Best of K-Pop (Korean Pop)

Thanks to a recent popular Korean drama called “Smile, You” I came across the following track and it instantly became my favorite Korean track till date.  This is a song by Melo’ Breeze (멜로 브리즈) and is very apt for the drama, which reveals a story about two families who used to live at the opposite ends of the world, forced to come together by fate.  It details how the super rich family tries to make it, after going bankrupt, living in their former chauffeur’s (who is a grandpa) house following his rules. Check out the song below.

Just for the listening pleasure, the next song is Vis-à-vis, by the same band.

Good Day.

Spend my Lifetime Loving You

One of the best romantic songs i have ever come across!! Mark Anthony and Tina Arena do mix well!!

This is the soundtrack from “The Mask of Zorro”

Title: Spend My Lifetime Loving You

Year: 1998

LYRICS

I Want To Spend My Lifetime Loving You

Moon so bright, night so fine
Keep your heart here with mine
Life’s a dream we are dreaming

Race the moon, catch the wind
Ride the night to the end
Seize the day, stand up for the light

I want to spend my lifetime loving you
If that is all in life I ever do

Heroes rise, heroes fall
Rise again, win it all
In your heart, can’t you feel the glory?

Through our joy, through our pain
We can move worlds again
Take my hand, dance with me

I want to spend my lifetime loving you
If that is all in life I ever do
I will want nothing else to see me through
If I could spend my lifetime loving you

Though we know we will never come again
When there is love, life begins
Over and over again

Save the night, save the day
Save your love, come what may
Love is worth everything we pay

I want to spend my lifetime loving you
If that is all in life I ever do
I want to spend my lifetime loving you
If that is all in life I ever do
I will want nothing else to see me through
If I can spend my life time loving you
Hope you liked it ..

Kiran

I Won’t Love Like a Fool…

What a wonderful creation … Its about love and breakups.

The comeback for the beautiful Beak Ji Yeoung after facing “near-extinction-experience” back in 2001.. Anyways hope you find the video good…

This is a part of the series with the best of Korean Music (personal opinion).

You can find the other posts here

Hope you enjoy them..

Update: (16th November 2008)

Here is the translation of the song..

Source: http://forums.boajjang.com/index.php?showtopic=87541

백지영 (Baek Ji Yeong) – 사랑 안해 (I Won’t Love)

그럴려고 그랬어 돌아가려고
I was going to go do it
너의 차가움엔 그래 다 이유 있었던거야
To return to your cold self, and there were reasons there too
나를 만지는 너의 손길 없어진 이제야 깨닫게 되었어
Your fingers that touched me became gone, I’ve come to understand
내맘 떠나간 것을…
That you have left my heart
설마 하는 그런 미련 때문에 그래도 나는 나를 위로해
Surely, because of this affection I have for you, I try to help myself
나 이제 이러는 내가 더 가여워 이제라도 널 지울꺼야 기억의 모두를
Now, I have become more pitiful, it’s time to erase you and all the memories

이제 다시 사랑안해 말하는 난 너와 같은 사람
Now, I won’t love again, What I’m saying is that,
다신 만날 수가 없어서 사랑할수 없어서
Because I can’t meet another person like you, I can’t love
바보처럼 사랑안해 말하는 넌 사랑한단
Like an idiot, I won’t love, You were the one who said “I Love You”
나를 잊길 바래 나를 지워줘
Please forget and erase me

바보처럼 몰랐어 너의 두사람
Like an idiot, I didn’t know that you were a couple
아직 기억하려던 그건 그래 다 욕심이야
As memory that hasn’t been placed, I knew everything was all greed
다짐했건만 매일 아침 눈을 떠 지나간 너에게 기도해
Because I can only reassure, Everyday, after I open my eyes, I pray for you
나를 잊진 말라고…
Please don’t forget me
제발 지금 내가 바라는 하나 내 얘기 너무 쉽게 하진마
Please, the only one thing that I want is for you to not speak so easily
차라리 나를 모른다고 말해줘
Maybe, its better to just say that you don’t know me
시간지나 알게 될거야 내 사랑의 가치를
As time passes, you’ll know the value of my love

이제 다시 사랑안해 말하는 난 너와 같은 사람
Now, I won’t love again, What I’m saying is that,
다신 만날 수가 없어서 사랑할수 없어서
Because I can’t meet another person like you, I can’t love
바보처럼 사랑안해 말하는 넌 사랑한단
Like an idiot, I won’t love, You were the one who said “I Love You”
나를 잊길 바래 나를 지워줘
Please forget and erase me

