Jieun is the Latest Departer from SECRET

I already thought that K-pop act SECRET were pretty much done when Sunhwa announced her departure  last year, but when TS Entertainment said the others would continue as a trio, I held on to hope. Since then, however, TS hasn't done much by way of promoting the girls with any new music or solo ventures, and with this announcement that Song Jieun, arguably the group's MAIN singer, is leaving, I just can't think of the group as anything BUT finished.

 TS Entertainment however, is still going on the record saying that SECRET hasn't disbanded yet, and have purported a new solo album from Hana (the former Zinger). Well, I'll believe that when I see it, but in the meantime, I'd much rather say goodbye to the Secret that was and focus on my bias Hyosung getting her solo career on track...
Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

Weekly Idol Hosts Stepping Down after 7 Years

Well, I've been saying that the Golden Era of K-pop for me is over for awhile now, with so many of my favorite acts disbanding or re-organizing as smaller units, and now we have the news that WEEKLY IDOL hosts Hyungdon and Deffcon (Donnie and Connie) are leaving after 7 years of idol gushing.

 I always used to say that if you really wanted to see the "real" side of a J-Pop act, you HAD to see then on the Takaki Ishibashi/Masahiro Nakai music/interview show UTABAN, and  for the world of K-Pop , that show was WEEKLY IDOL.

I an't stress how important this show was in the development of my love of so many K-pop groups, and as my many, many posts will attest, Weekly Idol as the one show I always tuned into when an act I liked came on. T-ara, Rainbow, APink, AOA, Dal Shabet, Sistar, even more recent groups like Red Velvet,  TWICE and GFriend, I wouldn't know half as much as I do about them if it wasn't for those two guys.

Girl's Day

f(x)

APink

Dal Shabet

4 Minute

Rainbow

Nine Muses

After School

Secret

TWICE

Brown Eyed Girls

AOA

Connie and Donnie’s initial  shtick was always that of two Dorky Fanboys who were absolutely THRILLED TO DEATH when they were able to “meet” some of their favorite acts for the first time, but as time went by they really became mentors of sorts to rookie groups who needed a friendly hand when promoting for the first time, and this forged great relationships between them.

Early Days geeking out to SISTAR

It was this respectful relationship that caused the fun and playful banter between them and really made the show. They got real reactions out of what could be mundane promotional interviews, and everyone always seemed like they were having a grand old time!

When Red Velvet drops by...

...things tend to get a little silly!!

The wacky challenges they created for the acts to win snacks and food were priceless- As you might know, K-pop idols are on strict diets, and it's only when they're on the show that they can eat as they please, so everyone plays with all their hearts for the prizes!

T-ara meet the Boys

Hyomin winning a Food Challenge!

TWICE: First to Pop a Corn Kernel with a Curling Iron wins!

The girls trying to place their popcorn kernels just right...

...but in the end, it's Dahyun who wins the food!

Mmmm, K-pop acts could always count on eatin' well on Weekly Idol!

APink Chows Down

I'm sure the show will continue on with new hosts, but, like Utaban, it was a show that really relied on the real affection the hosts had for the musical acts that "made" the show, and I only hope they can continue in the same tradition with others at the helm...

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

What K-Pop Acts From My Golden Era are Still Intact?

With the news of Rainbow's dissolution, I thought it was time to double check to see which (if any) of the original groups I loved from the first few years of my K-pop Fandom were still around and intact!

1. Girls' Generation

The biggest hit of them all for me was when Jessica was removed from Girls Generation. This group, while still a big favorite of mine, will NEVER be the same without her. She was just that darn important to me.

 2. f(x)

I was shocked when Sulli departed from f(x), thankfully this is one group that has managed to remain just as great as they ever were, thanks to the strengths of the remaining members Luna, Krystal, Amber and Victoria! With their latest album 4Walls reminding me just why I love K-pop so much,  at this moment, f(x) are at the top of my favorite K-pop artists!

3. APink

★★★STILL TOGETHER!!!★★★

Though technically even this group has lost a member, I didn't discover the wonder of these girls until Yookyung had already left the group, and so, for, me, APink are the lineup of  Chorong, Bomi, Naeun, Eunji, Namjoo and Hayoung, and I'm gonna call this one  "Unchanged"!!!

