This Saturday it was the K-Pop Academy graduation ceremony. Boohoo~. Can't believe it's going to be over even though it feels like just yesterday that it started. But as usual, the Korean Cultural Centre (KCC) prepared a wonderful ceremony for us.
Pictures of the students
To start the ceremony, Ambassador Choo said a few words about how successful he felt the K-Pop Academy scheme had been in helping us get a better understanding of Korean culture. His speech was followed by the KA students singing the KA song which was composed by my fellow classmate Katerina, a talented singer and composer.
K-Pop Academy students singing the KA song
A group of student performed a hilarious skit of what would happen if there was a K-Pop Academy reunion in 40 years. Pictures of popular idol groups were ingeniously edited and some of the funniest groups were 'Girls Generation' which was changed to 'Granny Generation' and '2NE1' was changed to '6NE1'.
Students performing their skit
Source: KCC
After this we each gave a little speech about our experience at the K-Pop Academy and how our views of Korea have changed as a result of our involvement in the K-Pop Academy. From my own personal experience I said how I felt that before the K-Pop Academy I thought I well-rounded understanding of Korean culture, but I realised how little I knew about the history and traditional aspects. It was great hearing what others thought and how we all had the same view.
Giving a speech about my experience
After a short break, guest speakers gave their thoughts on how successful they felt the scheme was. It was amazing hearing the positive feedback the guests said.
Brigadier Brian Parrit talking about how great he felt the K-Pop Academy was
Then it was time for our certificates to be given out. I was presented with the 'Best Director Award' which I found pretty funny. There'll be no reason for my to make dorky YouTube videos anymore. *Sigh* Haha.
Ambassador Choo and Directon Won presenting me with my award
The Director then announced the winner of the best performing student: Amy Moorfield. Congratulation Amy~! =)
As if the day wasn't filled with enough surprises and activities, it was revealed that Big Bang has a video message for us! Oh my gosh~! BIG BANG!!
After a long day, the KCC provided us with a wonderful buffet~. Definitely a great way to end the day.
Source: KCCUK
Source: KCCUK
Although we made a video showing our appreciation for all the time and effort the KCC took into organising everything for the K-Pop Academy, we felt that it wasn't enough so we brought a cake with 'Thank You KCC' written on it.
Students giving the cake to Directon Won
Overall it was a brilliant day~! I can honestly say I've enjoyed every minute of the K-Pop Academy and I can't express my gratitude to the KCC for giving us a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Coincidentally it's his birthday today, so what a great time to put my fanart up for you all to see. Hope you are all showing Dalmatian some love on their comeback! ^^
So the hip hop geniuses, LeeSsang, are back with their fantastic new album, Unplugged. We are huge fans of LeeSsang so this album was definitely long overdue. This album is composed of 13 song and the legendary duo experiment with various genres of music in this album from rock to samba.
Since there are 13 song, it is quite difficult to give a breakdown of each song so I'll just pick out my favourite songs on the album.
LeeSsang - 행복을 찾아서 (The Pursuit of Happiness)
This song is definitely one of those song that I'll still be playing in 10 years and still not be tired of. The fluid rapping complements the harmonious singing. After reading the lyrics, I fell in love with the song. They're not just typical lyrics about love or partying, but about Gary's struggle and finding happiness. So the meaningfulness of the lyrics is just beautiful.
LeeSsang - 겸손은 힘들어 (Hard To Be Humble)
Honestly, when I first heard this song I had no idea what to think about it because I was so focused on the hilarious music video that I wasn't focus on the song. But after replaying the video and actually listening to the song, it was so catchy that I couldn't help but bob my head along to it.
LeeSsang - Bururi (feat. Jung In)
Another song that I like on the album is Bururi. The song has a solemn and eerie vibe to it but there is something about it that makes it unique and draws me in.
Overall, LeeSsang have lived up to their legendary status with this album. It proves that no matter what genre the duo try, the song always turns out great with a LeeSsang flavour to it.
Seeing as we visited the British Museum this week, our homework was based about the National Treasures of Korea. There are so many beautiful historical sites I would love to visit in Korea but I focused on Korea's intangible heritage of humanity instead.
