DJ Koo released his new MV “Let Me,” featuring Hana. This music video displays the new urban dance phenomenon, called Tecktonik, that has been raging throughout Europe and has just crossed over the Atlantic, sending off ripples. Trendsetters in Korea have also picked up Tecktonik as another style of street dancing, making it a new phenom following B-boying.

Check out DJ Koo’s rad MV showcasing the Korean version of Techtonik
DJ Koo – Let Me

Credit:euraznjae

This is not the first time Tecktonik rode the air waves in Korea, captivating audiences with its quirky style of dance. Check out actor Jang Geun Suk and actress Go Ara move like elastic bands in the new CF for Etude Aqua Sherbet Ice Toner.

Credit: tuchee11

Tecktonik. When I first heard the word, I thought it was some ancient Aztec ritual dance for the rain gods. I didn’t realize it was another evolution out of pop culture. Some cringe at it, others are dazzled by its funkiness. So for some cross-cultural enrichment, here are some highlights about the new dance phenom that has crossed barriers, infecting the world in this era of globalization.

Fred Dufour,  AFP/Getty Images

Tecktonik originated in 2000 at a popular nightclub called Metropolis, located on the southeastern outskirts of Paris. Since then it has taken France by storm, breaking down racial, social and economic barriers as youth took their voice in the form of dance to the streets. Techktonik blends hip hop and techno styles of dance, borrowing heavily from cyberfunk (Wikipedia). It also plays homage to the 1980s rave scene by utilizing glow sticks to enhance its impression. The flailing arms and quick, nimble foot work distinguish its choreography, expressing the energy of the youth. (Actually, these dancers remind me of wacky tube men that wave their arms in the air.)

Credit: av3rnus

However, Tecktonik is not limited to dance; it can also be generalized into a larger youth movement. Its fashion statement is bold, characterized by neon colors, arm bands, tight jeans and flashy belts. (Seriously, I saw one girl (Tecktonik dancer Lecktra) tooting an LCD belt with text streaming across its interface, like those news updates that scroll across your TV screen. So haute.) Technotik also describes a style of music, mixed by DJs at clubs to which dancers rave to.

Fred Dufour,  AFP/Getty Images

This European dance craze spread through word of mouth and other unconventional mediums, such as Youtube and Daily Motion. One of the first Tecktonik videos posted on YouTube featured Jey-Jey. Other notable Tecktonik dancers include Cx7, Lecktra, Lili azian, Fredoo, and many more. Learn more about Techtonik on AFP, NPR, and Wikipedia.

Check out Mondotek - ALIVE (ft. Jey-Jey, Lecktra, Lili azian, Karmapa, and more)

Credit: Vick882

______________________________
Full Credit When Posted Elsewhere
Source: Youtube, NPR, AFP, Wikipedia, Newsen
Credit for ShenYuePop.com: soyboy
No Additional Credit Should Be Added 

Or however long we feel a week lasts…

Shenyuepop prides itself in how fast the news drops in our forums, and it seems that you guys here in the blog are a deprived of condensed, up-to-date news. So here is a recap of the last 7 days in K-Entertainment. (For those who didn’t realize that Shenyuepop has a forum, you’ve missed out.)

Kim HyunJoong cast as Hanazawa Rui in Korean ‘Hana Yori Dango’:

Now whoever said reality Tv is only 15 minutes of fame and then history is probably wishing he lived in Korea. Because evidently, that’s not the case in good old Seoul. The celebrities in these ubiquitous reality shows are gaining immense popularity and plenty of offers for great gigs. Now before anyone mentions it, we know it’s not ‘finalized’, but releasing the news on practically all news sites and newspapers tells you that they have cast him but are checking on the public response first. Poor ‘Group Eight’ has been planning this remake of the Jdrama for a while now and wants to make sure that people will tune in, no matter how ‘mediocre’ the acting may be. No one else is officially cast and it will be broadcast early next year on KBS.

SS501 Number 2 in Oricon Daily Chart

Staying on course of the SS501 members it seems that they’re finally seeing the fruits of their labours and scored an impressive Number 2 on the Daily Oricon Charts. Well done boys, though I do wonder how well they speak Japanese.