내가 없는 내가 아닌 그 자리에 사랑 채우진마(지우진마)
Without me, don’t love another who isn’t me
혹시 만날 수가 있다면 사랑할수 있다면
If I’m able to meet you, If I’m able to love you
아프잖아 사랑한 널 지켜보며
It’s going to be painful, and while I protect you, the one I love
사랑한단 그 말 한마디를 하진 못해서
“I Love You” was the one thing that I wasn’t able to say

Kiran

Music – The Enchantress (II)

Hey there

This is the second post in the series aimed at introducing my favorite Korean music to all my friends outside Korea.. The main motivation behind this was that I believe that there is a very little chance of you guys getting to know these songs otherwise… 🙂

The following enlists the songs so far:

1. Sarang Heyo – A Millionaire’s First Love (사랑해요 – 백만장자의 첫사랑)

2. Cry – Lee Sung Cheol (소리쳐 – 이승철)

Hope you liked this one as well…

Kiran

Music Transcends Cultures: Asia Song Festival 2008

I am writing this post with my heart still ringing to the beats of the 5th Asia Song Festival which was held at the World Cup Stadium, Seoul on 4th October 2008 1800 – 2200 Hours. For the uninformed, Asia Song Festival, is the biggest Asia Level concert with all the greatest singers and bands from all over Asia comes under one umbrella. This aims at providing the spectators with a magnificent fusion of light effects and music. The performers are recepients of the Best Asian Artist Award in the recent years. The audience this year was about 50 000 with participation seen from a variety of societal standings ranging form middle school students to certain ministers of Korea. The special guest list also included the most popular fashion designer in Korea. Along with these big people (who sat in VIP seats right next to the stage) even foreigners (non residents) who were in Korea were each allowed a VIP pass themselves.

This was the first time I was attending a concert of such a huge scale.. The performers this year came from the following countries: Korea, Japan, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia. They provided 4 full hours of wonderful entertainment to the audience. The theme this year was “Asia is One” and I guess the organizers and the artists tried to convey it in its complete sense. For me, this was a wonderful chance to meet the most famous singers from various countries across Asia and the taste their music in person.

Here are some snaps to know what I am talking about … Apologies for the quality, since I dont have a sufficiently powerful lens.. yet..

After the concert.. One thing left me thinking .. Music does transcend regions and cultures…

PS1: The concert was “FREE for all” for the entire 50 000 in the audience. Roughly 4000 people flew from around the world to take part in the concert (There were many westerners as well) . Even the VIP seats (where one could sit near the ministers, and VIPs were given out for free to foreigners and some Koreans). I could not help but wonder about the generosity of the sponsors who would have had to pay all the artists, stage and other huge expenses involved.

PS2: And yeah.. There were absolutely NO metal detectors or Frisks anywhere on my way to my seat, 4th row from the front… Man the Koreans do trust everyone as much as they trust their own country men.. I am constantly impressed by how much they emphasize on mutual trust and respect. I am sure that something like this wont be safe to be implemented in similar situations, at countless other places in this same world… One main reason I love this country and countrymen..

PS3: There were no misbehaviors from anyone in the crowd, except two guys who tried to create my-country-your-country feelings with certain levels of misbehaviors, which was against the “Asia is ONE (country)” motto of the ASF 2008, and were immediately suppressed.

Music – The Enchantress

Hey,

This post is for all the music lovers out there. Especially if you are someone who likes to simply melt into soft, melodious and enchanting music, the ones those just lifts you off your environment and off this world and takes you to that magical place where there are nothing but placidity and happiness.

Ok now.. drama apart.. I will come to the main purpose of this post. Music has no language and its universal. consisting of just melody and rhythm (courtesy Violin Vasu sir, Music Appreciation, Spring 2007, IIIT Hyderabad 🙂 ..)

Well, since I am here in Korea, I happen to listen to a plethora of Korean music, thanks to my Korean friends who are simply more than eager to “force” korean music into me 🙂 .. But it turns out that Koreans do make some of the most melodious music in the world .. Must say that I am impressed..

Hence beginning with this post, occasionally i would write on some of the best.. Yes.. I wont include all the good ones (since that would be a lot).. only a few best personally handpicked music, which are my favorites of course. I hope you wont be disappointed with my selection. As a forerunner, I would also put up some information on the background of the particular song.

As the maiden post in this category, let me introduce you to a song titled “SarangHaeyo” (meaning I love you) from the movie “A Millionaire’s First Love” (For Koreans reading this post : 사랑해요 – 백만장자의 첫사랑)..

