Song of the Week: Rise Up - F.Cuz

This week we're focusing on a song that I really, really, REALLY love - and I mean that.  Seriously.  It's called Rise Up by K-pop boy band F.Cuz (what a name - I mean, I know it's supposed to equate to "focus", but it really doesn't, at least not in my mind).  Anywho, this group is not really one of my favorites, but there are a couple of their songs that I really like, with this being one of them (obviously).

I don't know much of anything about this group, except that they debuted pretty recently (last year I think) and not too long ago they went through a member shifting issue (I don't know what happened, I just know they started with four members, and now they have five).  If you want to know more, google it.

Anywho, below are the lyrics*:

Somebody hands up
Jump high to the sky
Nobody rise up
Oh, rough winds, blow

New one
Better than yesterday
Winds, blow

Call out my name
Put away that sad expression
I will sing for you, I'll never let you go
Believe in my words again
Go crazy once more
When you hold my hand, oh, come into my world

Somebody hands up
Jump high to the sky
Nobody rise up
Oh, rough winds, blow

I'll make it, make it shine

Oh, oh, I wanna, oh, I wanna shout it out

Oh, oh, I wanna, oh, I wanna rise up

Oh, oh, I wanna, oh, I wanna shout it out

Oh, oh, I wanna, oh, I wanna rise up

You make me rise up again

You light up the fire in my dark heart

A milestone that held onto me, who was wandering and lost

Don't worry, here I am, don't worry, say my name

Now I will protect you, I will dance for you

Don't pretend not to know

I am beating inside of you

Get up, now get up, I'll never break it up

Believe in my words again
Go crazy once more
When you look me in the eyes again, oh, come into my world

Somebody hands up
Jump high to the sky
Nobody rise up
Oh, rough winds, blow

I'll make it, make it shine

Oh, oh, I wanna, oh, I wanna shout it out

Oh, oh, I wanna, oh, I wanna rise up

Oh, oh, I wanna, oh, I wanna shout it out

Oh, oh, I wanna, oh, I wanna rise up

Somebody hands up

The sun rises again

Nobody rise up
Oh, rough winds, blow

I'll make it, make it shine

Oh, oh, I wanna, oh, I wanna shout it out

Oh, oh, I wanna, oh, I wanna rise up

Oh, oh, I wanna, oh, I wanna shout it out

Oh, oh, I wanna, oh, I wanna rise up

So pretty much, although it might not seem like it from just reading the lyrics, this song is pure awesome.  The techno beat, the awesome autotune that's only there just enough to be cool, the totally danceable melody...  Yah, I love this song.  I don't have much else to say, except that there is no music video, and I don't care.  I mean, if they did do a music video for this song it would be just as awesome as the song is, I'm sure, but I don't necessarily think it needs a music video.  It's just fine the way it is.

Anyways, enough of my talking.  If you like techno music, if you like pop, if you like to dance (especially if you like to dance - like me!), you will probably love this song.  You just gotta look it up and see...er, hear...for yourself.

*Translation may not be 100% accurate.  Don't fault me; I don't speak Korean.

Translation credited to pop!gasa

Soundtrack Spotlight: Finding Mr. Destiny (aka Looking for Mr. Kim Jong Wook) (2010)

A/N: Yay for trying new things.  This segment is pretty much gonna be me talking about a particular movie or drama and it's soundtrack, whether that be score, insert songs, opening themes, closing themes, what have you.  Other than that, these should be pretty short, sweet, and to the point.


Seo Ji Woo is a disheveled theater director who can't seem to forget her first love, a man she can barely remember.  Her father, whose lifelong priority is to see Ji Woo get married, drags her by the ear (figuratively) into the office of a company that specializes in tracking down first loves.  The man who runs this company, Han Gi Joon, is a fastidious man whose number one focus in life is cleanliness and order.  After some cajoling from her father, Ji Woo finally agrees to let Gi Joon try and find her first love.  There's only one problem: she can only remember his name, Kim Jong Wook.  Throughout the process, Ji Woo insists Gi Joon should not continue with the search, as she really is not interested in finding her first love.  But being who he is, Gi Joon in turn insists that he must complete the task, since she is his first client and it is important that he finish what he was hired to do.

