Overdue Best of 2014: 30 Best Korean Songs

Top 30 Korean Songs of 2014

Ok, as I've promised earlier in the top albums of 2014 post - here's the extremely overdue best of 2014 list (day before 2016! Or for some of you ahead, it's already 2016). Some of you may have already heard the list on 8tracks because I posted it as a playlist on 8tracks months back - this is more to have it down in writing, and I will keep things brief.

Hopefully I'll be more on time with the 2015 lists?

As always, subjective list, musical and extra-musical elements both considered, etc. List covers December 2013 - November 2014.

Check under the cut for the list.

Overdue Best of 2014: Top 20 Korean Albums

It's been a while! So, this is extremely late, obviously... 2015 is almost over as I write this, and people are busy posting their best of 2015 lists. But before diving into my best of 2015 posts, I wanted to get 2014 out of the way. I've had these lists sitting in my drafts for almost a year now, and I'm one of those people who have to do things in order - in other words, I needed to get this out before I can finally move onto (hopefully) posting my best of 2015 lists, which I've been finessing quite a bit for the past few weeks.

Anyway, the only reason why I never got around to publishing these lists for 2014 was because I was simply too lazy (tired?) to write them - I spent almost all of 2015 writing myself to death for a different site and my personal writing naturally took a backseat. I've had these lists for ages (since December of 2014), but I just didn't have the energy to write anything. And now, a year later, I don't even know what I was thinking when I ranked or picked these albums. So I'm going to post this list without any write-up's. Terrible, I know. But I just have to get this out of my system to move the fuck on.

If you have any questions about why I picked any of the albums on the list, let me know in a comment and I'll probably explain there! I did actually get through half of my top 30 song of 2014 list few months back, so I will publish that list with the write-up's. (In the meanwhile, you can check out the playlist here.)

As usual, this list is ranked and consists of albums released any time between December 2013 and November 2014.

Check under the cut for the full list.

[mixtape liner notes] 기억하는 봄. Remembering Spring.

Remembering Spring. Second Sewol Tribute Mixtape.
Listen to it here.
The first tribute mix is here.

Click the song title for the full lyrics in English.

01) "LOST" - 국카스텐 (Guckkasten)

Something we could not grasp in our dreams
Something even dreams did not show us
Not ever again in a dream
Our voyage, that will never begin…

02) "잔인한 사월 (Cruel April)" - 브로콜리 너마저 (Broccoli You Too)

The cruel season only gets deeper

03) "남서풍 (Southwestern Wind)" - 피아 (PIA)

Wishing the warm air finds home in you / So the fog on the tightly closed windowsill can disappear / Hoping that the southwestern wind comes and comforts you / So you can unfold your wings and fly through those tiny cracks

The unforgettable day, and at the center of it all / We all lost our way  

04) "Time" - Loro's feat. 이승열 (Yi Sung Yol)

On the quiet night ocean
The long moonlight that silently shakes
The lone path in this darkness
The tears I scatter on that path 

Between the seasons that fall
A flower in bloom for eternity
The depth of time in this cold
And… life. And… life.

05) "Giant" - Yozoh

I can’t find you anywhere in my desperate dreams
When I open my eyes I am already inside your universe
fly away, fly away

06) "We Are Not Dead Yet" - 로로스 (Loro's)

High up, you were there / See the end is far, far away

07) "다시, 봄 (Again, Spring)" - Various Artists (Kang Seung Won, Kim Mokin, Malo, Park Hye Ri, Sai, Yozoh, Oh Jong Dae, Jung Min Ah, Cha Hyun, Hi Mister Memory)

Will spring be forgotten when fall and winter come / Will spring be the same next year / By then it should’ve been changed / There are people who remember

08) "There Must Be" - Joo Hyo & HA:TFELT

I hope people who are in love won’t lose each other anymore and smile / I pray that this song will be a small light for the hurting hearts / There must be something I can do

____

Disclaimer - the only songs on this playlist that are explicitly about Sewol are "다시, 봄" (part of a one year anniversary project by a group of indie artists) and the track by Pia. Track by Joo Hyo and HA:TFELT and the song by Loro's feat. Yi Sung Yol were undoubtedly influenced by the tragedy. The other songs are simply what I've found fitting to how I personally feel - grief, but still hoping for justice.

Here's a quick read regarding the developments since the incident.

My last published playlist seems to be the first tribute mix, almost a year ago... It's been a difficult year.

Interview with Total Art Performance Group, EE

I had the chance to ask a few questions to a personal favourite group of mine, EE, who recently released an EP titled Dear Door and performed at this year's SXSW Festival. Mixing elements often found in modern fine art with music, EE calls themselves a "total art" performance group, not limiting themselves to just music. Lil E (Yunjoung Lee), the one-half of the husband-wife duo, answered the questions. Be sure to check out their EP "Dear Door," and their crazy music video for "Wiggy Dawn" below!

Hello! Please introduce yourselves first. 

We are EE, also known as EETOTALART. You can consider us as an amalgamation of culture, hidden in the city, more than simply a music group. 

How would you describe your latest EP, Dear Door? What does the “door” in the title mean? 

“Door” is a symbolic word that creates curiosity. It’s also the biggest medium in traveling between spaces. What happens when you open a door further symbolizes the escape from reality, and the thirst for something new. 

“Wiggy Dawn” is about a mother’s door to temptation, while “Knock the Door” is about a door of fabrication. “No.417” is a story about the door that will never be opened again.

I feel like when you first encounter EE’s music, they become engrossed in the catchy sounds and the striking visuals. But once you start listening to the lyrics properly, you begin to think, ah, this isn’t just some silly music. Even on the latest EP, track titled “No.417” is about the Sewol Ferry incident, right? How did you come about writing this song? 

We were personally affected greatly by the incident, and wanted to find something we could do. We didn’t try to approach it politically, and instead chose to tell the story of that day from a 16 year-old girl's perspective. We are hoping that it won’t be ever forgotten. 

Are there any other particular issues or topics you want to talk about in your art in the future? 

We will continue to talk about the small and big issues of the contemporary society. We’ve done so since the beginning, and there aren't any positive or negative opinions on our end about that. So sometimes our messages are misunderstood by the listener. 

