Unless you’re loyal to a specific brand, getting your K-beauty fix in the Big Apple has only gotten easier in the past decade. No longer are you limited to the hidden corners of niche neighborhoods for products that are twice the price compared to the ones you find online. Several brands have been popping up with their own stores to exclusively sell their products, and many American companies hopped onto the K-beauty wagon as well. Now, with so many options, how exactly do you navigate the transnational world of Korean beauty products? That’s a toughie, but here’s your guide through New York City.
1. Koreatown, Manhattan
An oldie but goldie, Midtown Manhattan’s West 32nd Street should always be your first stop for a K-Beauty pick-me-up. Makeup and skincare stores are sprinkled all over the K-town block, and even leaks out onto Fifth Avenue with unique stores like Besfren Beauty and L’ouve. Though the spaces may be tiny, the options available are definitely mighty with a wide range of brands catering to all skin types.
2. Chinatown, Manhattan
Don’t let the name fool you. If you’re stepping out of the correct Canal Street subway station exit, then you just might be welcomed by a large poster of Seventeen’s Mingyu! Celebrity endorsed brands like The Saem, Tony Moly, and Nature Republic have set up shops in the dense Chinatown area. You also have stores like oo35mm that stock and sell a variety of brands and products. Although it’ll be quite a scavenger hunt to visit all these stores in a single day, the promotions they have and the goodies they offer will certainly be worth it.
3. Innisfree, Manhattan
Lexington Avenue and Union Square both caught the green thumb when Innisfree USA popped into their ‘hoods. If their expanded range in foundation shades doesn’t give you the indicator that Innisfree is on the path to globalize, then the fact that both locations are quite a distance away from K-and-C-town should. You won’t even see popular Innisfree celebs like Girl’s Generation’s Yoonaor actor Lee Minho plastered on the walls of the shop, as other K-Beauty stores do with their endorsers. Nope, when you enter either of the stores, the brand’s goal isn’t to make you look like your bias – it’s to make you look like the best version of yourself.
4. Flushing, Queens
If you want to take a step out of the city for your K-Beauty hunt, Flushing is your place to go. Similar to Koreatown and Chinatown, a number of different, popular brands like Club Clio, The Face Shop, Aritaum, and Holika Holika can found around every corner. There are also some great Korean restaurants in the area if you’re famished after your shopping spree!
5. Sephora, Various Locations
Sephora is a paycheck’s worst nightmare - no matter how much of a dream-come-true their collaboration with K-Beauty brands has been. In any Sephora location across New York City, be ready to brace your credit cards and bask in the glorious products curated by Laneige, Glow Recipe, Belif, Kaja Beauty, and more. Those teeny black-and-white shopping bags may do harm to your bank account, but can only do good to your self-loving (or selflessly gift-giving) soul.
6. CVS, Various Locations
If you’re really looking to not break your bank, the corner drugstore chain CVS now carries K-Beauty skincare and makeup products. It’s a great place to stop by when you’re low on sheet masks and need a quick restock. Plus, with more store locations than you can count on your fingers, CVS is your most accessible Korean beauty shop-spot.
Of course, there are dozens of more rabbit holes to find K-Beauty products across the five boroughs of New York City – these six are just your starter points. Do let the Kurrent community know where your favorite K-Beauty shop is! If it’s your first time in any of the locations mentioned above, we’d love to hear how your experience was~
'Angels' Ascend To Teen Top Heaven For One Night In Jersey City
Writer: Huma Kazi
The lights dim into darkness, the promo image on stage becomes brighter. The gentle hum of previous songs climbs up to room-shaking levels, stirring the crowd with a shot of adrenaline. Smoke blurs the stage, and five shadowy silhouettes appear.
For the final stop of their 2018 Teen Top Night In The USA tour, Teen Top landed into Jersey City’s White Eagle Hall on Saturday, December 15th, ready to steal hearts and set the night on fire — musically, of course. Kicking the night off with their latest title track “Seoul Night”, the five members of Teen Top proved that their lighting-speed footwork isn’t going anywhere and that there was definitely more to come.
Purple lights, flowers, outfits, and light-sticks sprinkled the crowd. VVIP and VIP stood closest to the stage, with GA ticket holders a few feet behind. With two overhead balconies and a gorgeous ceiling holding a stained glass window art piece and a disco ball, White Eagle Hall was a combination of intimate and classy. For the 21+ fans, there were two bars open for service on either side of the floor.