Introduction (Source Wikipedia)

“Kang Jae-kyung is your typical spoiled rich kid; he’s arrogant, drives sporty cars, attends the big clubs, rides through school corridors on his motorcycle and – wait, that’s not typical at all is it? As his 18th birthday approaches he’s set to inherit his grandfather’s fortune, but that comes with a price. Jae-kyung is going to have to earn his fortune. His grandfather lays down an ultimatum; Jae-kyung is required to transfer to a new school in Gangwondo and graduate. Until then all access to his penthouse, cottage and credit cards is denied. Should he fail to graduate or drop out then he loses everything. With little choice he heads out to the countryside and a small town in which daily life is far removed from what he’s used to.

Shortly after settling into his new home he meets 19 year-old Choi Eun-whan, who just happened to run into him back in Seoul. They don’t exactly hit it off; he’s far too stubborn and cool for school, while she sees hope for him and sets out to make him see it for himself. As they eventually draw closer, thanks to a set of coincidences and school projects they learn more about one another, but soon a shattering revelation will change these people forever.”

Here goes the first song in the first post in a possibly a musical 😉 series of posts

Hope you enjoyed it,

Adios,

Kiran

A Movie So Phenomenal…

The visual media does have the power to move one’s mind.. I mean, honestly for the good and for the bad as well. A lot have we heard about little innocent kids enacting whats shown in the movie and endangering themselves, the freakishly significant but slow influence on an adult human mind due to the repetition of ads in TV etc. On the other hand, the visual media is also used to convey great thoughts and ideas as well, and i dont need to site any examples here to prove that.

Arguably, one of the strongest contender in the influence on us is movies and i want to dedicate this post to one of the best and touching-the-heart movies I have ever seen. The director and the artists seem so original, and I dont mean just the lead role. Every actor in the movie, whether the antagonists or the protagonists or the preys or the predators, portrayed their characters with stupendous elegance which made this movie stand 6th in the top 250 list on the Internet Movie Data Base (www.imdb.com). This movie portrays the story between the Jews and Hitler and is directed by none other than Steven Spielberg. Yes my dear readers, as many of you might have correctly guessed, the movie is Schindler’s List (1993).

Its a long movie (195 minutes) and though released in 1993, the movie is in black and white (what a wonderful thought from the makers) to give the movie its original feeling. It describes the acts of the Nazi and its affiliates to achieve the wipe-out of the Jews from Germany. The movie comes with an eye catchy tag line ” Whoever saves one life, saves the world entire”. The story revolves on a greedy and vain rich man named Oscar Schindler who tries to exploit the Jews during the 2nd world war period to earn fame and riches (just like anyone else would do.. 😛 ..) and his transformation from this despicable human being to literally a God among the Schindler Jews (as they chose to be called to honor this great man). The movie portrays the transformation from this hugry for money character into some one who saved about 1100 Jews from being gassed at the Auschwitz concentration camp, sacrificing all his riches. The movies shows that however bad we might be, at some point of time, there is an innate goodness in all of us. Somewhere hidden inside the depths of our heart, we have this humaneness which boils down to make us all a part of a fraternity christened as humans.

I wont write more about that movie here, since my intention here was to recommend this out of the world classic to you. If you get a chance to see it, please watch this movie and I am sure that you would agree with my opinion. The movie was made immortal with the music of John Williams (the same individual who composed music for Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, Star Wars, ET, Superman as well as 4 Olympics) and the one of the best violinist the world has ever seen, Itzhak Perlman (who hasn’t been able to walk since he was four, since he had contracted polio) . Watch the duo live in action below in the youtube video.. The adjective “Marvelous” would not do justice to the composition. It would just be an understatement. .

As a concluding remark, you will never regret spending three hours of your life for this movie.. Its simply splendid..

iRiver Clix Generation 2

I have been wanting to buy an MP3 for a long time. In fact i never owned one in my life so far. The closest that i owned to a portable music player was a CD Man. But obviously, it was too bulky to be carried around and also really inconvenient to handle. As anyone would, i thought of an ipod nano Generation 3, the one in the pic below (4GB version costing $160).

But i did not want to go ahead and buy it without doing much research as i wanted it to be a long term commitment. I aimed to buy a mp3 cum movie player with as many additional features as possible. Since I am in korea and mp3s are really popular here (99% of the korean youths have one) i decided to look into some of the domestic brands too. Upon doing a li’l bit of research i came across something really impressive, called iRiver Clix 2nd Generation. I was really impressed by the features and the cost, that i gave a serious consideration to this model too. After discussing with so many iriver owners, i decided to go for this model and not the ipod nano.

