. During the show we met more Asian YouTube famous hopefuls Lana McKissack , two brothers Josh and Jacob Fu who call themselves The Fu Music, and a group called Dayside Productions.

KEVJUMBA Even though Kevjumba is a former member of YTF Legacy he has not stopped producing videos and recently released a new video called “Totem Poles are stupid” (guest staring Justin Chon another YouTube artist) and has received over 924,000 views in a week. While this number may seem low to those familiar with how fast KPop artists rack up their views these are videos meant to entertain and so they are not replayed on nearly the same type of scale as music videos are.

Ryan Higa, famously known as Nigahiga, has over 5.6 million subscribers.

DAVIDSOCOMEDY Another YouTube artist rapidly building a fanbase and getting his name out is David So, also known as DavidSoComedy. He usually chooses the topic for his next VLog based on comments sent to him. His most recent video “VLog 49: Freshman Survival “already had over 355,000 views within a week. His talents also extend to singing and he has a different channel for that and has been known to collaborate with Paul Kim (a very talented singer on YouTube).

Kevin Wu, known as Kevjumba, has over 2.4 million subscibers.

MYCHONNY John Luc known as MyChonny has several channels and is a favorite Asian Australian YouTuber among KPop fans for his KPopChonny channel and his fanboying. He is well known for his love for Jessica from SNSD and his reaction to KPop videos.

David So, also known as DavidSoComedy, has over 50 million video views.

CELEBRITIES

THE WONG BROTHERS

TERRY HE

DANIEL JANG

DAVID CHOI

DAVID L

TERRY HE AND DANIEL JANG

StillnotDavid shows the YouTube community his talents as he post videos of him singing/covering songs and Vlogs which also include his thoughts about KPop videos that have come out and he also does contests where he has given away several albums.

Two still yet “unknown” Youtuber’s to keep an eye on, Terry He and Daniel Jang. Terry known as ThumpingPenguin recently competed in the BigBang/YG Cover contest with his English cover of Blue and although he did not win that has not deterred him and he is still putting out some very talented covers.

DANIEL SHIM Shimmycocopuffsss is another who has several channels for his different types of videos but all are entertaining, honestly how often do you see a grown man in a pink kangaroo costume driving his car for his fans?

THE WONG BROTHERS The Wong brothers, Freddie and Jimmy each have their own YouTube channels, with Freddie having two of his own, one having over a million subscribers while the other is over 3.5 million. Jimmy has gained quite a following with his videos showing his vocal abilities making these two brothers a name to be remembered

Daniel Jang, also known as Metalsides, also competed in the contest and won for Best Instrumental Play for his violin cover of Blue. While he does have a few videos of Piano and Guitar covers he mostly lets his talent shine as his skilled hands coax amazing music from his violin. YouTube is filled with so many talented Asian performers, including Passion, David Choi, Happy Slip, TheWineKone, and so many more. A lot of YouTubers collaborate with each other so even by starting out with just one the chances are high of being exposed to another artist.

XIAHJUNSU TAKES ON L.A! On September 2, 2012, JYJâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Junsu graced Los Angeles, CA with his presence, performing to a large and excited crowd at the Hollywood Palladium. Our friends at 24-7KPOP was present as PRESS and grabbed a ton of HD pictures with the singer. ENJOY!

SIWON @ 12 plus in thailand.

OPPA GANGNAM STYLE!

WRITTEN BY GABRIELLE LUU

f you haven’t heard of Psy’s “Gangnam Style,” you’ve probably been off the internet for quite some time. The music video was posted on July 15, 2012 featuring silly dance moves, ridiculous lyrics, addictive beat, and several cameos of Korean celebrities. It went viral in less than a month and has easily surpassed 100,000,000 views, reaching the number one ranking on Youtube 100. With the help of mentions from numerous international celebrities, broadcasting networks, newspapers, and magazines, “Gangnam Style” has achieved global popularity. “Gangnam Style” has prompted many Youtubers to create their own version of the music video. Most people, however, are unaware of the meaning behind the song. Some will know the popular line, “오빤 강남 스타일” (Oppan Gangnam Style) is referring to the Gangnam district in Seoul, which is known to be extremely wealthy and trendy—the “Beverley Hills of Korea,” according to Psy. As he tours various locations of Gangnam in a classy suit, he pokes fun at the supposed high-class lifestyle lived there. But the hidden meaning behind the fun and excitement is what makes “Gangnam Style” brilliant. People will be pulled in by the catchy hook and hilarity, and as they gain more interest, they will naturally question the videothe meaning of the lyrics, and Psy’s intention. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Psy confessed he had never intended to break into the overseas market, let alone capture the attention of so many corners of the world. When asked if he had expected the popularity of “Gangnam Style,” he humbly stated, “No, I didn’t expect it at all…it never occurred to me that people outside the country would listen to my music.” His only aim was to make a “fun song,” but he created much more than that. He has opened wide a window to people of all ages, races, and locations, allowing them to peer in at the world of K-Pop, even for just a moment. In a way, Psy has run miles ahead of all the younger, popular idols in the industry.