The track-list contained of a mix of old and new songs, easily warming the hearts of older fans and genuinely welcoming the newer ones. A few to name were Baby U, So Sweet, To You, Hot Like Fire, I’m Sorry, and more. The boys banged out energetic bops and smooth ballads seamlessly, asserting their well-earned control over the room’s mood.
As the cherry-on-top, half-way through the concert, the solo stages commenced. Each member came out on his own to perform a song most suited to their individual style: main vocalist Niel with a chill pop song, lead vocalist Chunji with a high-notes-belting ballad, lead dancer and vocalist Ricky with a softer and more heartfelt ballad, rapper-leader CAP with a head-bobbing hip-hop track, and main dancer and maknae Changjo with a hype dance-and-rap track.
Rather than winding down, the boys lit up the already-flaming energy with their most energetic songs to end the night. As per concert tradition, they completed one of their most popular songs, Crazy, adding brief ‘goodbyes’ and bows before disappearing. However, after several minutes of purple-cladded fans chanting “TEEN TOP! TEEN TOP!” in the dark hall, the boys returned to perform their actual final two tracks of the night: Rocking and Miss Right. With that, the night came to a close.
Prior to the concert, VVIP and VIP were granted their promised perks. After the concert, starstruck fans of all ticket standings were able to purchase ‘Snapshots’ with each member: a.k.a taking a polaroid with your bias! While still recovering from Teen Top’s stage enchantment, many fans raced back out into the cold - which was certainly needed after the series of hot performances - to line up and buy Snapshot tickets.
After purchasing the tickets, the fans were welcomed back into the hall with five separate lines leading to a ticket-collector and a polaroid-taker. The members of Teen Top returned soon after and planted themselves in front of their designated line. The hours following consisted of each member with their own line of excited fans waiting to ‘pick-a-pose’ that were pre-chosen by the members. The poses offered ranged from a couple heart-pose to a hug, leaving all giggling with excitement. It was a close, warm, and fun way to end the night.
Now that you’ve gotten a gist of how the night went down, here’s how I digested it all as an old Angel (Teen Top’s fandom official name). My high school and early college years were all about Teen Top: their posters decorated my bedroom walls, all my genre playlists had at least seven of their songs, they were my phone’s background, and I shelled out whatever I could to get the best experience with the members whenever they visited the U.S. However, my ultimate bias was L.Joe, who is now promoting as the actor Lee Byunghun, so his departure from the group truly broke my soul.
As with any fandom-based heartbreak, it took a while to return to Teen Top. I did not know what to think of the group I always regarded as real, authentic, goofy, and fun.
With as much courage as I could muster, I attended this concert in Jersey City and realized they laugh together, cry together, and get through hard times together. My personal affection towards Teen Top may have changed, but the boys themselves - as human beings that spend time with and deeply care for each other - have not. The same goes for how they treat their fans. It took some time, but I was able to re-witness the genuine love these five boys have for their craft, their stage, their Angels, and their group.
And honestly, being able to feel that as an audience member is what makes a concert truly memorable.
You can check out more photos from the night here!
Title tracks can be misleading, am I right? Some title tracks can be a hit or miss and due to this, new listeners associate title tracks with the artists' main sound. It's unfortunate because b-side tracks do not get the love that they deserve and new listeners miss out. B-sides are quite essential because they're capable of showcasing the artists' actual musicality and it's a better way to listen to your fave's singing/rapping abilities on behalf on fair line distribution. With that being said, here is a new segment featured on Kurrent News that helps you discover b-side bops. Think of this as your quality b-side cheat sheet.
For today's segment, we'll be focusing on SM Entertainment's five-member girl group, Red Velvet.
Irene, Wendy, Seulgi, and Joy debuted in 2014 with Happiness. As 2015 rolled in Yeri was later on added to the group to join them in promoting Ice Cream Cake. Over the years, Red Velvet has gained attention with hits after hits such as Rookie, Peek-A-Boo, Bad Boy, and Russian Roulette throughout Korea and overseas. They have made an impact and slowly become apart of the generation of influential girl groups.
On November 30, 2018, Red Velvet's fifth EP- RBB was released. It featured their title track, Really Bad Boy and a total of five other tracks.
So Good is a favorite of mine off of their latest EP. I'm a sucker for R&B and this song is just that. The song expresses the feeling of falling in love and falling in love with the feeling of it. So Good has a sexiness to it as their melodic vocals blend well with one another.
Sassy Me is next on the list. This song is a feminine version of NCT127's Simon Says. The lyrics basically imply that you need to own yourself and hold yourself up with high confidence. For me personally, it gives me a sense of nostalgia since I definitely see f(x) performing this song.