So starting off this segment is one of my favorite movies of all time, for many reasons.  This is also going to be a very short segment because I really only have one thing I want to talk about.  The music in this movie is good - the score does a good job of enhancing the mood of each scene, whether that be sentimental romanticism or goofy comedy.  It's nothing too amazing, but it does its job well.

Aside from that, there is an aspect to the music in this movie that is unique (that is, it's not altogether unusual or all that rare, but it's still rather different), and that is the musical that is featured here.  As mentioned above, Ji Woo is a theater director, and what would a theater director be without some theater to direct?  That's one thing about this movie that I really like: while it does play a large role in the latter third of the movie, the musical is only described enough that we really get a sense of how important it is to everyone involved.  Through the course of the movie, only one song from the musical is ever heard or sung in its entirety, a song called Destiny Midnight, which is really cool in its own right.  It's a big Broadway style musical number with a really cool melody and interesting choreography.  I'd recommend looking that up just on its own, it's that cool.

What I really want to talk about, however, is the credit song, or rather the song that plays over the credits.  People who are familiar with Gong Yoo's work (as I am a little) may already know this, but I didn't and it shocked me: he's an excellent singer.  If he wanted to, he could have his own music career (personally, though, I'm glad he chose acting as his main career).  But really, the song that he sings over the ending credits is one of my favorite songs ever (off of a movie soundtrack, that is).  It's called Second Love and it's a really happy song.  The melody is light and bubbly and the words are really...well, they're kind of similar to a lot of other songs, but that's not the point.  The whole song is just so...happy.  It's a really bouncy song, and even if you haven't seen the movie (which you totally should, by the way - wink, wink, nudge, nudge) you really should look up this song and give it a listen.  I don't think I've seen anybody who can stay upset after listening to this song even part of the way through, and I definitely think it'll brighten up your day.  So go find it and listen to it - after you've watched the movie, of course.

Song of the Week: Most Wanted - Will Pan

All right, getting back into the swing of things.  This week I thought I'd pick back up with a song by a guy that I genuinely like as a person (there aren't TOO many of those floating around...just so you know).  That guy is Will Pan (or Wilber Pan, depending on who you ask).  This guy has a pretty extensive background in music and he's even done a fair bit of acting (see Miss No Good, Pandamen, and Endless Love, just to name a few).

But the song we're focusing on today is a song called Most Wanted from one of his most recent albums.  The song is really cool, as you will soon see, as is the music video.  But I'll get to that in a minute.
Below are the lyrics*:

The shiny black paint outlines the contours quickly
Tracking down your elusiveness, lock target and focus on operation
Decode your every movement and intercept your information current
Say say say say you love me, this program locks and gets started
I am going to be the legend of the next generation, oh

I am wanted by the top assassin's operation
When the precise opportunity is here, I implant love into your brainwaves
The operation of love assassin, I will not miss (lose)
I am the killa killa killa killa
Do not try to resist no no no
No no no no (killa killa) baby, you're my number one
No no no no (killa killa) baby, you're my number one
No no no no (killa killa) baby, you're my number one
No no no no (killa killa) baby, you're my number one

The shiny black paint outlines the contours quickly
Tracking down your elusiveness, lock target and focus on operation
Decode your every movement and intercept your information current
Say say say say you love me, this program locks and gets started
I am going to be the legend of the next generation, oh

I am wanted by the top assassin's operation
When the precise opportunity is here, I implant love into your brainwaves
The operation of love assassin, I will not miss (lose)
I am the killa killa killa killa
Do not try to resist no no no
No no no no (killa killa) baby, you're my number one
No no no no (killa killa) baby, you're my number one
No no no no (killa killa) baby, you're my number one
No no no no (killa killa) baby, you're my number one