During my visit to Korea, I saw a spectacular Taekwondo performance. From then onwards I have been in awe with Korean martial arts which is why for this weeks homework I chose to do a promotional video for Taekkyeon (택견), a form of traditional Korean martial arts.
Here is a video of Taekkyeon:
I tried to the mimic the style of the Infinity Chanllenge's Bibimbap promotional video too:
Although I attempted to imitate various moves from videos of Taekkyeon, I added my own moves which is why I called it 'Tam-kwondo'. Check out my video below:
Mandatory Homework
In addition to the video, this week we also had another piece of homework. We visited the British Museum for this weeks class and were told there were some errors in some of the description in the Korean room.
After class, a group of us K-Pop Academy students visited the Korean room again searching like crazy for the errors. We even attempted to speak Korean to Korean visitors to ask if they had realised any errors and they attempted to help us but had no luck too.
Therefore I decided to us my best friend Google. =)
It turns out that the birthplace of the Buddha was incorrectly noted to be in India, however, the British Museum have now corrected this information.
An iron statue of a Buddha in Korean room in the British Museum
Source: KCCUK
So how could the Korean room in the British Museum improve to promote Korea's cultural heritage more effectively?
1. More about Korean traditional music
Having learnt about how Korean music has evolved, it would have been nice to see artefacts of the early instruments used in Korea. The techniques used to make the instuments in the past and now may differ a lot. Therefore it would have been great if there was more information about traditional Korean music now that Korean music, especially K-Pop, is becoming more popular.
2. More about Korean art
Although there were numerous traditional Korean ceramics in the museum, personally I would have liked to see more traditional paintings and drawings. I am aware that there are some marvellous Korean folk paintings, such as the ones below, so I would have loved to see more in the Korean room.
Painting of Taekwondo
3. More about the Korean language
Having gained a better understanding of the birth of the Korean writing system, Hanguel, through the K-Pop Academy, it would be truly amazing if there were pieces of early documents written in Hanguel.
Overall, although there were many beautiful artefacts in the Korean room, in my opinions the room would better promote Korean culture if it provided more information on traditional Korean music, art and Hanguel.
Yesterday Dalmation (달마시안) released their new mini-album State of Emergency. Dalmation recently underwent a member change as Day Day had to leave the band for personal reasons and Dari is in the army but a new member,Simon, joined the group
We've been huge fans of Dalmation since their debut so we were patiently waiting for their comeback. As we heard the Double Side Kick team (One Way's Chance) were producing the album we knew it would be fantastic. And honestly this album blew us away! Here's a breakdown on what we think of each of the songs on the album:
Dalmation - E.R
The title song on the album is E.R. which is a a song the heartbreak they feel when the woman they loves leaves them. All of the members have such unique voices and gel together perfectly. Unlike other K-Pop groups, in Dalmation they are all amazing at either rapping or singing and they even write their own lyrics. In E.R, the members put so much emotion into their voices which immerses you into the song.
Now onto the video. This video is just wow. If you haven't watched it already, I recommend you do. It's not just because of their well sculpted bodies, well mainly because of their bodies but the members new looks just gives the group a whole different feel especially Jeesu and Yong Won.
Overall, I absolutely love this song. I've been hitting repeat since I first watched the video.
Dalmation - (차 안에서) Drive
This song has such an old school vibe to it which I love. Drama and Jeesu, the main vocalists in Dalmation, just make the song sound so soulful and soothing. Now that summer is around the corner, I'll definitely be playing it on a long drive.
Dalmation - Hurt Me
Another amazing song~. The guitar goes so well with the feel of the song and the members voice just make you melt.
Dalmation - Still By Ur Side
I really like this song, particularly the rap. The other songs kind of have a lack of rapping compared to Dalmation's previous songs which is probably because there are only 2 rappers in the group now instead of 3. But regardless of this, it's a great song.
Dalmation have done it again. Another fantastic album! I wasn't sure how the band would manage without Day Day and Dari but honestly Simon is so talented. His charisma and flow are just perfect Although it's a real shame Day Day and Dari aren't in this album, it is definitely a 10/10!