Moving on to The Perfect Red Velvet, their repackage of Perfect Velvet, their second studio album that was released in November 2017. It featured two of title tracks, Peek-A-Boo, Bad Boy, and a total of ten other tracks.
A fave of mine off their repackaged album is Look. The song has a retro 80s funk aesthetic to the beat and its impossible not to dance! During their comeback promotions for Bad Boy, Red Velvet performed this song with a cute little dance number!
Following Look would be Kingdom Come. This is another R&B track which really puts emphasis on the ladies' musicality as they sing their hearts out about forming a bond in a platonic relationship. You can feel the raw emotions throughout the song and this is why this song is such a gem IMO.
As mentioned earlier, B-sides are quite essential because they're capable of showcasing the artists' actual musicality and it's a better way to appreciate the artists. I hope Kurrent's b-side cheat sheet was helpful!
A month into tossing out what seemed to be a small village worth of junk, sorting out the useful from the useless became second nature. “Does this bring me joy?” echoed throughout my head not only during times of sorting through piles at home, but also while I perused through the shelves of stores, scrolled through a sea of apps on my phone, and even while I picked out a book to read. When it comes to getting rid of items, I really don’t have much of a problem, and I completely agree with the KonMari method of reflecting back on whether or not an item or thing is not only useful in your life but also serves the role of making you happy. However, I won’t sit here and lie - I’m not actually a minimalist. I agree with most of the ideologies and use them as needed, but I just like “stuff” too much. On the other hand, I know a handful of people who proudly proclaim themselves as minimalists and actively live that lifestyle - some are also K-Pop fans.
Seeing these minimalists partake in the K-Pop fan community got me thinking, “there’s no way you could actually be a K-Pop fan and minimalist at the same time, it just doesn’t work that way.” And here’s why I used to think that:
For starters, the K-Pop industry is almost as extra and over-the-top as it gets. The fashion is expensive and flashy, the marketing hones in on merchandise, the fan community values collectibles, etc. To me, K-Pop was just one enormous heap of “buy this product because your favorite group/ idol is on it”. So how could fans that own so many seemingly useless limited versions of albums, posters, and even makeup possibly call themselves minimalists? None of it really added up in my head….and then I actually took the time to think it through a bit more.
Minimalism isn’t only about the number of physical possessions one has. A big part of minimalism is the act of cutting out the “bad” to make more room in your life for the “good”. That type of decluttering could even be used for the thoughts in our heads. Making it a habit to filter the amount of time we think about a certain thing or person that doesn’t make us happy is a form of minimalism. In a way, the K-pop fans that allocate some previously used up space in their rooms in favor of K-pop related merchandise that makes them truly happy can most certainly be minimalists. If showing support for their idols means purchasing every version of a certain item, then so be it. Of course, once that item no longer brings them as much joy, or possibly none at all, it can be sold to another person who would like it more. After all, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
How we use technology as K-Pop fans can also be a part of a minimalist lifestyle. One fan might find that they spend way too much time on Twitter reading K-Pop news, talking to other fans, being an admin of a fan group, or even partaking in fan wars. Another might be distracting themselves too frequently from their 9-5 job by checking Instagram constantly for their bias’ new upload (personally guilty). Cutting those out is a form of minimalism too. Don’t even get me started on our tech-based musical libraries (spoiler alert: I haven’t cleaned out my collection since 2011). Deleting the GB’s worth of songs and albums that we no longer listen to or like anymore, and just sticking to a few of our favorites can save so much space and scrolling/searching time. Leaving our K-Pop listening to Spotify, MelOn, or other cloud-based platforms can really aid a minimalist lifestyle.
As a little extra something to chew on, music can be minimalist too. Bare-bone songs, such as acapella tracks, songs that have a heavy focus on the voice with only a few accompanying instruments or beats, and instrumentals that lack layering and special effects can be classified as minimalist. K-Pop, although mostly heavily produced and layered, has a history of providing fans with stripped-down versions of songs that fit into the molds of those mentioned prior.
Being a minimalist doesn’t mean you only own the literal bare necessities; it can simply mean that everything you do and own serves a meaningful purpose in your life and isn’t collecting dust or taking up space and time that could be allotted to better, more fulfilling things - like K-Pop, for instance. Minimalism isn’t about perfection - it’s about the personal journey to finding more space, time, and joy in your life.
Do you practice minimalism? Has it carried over into your passion for K-Pop? Speak yourself in the comments section or drop us a DM to let us know how you feel about the topic ♡
After continuous single releases, Kris Wu is finally returning to save the Galaxy with his long-awaited album! It is set to release on November 2nd with a total of fourteen tracks. The track list includes fan favorites such as “Freedom”, “Like That”, and “Tian Di”.