The specifications for the clix 2 are

– Design focusing on curve and slimness.
– Iriver D*click System
– Supports subscription music services
– Ultra-bright, 2.2 inch AMOLED color display
– Speedy Flash UI and Theme Skin
– Built-in digital FM tuner
– Skip-free listening
– Alarm clock
– USB 2.0 transfers

Here are some pics of the Clix 2nd Generation

Continuous Playback Time(Audio): Approx. 24 hours (MP3, 128kbps, EQ Normal, Vol 20, Display Off)
Continuous Playback Time(Video): Approx. 5 hours (AVI, 320×240@15fps, Video 384kbps, Audio 128kbps/44.1kHz
Equalizer: 7 EQ, User EQ and SRS WOW HD
Dimensions: Approx. 80.3 x 46.8 x 12.8(mm)
Weight: Approx. 55g

File Types: MPEG 1/2/2.5 Layer 3, WMA, ASF, WMV9 SP, MPEG-4 SP, Macromedia Flash Lite 2.1, TXT, non-progressive JPEG
Bit Rate: MP3, WMA : 8Kbps ~ 320Kbps / OGG : Up to Q10
Tag: ID3 V1 Tag, ID3 V2 2.0, ID3 V2 3.0, ID3 V2 4.0 (Supports album art)
Display: 2.2″ AMOLED (262K Color, 320×240)
Power Supply: Internal Li-poly rechargeable Battery

As you can see the clix 2 is visually very appealing and it has much more features than the ipod. Its relly thin and light weight. And very very robust to the core. You can see a youtube video introducing clix 2nd Generation, below.

I am personally not against the ipod as such but all what i wish to convey here is that ipod may no longer be the monopoly in the mp3 market. As a clix user, trust me, you might want to consider it a strong contender for the mp3 you might wanna buy in the future. The 4GB version of iriver clix 2nd generation costs the same as the 4GB versionof apple ipod nano 3rd generation, $160, only that the former comes loaded with much more features in comparison.

Adios,

Kiran

Insight into popular Korean Music

Hi,

It has been a while since I posted something on my blog.. Actually I have been pretty tied up lately.. In the meanwhile I thought that I would list some popular Korean Songs for you. I know many ppl who like the famous movie “My Sassy Girl” (The Korean version with English Subtitles released in 2001) and have watched it myself couple of years ago when I had not idea what so ever that I would land up in the same Korea after graduation 🙂 .. So for those interested in knowing more about modern Korean music, I believe the following videos would be a starting point thought it might also be a very incomplete summary due to the just one month old “knowledge” of mine. 😀

When you hear about Korean Music, you should expect something called K-pop which stands for Korean pop(ular) music and consists mainly of bubblegum pop and not at all “metal”ic or “rock”ish..

Thesedays Koreans are ga-ga over a song called “Tell Me” by the most popular girl band called wondergirls.
The “Tell Me” music video is displayed found below:

A slow song called “Must Say Good Bye” is below:

Check this music out.. Very popular and you_know_… 😛 .. Its called the “Anyclub”.. Wherever you go, there will be at least one person playing this song on his/her mp3 or ipod

One thing said or unsaid 😀 Korean Girls look pretty cute 😀 .. The girl Hyori Lee who’s in the video above is pretty popular. You can see another video of her’s below:

Check out “Kiss”.. Pretty good music and something slower and more melodious

“I Believe” by Su Young Lee is below… This one too is very melodious..

There is another Korean band called Se7en (I guess the name is copied from the Hollywood thriller Se7en starring Brad Pitt), and their composition called “Passion: is below

I guess Se7en to Korea is like Backstreet Boys or Boyzone to the West.

Another one of their pretty nice composition is below:

I guess thats pretty much for the starters of my intention.. to introduce some Korean music to you guys 🙂

Keep Rocking,
Kiran

Emraan Hashmi’s Gangster and Cheonggyecheon Stream

Hi,

Before reading this post.. please see my last photographic post first… You can click here to read it

One of my friends Divya K. who is a co-Keralite and my friend from 10th Standard pointed out an interesting fact.. So thought that i would share it with you all.. In my last post i had mentioned about Cheonggyecheon stream rt? Actually the following two pics are of the very same place where the leading hero and heroine of Gangster movie sits on rocks in a song in the movie..

Picture 1 of the stream

and

Picture 2 of the stream

For seeing the song, you can watch this youtube video of the song : “Tu Hi Meri Shab Hai”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BklekKJPjlI

Thanks divya for your keen observation.. 🙂

Bbye,
Kiran