Decode your every movement
Intercept your information current
Say say say say you love me
You are my most perfect masterpiece

I am wanted by the top assassin's operation
When the precise opportunity is here, I implant love into your brainwaves
The operation of love assassin, I will not miss (lose)
I am the killa killa killa killa
Do not try to resist no no no
No no no no (killa killa) baby, you're my number one
No no no no (killa killa) baby, you're my number one
No no no no (killa killa) baby, you're my number one
No no no no (killa killa) baby, you're my number one
No no no no (killa killa) baby, you're my number one

Okay, I know.  Right off the bat you're probably thinking one thing just looking at these lyrics: this song is REALLY repetitive.  And yes, it is repetitive.  I don't care.  It's still amazing.

But the main talking point here is really the music video.  It features a story about a psychotic dude (played by Will Pan) who's stalking a girl to the point that he says at the end of the music video that if he pretends to have killed her, THEN she can be free to go anywhere she wants and she'll be safe - because he'll be in prison where he can't get to her.  It's so freaky.  Plus the look that Will gives at the end of the video - creepy, dude, creepy.

The choreography is nothing to write home about, really.  It's pretty awesome in some places, but most of the video is focused more on the story (as it should be, I might add).  But in any case, it looks freaking amazing.  The lighting is awesome and the visual style to the dancing parts is really cool (plus Will Pan has electric blue hair in this video - yah, it's that awesome).

So on that fabulous note, I will just say that if you haven't seen this music video, you should see it, just for kicks.  The techno beats and awesome looks to it will definitely leave an impression - whether that be good or bad.  But whatever the case, for future reference, watch out for any really creepy dudes with awesome Asian hair.

P.S. I'm totally just kidding, by the way.  If I saw Will Pan on the street...  I'll just leave that to your imagination (in other words, I like him).

*Translation may not be 100% accurate.  Don't fault me; I don't speak Mandarin.
Translation credited to Oniysoshi

[OLD] Song of the Week: Darling - V6

Now this week is going to be interesting, because I understand that this band, having been popular way back in the late nineties, is still going.  I know I've said before that bands like Arashi, though they do exist, are not the norm, and yet I never cease to be surprised by the number of long-running groups like this.

The group I'm referring to is the J-pop band V6.  I've likened these guys a bit to the K-pop group Shinhwa, simply because Shinhwa has also been popular for a very long time and both groups have members of about the same age.  But I digress.

The song I'm going to discuss today is a song from about a decade ago.  This song, entitled Darling, was used as the opening theme for the 2003 drama Kimi wa Pet (aka Kimi wa Petto or Tramps Like Us).  It's quite unclear to me why they chose THIS song for THAT drama, as the lyrics have almost nothing to do with the story and the connection between the tone of the lyrics and the tone of the show is vague at best.  I guess they just wanted an upbeat opener to get people interested?  Anyways, whatever the reason, the song is quite catchy and I like it.  Below are the lyrics*:

Darling, darling, it's okay, right?
The undoable shot is turning good
Darling, darling, I don't get it
Our minds fit so well it hurts

Your coaxing last night
was a lie like aroma oil
When morning comes,
Where are you running off to?
It's no problem whether or not
We plan our next meeting
In the moments when you can't move without batteries
I'll be by your side

Drive navigating by your unwanted feelings
Today, tomorrow, and I guess the day after too
We can't see what's gonna happen

Darling, darling, it's okay, right?
The undoable shot is turning good
Darling, darling, I don't get it
Our minds fit so well it hurts
Darling, darling, be troubled
It won't click if you flounder around
Darling, darling, it won't end
I want to be hitting in reverse

More than the feeling of
Not really wanting to go home to the same place
Our feet heading towards "reality"
Are much more precious