You can pre-order or pre-save the album on iTunes, Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple music and Google Play!
As you wait for this long-awaited album, make sure to check out “Coupe” featuring Rich The Kid on Spotify, Google Play, and iTunes! The MV for "Coupe" is expected to drop soon!
Are you ready for the album? We are definitely stoked to hear more from Kris! Keep it coming! ;)
P.S. We'd like to relay our early-birthday wishes to our Galaxy Man!
On October 29th, 2018, the hybrid K-pop and J-pop group, IZ*ONE released their debut album 'COLOR*IZ,' The debut single "La Vie En Rose" is a French phrase. The literal translation is 'life in pink,' which is a reference to the phrase referring to rose-colored glasses. It means that one has a happy attitude or an optimistic outlook.
The lyrics of the song reflect this theme with many strong references to the color red and roses. It continues to play into its upbeat theme as the song progresses with references to rubies and sparkles. Even the short rap break has an upbeat and sweet feeling to it. "La Vie En Rose" even has an uplifting message as the lyrics reference inner strength to be positive and optimistic.
There's a fine balance of cute, sexy, charming and feminine. Between the rap break and variations in tempo as the song progresses, really gives the song a wide range appeal to multiple audiences. The new age trend of survival show groups just might be what kpop needs to stay fresh and have a broader range of sound and style. Regardless of what the future may bring, by the end of the song, you'll be singing "la la la la Rose" alongside IZ*ONE.
Following the release of his third album NAMANANA, EXO's Lay and Chinese Sheep announced via Instagram alongside SubKultue that he'll be having a fan event in New York. The event will be held on Tuesday, November 6 at 8 PM EST at the Playstation Theatre.
Surprise! Lay is coming to New York for an exclusive fan event at Playstation Theater on Tuesday, 11/6!! This limited GA event will be FREE ADMISSION (minus any fees)! More info on how to reserve tickets will be coming soon. Chinese fans can also follow live broadcast information on Tencent Music Entertainment (TME), so be excited and stay tuned! (via SubKultue)
Lay released his third full-length album titled, NAMANANA on October 19 which features a total of 22 tracks, 11 being his Chinese songs and the other half will be the English version of them.
Be sure to follow Kurrent News via Instagram to stay up to date about Lay's fan event!
NCT 127 have continuously proved their popularity abroad since their debut; however, they have reached a new milestone in their careers! The talented group has officially debuted in the Billboard 200 with their album “Regular- Irregular”!
The new, fresh and hot release has earned the group at #86 in the Billboard 200 chart. This is a strong feat for a young idol group. We would like to congratulate the boys on their success with the album and wish them even more success in the future. Maybe the boys will perform at the 2019 AMA’s, not just walk the carpet?
In addition, the group has snatched a total of four (and counting) 1st place wins for “Regular” on The Show, M Countdown, and Music Bank. What a memorable comeback for NCT and NCTzens!
The Queen of KPOP, aka BoA, has made her return with her 9th studio album- Woman. Her title track, “Woman” sends a strong aura and pride that BoA displays in her video stating that she takes pride being a woman. The video is very beautifully directed and edited, it shows BoA being a total badass alongside other strong women. Make sure to check out the MV below!
"You know you are perfect right? Everything about you. Feels good to be a woman. There is no comparison. Shine just the way you are. It’s beautiful enough to be a woman"
This track is very powerful and it makes a bold statement that being a woman isn’t a bad thing. It puts emphasis on taking pride and being confident in yourself. It is refreshing, as tracks like these are rare to come by. Thank you, BoA for being such a role model!
Her album consists of a total of ten tracks, make sure to check them out on Spotify and iTunes!
On October 5th, 2018, DPR made their way to New York City! Yes, the city of lights gave the South Korean rapper, Hong Dabin a warm welcome at TERMINAL 5. Debuting his first album “Coming To You Live” last year March 15th, 2017 and his second album “Her” On December 7th, 2017, this dope rapper showed NYC he was deserving of a full house.
The sold-out show doors opened at 7:30 pm, by 8:00 pm everyone was inside. The crowd was moved with a DJ who played a mix of hip-hop, KHip-hop, and Kpop, which the crowd enjoyed. DPR Live came shortly after the music as lights hit the stage. His energy was the through the roof the entire concert, he ran across the stage quenched thirst by dashing water at the crowd. He even brought his cousin on stage and they both danced as he became his hype man throughout the rest of the concert. The crowd was not only jumping, screaming, and waving but they knew all his lyrics. Talk about loving fans, they literally sold out the show.