4. Dal Shabet

Another big blow for me as not only my bias Jiyul left the group, but my second favorite member Kaeun as well! I admit to having a hard time dealing with this loss and my fandom of Dal Shabet has never really recovered, sad to say.

5. 4Minute

Another of one my vey FIRST K-pop acts I fell in love with (I My Me Mine may be the very FIRST k-pop song I ever heard!), It's hard to believe 4Minute are gone.

But with HyunA still up and about and a Jiyoon solo project on the horizon it looks like I'll still be able to see these girls in some capacity!

6. 2NE1

I don't know WHAT YG has on his mind lately, but shame on him for letting this seemingly indestructible unit fall apart. People blame Bom for the group's status but in my opinion it was just plain old neglect. How could he just let a group this powerful fester on the sidelines?! Minzy was wise to leave when she did.

7.Kara

Kara, the group that unlocked the door to my K-pop passion. Their first few albums are still some of the best albums out there, ones that I listen to all the time. Gone, but their impact (on me) cannot be measured! Plus, I can still hear Jiyoung grooving it up in the J-pop world! That's reassuring.

 8. T-ara

★★★STILL TOGETHER!!!★★★

Unbelievably, even with all the add-on members, fired members and dropped members and a HELL of a lot of controversy, T-ara have managed to come out (so far) unscathed with ALL SIX of their ORIGINAL members intact! This is the line-up I fell in love with, the ones that did "Bo Peep Bo Peep" and "I'm Really Hurt", and it's amazing they're still together and functioning as well-oiled as ever!

 9. Rainbow

Don't feel right labeling them as disbanded when their contracts don't expire for another couple of weeks, but let's be honest, there's no real chance of anything new coming out from them soon, is there? Good luck, girls, you stuck it out as long as you could!

10. Sistar

★★★STILL TOGETHER!!!★★★

Now HERE'S something to marvel at- Sistar may be the sole group here that are not only still around and knocking the hits outta the ballpark as regular as clockwork, but they're one of the few that have NEVER had any changes done to their line-up. Hyolyn, Bora, Dasom and Soyou were the first and ONLY members of this terrific outfit!

11. Secret

Though Hyosung is my bias in Secret and I think Jiyeon is the voice that holds the group together, I just don't know if I can appreciate Secret without Sunhwa, who was and will always be the "heart" of the group. 

 12. AOA

While it's true that AOA's lineup  of Jimin, ChoA, Yuna, Mina, Seolhyun, Hyejeong and Chanmi can technically be considered "Still Together", it was their harder-rocking Musician side "AOA Black" that I first fell in love with, and with the recent departure of Drummer Youkyung, it looks like that avenue is closed for them. That's a Damn shame, the five member unit was so darn talented. But of course, their sexy, idol side was the one that won out in the end, and I guess it was the right path as they're finally getting the recognition they deserve.

13. Nine Muses

Man, what a mess this group has become. Granted, their  history of rotating members out has always led to a rather tumultuous roster, but the loss of the "heavyweights" of the group: Lee Sem, Euaerin, Eunji, HyunA, Minha and my beloved Sera have rocked this group so much that I can scarcely call the new group with their new members "Nine Muses"anymore.

14. Afterschool

Because of their silly "Graduation" system, Jooyeon and Jungah's departure from Afterschool was expected, but after that, what the heck happened? We have not heard a PEEP out of this group ever since, and it frustrates me to no end thinking that they're just SITTING on the group and letting them fade away!!!! COME ON PLEDIS!!!!

15. Brown Eyed Girls

★★★STILL TOGETHER!!!★★★

 Well, at least I can end this list on a positive note: Jea, Miryo, Narsha, and Ga-In are THE quintessential K-pop Diva act, and they've happily JUST celebrated their 10th annniversary!!!

Congrats for staying around so long, girls!!!! Hope to continue to hear from you in the future as well!!!

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

Sunhwa to leave Secret!!

Oh MAN, some bad news...this is yet ANOTHER one of my favorite k-pop groups that is losing a member! Sunhwa, whom of course was the first one I ever knew from the awesome TS Entertainment group, has decided not to renew her contract and Secret will go on as a trio...Argh, even though Hyosung is and will always be my bias, you cannot deny how perfect the group was as a quartet!
Sunhwa, you will be missed!!!