Lee Hyori wants to catapult herself into a Pop Art icon

Hyori tries to pull off a vintage, pop art feel. Instead, she puts Andy Warhol to shame and ends up looking kitsch.

As well as scoring a great Vidal Sassoon CF where she practically gets all hair products for free and a guarantee for great looking locks all through out the rest of the year, Sister Hyori has had still images of her MV leaked as well as the audio. This is a great shame since of course, it was meant to be officially released in a few more days. Now news has it that Mnet (Lee Hyori’s Management) are super duper unbelievably mad at the leak and swear on their souls that they’re going to catch the guy that did it. Lucky for them that this leakage gives a little extra publicity to her mildly anticipated Summer Comeback. News also has it that Hyori’s a little upset, and with all that tough filming in gorgeous Hawaii, who can blame her?

Check out the leaked teaser:

Credit:Youngmankore

Here are the leaked still images from the MV.

Stars dropping like flies:

Who hasn’t been to the hospital lately in the K-Entertainment world? It seems like stars left, right and center are finding themselves bitten by that dreadful fatigue bug. For a small country they really know how to get all they want from their stars, wearing them out and forcibly sending them to the hospital inorder to rest. Latest victims to this horrible celeb virus are MC Mong, actress Lee Dahae and Big Bang’s TaeYang.

Military Men

Yes, Military men - past, present and near future- are making their rounds in the celeb news circuit this week, and here’s what they’ve been up to.

Singer Sung SiKyung is doing the usual Pre-military man activity boost, where he’s practically everywhere at once. Saucy nerd SiKyung is not only releasing a new album before he parts with his fans, but he also has a now Sold-out concert to croon his way in to hearts that won’t forget him for two years. He also managed to clear that unbelievable scandal he supposedly had with Jewelry star Seo In-Young. Hands up to who ever heard of it and/or believed it.

Singer Eru who hasn’t left the Entertainment scene for that long, posted pictures of himself while performing his patriotic duty at his probably exhausting desk job. It’s understandable that he would be bored since he just sits at a desk all day. I mean don’t all guys that go to the military do that? Yes, I’m being sarcastic. The star doesn’t understand that it’s not just another day at the office but his military service. So I guess its understandable too that netizens gave him a stern chiding, to the extent that poor Eru had to apologise on his personal homepage. Oh Eru, what do they say about idle thumbs?

Kim Jong Kook, the singer freshly out of the military is keeping his already impatient fans still waiting on his comeback album, as he is putting off the recording for a wedding. Not his, but friend MC Yoo Jaesuk. He promised to sing at his wedding and canceled his already booked flights just to stay faithful to that promise. How sweet.

Return of A Legend

It’s been something some fans have been waiting years for, and it’s completely justified. Seo Taiji is finally making his comeback this summer and this week it was announced that he will have some absolutely killer artists lined up to perform at his Music Festival, also staged as his comeback. The ETPFest scheduled for the 16th of August in Seoul is organised by Seo Taiji’s company and have lined up a large array of National and International artists. Clazziquai were confirmed this week for the gig on the eve of the festival. Marilyn Manson is also coming to Korea to scare the land of the morning calm.

Oh yeah and that dude Ajoo is making his comeback too. He seems to have the ‘Papparazzi’ stalking him.

For more news just head over to our forums. Check out exclusive celeb photos and videos by becoming an SYP member >>>

________________________________________

Full Credit When Posted Elsewhere
Source: Youtube, BBVIPZ
Credit for ShenYuePop.com: noonoo_shoo, soyboy, StrawberryBJ + Shenyue!
SYP Forums list full credits.

DBSK and K-Pop fans of old and new, you all heard, seen, and loved the ‘Rising Sun’ song sang and danced by one of Asia most well known boybands, DBSK. Apparently too well known. What happens when you add the song with 5 boys from Vietnam?

This is what you get:

First thing that when through my mind when I saw this: What da FOOK?

Second thing: Wooow. They can NOT sing.

Third thing: What da FOOK?