Electronica is at the basis of EE’s music but from your first album Curiosity Kills to the recently-released Dear Door, there’s been a significant change in sound. Do you actively try to change your sound with each of your releases? 

There’s nothing we are actively pursuing. Musician, genre, vocal abilities, things like these aren’t important to us. As most stages available to us are pop stages, those are the ones we go on. It may appear like pop, but if you look closely [at our art], there’s something very fun and complicated inside. You could consider it an artistic performance. 

I personally love EE’s music videos! The music video for “WIGGY DAWN” that just came out was really interesting too. How do you conceptualize the visual elements for your videos?

It hasn’t been the easiest for us financially and we were in a hurry. As we tried to take care of it ourselves, we came up with the photo booth idea, something we often played around with when we were living in UK. This is the first time we’ve gotten so many “WTF” comments. We love it. 

Hyeonjoon is active as a visual artist as well as EE. How do EE’s “total art performance” and his personal artworks differ? 
It seems very different but similar at the same time.
It’s just like his personality, the performances and videos are his complete EE side. But Lee Hyeonjoon as an artist is like an old man, who only focuses on his art without saying a word. Even when he’s working with the same topic, it’s completely different…

Yunjoung is also part of the legendary PiPi Band, and 2015 will be PiPi Band’s 20th anniversary since debut. I remember seeing an article last year that Yunjoung will be having a comeback as Pipi Band... Can we expect a Pipi Band album any time soon? 
I think it will be out before the summer. This is just a teaser, haha.
We’re progressing really quickly, as if we’re meeting everyday.

And how was your experience at SXSW?
We went, believing that we will open their mouths and make them jump. And it was proven. Not only that, performing in the streets was very memorable. It feels like we had an unforgettable party with numerous musicians. If we are offered another opportunity, we want to prepare an even crazier and fun stage.
We want to applaud everyone who enjoyed our stage!

What are your plans for EE? 
We’ve had so many exciting things happen without planning, and we continue to fall into the most interesting situations that come to us. Coachella was like that, and same with SXSW, performances at National Museum of Contemporary Art. We arrived at our desired destinations as we ran towards what we wanted. If anybody wants to have a strange but a fun experience, give us a shout.



EE's Dear Door EP can be purchased on iTunes US here.
EE on Facebook | Soundcloud 

All images in the post belong to the band. Interview translated from Korean by Sangha. 

Interview with Korean Glam Metal Band, Victim Mentality

I recently had the opportunity to ask Kyung Ho Sohn, the guitarist of glam metal band Victim Mentality, a few questions about their career, their stint at SXSW this week, among other things. Heavily inspired by 80's glam metal, the quartet produces humorous and at times thought-provoking music while donning heavy makeup and a lot of leopard prints. They recently performed at SXSW, their first gig abroad. They have another show coming up tonight at The Majestic as part of the Korea Night Out series by Seoulsonic, so if you are in the area and still haven't seen them, you definitely should go check them out!

Can you introduce yourselves first? 
Hello! We are Victim Mentality. We are mostly active in Seoul. We formed in 2009 and we play glam metal with roots in heavy metal. Krocodile is on vocals, Kyung Ho Sohn is on guitar, Scorpion on bass, and Tarantula on drums.

I see a lot of 80’s glam metal in Victim Mentality. Are there any glam bands that you’re into? Any particular role models for the band?
Most of 80’s heavy metal bands were our idols. We first started Victim Mentality by copying bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. Then we started to change our band’s direction into glam metal, and we were really inspired by music by artists like Motley Crue. When I (Kyung Ho) was young, I really enjoyed Poison, Cinderella, and Vixen, and I think I naturally was inspired by them. Of course, we took a lot of inspiration from traditional heavy metal bands like WASP and Stryper.

Your lyrics are always so great! Really easy to relate to. “Don’t Spit on Me” is particularly great. Where do you get the inspirations for your lyrics? 
It’s all things that happen around us. We sing about normal things that happen around us, instead of fantasy fiction, sci-fi, or something philosophical like life and death. We usually sing about the hardships and love of youth, or the struggles of the working people.



Do you coordinate your own outfits? They’re always so outrageous.
We get the fabric from the market in DDM. We even have a wholesaler we often buy from as well. When we get the fabric, we go to a costume shop in Itaewon. We request the clothes to be made to fit our bodies there. They’re all custom-made, as we design on the spot or bring references.

Are any of the members active in bands outside of Victim Mentality? 
I’m part of a symphonic black metal band called Dark Mirror ov Tragedy. I’ve been originally interested in all aspects of metal music, and I’ve been active in a melodic death metal band since I was 20. I like what they usually call extreme metal, so I’ve been active in Dark Mirror ov Tragedy for 7 years. The other members are only part of Victim Mentality.

If you take a look at the members’ names… Krocodile, Scorpion, Tarantula… Kyungho, why don’t you use a stage name? If you had to choose one right now, what would it be? 
I actually use “Senyt” as my stage name for Dark Mirror ov Tragedy. I originally planned on using a stage name for Victim Mentality, but since I’ve been using a stage name since I was 20, I wanted to use my real name for once when Victim Mentality debuted. But I sometimes regret it, when I look at myself in makeup and leopard.

The upcoming SXSW shows are your first show abroad. Is there anything in particular you are preparing for these shows? Anything you’re worried about, or really excited about? 
Our goal is to show 100% of our charm. Glam metal is from the US. I think the audience will understand what we are doing, and what we are trying to express. So we’re really curious as to how they will react.

Are there any bands that you are looking forward to seeing at SXSW? 
We’ve liked a melodic death metal band called Allegaeon, and we heard that they will be at SXSW. We’ll be definitely checking them out.

What about any cities or festivals you want to perform at?
We want to perform at Sunset Street in LA, the home of glam metal. 