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

Autographed K-Pop Goodness in the Mail!

New K-Pop Shipment!

As you may have noticed, I haven’t been purchasing too many new K-Pop releases (still holding out for the upcoming f(x) album) but with dazzling autographed CD promotions from Mwave and Yesasia, I just HAD to get off my duff and pick up some, and I ended up getting FOUR New albums!

Hyosung "Fantasia"

First up is the awesome Hyosung and her album “Fantasia”. You may remember I had a problem with Kpopmart when I ordered her previous album “Top Secret” and I wasn’t planning on picking up her second album until I got her first. But I couldn’t pass up an autographed special from my SECRET bias, and I’m glad I did, Fantasia is great!

Rainbow INNOCENT

Seeing Black Swan Innocent here, some of you are probably saying “What, you only ordered the new Rainbow album NOW?” Yes, I apologize, I’ve been a terrible Rainnous this past year. But pick it up I finally did, and I even got the bonus POSTER along with it! I mentioned before when I got my copies of both Sunshine and Rainbow Blaxx that they had pretty illegible signatures, I’m happy to say that the signs look nice and crisp here!

AOA albums "Like A Cat" and "Heart Attack"

Of all of these CDs, I guess the one I was most excited about was getting the latest AOA Albums “Heart Attack” and “Like A Cat”…these girls have been really big faves of mine, and with the arrival of these two albums, exactly HALF of my AOA collection is autographed!
You may recall that my copies of Moya and Miniskirt were ALSO signed copies, and with a total of 8 albums in the group’s register, that makes a good 50% of ‘em personally endorsed by the girls!

My Complete AOA Collection

 AOA is one of those groups that I really enjoy ALL the songs on their albums. Usually when a group releases a new album, I’ll put the promoted single on a mix, but with AOA I always end up putting three or four of the songs, they are so STRONG, and their latest album is no exception! Like Dal Shabet, this is a group where every song sounds like it could be the single track!Really digging them right now!
Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

Oh My, Hyosung...! (Again)

 

Another great item that I initially missed was the new release from TS Entertainment Group SECRET's vocalist Hyosung, a single called "Into You". I've always really liked Hyosung's solo songs and knew I would enjoy this one-but just to be sure, Hyosung brought her "ace" out for the promotional video, showcasing her FAMOUS ample bosom throughout the clip!

Ba-BOOOOM! Yeah, they're really "all out there" and even Hyosung will be the first to admit that they're one (or two) of her greatest assets- even so far as to poke fun at herself in an episode of SNL Korea, where her top just KEPT falling out, LOL!!

Well, if you got it, why not flaunt it? It can't hurt, and even makes this terrific song even BETTER! Ahhhn, hearing her new music makes me regret that I never got her awesome album "Top Secret (after that fiasco where I paid for it but didn't get it due to shipping "problems") because I love all the songs off of that album. Maybe One Day...
Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com

Secret Shipment

  Usually Autographed CD offers come from rookie artists who are using the promotion to try and get their name out, so I was thrilled to see TS Entertainment's biggest girl group SECRET doing a signed CD push in not one but two different vendors! Well I wasted no time getting on THAT special, and just this week, my order came in! The CD box is very nice already, and when you open up the package, there on the inner cover were the four signatures, and in true celebrity fashion, all of them COMPLETELY illegible, rushed scribbling that would give any doctor a run for their money, LOL!

Just like the RAINBOW and 4MINUTE autographed CD's I'd gotten before, it was almost impossible to make out who ANY of the signers were, I'll just have to take their word for it these autographs spell out "Jiyeon", "Hyosung", "Hana" and Sunhwa", AHAHAHA!

Besides the cool autographs, the CD came with a set of beautiful postcards (and a stand you can display them in) along with a trading card and photo. I've already listened to the album online and like it a lot, especially the lead song "I'm In Love", with the girls going back to their FIERCE roots- for awhile now the girls have been pursuing a more "cutesy" concept, THIS promo reminds me of their kick-butt glory days of "Madonna"and "Magic" , sexy songs with sheer ATTITUDE! The Girls and Back!!

Posted by zdorama @ zdoramaagain.blogspot.com