Dalmation are one of my favourite Korean groups. What I love about them is that they are not a typical K-Pop group. They have their own flavour and give the right balance of R&B and rapping. Now, I just can't wait to watch the live performances~! ^^
If you love what you hear (like us), purchase the album at: YesAsia
Here's a special little treat for all the Dalmate's ~ ^^
This week us K-Pop Academy students took a field trip to the British Museum. Exciting~.. I've only visited the museum once even though it's so close to my university, so it was lovely going with the KA class.
First we were taken around the Korean room in the museum. The room was filled with beautiful artifacts and sculptures. We were kindly shown around the room and given information about the various artifacts.
Source: KCCUK
Not only did we see fascinating artifacts but we gained a better understanding of the Korean history: from understanding how Buddhism became more popular in Korea to the armour worn by solders in Korea.
Korean pottery was just amazing. They had a slight wonky-ness to them which showed that the pots had their own 'personality'. Rather than being perfectly designed, the imperfect nature of the vase made them unique.
Almost, one of the most spectacular pieces in the room was the Sarangbang (사랑방), typically used as a scholar's work room in the past. At first I thought SarangBang meant 'Love Room' *awkward* so I was surprised to hear about the actually use of this house. Scholars would often sit outside the room and greet guests while the women in the family would stay indoors.
Sarangbang
KA students with the exhibitor in front of the Sarangbang Source: KCCUK
After having a look around the Korean room, we had a quick look at the Samsung room. I had no idea there was a Samsung room in the British Museum so it was great to know that the Korean brand had grown so much
Then we carried out group tasks. One of them was to see who could complete a jigsaw with the Korean map the fastest. Then we had to draw a campaign poster of a Korean historical building or activity. My group designed a poster about Taekkeyon, a traditional form of martial art.
My groups poster about Taekkeyon
Overall, it was a lot of fun learning more about the Korean history through the artifacts. I'll definitely be visiting the Korean room more often to see the new pieces~..
To find out more about the Korea room in the British Museum click here or even better, visit it yourself if you get the chance. ^^
KA in front of the British Museum Source: KCCUK
Check out the video of this weeks class:
Our next class will be the K-Pop Academy graduation ceremony. Oh my goodness, I can't believe all these weeks have passed by so fast~.. I don't want it to end! T___T
I just read a post from the Korean Cultural Centre UK announcing that YG London Auditions will take place in the Korean Cultural Centre on the 16th June.
This is great news. It's time for all the UK K-Pop fans to show what talent the UK has~! =P
Check out this video for my information:
So get rehersing guys and showcase your talent on the 16th June. I'll update you when I have more information. =)
A new and exciting new service called STN ( Social Translation Network) is going to be introduced soon. Sisters With Seoul are proud to be the first UK website to introduce this new and innovative service via our website. The software will allow you to send a message to your chosen KPop Idol or group using collective intelligence. This will then be translated into Korean for you. This software is different to other translating companies such as Google translate and many others because it aims to find the most accurate translation for you.
This service has been supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports & Tourism, Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA), Wildfusion Software co. Ltd and Pineapple Holdings co. Ltd.
The messages will be translated by translators from Kyunghee University and you can decided which translation is the most accurate. This gives KPop fans the chance to communicate better with stars and celebrities.
We will keep you posted once the service has been uploaded so stay tuned for this exciting new service. The service will be avaliable to use later this month or early June, are you guys excited because we are.
The focus of this weeks class was the Future of K-Pop. I wasn't actually able to attend this week class (because of protests in my town). Boohoo~! It felt strange staying at home staying at home on a Saturday. But the focus of this weeks class was the future of K-Pop.
So for the homework I chose to do a comic strip of what kind of K-Pop star I would choose if I was a CEO. CEO Sidika, it's got a nice ring to it. Haha. =P
The comic strip tells the story of what happens during the auditions and what the judges look for when selecting contestants.
Here's a closer look at the story:
Contestants are practicng hard in the waiting room
The judges are waiting patiently for the next act. (There's me in the pink top). Haha
The door opens and in walks..
..a contestant who is really pretty..
