That 반짝반짝 Style

I write music reviews on releases by popular Kpop and lesser-known Korean indie artists. All the opinions expressed here are my own. Kpop is fast becoming a global phenomenon, and as a fan since 2005, I want to spread the super 반짝 love. New posts on Fridays.

[superbanjjakstyle]

A NEW FACE?

Hi all, My name is Sarah and I'm a new guest blogger on Super Banjjak Style. I primarily listen to korean hip-hop and  I'll probably be blogging/reviewing that.  Derp. Yo!

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BIG NEWS!

Hey guys!

So as you all know, I won't have a lot of time (or, frankly, the desire right now) to maintain this blog. While I'm taking care of the application process that'll get me to Korea in Spring 2014 and keeping an eye on new releases in the Korean indie scene, my good friend Sarah will be taking over the reigns of this blog!

Expect a shift toward a lot of cool stuff coming out of the Korean hip hop scene and welcome her with open hearts, she's fantastic! I'm 100% positive her content will improve the blog and that she'll be able to share a lot of new stuff with you. Enjoy!

Any posts from here on out will be from Sarah unless otherwise indicated. <3 Happy listening!

[superbanjjakstyle]

Sorry guys, it's gonna be dead here for a while. Too busy to keep up and, to be honest, Kpop hasn't been that great lately, so I don't feel like reviewing material right now. Toss some indie recommendations my way, I'll try to get things moving again once I'm in Korea early next year.

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It's almost here! Lee Jung Hyun has always been a pretty stellar actress, so I'm not surprised she made this chilling teaser for her upcoming release, V (due out very soon), so full of intrigue. 

Pumped!

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Park Chan Wook Directs Lee Jung Hyun and Jin Goo in “V” Music Video

It was recently reported that world-renowned film director Park Chan Wook (“Old Boy“) will be directing Lee Jung Hyun‘s new music video for her upcoming si

Lee Jung Hyun is one of my favourite persisting artists of what many would call "old school" techno pop coming out of Korea. She's just so interesting and I have yet to hear about an arguably mainstream artist other than her to have so much control over her own career.

REALLY hope this is full of killer synth! Amazing that Park Chan Wook is directing her video. Officially dying for the 22nd!

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Teaser for BEAST's upcoming SHADOW! 

This is already sounding WAY better than their last major release. Really can't wait for BEAST to be back and promoting. It's been way too long. I also really appreciate that this isn't some ridiculous cutesy summer song. Looking forward to it! What about y'all?

[yhgwth]

WELP I don’t know what this is but I’ve been wanting to write something Crayon Pop for a while and I guess this is it?? tumblr is a terrible platform for pimp posts jfc

[yhgwth]

I. What is Crayon Pop?

The first and (currently) only group under Chrome Entertainment. They debuted June...

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I LOVE Crayon Pop, you guys should really give this a read and check them out. They're a combination of hilarious and fantastic, the music is just so cute.

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ThoughtBox - Andamiro - Waiting

SO HAPPY SHE DIDN'T FADE AWAY! I've been craving new Andamiro music since the release of her first EP, and this single definitely doesn't disappoint.

This song has such a different feel from the material released on her first EP. The build up of the song is so awesome, I almost freaked out when the instruments started growing in intensity with the beat and feel. While Andamiro's first EP showed us her fun, harder dance side, Waiting proves that she has versatility as an artist. The unique tone of her voice (which I am totally in love with) goes hand in hand so well with the music that it baffles me how relatively unknown she still is.

The BEST part of this song is the lyrical strength behind it. It's not just a song, it's a deep conversation showcasing two reflections and feelings toward the same relationship. The message that it's dangerous to lie to yourself for the sake of a relationship is not healthy, and it's a message that a lot of people still need to hear. Two thumbs WAY up for using music to convey something so important, Andamiro!

This song is highly recommended and makes me 100% excited for what she's going to do next.

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ThoughtBox - MBLAQ - Smoky Girl

I totally disagree with everyone saying this is one of the best songs of 2013 so far. Musically, this song is amazing. It's really smooth and the beat is clean and sharp, totally adds to the atmosphere of the song and sets a great mood. There's no question in my mind that it makes me want to dance.

The song does get better after about two minutes in, but before that it feels like a mess. Way too much weird talking to music than actual singing, and the repetition of Smoky Girl is almost intolerable. The song is AMAZING after the 2 minute mark, though. Even the rap feels like it fits in well. Too bad Thunder is so auto-tuned that it was hard to figure out who it was.

I'd say this song is up there in some of the best Kpop has to offer right now, but it's not nearly THE best. Still a great song and probably one of the best MBLAQ has ever released.

[superbanjjakstyle]

Korean Music Recommendations!

Hello party people! 

I was contacted recently by one of my frans (friend fans) asking about music recommendations, and (a few days late) I decided to put up a post and share some recommendations with everyone! Every song title on the list links to YouTube.

SO HERE WE GOOOOOOOO :D

Artist: w.i.w.

Literally everyone forgets this guy exists. As far as I know, he has a 6-song EP out called Love Heart AND NOTHING ELSE. The entire EP is great for a gritty meets polished collection of songs. Listen to it all here. Stand out tracks for me are Cool Girl, Secret Baby, and Goodbye My Love.

Artist: Zuwan

Okay, so I think this guy is one of the members of Viva Soul? But this solo song by him is the only one I know and it's really good, one of my favourite Korean indie songs in general. The single is called Illusion and the video is pretty awesome, too. If you can't tell yet, most of these recommendations will be synth-oriented because I'm a whore for a good synth.