Your first full-length album “Heavy Metal Is Back” will be released soon. What kind of album will it be? How different is it going to be from “Magic Finger?” 
“Magic Finger” is an album consisting of the early songs we wrote after forming Victim Mentality. So the traditional heavy metal elements are strong. Because like I’ve said earlier, Victim Mentality was a straight-up heavy metal band inspired by bands like Iron Maiden and Judas Priest. As time went by and we positioned ourselves as a glam metal band, we created “Heavy Metal Is Back.” Of course, there’s still the heavy metal element we pursued in “Magic Finger,” but we also tried to put in a more melodic and mellow element. If “Magic Finger” was about the primitive metal disposition, “Heavy Metal Is Back” tried to make various elements and emotions of heavy metal into a Victim Mentality style.

The upcoming SXSW shows, first album release, anything else you guys are planning at the moment? 
We will be continuing with performing. And we plan to release a single album near the end of the year. We want to get Victim Mentality known through live performances.

I found out that Krocodile is the leader (?!) of Free Meat Eaters’ Union, while researching for the interview… Do the other members also like meat? If you all had to choose your favorite kind of meat, what would it be? 
We all like meat. I’m particularly lazy with grilling them though, so I like beef or when someone else cooks it for me. I like cow intestines a lot too.

Thank you! I hope you enjoy some great BBQ in Austin.
Thanks! This was a fun interview.

http://phusmetal.com/
https://www.facebook.com/phusmetal/
https://twitter.com/phusmetal
https://soundcloud.com/victim-mentality
http://www.youtube.com/user/PHUSMETALTV

[update] a quickie.

A quick update.

• If you have the time, check out this interview Anna over at IndiefulROK did with the lovely duo Kim Sawol x Kim Haewon  that I translated. Their EP was one of my favourite releases of 2014. 
• ....Speaking of 2014, the "best of 2014" lists are coming. I just need to sort some stuff out first...
• Another thing that's going to happen (and I promise) - recaps of Unpretty Rapstar. And this time, we will try to make sure that we get through the entire thing. Shouldn't be as difficult, since there will be less episodes. We'll see though. 
• I recently moved to Chicago. It's a big city and I don't have that many friends. If you are in the area, definitely hit me up and we can talk about silly things like Korean music and food together, maybe. 

Music-wise, recent rotations, among others:

• The Quiett feat. Saetbyeol "Nothing". Download the track here. 
• 18gram's self-titled first full-length album. Listen to "Secret Forest" here. This band is fronted by Ryu In Hyuk of Eastern Sidekick, one of my favourite bands! 
• From the Airport's first full-length album You Could Imagine was surprisingly disappointing for me, personally. 
• Purity Ring's latest songs "begin again" and "push pull" from their upcoming 2nd album. I'll be seeing them in June, so excited! 
• I went to see the Cold War Kids last weekend. I'll also be going to the Pitchfork Festival in July, along with Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds show in May. 

Anyway, let me know if you've listened to anything interesting lately. I've been kind of behind on recent music. 

I'll be back soon! 

[album reviews] Loro's, Epitone Project, Kim Dong Ryul, Paloalto, and More.

It's been a while since I last posted any type of music review on this blog, but tonight's one of those nights! I'm feelin it! In the last few years, whenever I actually talked about any kind of album/singles it was through my "Best of the Year" posts, which meant that I only ever got around to blogging about music that I really enjoyed. But there are other music that I think is just okay, or that I really dislike! So here we go! Brief reviews (with star ratings out of five, as always) though, because it seems like I have lost the ability to write extensively about anything...

Loro's | W.A.N.D.Y
2014.10.02 | ORM Ent | Mirrorball Music

Oh boy. Loro's finally released their much-anticipated second album after five years of nothing (their last EP, Dream(s), was released in 2009) and the wait was most definitely worth it. I wish I could talk more about this album because there's just so much, so much sounds and words and beautiful things happening, but I probably won't be able to put into words how I feel about this album. How I felt about this album when I listened to it for the first time ever. In its vast sounds, this album reaches out, breaking free of what Loro's was initially known for. There's darkness ("Homo Separatus"), there's light ("여기가 우리 만나는곳"), and ultimately, there's hope ("송가"). What a beautiful album.

★★★★☆

Epitone Project | 각자의 밤 (Each One's Night)
2014.09.16 | Pastel Music | Neowiz Internet

If you've been around for a while, or if you've poked around this blog a lot, you might remember that I wasn't the biggest fan of Epitone Project (Cha Se Jung)'s last album, A Day in a Foreign City. I'm glad that I can say that his latest album is an improvement from that album. There's more variety in this album, and the various female featurings definitely help his music stand out. I also appreciate how he seems to be exploring more genres. This is a solid, easy-listening type of music, well-suited for a sleepless night.

★★★

Wutan & Buggy | Hol!day
2014.09.03 | Stoneship / VMC | CJ E&M

I didn't know much about Wutan or Buggy coming into this but I thoroughly enjoyed it nonetheless! I'm not too familiar with either artists' previous track records (except that Wutan was on the second season of Show Me the Money, also known as that season that I didn't even bother with), but I am definitely looking forward to what they do next. "Blue Lemonade" is a total jam, and although "Watermelon Juice" is questionable (and it features Kimchi Homie Park - are you for real?), this is an addicting album with some really stylish and trendy beats.

★★★☆

Paloalto | Cheers
2014.09.23 | Hi-Lite Records | Neowiz Internet

As expected from Paloalto, a solid, classy album. From the opening track "Forrest Gump" featuring the amazing Mayson the Soul, to the last track "Footprint," this album screams classy all-over with its clean-cut flow and hooks. Paloalto's been around forever but it's admirable how he constantly puts out solid works - his album from last year, Chief Life, was also another notable piece of work. I especially appreciate how he never seems to give in to current trends - he seems to always maintain his style. I don't have any other words for him than classy. He's classy all over.

★★★★

퓨어킴(Puer Kim) | Purifier
2014.09.02 | MYSTIC89 | Loen Entertainment

I've had a lot to say about this album but I've talked so much about it to everyone who ever brought up Puer Kim, I don't want to go too much into it here. I'm not trying to purposefully hate on the album, but as someone who very enjoyed Puer Kim's previous independent releases Mom & Sex and O, this album was a disappointment. On one hand, I'm glad that she's getting the exposure she is getting now with MYSTIC89, but at the same time, I really wish they'd just let her write her own damn songs. She's fully capable of writing captivating music, we've all seen her do that. How MYSTIC89 (/Yoon Jong Shin) seems to be restraining her from writing her own songs is a mystery to me. This EP is not bad - her voice is lovely, and her lyrics are interesting enough. It's just a shame that we can't witness her (original) unique sound on her mainstream debut album, that's all.