Pull out those feelings that
Won't let you struggle onward, stay
Sun? Rain? Even the calling of a storm
Half depends on you

Darling, darling, it's okay, right?
The undoable shot is turning good
Darling, darling, I don't get it
Our minds fit so well it hurts
Darling, darling, do you know?
If you don't close your eyes, you won't be able to see
Darling, darling, it's okay
Ambiguously I want to be hot

Darling, darling, it's okay, right?
The undoable shot is turning good
Darling, darling, I don't get it
Our minds fit so well it hurts
Darling, darling, be troubled
It won't click if you flounder around
Darling, darling, it won't end
I want to be hitting in reverse

So, yah. I don't really know what to add. I don't know who wrote this, but I'd kinda appreciate it if they'd write something that actually, oh, I don't know, MAKES SENSE? I mean, I know most of the verses make sense, but aside from that, I don't really even know what this song is about, let alone what most of it means.

But, focusing on the positive, the beat of the song is really addictive and I really like the melody as well. The fact that it doesn't make sense really isn't as big of a deal to me as it would be if I could understand Japanese (if you understand Japanese and you listen to this song...I'm sorry). That being said, I guess this is one of those songs that people don't really care that it's pretty nonsensical because the beat and the actual music are pretty good.

The dance is kind of interesting to watch, being that this music video was produced back in the late nineties and you can TOTALLY tell. The style of the video, the clothes they're wearing, and the hairstyles on these guys definitely scream nineties to me - which is totally fine. This is another classic case, though, of the music video having absolutely nothing to do with the song. They aren't really even doing anything in the video except dancing and a couple of them do some cool flips and stuff. I'm guessing this is what you might call the Japanese equivalent of an American music video (except this is way cooler).

Anyway, while this song might be an oldie (at least it's old to me), it's definitely a goodie, and I'd totally recommend it to anybody that's a fan of pop or dance music. It's a total classic from a very interesting band of longstanding fame. Go ahead and check it out if you're so inclined. And if you aren't, well, that's okay. Not everybody can be cool.

*Translation may not be 100% accurate. Don't fault me; I don't speak Japanese.
Translation credited to ryuuen

[OLD] Song of the Week: D-Day - History

This week is a group that just debuted about five months ago.  That's right, I'm talking about the K-pop boy band History.  I know pretty much nothing about this group, aside from when they debuted (and that their first music video was awesome!), but I have nothing negative to say about them thus far.  Good voices, nice looks, awesome music...

There I go again getting ahead of myself.  The song I'm focusing on this week is actually not this group's debut music video (though I also love that song).  The song I chose is a lesser known song called D-Day.  It's really cool, but I'm not gonna get too far ahead of myself.  Below are the lyrics*:

I prayed every day as I looked into your eyes
That I would get to live by your side, that I want to protect you
Every night I looked through my heart
And thought about it many times
Why is my heart pounding?
My answer was you

From today on I won't call you by "you" (I won't)
From now on I will call you "love" (I will love you)
I won't say much, but I'll show you from one to ten
It's from today, you and I have started anew

Last night I wrote you a letter and prepared a gift all night
I prepared it for you
I'm already worried
What face should I be making?
I wear the best clothes I have
I look in the mirror again and again and fix myself up (fix myself up)
After finishing all preparations
I run toward you

From today on I won't call you by "you" (I won't)
From now on I will call you "love" (I will love you)
I won't say much, but I'll show you from one to ten
It's from today, you and I have started anew

Yeah, from some point my eyes keep drawing you out

Turn your ears to my heart, your name keeps flowing from my lips

Your bright face and a silhouette, so shining sun

No one could have crossed our line of destiny

Now I walk on this path with you

Smile at me so everyone can see

I will always be where your eyes can see

There's no need for words, I'll give you everything now

The times we spent together

Were so comfortable for me (comfortable)

As if time stopped

As if this place stopped

I will honestly confess to you

The moment I first saw you I stopped in place (stopped)

