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http://blackgirlnerds.com/k-pop-roundup-dec-15/
By: Natandy
It’s almost the end of the year and there’s a lot going on. Most of it revolving around idols being offensive or shady. Here are the hot topics:
SNL Korea does it again! More groups have been connected to the sexual assault claims against the cast of SNL and in some bizarre case (of what I can only assume is stupidity), they decided to write, direct, and perform a skit making fun of a woman with breast cancer. They are literally being investigated by the police right now and instead of reflection or garnering goodwill, SNL decided a cancer joke was the way to go. At this point, everyone should be let go but it seems to end the season early was the best thing they could do for the moment.
And if offending black people isn’t enough for Koreans, Jonghyun of Shinee decided to mix it up with a mash up of Indian stereotypes in a skit for his solo concert. But because he’s Jonghyun, he quickly apologized for his error in judgment in a letter that wasn’t written by his staff. I truly wish I didn’t have to report this stuff so often, however, there are a handful of idols I personally believe will be (and do) better in the future and Jonghyun is one them. I hope he proves me right.
Jessica Jung opened the flagship store for her Blanc & Eclare line in New York City. I’m happy that B&E is doing well enough to enter the western market in such a well-renowned location. People thought she’d flop with her fashion brand, but look at where she is now! Saks is currently rumored to have an interest in carrying her beauty line as well.
Additionally, she released her second mini, Wonderland. The title track “Wonderland” follows the current EDM trend and it’s catchy and cute with a stunning music video. While I like the single, it’s the rest of the album that shines for me. “Celebrate,” “World of Dreams,” and “Beautiful” stand out the most.
Shinhwa dropped their new album, Unchanging Part 1 and the music video for “Orange.” I’ll be writing more in depth about the half album shortly, but just know they continue to strive for excellence even as their musical tastes evolve. Shinhwa could just continue to live off their loyal fan base but they go into the studio and work like they’ve got everything to lose. It could be because they’re a small agency and they manage themselves or it could be due to their hard work and determination. Either way, I respect their artistry and am loving this comeback.
Hyoyeon aka my least favorite member of SNSD released her debut solo track, “Mystery,” through the weekly SM Station umbrella and I have to admit it’s not bad. Described as a Latin pop track, it instead has a Middle Eastern melody that is quite hypnotic and addictive. This benefits the single because her singing and rapping are completely underwhelming, so the melody and her saying “Mystery” is all you need. What’s weird is she is known for being an amazing dancer and the dancing is rather lackluster. Hyoyeon is 2 for 2 this year. 2016 just won’t quit!
Seventeen dropped their comeback single, “BoomBoom,” and it’s cute. I haven’t liked a single since “Adore U,” so I’ll try to check out a couple of lives to see if it’s just OK or even has the ability to beat their peak single. Maybe that’ll justify why I’m not into it.
My only gripe is that I fear Kpop rappers are going to be doing Rich Chigga style of rap since it’s working for him. Also, I know they’re called Seventeen, but are there actually 17 members? Every time I start to count I give up.
Taeyeon and Wiz had a Twitter beef because, well, anything is possible in 2016. Here’s a handy summary for those not in the know.
While I do believe this entire situation was the result of miscommunication and shady actions of SME and MNET America, it was an entertaining scandal to get caught up in. Especially since Wiz literally has nothing to lose and came out looking much better than Taeyeon did. However, the fun of it all quickly turned ugly. The fact she used Banmal (impolite) language with an elder and a bigger star is not acceptable, especially since she would not have gotten away with treating a Korean artist in the same manner.
Taking Taeyeon’s earlier feelings about black people into account, it’s not surprising that people believe some (or all) of her actions are racially motivated. Her fans went the racial distance by creating manips of Taeyeon whipping Wiz. Both artist and fan base are proving themselves to be disrespectful, racist, and all around annoying. I’m just happy I didn’t go ahead and buy her single, “Rain,” like I was thinking about doing before this whole thing started.
In other news, CL and Rihanna are now BFFs after Rihanna gifted CL with Manolo Blahniks. Heize released the melodic single, “Star,” and I can’t stop listening to it. TT is currently sitting at 80+ million views, which I bet it will hit over 100 million before the end of the year. The girls are also releasing a Christmas version of their latest mini that no one asked for, but I’m sure it’ll be cute. People on twitter have started calling them the Nation’s Girl Group and a certain fan base isn’t too happy about that.