★★

김동률(Kim Dong Ryul) | 동행 (Companion)
2014.10.01 | Music Farm | Loen Entertainment

It's amazing what just a simple voice can do. And how after all these years since Kim Dong Ryul debuted in 1993, he maintains the sentimentality that makes his music so attractive. He is one of the most consistent singer-songwriters in the scene, and I find it truly admirable how his music always seem so timeless. There are definitely some weaker songs on this album, but then there are other songs that really get to your heart, like the title track "How I Am," or "청춘 (feat. Lee Sang Soon)," and my personal favourite, "동행," the last track that also shares the title with the album.

★★★

김사월x김해원(Kim Sawol x Kim Haewon) | 비밀 (Secret)
2014.10.10 | Kim Sawol x Kim Haewon | Mirrorball Music

Where have these two been all this time? The duo's first EP together, Secret, is phenomenal. From the very first track "비밀" I knew right away that I was in for a treat. It's a dark chocolate kind of music, at times bitter, at times sweet in a gloomy but sexy kind of a way. The way the two voices come in and out of songs just at the perfect moment is so artfully done, I am floored. Fatal in its simplistic charm, Kim Sawol x Kim Haewon's Secret is definitely one of my greatest finds this year.

★★★★☆

윤덕원(Yoon Dukwon) | 흐린 길 (Faded Path) 
2014. 09.30 | Studio Broccoli | Mirrorball Music

Yoon Dukwon of Broccoli You Too's solo album is at times very different from Broccoli You Too's music, and at times it's not. It seems more concerned with a 90's ballad sentimentality (which becomes blatantly obvious in "신기루") which is a departure from the usual Broccoli You Too music one might be familiar with. But it's refreshing, and definitely fascinating how this is the type of music Yoon Dukwon wanted to make as a solo artist. The sincerity shows, and it's much appreciated.

★★★









Enjoyed/hated any of these albums? Want me to review any other albums? Leave a comment below. 

[translation] Interview with Hitchhiker - from Solo Artist to SM Entertainment Composer. 10Asia, September 2014

Again, instead of doing a myriad of other things I should be doing, I came across a very interesting interview that 10Asia did with SM Entertainment's resident composer, Hitchhiker. I already knew that he was formerly known as Jinu of modern rock band Roller Coaster (with the lovely Jo Won Sun and enigmatic Lee Sang Soon - perhaps most well-known now as the husband of Lee Hyori), but I didn't know much else about him. Then, when he dropped the puzzling video for his "Eleven" few days ago, I was completely, utterly fascinated by the whole deal. What is this disturbing sound? What is this modern art gallery art video aesthetic of the music video? What was this song that people were claiming as the Illuminati's trap? In the interview below which I have translated, he explains and makes sense of a lot of things behind the bizarre project. Among other things, like how Brown Eyed Girls' "Abracadabra" came to be, or how he became an SM composer.

Some highlights from the interview include: how he created the music video for "Eleven" by himself; the disturbing ababa sound in the song being his 3 year-old daughter's voice; how if Krystal, or any other SM artists, weren't so busy, we wouldn't have this gem of a track...

Check out the interview below the cut.



Oh! Hitchhiker! Who are You?
Hitchhiker interviewed by Kwon Suk Jung for 10Asia, September 19 2014

[translation] "I'm Not Drunk" E-Sens, GQ Korea, September 2014

Despite being behind on all the other things I could be doing right now, I got really into this recent interview E-Sens did with GQ Korea and decided to translate it for all the E-Sens fans out there. Or any international Korean hip-hop fans, really. He brings up a lot of interesting points - from Show Me The Money 3 to what he thought of Swings' comments on him. (Spoiler: E-Sens pretty much tells Swings to shut the hell up and mind his own fucking business.)

I also learned a lot about E-Sens as an artist and a person - definitely surprised me to find out that he actually doesn't like his hit "Poison" at all. (Ironic, because I think it's one of his best.)

He offers a lot more insight into his upcoming first official solo album, Anecdote, which does not have a set release date yet. But he's said that it'll be out by the end of the year. I'm just praying that it'll live up to the expectations, because through what he's said from this interview, it sounds like the best thing he'll ever put out.

This is a long interview, and a rather rambling one at that, so it may not make sense at times. Please do let me know if you want clarification on certain parts.

“I’m Not Drunk”
E-Sens, interviewed by Yoo Ji Sung for GQ Korea, September 2014

E-Sens has returned solo. He may like alcohol, but he isn’t planning on getting drunk on fame.

Rest in Peace, EunB

Go Eunbi. 1992-2014. 

I don't know how to word this post - I've never been good at these things. But I just wanted to take this moment to mourn the death of EunB of Ladies' Code.

EunB, along with her Ladies' Code groupmates Rise, Sojung, Zuny, and Ashley, and staff members, were in a tragic car accident. Rise is in critical condition. Sojung has also been very injured, with the other members and staff with minor injuries.

This was a really hard blow to me as I've been rooting for EunB and Ladies' Code since their beginning. Although EunB wasn't my immediate favourite member in the beginning, I loved the group as a whole very dearly, and I greatly appreciated her shining presence in the group. In my memories, she will always be the adorable, hardworking, bright individual who showed tremendous improvement with every release. I loved watching their music videos as they came out - anticipating EunB's scenes the most because her facial expressions got exponentially better with each video. She was a joy to watch on tv with her bright personality; she wasn't called Eunvitamin for nothing. She had a beautiful voice. Sojung and Ashley seemed to have more lines most of the time but EunB always stood her ground. It felt like she was just beginning to get more lines, too. I wanted to hear more from her. And for some odd reason, I've always pictured EunB to be the one to go into acting. Even now I can picture her acting in dramas - she could've been that really terrible idol actor, initially. But as EunB has always shown, she'd get better and better.