I'll tell you again, I already wanted you from then on (I only wanted you)

From today on I will make you my girl

I love you, you and I, we've already begun

Time goes by, I will stay by your side

Looking back everything was meaningless

Wherever you are, wherever that is

I will walk, I will walk again, you never know

Don't pass me by, wherever you are

Even if it's the end, it will always be timeless

Even if time will stop soon

Open your heart, open me up more, you better know

Yay, another really romantic, REALLY cheesy song.  Go, me.  But you know what?  I don't care.  This song is awesome for the melody, if not for the lyrics.  The type of heavy, slower beat that this has is really cool, I think (and hey, this is my thing, so my opinion is what we're gonna go with).  There's a fair amount of rap in this too, and a decent amount of Engrish (English that's either spoken with a very heavy accent or that doesn't really make sense, as is the case here).  I know there are a couple lines that give me the impression that the person writing this (or people; I wouldn't know) either don't speak English very well or they were just trying to make it rhyme.

I understand the rhyming thing (I suck at making things rhyme; trust me on that one), but you could try a little harder to have the words actually MAKE SENSE.  That's kinda important, especially in a song that's supposed to be heartfelt and emotional (I know, it's pretty over-dramatized, but as I've already said, I don't care).  This song does not have a music video, but I'm not entirely sure it needs one.  I'm sure they could come up with something awesome (Koreans are usually pretty good at that), but I don't think that's absolutely necessary for the enjoyment of the song.

So all in all, go look this one up.  If you like rockish type ballads or heavy beats (or both) you'll probably like this.  But don't take my word for it.  Find out for yourself.

*Translation may not be 100% accurate.  Don't fault me; I don't speak Korean.

Translation credited to Kpopfannzone

[OLD] Song of the Week: Metamorphosis - JJ Lin

This week is a song by an artist that I don't listen to much, but when I do...it's awesome.  He's been around for a while, and his music just keeps getting better.  It's JJ Lin.

The song I'm focusing in on is a bit older.  It was a music video done a few years ago for a song that is really cool.  The music video itself is really cool too, but we'll get there in a minute.

Below are the lyrics*:

He neared the balcony over water and took his inspiration at the spot
He looked and it's there
But when I am before her, it's like there's
A mountain range between us
One last letter from Shan Bo and Ying Tai
Parted mountains and emptied the ocean
The paper that expresses my love for her makes me sound
Stupid
During these several millenia, the Bible for love
Wasn't passed down from our ancestors
Darwin's expression is very troubled
The theory of evolution can't explain it

I hate the present
When a deep love is easily betrayed
I hate the ancient times
When one can only wait for fate
I hate the future
When that promise is too easily corrupted
Hurry and rewind
The ending is always equally bad

The wheels on the horse carriage drive over mountains and cliffs
All just to confess
The race car goes faster just for an earlier
Bye

I hate the present
When a deep love is easily betrayed
I hate the ancient times
When one can only wait for fate
I hate the future
When that promise is too easily corrupted
Hurry and rewind
The ending is always equally bad

After millenia of existence, love's appearance
Is changing with evolution
It appears quietly, there's no vaccine in sight
Who uses feelings to while away time?

I hate the present
When a deep love is easily betrayed
I hate the ancient times
When one can only wait for fate
I hate the future
When that promise is too easily corrupted
Hurry and rewind
The ending is always equally bad

I hate the present
I hate the ancient times
When one can only wait for fate
I hate the future
Hurry and rewind
The ending is always equally bad

This song is kinda sci-fi in its own right.  It's very interesting just reading the words, even without the melody.  The melody itself is kinda techno-punkish with a good (and I mean GOOD) beat to dance to.

Speaking of dance, this music video rocks.  JJ Lin has become known over the years for his epic dancing ability and awesome choreography in his music videos...well, the ones he does that actually warrant a dance routine (he does a lot of slow music videos).  Although this video is undoubtedly several years old, that doesn't matter.  The dancing is still amazing and the story line to the video, although a bit piecemeal, is still interesting - not to mention the chick with the spearmint green hair.

