You have no idea how much I love Epik High. I do, I really do. Not only are they unbelievably talented, they're also gloriously hilarious. I was lucky enough that my city was added to the list of their stops during their ongoing Epik High Concert Parade and I could not let that opportunity pass me by. And I'm glad I didn't.
The Manila leg of the tour took place last Saturday night, April 18th, in SM North's Skydome. And we had such a blast, my friends and I. Tukutz was hilarious, Mithra was awesome, and Tablo was epic. Watching them perform live was a surreal moment for me. In all of my k-pop stanning life, I never thought it was possible to get to see them live. For one, they never used to tour extensively before. Also, k-pop is huge all over Asia but the Philippines has some catching up to do. My best bet, I thought, was to try to catch them in a nearby country. So imagine my surprise when they announced a Manila date.
Singing along to Korean music is not the easiest thing. Rapping along is a whole other feat. But Filipinos love to sing during concerts and we really did try our best. And believe you me, the crowd would erupt with excited singing whenever the English lyrics came along. So was it any wonder that the loudest singing/rapping happened when Tablo dished out his own version of Taeyang's "Eyes, Nose, Lips"? Every single person in the room was singing along, the whole way through.
After watching all these concerts and coming home with sucky fancams (photos and videos), I do realize I need to invest in a better camera. My Samsung phone can only provide so much. But, nonetheless, here are some photos and videos from the Epik night that was.
Yes, yes. I forgot to write up my list of favorite songs for the second half of 2014. As I've said in my last post, I got super lazy last month and into the new year. So here I am, trying to squeeze this post before the first month ends completely.
As was with the first half of 2014, the second half of the year was just as kpop-filled and my playlist just kept getting bigger and bigger. And so, without further babbling, here are my 15 favorite songs from the second half of 2014.
The 2014 Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA) took place last week in Hong Kong (again!) and many of our favorite idols and Hallyu stars flocked to the AsiaWorld-Arena to attend k-pop's most-awaited event of the year.
I watched the entire thing with bated breath from red carpet to end credits, and I was a hundred times thankful that they aired it live on local tv - on time and with no extended commercials (unless Mnet was airing commercials too).
While I was happy with most of those who were declared winners that night (i.e. Winner, "Some", "Eyes Nose Lips", Epik High, etc.) there were some disappoints as well (I swear 2NE1 deserved album of the year and the only reason they weren't even nominated was, well, we all know why). Nonetheless, I had a blast watching the show - all 6 and a half hours of it - and I can't wait for it to be available online for a re-watch.
Despite the lineup of artists being noticeably shorter this year, there was still a lot of fun to be had. So here are 10 of my favorite moments - both big and small - from the 2014 MAMA.
(in no particular order)
1. Last Fantasy - Aptly named a fantasy, this stage performance consisted of Ailee disguising herself as Girl's Day Minah's male dance partner. Totally cute!
2. SMTM3 Special Opening Stage - Not even gonna lie, I was beyond excited when I found out Bobby was not just going to be performing "Come Here" but "연결고리 (YGGR)" as well. Bobby hit the MAMA stage and slayed. (And Mino being all excited and proud was just icing on the cake.)
3. Battle of the Century - Indeed, it was. This Block B vs. BTS special stage was the perfect example of a battle done right. The stage highlighted the immense talent of both groups perfectly (and I'm not even a Block B fan). From their dancing (and Jimin's abs - which excited not just Girl's Day Yura and Sojin, but Winner's Seung-yoon as well), their rapping, stage presence, and overall performance skills - everything was on point.
4. IU-Mino Duet - Another star of the night was Winner's Mino, who shared the stage not just with fellow YG artists but also with this year's Best Female Artist IU. It was something I didn't know I needed in my life until it was happening before my very own eyes.
5. Media Wonderland - Seo Tai-ji made a comeback this year and I was looking forward to seeing his performance on the MAMA stage. I'm not a huge fan of "Sogkyeodong" or "Christmalo-win" but I did love his old stuff. And by old stuff, I mean his hip-hop stuff back when they were Seo Tai-ji and Boys. So imagine my shock when U-Kwon (Block B) and Jungkook (BTS) got out of their seats for a planned dance break to cue the start of Seo Tai-ji's performance of "Come Back Home". I was half expecting YG to appear on stage for his signature moves but alas, Vasco (SMTM3) and Zico (Block B) joined him instead.
6. Lee Guk-joo x Jo Se-ho - There's nothing I love more than when non-idols get the spotlight they deserve. And let's be honest, 2014 was the year of Lee Guk-joo. She's just refreshingly awesome. Also, was this the kiss Mnet has been leading us on with all this time?! LOL.
7. Mino x Song Seung-heon - Mino is hilarious. And nothing proves that more than the many shots of him from the artists' sitting area where he always had the best reactions. None of them better than when he feigned (or not?) disappointment when hottie Song Seung-heon chose to give IU his rose. Better luck next time, Mino.
8. Winner x iKON - If having Bobby and B.I sit beside the guys of Winner during award shows is a glimpse into the awesomeness of the YG Family's future, then count me in. These guys are hilarious individually, but even more so together. Simply put Bobby, B.I, and Mino together and wait for the magic to happen.
9. Kai's Dance Solo - Kai, as usual, was breathtaking. While it might take me awhile to get used to seeing EXO as a 10-member group, at least I will always find solace in Kai's dance solos. (For now?)