Artist: From the Airport

I looooove these guys! They blend rock elements with electronica really well and so far, I've been really impressed. You can check out the videos for their major singles Colors, Everything's All Right, and Timelines, on their official YouTube channel here. All the above tracks, plus Raining, are recommended.

Artist: Clazzi

OBVIOUSLY. Literally listen to the entire Infant solo album, which you can do here. You're welcome. My stand out tracks include Bad Girl, Love & Hate, and Star Child.

Artist: Neon Bunny

I have a disgusting crush on her music. Oh My Prince is still her best song, but that entire Happy Ending EP is gold, and the Smells song she was featured in is genius. Listen to the EP here.

Artist: Jelly Boy

Okay, so I only have two Jelly Boy albums and I don' t know if there are more, but I LOOOOVE THEM! It's a little more more indie pop but with synth elements scattered throughout. Some samples you can try out are Andromeda Girl, and Fatting Cat Girl (yes for real). Apparently in 2008 an EP was released called Mellow Park, but I haven't heard it.

Honourable mentions also go out to Glen Check and The Koxx, who are AMAZING, but who many of you already listen to, so to recommend them felt pointless since you know who they are. Enjoy! 

NEW CONTENT IS COMING IN JULY YAY!

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Attempted Return

Hey everyone! 

I've been so busy with a new job and taking summer classes that I haven't really had the time to devote to new content. I'm going into the rest of summer with the mindset of getting things done in advance. I'm still passionate about making this blog something bigger and sharing my love of Kpop and Korean Indie music with everyone!

To make up for so much lost time, I'm extended an invitation to request any album or single you'd love to see reviewed on the blog! Singles will get a ThoughtBox entry, since it's only one song.

Expect new content by mid-June everyone! I'm trying to fit a lot into my schedule and change some habits so it all works out. :)

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ThoughtBox - 2PM - Come Back When You Hear This Song

What a great (and long overdue) comeback by 2PM! The style if music feels closer to what 2AM released during their brief dance phase, but 2PM handles it differently. Albeit repetitive, the song is strong and the emotion behind the lyrics is clear in every note. I applaud the song also because the rap doesn't sound forced or misplaced. 2PM successfully delivers good pop music with their latest release.

What do you guys think of this song and the rest of the album?

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ThoughtBox - Lee Hyori (이효리) - Miss Korea (미스코리아)

She SETS the trends with every comeback, she doesn't follow them! The song is pretty good, has a comfortable rhythm and a fantastic indie flavour rare to hear from someone so high profile in mainstream music (even if she isn't around often).

My favourite thing about this is the percussion and vocal delivery. If we're all being honest, Hyori is not the most AMAZING singer ever, but what she does, she does very well. If this is just a pre-release "teaser" song, I'm pumped for the rest of the album!

What do you guys think?

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ThoughtBox - Psy - Gentleman

Well...I almost don't know what to say. Talk about capitalizing on the same formula that made Gangnam Style such a treat to the ears! On the one hand, this song has much more of a muted, modern sophistication to it. The electro-laced beat is infectious, subtle, and much smoother - it doesn't feel so bombastic and hard to enjoy right off the bat.

On the other hand? There's hardly a difference in delivery between Gentleman and Gangnam Style. It's almost like he's singing the same tune with some slight modifications in where things are stressed and how things are said - there's not really any sort of extreme departure or newness to this song. It feels like just another take on what quickly became a viral phenomenon, trying to cash in on the same global success without much effort.

The song itself is enjoyable and the lyrics are very racy, only this time Psy isn't trying to make any sort of statement - he just wants you to know that he's a gentleman who your parents will love, but who will love you a different way when they're not around. I just wish it were a little less boring and a little more different.

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Happy to announce that my hiatus will be over as of April 8th! You can check back here for new reviews every Friday, starting with my comeback review on April 12th! 

I'm really excited to get things moving again :) Thanks for sticking around so long while I've been busy, everyone. It means a lot that you're interested in what I have to say.

[superbanjjakstyle]

ThoughtBox - Lee Hi - It's Over

Lee Hi's back with her MV for It's Over!

The song is a little simple and almost wastes the full effect of what this girl can really do. It doesn't have the same impact (in terms of sound) that 1,2,3,4 had at all. This girl is so undeniably talented, though, that her voice still makes the song interesting to listen to. 

As far as the video goes? I'm REALLY glad to see her getting MUCH MUCH MUCH more comfortable in front of a camera! A LOT of the awkwardness that plagued her debut video is gone here, and you can see more personality. I think a lot of people forget that even though Lee Hi's voice is phenomenal, she's still very young! The video is a cute reminder of that and really goes to show that age and maturity of character (reflected in her voice) really aren't all that related.

Great job, Lee Hi. Not a jam, but still a great track that'll be sure to drive Kpop toward a future of serious artistry if you keep at it the way you're doing now. 

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Oh you're on a hiatus... :( I wanted to know if you have ever heard of the band 'Yellow City' because they're amazing and I think we have a similar taste in music. ^_^ (Check out their song 'Silver (은)') But good luck with all your school work! :)

Thanks for sharing! I'm LOVING the sound, a nice mellow change from a lot of the stuff I've been listening to lately while getting work done. If you have any more info on them, like albums or EPs, please share! I'd love to feature them after my break.

For those interest, check out a video of Yellow City performing Silver here.