Ladies' Code's "Hate You" was one of my favourite songs from last year and I still listen to it frequently. And EunB's bridge in that song was what made it so great for me. EunB was the charming point of "Pretty Pretty".

Ladies' Code easily makes my top 5 favourite girl groups... Every comeback got me extremely excited because I knew they had the potential to gradually get bigger and bigger to be one of the top girl groups one day. Even with their latest comeback with "Kiss Kiss" - I enjoyed the song and was disappointed that it didn't get as much attention as it could have, but that only got me more excited for their next release, because I had utter faith in them to come back stronger. They always have. They've never had a absolutely terrible release.

I'm praying that the remaining members make it through this hardship. It's so difficult to believe what has happened. I don't know what's going to happen from here, and I am terrified. I hope and hope that Rise will hang on and persevere, because I want to see her smile, to hear her awkward but incredibly cute accent again. I don't know how hurt Sojung is but I desperately want her to continue singing with her phenomenal voice. I want to see Zuny's beautiful eyes when she smiles and to hear her improve with each song. I want to see Ashley's outgoing personality shine on TV. But then, I'm probably being selfish and greedy. I don't know if any of this will be possible anymore. But for now, I can only hope, and believe that these ladies will pull through.

My deepest condolences go out to the girls and the staff members, and their friends and families. And I want to give a huge hug to the other Ladies' Code fans out there. Let's keep on believing in them, like we always have.

And - to Eunbi. Thank you so much for all you've done for us. This is painful to say goodbye to you but I hope you're in a better place. Rest in peace.

Half-way Check Point: 2014 in Korean Music So Far.

I wasn't planning on writing this post, but since a commentor asked for it in my previous update post and I was in a blogging mood lately, I thought I would give it a go. But first! I've been posting a lot over at my new film blog Cinematriarchy, so if you are into movies at all, please do check it out, and if you've seen the movies I've talked about, please do let me know what you thought about them, I'd love to hear.

This is going to be a simple, but messy post because I usually don't keep a good track of all the music I check out during the first half of the year. But I do keep a general annual 'liked tracks' playlist on iTunes. And although I really slacked off on it in 2013, I've been better with it so far in 2014. I'll base this post off of that playlist, and just kind of freestyle my way through some notable songs and albums that caught my attention, along with debuts, comebacks, etc.

Then, just some music and musicians of January - May 2014 I want to talk about!

REPLY 2013: Top 20 Korean Albums of 2013

After weeks and months of pushing off on it, I've finally decided to just go ahead with it and post it: the Top 20 Korean Albums of 2013. Unfortunately, I was terrible at keeping track of everything I listened to in 2013, but from what I could remember, I listened to just over 100 albums released between December 1, 2012 ~ November 30, 2013. Which is probably a dozen or so fewer than what I listened to from 2012 for that year's round-up post. Which isn't bad, but still, it probably could've been better. Also, I was terribly uninspired in 2013 (as you could see from the dire lack of updates on this wee blog) which ultimately resulted in these awfully late round-up posts. I am not proud of myself. But let's get this over with and move on. Few important notes about this post:

• This list includes albums released between December 1, 2012 and November 30, 2013.
• Unlike my previous round-up lists, this list is not ranked. The list is in alphabet order.
• This is a subjective list.

One interesting thing to note about this year's list is that it's unranked. It was really difficult to rank the albums, hence, alphabetical.

[interview] 장기하와 얼굴들 (Kiha And The Faces) talks 3rd album

With critically acclaimed first and second album, a mega-hit tune part of the soundtrack for 2012's Nameless Gangsters, and with fantastic collaboration with Infinity Challenge in 2013 - Kiha & The Faces are probably the hottest band in Korea right now. I posted about their upcoming American tour earlier this month which I was really excited about (along with many others who were planning on attending, I'm sure), but I am deeply sorry to announce that all their American shows have been cancelled due to visa issues. Shaking my fist at America and its immigration! 

Initially I interviewed the band mostly about their American shows, which I was planning on posting last week. However, as with each cancellation update I had to push off on posting the interview because a lot of it had to do with their American tour. Now that it's completely cancelled, I thought about not posting it at all because it was too damn sad. But I still wanted to share some more information about the band with the international fans out there and decided to post parts of the interview that has to do with their music and their upcoming third album in particular. 

Check out the interview below for some information on their upcoming third album, Kiha's side activities, and their plans for the future. 

2014 SEOULSONIC USA TOUR

Some more exciting news! Seoulsonic will be kicking off their 2014 USA Tour soon! This year, the tour features Glen Check, Rock'n'Roll Radio, and Love X Stereo. Starting with sxsw, they will be hitting San Francisco, Detroit, New York, Washington DC and L.A. If you can make it to any of the shows, I suggest that you do! I have seen Glen Check and Rock'n'Roll Radio and they are not to be missed - probably two of the most fun bands I've seen live. Love X Stereo's music is pretty awesome as well, so this is a great package here :) I'm sort of bummed that they're not dropping by Chicago but I might just be able to make it to the NYC show. Fingers crossed!

Here's the full tour schedule:

AUSTIN, TX
SXSW Official Show presented by Seoulsonic
Date : March 13th (Thu), 12am-12:40am
Venue : Icenhauer's (83 Rainey Street)
Lineup : Love X Stereo, No Brain, Glen Check, Big Phony, Hwang Boryung=SmackSoft
Badges : Music Badge, Platinum Badge, Music Festival Wristband, Artist Wristband
Link: Here

SAN FRANCISCO, CA
CAAMFest 2014 'DIRECTIONS IN SOUND: KOREAN SHOWCASE'
Date : March 20th (Thu), 9:30pm
Venue : Brick & Mortar Music Hall (1710 Mission St)
Lineup : Love X Stereo, Rock 'N' Roll Radio, Glen Check, No Brain. Hosted by Kero One & DJ Relic
Cover : $20
Link: Here

DETROIT (PONTIAC), MI 
LOVE X STEREO with GLEN CHECK!, ROCK N' ROLL RADIO and THE RECKLESS SCAMPS at The Pike Room
Date : March 25th (Tue), 6pm
Venue : Pike Room @ Crofoot (1 South Saginaw, Pontiac, MI)
Lineup : Love X Stereo, Rock 'N' Roll Radio, Glen Check, Reckless Scamps
Cover: $10 in advance / $12 at the door
Link: Here

NEW YORK, NY
2K14 Seoulsonic @ NYC
Date : March 29th (Sat), 7pm
Venue : Marlin Room @ Webster Hall (125 E 11th St)
Line Up : Love X Stereo, Rock 'N' Roll Radio, Glen Check, Big Phony
Cover: $12 (19+ event)
Link: Here

WASHINGTON D.C. 