10. YG Family being a family - I'm just so happy to see YG Family gaining new members because it's suddenly all so refreshing. We might not have 2NE1 at the moment, and Lee Hi And AKMU were nowhere to be seen at the awards show, but having Winner and Double B around seemed to lighten up everyone's moods. Even GD seemed to be more into things this year. The GD x Taeyang stage was one the best we've seen from them in awhile. They seemed more into it and actually put a lot of effort in both their vocals and choreography. Maybe having fresh meat around is making these older sunbaes work harder than usual. Whatever it is, I'm liking it.
Epik High's performance was livened up as well by the presence of Mino, Bobby, and B.I (plus Yoo In-na!). And just seeing them all there in the audience was nice. Every time one of them won, you can see how proud and genuinely happy they were for each other. Ultimately, the night ended with a glimpse of our YG family posturing for a selfie (groufie?) with Taeyang trying to be seen from the back by jumping as high as he possibly can.
I've found I've always enjoyed MAMA stages the best, so now that it's over, I guess all I have to look forward to are the year-end music festivals from the 3 big networks. And then it's a whole year to go until the next MAMA. Hopefully, they find a new location for next year's show. I mean, Asia is a big place. Macau is done. Singapore is done. Hong Kong is done, done, and done. Somewhere new, please?
While listening to my extensive k-pop playlist earlier today on the train, I thought of making a list about all my favorite non-idol Korean artists. While I mainly listen to idol acts, I have a huge chunk of non-idol music on constant rotation. Who are they? Well, glad you asked.
Dok2 - Once known to the Korean hip-hop audience as Gonzo, Dok2 (pronounced dok-i) is practically a veteran in the music industry at the tender age of 23. This half Korean, quarter Spanish, quarter Filipino rapper has been in the game since he was 12 years old. He was once signed to Epik High's independent label Map The Soul Inc., but is now the CEO of his own label Illionaire Records, which he started together with fellow rapper The Quiett.
Epik High - This alternative hip-hop group is comprised of rappers Tablo and Mithra Jin, and DJ Tukutz. Back when hip-hop lacked popularity in South Korea, Epik High would perform alongside other rap groups in the underground hip-hop scene. They would later sign on with Woollim Entertainment, and then to their own label Map The Soul Inc., and then in 2012 they signed with YG Entertainment (Tablo had earlier signed with YG in 2011 as a solo artist while fellow rapper Mithra Jin was serving in the military).
Urban Zakapa - An indie acoustic jazz R&B band with nine members (four vocalists and five instrumentalists) who debuted back in 2009, Urban Zakapa has gained their popularity mostly by guesting in other artists' concerts and by performing in music festivals. It's their sweet harmonies and smooth melodies that make their music refreshing amidst the EDM-saturated k-pop scene.
2LSON - Not your typical group, 2LSON is comprised of 18-year-old vocalist Hyo Bin, music composers LE and Jason, plus lyricist Noel. Their music is usually clean, smooth R&B-inspired pop tracks with addictive melodies. In cases where a male voice is needed in their songs, they often feature other indie R&B and hip-hop artists (i.e. Bumkey, Paloalto, Dok2).
Brown Eyed Soul - This Korean R&B vocal group debuted way back in 2003 and is known for their resonant and sensitive voices. While all four members are amazing singers individually, the best thing about the group is how they sound together. Though the group has only recorded 3 full albums since their debut, they have released countless singles, plus albums recorded by individual members. They're probably most popular for the song "Nothing Better" off of their second album The Wind,The Sea,The Rain.
4Men - Is a Korean pop vocal group who originally debuted with four members but they have been through line-up changes to end with the current three members. The group debuted in 1998 and have strongly released numerous albums since. While a lot of their songs are hauntingly beautiful, most people would know them for their 2008 hit single "Baby, Baby" from their EP First Kiss.
The Quiett - This rapper and producer has worked and collaborated with countless Korean artists such as Dok2, Dumbfoundead, Tiger JK, Yoon Mirae, Paloalto, Jay Park... and well, this list goes on and on. The Quiett's own brand of hip-hop finds itself often mashed up with different genres such as jazz, blues, and R&B. Having started his career in music back in 2005, The Quiett has released copious amounts of albums and mixtapes, and is now the CEO of Illionaire Records alongside Dok2.
Zion.T - Rapper, singer and composer, Zion.T debuted in 2011 and has since been building a very strong fanbase and a bigger name for himself. His certain brand of R&B, matched with his impeccable vocals, has captured many a hearts since the release of his first single, "Click Me," on April 2011. He has also been featured in various other songs by other popular Korean artists (i.e. Simon D, Primary, Dok2, Infinite H).
2wins - This hip-hop duo comprised of rapper TobBob and singer Bumkey has been through their share of ups and downs in the music industry before finally being able to make a name for themselves. Their music showcases piano and brass sounds that blend perfectly with their soul and strong hip hop beats. I personally came across 2wins' music via Bumkey's many features in other artists' music (i.e. Infinite H, 2LSON, Dok2, Epik High). But Bumkey's gorgeous falsetto just keeps listeners wanting for more and I've been addicted to 2wins ever since.
Dynamic Duo - This hip-hop duo, that consists of childhood friends Choiza and Gaeko, started working together in the underground music scene in the early 2000's and have since grown to be a highly respected group who co-founded their current label Amoeba Culture. They have collaborated and worked with many different artists, both mainstream and independent (i.e. Zion.T, Bumkey, Supreme Team, Primary).
These are just some of the non-idol artists that I have on my playlists. Who else should I be listening to? If you have any suggestions, go ahead and let me know!