The other thing to note about this video is the awesome computer effects.  I love it when creative people get together to produce stuff like this, because they always come up with some of the most excellent computer graphics work I've ever seen.  I'm not saying this video is the MOST amazing I've ever seen (I have seen some REALLY unique stuff that was pretty awesome), but it's right up there.

So on the whole, this video continues to be one of my favorite JJ Lin songs ever, and I hope I never get tired of it.

*Translation may not be 100% accurate.  Don't fault me; I don't speak Mandarin.
Translation credited to DoReMii

[OLD] Song of the Week: Birth - KAT-TUN

This week another Japanese entry (with a group that's actually Japanese this time).  The song I'll be focusing on this week is by a group of guys that I really don't know a whole lot about, but I do know they're pretty good singers and really good dancers.  KAT-TUN is the group I speak of (pronunciation is interesting on this one; I'm told you're supposed to say it like you're saying "cartoon" with an English accent).  This group is one that I like not so much for their music, but more for their personalities.  A few years ago they had a variety show (in Japan that can mean just about anything, but trust me, this one was good) on TV wherein I got to know their personalities and temperaments fairly well.  But I digress.

Back to the song at hand.  This particular song, entitled Birth, was used as the ending theme for the 2012 drama Youkai Ningen starring KAT-TUN member Kamenashi Kazuya (Kame for short).  It's really cool as you'll soon see, and while it's not explicitly connected to the drama, the tone is similar and it fits really well.  Below are the lyrics*:

Light and shadow, the traveling rain will never come again "here"
I only try to move forward, while searching for you in an endless world

From "here" what will be waiting for us?  In which "place" is tomorrow?
In a time which will never return, I want to know the reason of my birth
Even if I'll have difficulties to understand things I believe
Doubting of things I don't know, I want to see you

There is no night without dawn, someone is waiting for you with an outstretched hand
Without me never give up, go ahead!

Light and shadow continue to go on, a painful birth
In that endless world which only falls down then stands up
I remember, I remember that I'm born to meet you
In an unknown tomorrow, I'll engrave only the sound of your voice in my chest

Nothing is healed, pain is among my belongings when I'm in a corner of that huge city
Without limit from me to a sinless you
I noticed that place isn't good since you're not in it

There are no tears that we cannot dry, I'll surely find you in the next town
The dreams that we can't believe in don't change, go ahead!

The light is overflowing on me, I wonder if there is darkness in the bottom of my heart
When someone is self-confident, his memories traveled
I heard, I heard, I see you under the same sky
Yes, believe in the life which goes on, in the miracle that leads us

The world still turns without even noticing our lives
But now I feel like believing in our encounter

Light and shadow continue to go on, a painful birth
In that endless world which only falls down then stands up
I remember, I remember that I'm born to meet you
In an unknown tomorrow, I'll engrave only the sound of your voice in my chest

And I walk

I love this song.  Personally I'm a little sad this doesn't have music video, even a "drama trailer" music video like they do with a lot of Korean drama themes.  But aside from that, this song rocks.  There's a lot of really cool electric guitar riffs in this, along with some really heavy techno beat type stuff.  When you watch the drama, it totally fits the feel of what you just watched.

The vocals for this song are pretty cool too.  This isn't the strongest I've ever heard out of KAT-TUN, but then again, they tend to focus more on individual sound than cohesive sound (I won't get into my opinion of that; they should totally focus more on their "harmony", so to speak).  At least that's what I've noticed.

Anywho, this song is awesome.  Plain and simple.  Pure awesome.  So go look it up.  Watch the drama while you're at it.  I don't think you'll be disappointed.

*Translation may not be 100% accurate.  Don't fault me; I don't speak Japanese.
Translation credited to makikawaii