2K14 Seoulsonic @ DC

Date : March 31st (Mon), 7pm

Venue : Dorothy Betts Marvin Theatre @ George Washington Univ. (800 21st Street NW)

Line Up : Love X Stereo, Rock 'N' Roll Radio, Glen Check, Big Phony

Cover : $9.99

Link: Here 

LOS ANGELES, CA

2K14 Seoulsonic @ Los Angeles

Date : April 6th (Sun), TBA

Venue : SEED Center (1917 Bay St)

Line Up : Love X Stereo, Rock 'N' Roll Radio, Glen Check

Cover : TBA

Link: Here 

Rock'n'Roll Radio just won the Best New Artist of the Year award at the 2014 Korean Music Awards, while Glen Check won Best Electronic Album of the Year at the KMAs. 

Here are some videos of the three bands, if you have yet to listen to their awesome music: 

Original images provided by Seoulsonic. Images edited by Sangha. All information regarding the shows are provided by Seoulsonic.

Seoulsonic website | twitter | facebook 

장기하와 얼굴들 (Kiha & The Faces) NYC Tour!

Be excited! Critically acclaimed and famed Korean band Kiha & The Faces (장기하와 얼굴들) is coming State side in March! They will be performing at sxsw on March 11 at the K-Pop Night Out event, and then will head to New York City for two shows. One is already sold out, but there are still tickets available for their second show, so if you are in the area and can make it, I strongly recommend that you do! A fabulous band, with some really, really great music. Their first album is one of my all-time favourites, and although I wasn't the biggest fan of their 2nd album initially, it's really grown on me as well. Everything they've released so far has been awesome, awesome! 

Their NYC show at Rockwood Music Hall is already sold out, but you can still grab tickets to their show at Knitting Factory. Information below.

Bulgogi Beast

Facebook event page 

Venue: Knitting Factory (361 Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11211)

March 19, Wednesday

Doors 7:30 PM / Show 8:00 PM

$15 online, $18 at the door 

Buy ticket online 

This show will also feature two Brooklyn bands, high-energy Southern rock & roll band Jumbo Brown, and rising new indie rock band Sheep Psyche. 

Check out Kiha & The Faces' music video for "그렇고 그런 사이 (A Sort of Relationship)" for a taste of their music:

REPLY 2013: Top 30 Korean Songs of 2013

It is finally here: Sangha's top 30 Korean songs of 2013. These are the best songs of 2013 as decided by me. If you haven't seen my post for 2012, feel free to check that out here. I'm gonna go ahead and say this now, but I'm not too confident on the list this year. There were tons of decent songs, but it was really difficult to pick songs that really stood out for me. But! Still some good music in this post.

As for the rules, same rules from last year. This is a relatively subjective list, although I did consider extra-musical elements more this time around. This list encompasses songs released from December 1, 2012 to November 31, 2013. No same artist is listed more than once, unless they are featuring on a track. 8tracks playlist is at the bottom as well. It's been such a long time since I last reviewed or anything, this is probably gonna be awkward, but let's move forth!

[mixtape liner notes] stero, a particular story of reincarnations.

First up: stero. listen to it here.

1. Stero | 투명 (TwoMyung)
2. 백야 (White Night) | Nell
3. 잔혹한 여행 (Cruel Voyage) original song by Han Hee Jung | Casker
4. 세상이 끝나려고 해 (The World is about to End) | eAeon
5. History of Love | Trampauline
6. Fantasy | Ironic Hue
7. 소나기 (Sonagi) | 몽니 (Monni)
8. 꿈 (somewhere we belong) | googolplex
9. 우리는 어쩌면, 만약에 (we, perhaps, if) feat. Yoonsang | Toy
10. 그 사내 (That Man) | 정차식 (Jung Cha Sik)
11. 여기서 그대를 부르네 (Calling You From Here) | Lucid Fall
12. 잊는다 (Forgetting) | 망각화 (Manggakwha)
13. 너무 아픈 사랑은 사랑이 아니었음을 (A Love Too Painful Could Not Have Been Love) | 김광석 (Kim Kwang Suk)
14. 향 (비의 연상에서) (Scent - Reminiscent of Rain) | 잠 (Zzam)





This mixtape was largely inspired by two friends of mine (Avery and Jenny) who thought using moonassi's art as album covers for mixtapes about reincarnations was a great idea. It was, and I decided to join the party with one of my own. (You can check out their mixes here and here.)

Reincarnation is a very fascinating trope and something that makes me really sad. And when I'm sad I make mixtapes. This time, I wanted to tell a story of a love carried on through reincarnations (can you tell that I was very much influenced by this story about reincarnations?); two people find themselves falling in love over and over again through time, through different lifetimes. But this mix is dedicated to all the lifetimes where they aren't happy. Lifetimes where they don't fall in love. Lifetimes where they don't even meet each other. Lifetimes where they are too late.


First track: TwoMyung's "Stero". Stero means "they stood still" in Latin. I thought that was so perfect for this mix, because it goes so well with the cover art I chose, and also since this mix tells the story of the lifetimes where they stood still, not able to do anything about each other. I also love the song, it's a perfectly eerie prelude to a generally sad series of songs.

Second track: Nell's "White Night". Basically you can't have a Korean mixtape about reincarnations without Nell's "White Night". 

in this endless time, in all of this space / it's filled with your thickly colored breaths

And ultimately:

I can't get over you / you just keep shining on and on through my time 

Perfect song to really start this off. I feel like this song is really about reincarnations whereas the other songs may not explicitly be about reincarnations.