Things that stuck out:

1. Lyrics. Asdfghjkl;’ I am so use to the Jap/Krn version that I just stared at my monitor with my mouth twitching.
2. Fobby Engrish. Yes, we all know about SYP’s Engrish, but this is a tad bit much.
3. Max Changmin’s high note edited into the performance. Anyone with a pair of semi-functioning ears could tell.
4. Lack of vocals. My semi-functioning ears have just combusted into nothingness.
5. Lack of backup dancers. (and dance moves) It just doesn’t give the full effect.
6. The guy that had the weird orange Yakuza-member hairdo was mad fugly. Of course in this industry, it’s not like looks matter or anything. [/sarcasm]

Apparently they call themselves 535 and claim that this song was composed by Huynh Hoai Phong. Erm, right. I really hope they meant the lyrics. Lawsuit, anyone?

Lets see the MV (again for most of us) to regain our lost minds.

Here’s the link:

P.S. Whoops. No harm and/or offense intended. ^^;

_______________________________________________
Full Credit When Posted Elsewhere
Source: guopinchao@YT
Credit for ShenYuePop.com: Ochibi
No Additional Credit Should Be Added

So I thought that I would not talk about the Dream Concert ever again…I guess not. Something made me change my mind after seeing a video that one of our dear SYP members, chereng, posted up. It has been causing quite a stir once again on Youtube and I’m sure that it will get subbed in English. Nonetheless, I must dig up the notorious Dream Concert discourse from its grave to address a different issue at hand: the Stalker Fans. You know, that reminds me of Epik High’s hit song, “Fan,” about delusional fans who are faceless in the eyes of their stars and are helplessly enraptured in a nightmarish spell.

Epik High - Fan (Eng. sub)

Credit:chubzzyjudy

Anyway, weeks have passed since the Dream Concert but its specter of fan violence still looms ominously above the Kpop industry. Many fear/anticipate another vengeful boycott or backlash from fan clubs. Despite the implications of the events, the only media outlet who seemed to be interested in investigating what happened at the concert is Mnet; thus, many are curious to hear what they have to say. For those who don’t know, Mnet is a Korean entertainment channel that airs music programs. This time they did a documentary(?), interviewing fans and investigating the events. Despite providing many eye-opening revelations, I must slap a disclaimer on this so-called documentary. Mnet is a music channel that cannot afford to lose its partnership with SM entertainment, one of the three largest entertainment companies in Korea. Besides, SM has the power to rig the annual Mnet awards ceremony and buy awards for their artists so bribing Mnet to paint all the fans at the Dream Concert as crazy and psychotic is no big deal. We cannot ignore the bias that entails Mnet.

I have to admit that the entire documentary seems scripted. I’d have to say that the meeting held among Cassies, ELFs, Triples and Soshis was, at best, laughable. It seemed unreal and very much scripted. The members there representing their respective fan clubs seemed uninformed and misguided. There was one Cassie member denying the fact that CATEL members did not previously plan for the boycott to happen. Then how could it possibly have spontaneously occurred? We’re not that idiotic to believe such pretense. There were other fans who insisted that CATEL didn’t exist until 2 days before the concert when a journalist wrote a piece about the rumours circulating online and coined the term. They also said that CATEL members didn’t think the stunt would work until the news spread like wildfire to other fan club members due to this article. Now they’re blaming a journalist for this mess? What are they nuts? We heard of this boycott well ahead of the concert and was most definitely planned ahead for a successful execution. This documentary also conveys a negative image of fans in general, making them look incredulously petty and jealousy-stricken. The only thing I liked was that the PD actually interviewed a few fan boys. Other than that, the documentary shed an unfavorable light towards fans and their fan clubs - unfairly labeling fans as hysterical young kids with time to waste - and inadequately distinguishing the difference between normal, supportive fans and parasitic cult fans. Not to mention, all the fans they interviewed sounded like chipmunks because the PD didn’t want to disclose their identity.

Credit: euraznjae

Despite Mnet’s failed attempt at a level-headed story on the 2008 Dream Concert, there were a few remarkable points that I could salvage. And that is on the topic of EXTREME fans. As promised, I have ended the SNSD fiasco with their apology letter, which many indignant fans deplored for its apparent insincerity (just take what you get and shove it where you think it belongs). I would just like to highlight the origins of this cult-like fandom where fans worship their idols and its consequences.