Pentagon released “Can You Feel It” and I love the instrumental. The singing and rapping are also very pleasant. They’re a group to watch. Your good friend Tiffany of SNSD and Japanese Flag fame is the star of the music video for her feature with Far East Movement and King Chain. “Don’t Speak” is fantastic excluding the chorus. I don’t buy her as a dancer though so the video doesn’t work for me. Sechkies is continuing their promotions and while I still think their music isn’t very good, at least they’ve proven that they aren’t boring people too. They’re doing two episodes of Weekly Idol and the first episode is hilarious. Chanyeol doesn’t completely ruin “Stay With Me,” but Punch does own the title track for Goblin’s OST.
Nat’s Corner: Taeyang considers the struggles of black people to be the reason black music is so good and wants to co-opt their struggles to improve his music. Let me tell you how in the moment I read that comment, I no longer considered myself to be a Big Bang fan. I don’t care that TOP is going to the army. I don’t care about their comeback. It doesn’t even bother me anymore that Taeyang’s “hood hair” looks ridiculous.
There are three reasons his comment infuriate me:
- The romanticizing of black pain is something white people have been doing for forever and none of these heifer groups want to be black — they only want to be cool like we are naturally and profit off that coolness. Black people are still dying in the street due to police brutality, Flint STILL DOESN’T HAVE CLEAN WATER, and girls in Nigeria are continually kidnapped while the world is silent. Perpetuating these anti-black beliefs only continue the cycle of abuse black people face around the world.
- Koreans have struggles, too. I’m sure there are Comfort Women survivors that will want to have a few words with this fool. How about the people that suffered during the Korean Wars or people exploited during the Japanese occupation? Families torn apart so that mothers can take their kids to America to learn English? What about people working in inhumane conditions? It’s demeaning to Korean’s who struggle daily to suggest that these issues are not worthy of “inspiring greatness in the arts”. It’s disgusting to ignore them.
- “Black music” exists outside of the United States, moron.
Almost all the members have pulled some form of shit before and I eventually worked through it, but I’m done wanting them to be better. I don’t care. I’ll continue to review their music (as I review everything) but expect shade. Speaking of reviews, they released music videos for “Last Dance” and “Fxxt It.” “Last Dance” is dull and boring, while “Fxxt It” is good but doesn’t really hook you. However, it doesn’t really matter what I think because I’m sure they’ll both get All-Kills, obtain millions of views for their music videos, and sell a crapload of physical copies of MADE.
I thought I’d be more shaken about breaking up with my first Kpop group, but Shinhwa (as messy as they can also be) have replaced them in less than a year of stanning. I also discovered many groups through these weekly posts so I’m not bothered by it at all. Bye, Big Bang!
If you have any comments, questions or concerns feel free to let me know! I’m thankful for anyone reading and promoting this little passion of mine. I have some ideas about promoting the voice of black kpop fans so be on the lookout!
Natandy lives in the 6 but has regrettably never met Drake. She loves Kpop, comic book, movies, and her favorite genre to read, write and watch is fantasy. You can find her on Twitter (@ashleyt17) where she is constantly confused about How To Get Away With Murder and gushing about Kpop at the Music Mind (themusicmind.com).
The post Kpop Round Up: The MAMAs Came Through With the Drama and I’m Annoyed appeared first on Black Girl Nerds.
(Image: iStock.com/DebraLeeWiseberg)
If you’re looking for year round festivals, diverse culture, eco adventure activities, and unique dining experiences, Trinidad & Tobago is the latest hot spot—especially for millennials.
[Related: Global Changemaker Talks Empowering Women Across Time Zones]
With more than a quarter of millennials flocking to Trinidad & Tobago, Warren Solomon, General Manager of Marketing at the Trinidad & Tobago Tourism Development Company explained “As this generation is seeking more than the traditional ‘sun, sand and sea’ vacation the dual-island nation, with excursions including hiking, snorkeling, diving, fishing, ‘party-boating’, exploring limestone caves, zip lining and more, will send millennials home with unforgettable stories to share.”
The Trinidad & Tobago Tourism Development Company compiled a list of five reasons why millennials are flocking to the latest Caribbean hot spot:
Trinidad & Tobago’s Travel App – Technology has become an important platform for travel research and planning, especially among millennials, thus making travel apps not only an added convenience but a necessity. According to Skift, millennials value the comfort and securing that technology brings in the event that they need assistance while traveling. The destination showed its understanding of the importance of being digitally connected by introducing a new travel app in late 2014. Features of Trinidad & Tobago’s Travel App include:
1. Designed to be used offline, avoiding roaming charges and need for Wi-F.
2. Fully zoomable map, containing points of interest and interactive guide which provides distances and routing information from current location.