Third track: Casker's remediation of Han Hee Jung's "Cruel Voyage". Han Hee Jung's original song is beautiful too, but I thought Casker's glitchy and extra-gloomy cover was more fitting with the flow of this mix.

then, what made me move and speak / I just wanted to share everything with you 

you, oh you, like a voyage, you left me on a shining day / love, oh love, a cruel voyage, my one last trip  

something we shared made us part ways / I just wanted to share everything with you 

The song speaks of something unknown that made their love impossible, despite the character's desires to fulfill this love. Also I love the metaphor of a voyage incorporated into the song - because these two are stuck in this never-ending, almost cruel voyage through time. She vouches that this will be the last time this will happen. Next time, they will get it right.

Fourth track: eAeon's "The World is about to End". He sings of the world coming to an end and his last thoughts as it unfolds before his eyes. ("the world is about to end / without knowing whose fault it is / the world is about to end") The character's sorry that they didn't get to know everything about themselves ("I'm sorry I didn't get to know everything about us").  And this line in particular - "어쩌면 우리 모두 다시 만나겠지" which translates to:

perhaps we will all meet again

Fifth track: Trampauline's "History of Love". This song is more upbeat compared to the others. And fully in English. I haven't ever listened to this song much, but the title grabbed my attention while I was going through my library searching for songs. "History of Love" sounded like a perfect alternative title to this mix, as it is a history of two people in love. And then I paid more attention to the lyrics and I realized that this song had to be on the mix:

angels above can't declare / as I sit here and stare / at flames going away inside of me / you see I can't compare / the feelings in between / to the one that once blew my mind away 

like in a boxing ring, no way out / you said go, I said yeah / it's a foreign language we're talking about / you don't say no, so I linger linger linger / still dance to it anyway / can't stop dancing to it anyway / could it be history of love

I thought this song was good with continuing the story from the previous song - the world came to an end, and in the afterlife, they meet briefly before their next lifetimes start. "You said go, I said yeah". "you don't say no, so I linger". And without fully understanding what's going on, they "still dance to it anyway" while they have the time. I think they both briefly have the idea of what this is ("could it be history of love?"), but before too long, they are sent on their separate paths.

Sixth track: Ironic Hue "Fantasy". Another lifetime. And one half of the bond is beginning to realize, or perhaps remember?

your absolute movements I can feel with the tip of my fingers / draw me in / in the slow-moving crowd / your fragile and faint gaze 

Perhaps she remembers the touch, resonated through multiple lifetimes.

adding onto me / adding onto you 

the truth at the top of the tower of illusions / unable to fill despite trying / realizing that thing is you 

Trying to fill in the gaps, she searches for the "the truth at the top of the tower of illusions" and tries to fill in the gaps. And in the end she realizes that she is seeking out the other. But the missing pieces are too big, she is unable to paint the full picture. Another lifetime where they don't meet each other at all.

Seventh track: Monni's "Sonagi". Sonagi is a type of rain that doesn't really have an equivalent word in English. (Think a sudden shower, it's that kind of a rain). This is the life where he finds the other a bit too late.

where are you now / laughing somewhere in the heavens 

Eight track. googolplex's "Dream (somewhere we belong)". I actually couldn't find lyrics to this song and the vocals are too distorted to really understand what the lyrics are saying. But I thought the the title of the song fit well with the theme. That somewhere they belong. Also I really like the sound of this song.

Ninth track: Toy's "We, Perhaps, If" featuring Yoonsang. This song is mainly about two lovers who have broken up, but the opening lyrics to this song are so apt I just had to include it in this mix:

we might have missed each other at the same time without knowing 

we might have walked past each other on the same street without realizing  

Tenth track: Jung Cha Sik with "That Man". This song is one of the most heartbreaking songs I know. The way he sings it, and the poetic lyrics. Everything is just so sad. This song is for the lifetime where he remembers, very clearly, but cannot do anything about these memories or the person he is doomed to love. He cannot tell anyone about these memories that haunt him constantly, and he tries to drown them in himself, trying to force himself to forget.

what others may easily forget / I still remember

 songs of the past / excuses of the past / drinks of the past / bodies of the past / remembering them, I turn red 

it's all a wind of the past 

Eleventh track: Lucid Fall's "Calling You from Here". I'll just suggest to check the entire lyrics to the song, which I've translated ages ago and posted here. This is the more hopeful lifetime. It's that lifetime they spend seeking out each other. They haven't met yet, but this might be the life where they will meet eventually.

early morning comes closer / and tells me of your news.

that from far away / you are also calling out my name. 

Twelfth track: Manggakwha's "Forgetting". After multiple happy lifetimes, they're back to another life spent longing for each other but unable to find each other. This song is about him dreaming over and over again about the other person and becoming tired of dreaming about them. And the dreams stop. And he forgets.

I entrust it to my memories / I couldn't stop the time from flowing / fading feelings and the regrets / your hand I hold onto, your memories I hold onto, now / forget, forget, I forget 

Thirteenth track: Kim Kwang Suk's "A Love Too Painful Could Not Have Been Love". This is one of my favourite songs of all time. Such heartfelt lyrics - even just the title gets me feeling really melancholy. Putting this song into this particular context (most of the song is about a past love), the last verse is what convinced me to include this song as the last track (with lyrics) in this mix:

now let's never come to this world for love / let's bury words of longing, an unfulfilled love / because a love too painful could not have been love

This is where they make the promise to "never come to this world for love". They both realize how painful it is to come back over and over again just to long for each other. Because yes, a love that is too painful could not have been real love.

I like to end my mix with instrumental tracks, so the last track of this mix is Zzam's "Scent (reminiscent of rain)". It has that creepy vibe similar to the opening track of the mix. Which may or may not suggest at how the cycle will repeat all over again, despite the promise made in the last song/lifetime ("let's never come to this world for love...")

summer album haul.