These cult fans have a special name, the “Personal-life fans” (rough translation, it basically means that these fans stalk every single movement of their beloved stars). Korea is not a big place, especially Seoul. Everyone practically lives in Seoul so it’s easy to keep track of an individual’s movements. Everyone practically lives next to so and so celebrity. I even know someone who lives right next to Shinhwa’s studio. Anyways, these cult fans range from young impressionable teens who are naïve, obsessed, and irrational to old, possessive, delusional ahjumma fans (In the case of Wondergirls, there are also the gun-wielding soldiers who want to escape their tedious barrack lives.) But I am not satisfied with the term “Personal-life fans” so from now on I will refer to these extreme fans as PARASITES.

According to the interview conducted with previous Parasites, they started stalking their stars from the airport, the moment they stepped foot in Korea. On the day that the idol group members arrived from Japan, it was the same day they moved into their new apartment. One of the Parasites in the fan club lived next door to the stars’ new apartment and spied on them unpacking their luggage. Then these captured videos and photos of idol group members in their home were streamlined onto fan cafes. Unbelievable. I am amazed at their speed and coordination, yet irritated at their lack of discretion in private matters. This does not apply to one particular fan club, but to all, including the ELFs, Cassies, Soshi, VIPs, Triples, etc. However, I am referring to a polarized segment of each fan club that cross the line and tarnish the reputation of the entire fan base. Therefore, I want to clarify once again that this article is about extreme stalker fans (aka Parasites) in order to prevent an over-generalization of relatively sane members of fan clubs.

(And for those who are wondering where you can get a hold of these clandestine videos and photos of stars in their homes…hoho, don’t ask. I don’t have those. You need to join ultimate secret fan cafes and sign your soul away to the devil in order to have access. (More precisely, you have to have evidence that you sat in front of the stars’ home and waited for them hours on end). I don’t have that kind of access…sorry. )

We’ve all heard about the 24/7 surveillance by fans in front of their stars’ dorms. Well they use a relay system to track the movement of stars and know when they’re coming back home or going to the studio so that they can meet them. So all the fans go home and they use their cell phones to contact each other when they spot the stars near their neighborhood. This gets relayed to the next person, signaling to them that they are headed towards their area. That is how fans know at about what time their stars will show up in front of their studios and homes for them to grab a peek. I wouldn’t be surprised if these Parasites go far enough to stick GPS detectors on their stars – it would make their lives so much easier.

Of course, Soshi fans probably get the hiccups just from seeing their 9 plastic barbies squished in a van  with Ken at the wheel. And I’m sure they waited for hours sitting on the sidewalk like bums to capture this Kodak moment.

When Big Bang’s T.O.P. and actress Shin Mina had a scandal, VIPers (Big Bang’s fan club members) denied the rumors. YG Entertainment used the ‘homeless’ VIPers who sit in the rain in front of Big Bang’s dorm as evidence that T.O.P could not have possibly dated Shin Mina in secret, not even if it was James Bond style. VIPers have put up a 24/7 surveillance, watching anyone coming in and out of Big Bang’s apartment complex. I don’t know if this was a good thing or a bad thing, but one thing is for sure, YG had a damn good alibi thanks to the VIP watch dogs (good job). And thus, the scandal was dismissed even though there was some suspicious evidence, such as Shin Mina’s management company first confirming a love relationship and then retracting it once YG denied it outright.

And of course, there is the usual cell phone problem. Fans somehow find out the cell phone numbers of their favorite stars…and when these stars get a new number, sinister text messages pop up, saying “You changed your number…like we wouldn’t know (hehe).”

Some of these fans go far enough to find out the pin number to their stars’ dorm room. In Korea, you have to punch in a code to get into your apartment, instead of using a key. Some fans have actually been in the dorm rooms of their stars. (That is so creepy! There is a limit to a star’s exposure…and that is at the front door of their home.) What’s their motive? They want to steal ‘memorabilia’, like t-shirts from their stars’ closets. An idol stars’ home is not a free-for-all gift shop.