..but her singing is awful. So regardless of the fact that she is attractive,
which is often a must for K-Pop idols, she gets buzzed off.
The next contestant is doesn't look like a typical, doll-like K-Pop idols..
..however, she has the voice of an angel so you goes through. =)
A geeky boy walks in next. Surprisingly he has amazing b-boying skills and
since I am always amazing by b-boying he easily goes through to the next round.
The last contestant is dressed from top to toe in Indian attire. The judges don't know what to
expect but she has some amazing Bollywood moves..
..so she also goes through.
All in all, my comic strip illustrates that although I understand that beauty is seen as a must in K-Pop, there are other more important factors such as true talent~.. =) Plus, I barely see any ethnic minorities in K-Pop which is understandable since it's such a homogeneous country but a little of colour would be nice. Haha~.. =)
Baek Ji Young (백지영) has released her new single titled 'Voice' which features Leessang's Gary. This is the first single to her upcoming mini-album. Baek Ji Young is a legend when it comes to ballands, she has an amazing voice and is the Queen of sound tracks. Leessang (리쌍) are also releasing their new album this summer so be sure to stay tuned on what we think.
I've been playing this song on repeat and can't wait to her new mini-album I am sure it will be filled with more amazing songs. Baek Ji Young's jacket album is eye catching and different the minimalist design makes it more appealing.
I've recently been drawing more KPop fan art and putting them on a site called Society 6. So far I have uploaded a few KPop prints, but I will be uploading some more real soon. KPop artists on your iPhone case, iPad case, T-shirts, hoodies available.
When I first heard about this drama, I wasn't too sure if I would like it. I read a few reviews about the drama and thought it sounded pretty interesting so I thought I would give it a chance. After watching the first couple of episodes I got totally hooked. In 2 days I watched 8 episodes and was dying to watch the rest but they had not been aired yet.
I really enjoyed Eom Tae-Woong's (엄태웅) acting. He has the ability to adapt to roles quickly and makes the character realistic. I have watched his drama Dr Champ and really liked his acting in that drama so I was expecting the same with this drama. Eom Tae-woongs's plays the character Kim Su-Woo who tries to find justice for the brutal murder of his father. While trying to find out the culprit Su-Woo comes across some unfortunate events in which his becomes blind.
Eom Tae-Woong's new character gives you an insight into his struggle to find justice for his fathers murder while trying to deal with losing his sight. He has to overcome a lot of obstacles and learn new skills to reach his goal.
Other characters in the drama include Lee Bo-Yeong (이보영) who plays Su-Woo's first love, Lee Joon-Hyeok (이준혁) who plays Su-Woo's best friend and Lim Jeong-Eun (임정은) as Su-Woo's childhood friend.
The drama is getting lots of praises from its viewers which has lead to the extension of the drama so now there will be 24 episodes. The Equator man has increased in ratings beating their rival drama The Rooftop Prince. Episode 13 was aired on the 2nd of May 2012.
Let us know what you think of the drama and be sure to check out what we think of the drama as a whole once all the episodes have been aired.
On our 4th day in Korea we stayed at home and had our own little house party. Originally we were meant to go out but it was raining like mad so we had no choice but to stay indoors. They said it hasn't rained like that for 100 years, it rained so much that the subway was partially flooded with water.
Our favourite banana milkshake
At least we had Korean snacks, good company and awesome music to keep us occupied, so it was good fun! We don't have much to write about this day, we just spent the day with friends chatting away!
As this week class was focused on noraebang, I decided to do a video of my singing Korean songs. For those who have witnessed my singing during noraebang, you know how terrible my singing is. But I made this video to illustrate how I bug my family with by constantly singing along to K-Pop songs. Here's my video:
Thanks to my family for getting involved and not bring afraid to make themselves look crazy like me. Haha.
Also since I love noraebang so much, I compared my experiences of noraeabang in England to Korea.
England
Korea
All in all, wherever you go, whoever you go with, noraebang is always a blast~! After going the first time, I realised why it was so popuar in Korea. It lets you release stress and sing at the top of your lungs without being afriad that you can't sing.
If you guys haven't been noraebang yet, I really recommend you to try go!
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