can't help but feeling

exploring fandom and doing my spazzing exercises :) hope to the end

fans
Fashion Follows Yoochun
Chaos Under Control
You Captured Me
Pretty Boy Power
Red Playground
Sapphire Pearls
One Pine Tree
Tokyo Bopper
DBSKnights
Cfensi

Common Love

Jandi says, “I’m not pretty, I don’t have money, or any status, so why do you like me?” Jun Pyo replies, “Because I have it all. Looks, money, and status. I don’t need anything else, as long as Geum Jandi is Geum Jandi.”

Ep.22

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♥ Ga Eul ♥

Kim So Eun will always be 'Ga Eul' from the Korean Boys Over Flowers to me, thanks to Pretty Boy Power's episode summaries that sometimes had me laughing out loud even though I've never watched even a single minute of the show. Ga Eul was the sweetest and I love these behind-the-scenes pictures from an old shoot for ElleGirl that capture Kim So Eun's darlingness.


[I'm too tired to think up any analyses lately so please enjoy the eye candy :)]

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Princes Charming

The previous post made me more interested in Shinee's pictures so here are some of the most interesting ones I've found. Minho makes the best pictures!

The ultimate in 'never-grow-old' imagery: plaid-clad boys in the wilderness...

"Why is this girl even sleeping?!!!" (Oh, I crack myself up sometimes.)

Peter Pan syndrome:

Male idols in leggings = totes needs to happen more! Remember Hangeng in Numero? (And what did I tell you about Minho...) Sleep tight ;)

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Neverland

SHINee never disappoint on the photoshoot front. Although I don't love them as a pop group, their shoots and style are adventurous, whimsical and always with a touch of Peter Pan (I guess it's the benefit of their youth).


I do love this photoshoot they've done for Vogue featuring SNSD's Seohyun (seen here knitting a rope piece which is what caught my eye). What's great about SHINee's shoots is that they stand on their own as fashion pages, not just as idol fodder.

(very wecouldgrowuptogether, I think)

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SSS

Super Junior + SNSD + SPAO = ads to make you smile

I don't know if I should be delighted or incensed that these shoots for the clothing lable SPAO turned out more attractive than any editorial photoshoot. It doesn't hurt that the colorful fake prep is a favorite style of mine, haha.

love Eunhyuk's color combination

yellow and burgundy is classic prep (think Gryffindor, lol)

fall collegiate vibe- who doesn't love it?

kind of a benetton vibe

Siwon = Michael Kelso. Totally.

Jessica is so cool as a blond

hai Donghaiiiii


And a video of the photoshoot
More SNSD photos
More SJ photos

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Bobo back to Class

Saw a cute pattern of Bobo at school desks in my photo file :)
(lame joke for you: "I'd go to that school!")



Fu Xinbo is my favorite ;)

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Cute Ninja

Rain is totally adorbz in the recent press junket for his new film Ninja Assassin. His English is awesome even if he does just keep saying 'I love this character' or whatever and his nervous humor is very endearing. I hope he really does become an international superstar! I will definitely see this film when it comes out. (via angry asian man)


More interviews:
AsiaFinest
Allkpop

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Hi

Daul, we were the same age. Remembering Daul Kim.


Fighting Spirit of the East


Screencap from a subbed video of DBSK on Star Show in 2008


When I first became a fan of Dong Bang Shin Ki I never realized that it would last so long and still be going strong one year from then. But here I am and my respect for the group has only grown in that time.

One of the things that has moved me the most about this fandom is the way that when I'm tired, or too busy, or just don't know the next step to take, thinking about DBSK's fighting spirit has helped me. Today I thought about the meaning of 'keeping the faith': I guess it should mean that we believe in ourselves to be loyal as fans, and the kind of people who are good in our own lives.

I'm a stressed medical student just like the author of Pretty Boy Power but she can articulate much better than me the fun and gift of fandom, just like all those fanblogs out there that laugh together. I love them ♥

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믿어요


I believe all five will stand on a stage together again.

DBSK and Cassiopeia are one: Dong Bang Shin Ki, please take the courage and the love from each one of us, and keep moving forward.

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Cheer On


Recently I've been enjoying female musicians more, like Cheer Chen whose music I love so much. Other examples are Penny Tai and Aoi Teshima. I hope I can find more female vocalists with inspiring songs.

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I had to do this one for my girls, you know?


I'm psyched to see the girls from 2ne1 won a Style Icon award, because their alternative beauty, real bodies and unique style are really standouts in the homogenous world of Kpop. (Can you believe SNSD were nominated?! I like SNSD just fine, but their whole identity is based on their samen-ness, neutral stick figures and generic fashion.) 2ne1 have taken some flak for their over-produced image, but I think they have the substance to back up their popularity.


At debut I wasn't really into 2ne1 but then I fell hard for their song I don't care. And now I've found out the tough-girl stance of the lyrics, I like it even more. Did you know almost all the girls of 2ne1 are fluent in English as well? Their average age is older than a lot of the girl bands dominating kpop right now too which might explain why they feel a little more 'real'. They certainly appeal to me most. Sometimes I don't get their 'signature' style, but it's challenging and cohesive as opposed to the crazy that seems to be the trend lately, like with 4minute.