3. Local hotel and restaurant pricing, ratings and contact information.
4. Information on attractions, landmarks, beaches and things to do nearby with direction.
5. User-friendly photo gallery with zoomable pictures.
The Trinidad & Tobago Travel App is available via Apple and Google stores and comes preloaded on all Samsung Smart TVs and can be downloaded onto smart devices.
Eco-adventure –According to TravelAge West, millennials tend to be more adventurous travelers, looking to venture out and explore. Tobago, known for its unspoiled beaches and great weather, offers the quintessential Caribbean vacation plus so much more. Travelers can hike the oldest protected reserve in the Western Hemisphere, The Main Ridge Rainforest, to seek out hidden waterfalls amongst local flora and fauna. Tobago has a large population of hawksbills living in its numerous coral reefs and many green turtles inhabit the sea grass beds off the coast. With 80% of all leatherback nesting in the insular Caribbean, both islands offer a near guarantee to witness giant sea turtles on beaches from March through September. Adventure seekers can go zip lining to get a bird’s eye view of Trinidad while soaring 100 feet in the air across seven different zip lines through Macqueripe Bay. For information these tours and more, contact Trinidad & Tobago Incoming Tour Operators Association.
Watersports – Tobago is home to the largest brain coral in the world. Fascinating coral formations, countless fish and exceptional water conditions, makes Tobago an ideal for exploring underwater. Divers can catch a glimpse of barracudas, dolphins, whale sharks, turtles, porpoises, butterfly fish, queen and French angels and parrotfish. Paddleboard novices can head to idyllic Pigeon Point Heritage Park in Tobago and visit Stand Up Paddle Tobago for personalized instruction on all the basic skills, including board balance and paddle technique. Surfers can “hang ten” with Trinidad and Tobago Surf Experience, located on both islands, for top-notch surf experiences. Those who prefer wind or kitesurfing can visit Radical Water Sports, Tobago’s professional windsurf center, also located at Pigeon Point. Those more interested in soaking up the sun, rum punch in hand, can hop on a glass bottom boat at Pigeon Point for a tour through Buccoo Reef, where the views are breathtaking – both underwater and out of water.
Authentic Cultural Experiences – Millennials seeking local, authentic experiences can immerse themselves in the destination’s vibrant culture through food and music. With culinary influences from India, Africa, Asia and Europe, the local gastronomy is a melting pot of exotic flavors. With 40 percent of the Trinidadian population being East Indian, many of the local dishes feature pungent curry spices like Cumin, Masala, Madras and Turmeric. When visiting Trinidad, visitors don’t want to miss out on:
1. Doubles – a sandwich made with fried flat bread filled with curried chickpeas
2. Roti – meat or vegetables in curry sauce, wrapped in pita-like pastry.
3. Bake & Shark – a Trinidadian native dish that consists of deep-fried shark stuffed in a pocket of deep-fried batter, a bread somewhat similar to the Native American “fry bread.”
4. Curry crab and dumplings – the staple dish for visitors in Tobago and can be found at many restaurants around the island.
Trinidad & Tobago is also the birthplace of the steel pan (the only instrument invented in the 20thCentury), soca and calypso music. Steel pan bands can be seen practicing at various locations throughout the island year round.
Festivals – Although best known for its Carnival celebration, the cultural diversity of the nation is reason for year-round festivals. Tobago Heritage Festival celebrates traditions that are mostly African, with the main event, the traditional “Ole Time Wedding,” taking place in the village of Moriah. Beginning this July 17 with fetes culminating in a J’ouvert and street parade on Emancipation Day (August 1), Tobago Heritage Festival is one of the most important celebrations of the year for Tobago. Tobago also hosts one of the most unique food expositions in the Caribbean, the Blue Food Festival. It is an annual festival where local chefs and creative, indigenous cooks come together to share their knowledge, cooking secrets and tasty blue creations with commonly-used local ingredient dasheen, the Caribbean root vegetable that actually turns blue when cooked. Chefs compete against one another to create the best appetizers, entrees, desserts and even wine with this unique ingredient every October.