Not only this, it seems like taxi drivers are profiting off of these stalker fans. These stalkers reserve taxis every weekend to wait on the side curb for them so that when the stars come out and leave their dorms, they can follow them into town. The PD was not allowed to record because many of these fans lie to their family about their whereabouts and come in secret. Some Parasites recall one instance where a star left their home to get some fresh air because they were in a bad mood, but was confronted by a line of taxis bursting with crazy fans screaming their heads off.

What is more shocking is that this fandom existed since the late1990s, among other old-school idol groups. The Dream Concert was already known as a bloody war zone. In the 2001 Dream Concert, Finkl fan boys clashed with Shinhwa fangirls due to a baseless scandal and one fan was sent to the hospital. SechKies fans didn’t like Finkl fans for numerous scandals. Baby Vox’s member Kan Miyeon also fell victim to HOT fans who were angered by her scandal with Moon Hee Jun, receiving threatening letters. In detail, it was a package of a Miyeon’s picture mutilated with her eyes poked out by a knife. There were also fans that attacked the stars themselves, like one incident where a fan threw an un-open bottle at an S.E.S. member.

History repeats itself. At the 2008 Dream Concert, unruly Soshi fan boys and girls turned violent against members of other fan clubs in an attempt to protect SNSD and get revenge. These crazy Soshi fans are just part of a small group of maniac fans that unfortunately exist in Korea’s pop culture.

One industry observer attributes this fandom to the 1990’s when Korea’s gayo (music industry) suddenly shifted their focus from national to teens. Many big management companies came out with packaged idol groups for young teens, called the 10’s generation. Thus, the usual gayo enthusiasts (the older generation) turned their back on the music industry, while young fans took their place. Idol stars were propelled to Hallyu stars while entertainment companies-broadcast companies-fan clubs joined forces to create an international music scene, abandoning its domestic audience. Therefore, the music industry is now in a slump due to its narrow target range and is at the mercy of fan clubs. It’s quite ironic that these entertainment companies have caused their own death.

For all those die-hard fans out there, try to use some common sense and show some respect to the stars that you love.  Parasites should be ashamed that they unabashedly violate their stars’ privacy for their own selfish contentment. Most fan club members detest the maniacal actions of these Parasites because they suck the life out of their idols. This fandom is still evolving and, hopefully, it will mature into a more fruitful and enjoyable era where both stars and fans can share their love for music.

image from pwbeat.publishersweekly.com

If you’ve read what we wrote so far on the blog, and think you can do it too, feel free to submit your own post about Korean Entertainment! SYP is planning to keep the blog only for the opinioned posts or researched based ones .. all the news related posts are posted on the portal of the forum! … in our new system even non-members are able to leave comments on the Korean News section of the forum! However, since the blog is going to be kept for only the opinionated posts .. we decided to give offer to our readers to take advantage of this opportunity and participated on writing article to be shared by us. This allows to cover more issues regarding the Korean entertainment industry and voice out more concerns to the recent issues! We previously tested this idea and the feedbacks were really good!
Here are couple rules that allow you to participate!

1. There is no string attached.
you don’t need to be our forum member or staff to write your own thing.

2. We prefer posts that come with pictures and videos (if any)
make sure to defend your own side and have proof to convince your opinions!

3. Credit your source (if any)
4. Since this is for the blog, add your opinion into your post. If you just wanna copy-paste a news, you can submit it to the forum Korean Entertainment News thread.

5. We suggest you to use just one nickname. If you have ever posted comments on SYP blog or forum, please use the nickname you use on the comments.

6. Submit your post to the Editorial thread on the forum, or email it to shenyuepop@yahoo.com under the subject “Readers Post”, along with your email address and particulars.

7. The post that has been moved to the blog will be deleted from the Editorial thread.
8. SYP has the right to edit your post, without altering its contents.

9. No guarantee your post will be posted on the blog!

10. SYP waives any responsibilities regarding any feedback you will receive upon your post.

11. You don’t need to pay to have your post in our blog, and we don’t need to pay to have your post in our blog.

If you have any question, simply send an email to shenyuepop@yahoo.com, or drop by the forum and click the big banner says “SYP Wants To Hear Your Opinion”.

Waiting for your posts!!

Love,
SYP