Talk to Me in Korean Hallyu interviews Hyunwoo, the founder of Talk to Me in Korean

Hallyu: Can you introduce yourself? Your background, education, etc. Hyunwoo: I’m Hyunwoo, founder and host of TTMIK. I was born and raised here in Korea. I am very passionate in learning languages. I enjoy helping other people learning languages. The only language I know 100% is Korean, so I teach Korean. What is TTMIK? It’s a place where anybody can start learning Korean without any entry barrier. It’s a place where they can get motivation to continue learning. It’s like a community. How did you come up with the idea? Why did you start TTMIK? I was doing many things, blogging, making videos of Korea, podcasting. But there wasn’t a central website run by Koreans, teaching Korean. Who does TTMIK serve? How do you reach your global audience? Anybody who is interested in learning Korean. They don’t have to be serious, just curious about learning, and stop by. I think it’s a site that absolute beginners can learn the basics at the same time advance learners can learn more too. We serve anyone who wants to learn Korean regardless of the level. What is a languagecast? Languagecast is side project which grew bigger over time. I’m really interested in communicating with people in many languages. There is no place like that in Korea. I first started with 3 people; now it’s really big. In Hongdae, the central language cast branch, we have

170 people joining us. About 10 languages are spoken. Where does languagecast meet? We meet in Seoul and Busan; in Vancouver, Canada; in Lima, Peru; in Vienna, Austria. How did you come up with this idea? We wanted to make a place, a gathering where anyone is welcome to speak any language and not to be considered weird. At other meetups, like the Japanese meetup, you weren’t supposed to speak English, Korean etc. What do you guys do when you meet in languagecast? Nothing special, just meet, let it go, people meet each other and say hi. Sit down at a table together and make new friends. Very natural, something you do when you’re traveling overseas. We do the same thing in a smaller place with a lot more people. It’s an intense traveling experience, no program, no MC, it’s people meeting people. An opportunity. Everything is natural. What ways do you use to teach Korean? What are the other stores on the website? We focus on things that really help in every day conversation, from the most essential things and build up on the next lesson. Most lessons are linear and build from each other. On the side, we make fun videos. It’s not the methods themselves, but motivation also. On Facebook and Twitter we send out positive messages how they’re learning Korean. The other stores on our website is our business. They provide corrections to Korean, provide lessons, and books to the learner.

The most rewarding thing about TTMIK?

“ When people tell us that we do more than teaching a language...their view of the world has changed because they were learning Korean”

Who is your team, what are their roles, what is your team like? We have seven people in the Seoul TTMIK office. The main teachers are 5 people. Kyeong-eun, Hyojin, Seokjin, and myself. Our roles aren’t divided, everyone does everything from video editing to content building, product development, and communicating with listeners in social media. There aren’t specific roles that I have to say. Our 7 people do the roles of 20 people. We have to work really hard together. If someone is away, we can fill in the slots. Has there been any big obstacles you guys overcame? At the beginning stage, no one knew about us. Now we don’t have to worry about promoting but when we first opened our site, no one knew about us. The listeners are very helpful, they’re spreading the word about us every day. Any future challenges? We don’t see anything as a challenge for now. Just us losing the motivation to work hard, but I don’t think that’ll happen. What is your typical day like working for TTMIK? Everybody arrives at 10am. We work until 7pm. We try not to work an extra hour. Everybody on the team has to be happy in their personal lives. It’s different everyday, we get our ideas ready for next lessons, record audio and edit them, we update our social media

8-10 times a day. We take photographs, take useful links about Korea and schedule them. We spend some time to work with different companies. What are some of the projects you guys are currently doing? Online lessons and videos. We’re also working on our world tour. We’re going through our first event in Oct. We’re trying to do this 4 times a year. We’re going to visit many different countries in the world and hold a festival. Give people scholarships and hold contests. We will go there ourselves and meet with the listeners. TalktomeinKorean around the world. What has been your most exciting project? Everything. I cannot compare different projects; they’re all very exciting. We’ve come up with many other project ideas. The ones we weren’t excited about, we didn’t do them. What is the most rewarding thing about TTMIK? When people tell us that we do more than teaching a language. We were only expecting to teach the language itself. Their view of the world has changed because they were learning Korean. Whenever we hear stories about their worldview changing other than learning Korean, we’re very happy.

What have you learned most doing TTMIK? Learning a new language, connecting people, it doesn’t have to be globally popular language like English or Spanish. It can be a language like Korean to connect people. If you’re open and honest, people can help you. What do people love most about TTMIK? Teachers are friendly and most of the content is free of charge. In what ways do you guys promote Korean culture? We don’t promote Korean culture. I think it’s wrong to promote any culture, it’s something that you share, we just teach the language, but people ask things about culture, and we just answer them. What ways do you engage the Korean community? Answer their Twitter messages, e-mail messages, ask questions on Facebook and they answer, if there’s a repeated question, we make a video of the question. We always respond to their questions. Letting people know that we’re listening to them is what matters. Have you met any famous people through your website/meetings? If so, who? We’ve haven’t met anyone famous because of TTMIK. Living in Seoul, we do meet famous people, that’s not our main interest. What are TTMIK’s long term goals? What impact would they like to make on Korean society and elsewhere? Our main goal is to stay how we are, we’re not trying

to go for a higher goal. We don’t want to consider our situation right now as passing process. I believe any company can stay where they are and be happy about it. We’ll continue to do what we do now and reach out to more people. We don’t think about that. We don’t have to think about it, if people are interested in their language skills, it’s their achievement not ours. You guys launched a Kpop section of your website. Can you explain what that is? We introduce one song every week, and introduce one word from that song. Many words from the song are catchy, we explain one word of each song every week. How do you and people feel about learning Korean with Kpop? It’s good. You cannot learn everything through Kpop but it’s a good motivation. Any words to your students out there and to those interested in the Korean language? Take their time, don’t rush themselves. If you want to learn Korean it should be fun and not stressful. Have fun and enjoy learning, you’ll get there eventually. Do you believe anything should be changed with how Korean is taught in Korea, on the internet, or in schools elsewhere? We honestly don’t know. How Korean is taught in other places is not something we can change. We do things our way and we believe it’ll work. People have their own method. ʜ

EXO-M

INCREASED K-POP IN AMERICA

MAKNAE

TAO

FASHION TRENDS

RUNNING MAN

don’t walk but run.

SIWON & TIFFANY

{

GDRAGON

ONE OF A KIND

}