All the albums I manage to haul over the summer while I was in Korea! I haven't even had the chance to listen to all of them. It's sort of sad because I didn't even get to buy all the albums I meant to buy because I kept buying albums on a whim whenever I went to a show... and by the end of summer I didn't have enough money to buy the albums that  were actually on my to-buy list. Oh well. I'll probably have another album haul some time near Christmas...

From top to bottom, left to right:

First row: Nell - Escaping Gravity | Kumca - ShuShu | Broken Valentine - Aluminum | Johann Electric Bach - Zynthar | Loro's - Pax | Sultan of the Disco - The Golden Age

Second row: Fantastic Drugstore - Dance With Me | Galaxy Express - Galaxy Express | Broken Valentine - Shade | Rubystar - Invitation | Black Bag - Beyond The Sky | Vodka Rain - Flavor

Third row: Mongoose - Girlfriend | Brian Cho - My Feet Don't Touch The Ground (And I'm So Winded I Can't Sing For You Today) | Ju Yoon Ha - On The Way Home | Broccoli You Too - Cruel April Demo | Blues, The Compilation | The Lads  - 청춘 

Fourth row: Jung Cha Sik - 격동하는 현재사 | Band Sae - Spinny | Telefly - Ultimate Psychedelic | Glen Check - Haute Couture | Jung Jae Il - Incendies | 3rd Line Butterfly - Nine Days Or A Million

Fifth row: Danpyunsun - Virgin | Seedless Watermelon Kim Dae Joong - Seedless Watermelon | Telefly - Avalokitesvara | Thornapple - 나는 자꾸 말을 더듬고 잠드는  법도 잊었네 | Asian Chairshot - Mask | Dear Cloud - Bright Lights 

Both Broken Valentine albums and the Thornapple album are autographed! The Thornapple album is my baby, I'm so glad I had the chance to get it autographed from them. Eleven albums from above were released this year and some may make it onto my best of 2013 list at the end of the year, there are some real gems. I believe the first Broken Valentine album, the Vodka Rain album, Jung Jae Il album and the 3rd Line Butterfly album are out of print so I guess I'm lucky to have come across them. I actually had to hunt down the Jung Jae Il album, thank god the one bookstore that had it was close to where I was staying...

update.

It's currently nearing 5am on a Sunday night and I had a sudden urge to blog so I got out of bed and took some shitty pictures with my phone.

I could go on talking about how I haven't updated in so long because I was busy, there were other things going on, blah blah blah, but all of that I've said countless times before, for other blogs and other projects. I should apologize to certain individuals though, who requested album reviews, or interviews, or whatever, because I've completely ignored that too. Maybe I'll get to them, maybe I won't, I don't know. But I apologize. 

I've thought about it a lot in the last few months, on why I was shying away from writing on this blog and I realized that this particular blog has turned into something very different than what I've expected when I initially started it. 

Strange Seasons started out as a strictly personal blog, an extension of my tumblr, where I could blab on freely about all sorts of things ranging from deeply personal things to opinion pieces more relevant to a broader audience. But in the last few posts I've started to really funnel this into one specific area, and I never meant to do that. Before long, I was in too deep, engrossed in something that I didn't quite completely understand. That really embarrassed me, I was becoming more self-conscious of what I was saying, and I guess that started to take a toll. 

So I guess in a way I'm starting again. I won't delete the blog or its content or anything, but hopefully, if things go according to plan, the type of posts I make on here will be more varied from now on. Regardless of what people may expect or want, I plan on only blogging about things I want to blog about. 

Meanwhile, I don't know what kind of people visit this blog and I'm pretty sure most just stumble across it and never return, but just in case anybody is interested, here is my instagram, which I update more often. 

Now onto those crappy pictures I just took. (Thank god for smartphones.) 

Just finished reading: 

Mysterious Skin by Scott Heim.

The movie is one of my favourite movies ever (although it makes me feel guilty whenever I say it, due to the subject matter) and the book was also a great - albeit heart-breaking - experience. This story really hurts. This is a fictional story - but it's probably reality to many, somewhere out there. And that really hurts me. 

Currently on repeat: 

Asian Chairshot - 탈춤 (Mask Dance) 

I started writing an album review for this magnificent EP but I was stuck on the first line. I don't know where to start. Maybe I'll figure it out and post that review, maybe I'll never figure it out and it won't see the light of the day. But this, this. Such great sounds. Must listen. 

Also: the illustration for the album isn't my favourite (a bit too grotesque for my tastes, although it does suit their sound), but I loved the calligraphy for the credits. 

The quality of pictures are horrendous but I was too lazy (as always) to get out my DSLR. Oh, by the way, I have a new DSLR. Since investing in it I've made it my goal to blog more often. We'll see about that though. 

[korean music in 2012] part 2: top 20 albums

Finally! And out of sheer laziness, once again I'm posting the yearly review post in mid January. Wow. Maybe one of these days I'll actually post them before the year's over. (Probably not.)

This is the best albums post. It took me a lot longer than expected because I kept finding music from 2012 that I haven't listened to yet, and I wanted to check them out before making the list. And then I ran into the problem of narrowing the list down, which was extremely difficult. I knew my top 5 albums, but there were so many other albums I thought were worth talking about. In the end, since I couldn't narrow it down to 10 (+3) like last year, I decided to go with 20 albums. This is what I consider 20 of the most notable albums from 2012. I listened to roughly 110-120 Korean albums this year, including EPs and compilations. The album cover quilt above includes most of the 2012 releases that I checked out. (I'm sure I'm missing a few. I didn't keep a good track of everything for the earlier half of the year...) I honestly considered not making the album list because the 30 top songs post took me ages and I was stuck, but I knew I had to make the post, since I spent so much time thinking about it. Again, a couple of things:

• This list only includes albums released between January 2012 and November 31, 2012. 
• This list is subjective to my tastes, as you can see from what I generally listened to over the year. For example, it's severely lacking hip-hop since I didn't listen to any of that this year except for a couple of albums. 
• Although the ratings are subjective, I did try to look at them from a more critical point-of-view, taking into consideration things such as: lyrics, continuity, originality, musicality, execution, etc. 

Check under the cut for the full list! This list took way too long, and it's very poorly written & probably won't make much sense. I apologize in advance.