He performed many songs from both his first and second album. The crowd went crazy for his second album during the second half of the performance. Once he began “Jasmine” the crowd went crazy. He also performed “Text Me” and my favorite “Martini Blue” all after a big thanks to the fans.
DPR Live is definitely a very humble artist as he stops the concert to see the faces of all his fans and explained how he had no fans 2 Years ago. As the show came to a close he walked backstage but the fans weren’t satisfied just yet. They began to shout “DPR! WE GANG GANG! DPR! WE GANG GANG!” And he came bouncing back out shouting the same thing. It was such an amazing experience and I would highly recommend seeing DPR LIVE live in concert because you won’t be disappointed.
Fall is upon us ladies and gentleman, and we all know what that means. That’s right, new music is upon us once again. The change in temperature has brought a new release from the hottest band on the scene, The Rose. Their new EP "Dawn" was released on October 4th and we were once again blown away with their musical talents.
This new EP has been all the rage amongst not only The Rose fans, affectionately dubbed Black Roses but amongst many others. "Dawn" consists of 4 new tracks as well as the instrumental to their title track. The tracklist is as follows:
I Don’t Know You
She’s in the Rain
Take Me Down
Insomnia
She’s in the Rain (Instrumental)
The first song on the album is "I Don’t Know You". It’s definitely a bit more on the mellow side for The Rose. The song starts off with Hajoon’s soft drumming before introducing Sammy’s velvety vocals with just a hint of raspiness along with Jaehyeong’s bass. Following suit is Dojoon’s deep-tone which is just as smooth. The song's tempo does pick up a bit but not in the way of being hype, more to emphasize the passion behind the lyrics. The lyrics themselves are about being almost instantly captivated by a perfect stranger, while simultaneously wondering if said stranger feels this instant attraction as well.
"She’s in the Rain" holds such a powerful message and brought tears to the eyes of many BlackRoses (myself included) upon first listen. This track is about not just the motions of depression but the ongoing battle many have with suicide. The lyrics depict just how alone some feel in this battle and the way it is seen from the outside looking in. The Rose put this track together to spread the word that these battles don’t need to be fought alone, that there are people who will stand through the storm with you. Towards the end of the song, Sammy’s lines (below) resonated deeply as it was a loud and clear message to not only those struggling but to their loved ones.
“You wanna hurt yourself, I’ll stay with you.
You wanna make yourself go through the pain.
It’s better to be held than holding on.”
Next up on the list is, "Take Me Down". Keeping a similar message to its predecessor, this song is about pain. Though where it differs is that this song is about wanting to rid yourself of whatever is causing you said pain, about freeing yourself from the “chains of pain”. Jaehyeong’s deeper bass notes, as well as Hajoon’s more subtle drumming help, emphasize the powerful lyrics of the song. Sammy and Dojoon’s voices also do an amazing job of depicting the pain and anguish behind these lyrics.
The final track on this album is called "Insomnia". For those who don’t know, Insomnia is the inability to sleep, which is exactly what this song is about. The lyrics are about losing sleep because of the racing thoughts of someone of your past, be it a friend, lover, family member. The racing of one’s mind during these sleepless nights becomes frustrating and one just wants sleep to claim them so that the thoughts stop. The touch of the acoustic guitar along with the softer vocals definitely add the desired effect to this song. This continues to showcase incredible vocal ability as every frustration the lyrics are trying to portray comes through perfectly, with the raspy quality of Sammy’s voice complimenting Dojoon’s velvety tone perfectly.
Overall this album was definitely a beautiful one with more melancholy vibes. This album was also needed in the times we live in now. The battle against suicide is never over and all we can hope to do is save as many as we can. The Rose was very brave in taking on this message to express to their fans and music listeners all over the world. We look forward to seeing what else the Rose has in store for us in the future.
Please check out DAWN by The Rose available on all music platforms.
ICYMI: EXO's Chanyeol Sings About the "Everglow" For His Sisters Wedding
Writer: Gavhar Hushvaktova
On October 13th, EXO member Chanyeol alongside members Kai, Baekhyun, Sehun, and Chen attended his sisters’ wedding at Seoul Lotte Hotel! The beautiful YTN anchor tied the knot with her boyfriend of one year with their loved ones as witnesses to their union!
Chanyeol sang “Everglow” by Cold Play for the congratulatory song. This number is bittersweet, focusing on the special relationships that have come to an end but knowing that the love for one another is still there no matter how much time passes.
We would like to congratulate Yoora on her marriage!