Ultimately, I don't mean to pit Kpop girlbands against each other, but I'm really glad 2ne1 are being acknowledged for the difference they are making on the scene. Even outside of the standards of Kpop, they are a great band. Check out their closing performance for the promotions of I don't care: Unplugged Remix.

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Cheryl Cole

In London this past week I was very impressed with this advertisement for Cheryl Cole's new album 3 words. There's a contrast between the sense of control and vulnerability in this photo (I wasn't surprised to hear it's shot by Nick Knight). Her first single Fight for this love similarly combines an edginess with a gentle feel. Although it doesn't go far enough with the strong image that (the video) opens, always returning to the tried-and-tested, slightly boring glamour girl, I admire Cheryl Cole's high standard of debut.

I remember this article in The Guardian about Cheryl Cole's "grassroots" promotional tactics, and was struck by how much it reminded me of DBSK's (early) promotions in Japan. They both cover a ton of ground by making many many personal appearances at radio stations, record stores, tv shows and generally getting up close with the fans. It's a strategy that demands diligence and humility. It will be interesting to see if other artists will also try it.

ETA: The Guardian analyses Cheryl's album cover. Very interesting.

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5 - 1 = 0

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Tomorrow, certainly the sky will clear up, just like you are here with me.

This lawsuit issue with DBSK has reminded me of a piece I read by user 'kimtaitai' in a forum a long time ago. The earliest example of this writing (which is reposted on many blogs) I've found on AsianFanatics from 2006. It's a strong message from an H.O.T. fan to DBSK fans and one that shows us that the battle the band is fighting today is not just a recent one, but one that is relevant to the core of their existence as a band.

I've taken the liberty of rewriting it but please read the original piece if you have time.

Kimtaitai is member of clubH.O.T. and a H.O.T. fan. She felt H.O.T. and DBSK were very similar at debut, winning major awards in the year following and their fans were young girls/junior high students too. She expressed hope DBSK fans would be so loyal as H.O.T. fans even after years. As an important member of the H.O.T. official fanclub and knowing music industry insiders, she knew unfair treatment of the artists by SM Entertainment was true. Kimtaitai wanted to warn DBSK fans about how SM Entertainment treats artists and their fans badly.

"SM is honestly a dangerous place. As you like DBSK more I am sure that your hatred for SM will only grow"

H.O.T. members were punished physically, and when they split up, SM Entertainment not only boycotted JTL's independent activities by coercion of broadcasting companies but also didn't help Moon HeeJun promote his second album despite his first album sales of 600,000.

Kimtaitai asks the fans to buy artists' albums as the only way to help them. This is the only way in SM Entertainment's system to enable the artists to earn money.

"Whenever H.O.T albums came out, we fans bought AT LEAST 2 copies. That's the only reason whenever a new album came out they were able to surpass 1 million album sales. [...] H.O.T. boys... for every album they received approximiately 2 cents. [...] For five people if it's 2 cent, that means its not even a quarter cent per person. [...]
Any commercials, and any shows, anything, all that money goes to SM.
So its basically an unjust contract, a slave contract. We heard that the contract between DBSK and SM is immense, but thats not always a good thing. [...]
Do you think the term "slave contract" came out of nowhere??
DBSK right now...they are probably having a really hard time."

She also describes SM Entertainment's impossible contract termination fees and Lee SooMan's influence in SM Entertainment, becoming rich by illegal contracts and having a puppet president of the company on paper (Kim KyungWook). Even H.O.T.'s former manager tried to get them out of SM Entertainment.

"We raised SM and then we were stepped on by SM and died."

The money earned from H.O.T. was reinvested into the company (developing BoA) while H.O.T., along with their record-breaking fanclub, were ignored and left behind.

"All of you will get older with DBSK. We were the same. We used to say that "we're aging together," and these days those words sound so sad.
As time goes feelings will be stronger, and we sincerely hope that DBSK doesn't endure the same scars from SM, as H.O.T. had. Don't take the same hurt as we did. Within DBSK, create an awesome fan culture. With every childless statement, the fan image is slowly ruined. Become fans that think about what you say, when announcing you are their fans. Don't ever be faltered by any rumors, and always trust the member.

Singers will never betray their fans.

Please don't do things that they don't like. You shouldn't ever make your favorite singer feel disappointed in you. If you are going to believe this and that, or just move on to someone else, then don't like them from the start. It will only be scars upon that singer/group. As you grow older, even if you find a boyfriend don't ever forget that you are DBSK fans. At first it may just be a fantasy for you but as time passes and as you grow older you will realize that they mean a lot more to you than you know. In your heart, you will never forget your younger days when you were their fans...
Please make sure it is only memories that you will not regret... "

Cassiopeia fighting!

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Stand By U

It's a tense time for Dong Bang Shin Ki fans and certainly for Dong Bang Shin Ki. Whatever happens, I hope they talk to EACH OTHER. In the end, it's what THEY dream of achieving for and as Dong Bang Shin Ki TOGETHER that should be the deciding factor, not SME's "vision" for them. SME is good with words, but Dong Bang Shin Ki was made from the members' spirits.

I'm keeping the faith for all five of them.

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