Thursday, November 27, 2008

Just in Time!


One of my favorite Japanese artists just released a Christmas mini-album. Bonnie Pink is a Japanese singer who has made a name for herself by being original and having a jazz influenced sound to her music. She also writes her own music; which is pretty rare for mainstream Japanese musicians. I am a sucker for Christmas music and am the leader in a few forum threads for Asian Christmas music. So, I have already reviewed this album despite it being released on the 26th. The title track, Chain, is a lovely song and easily the strongest song on the album. The rest of the tracks are traditional Christmas song with the typical Bonnie jazz/pop twist to them. Check this little gem out if you have a chance. At least her English pronunciation doesn't drive me up the wall like others!

Track Listing:
1: Chain
2: Wonderful Christmastime
3: I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Clause
4: Let It Snow
5: CHAIN 乣The Birth Cry乣
6: The Christmas Song

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

...



I couldn't think of a title for this entry. I am very saddened and humbled by the news of the attacks on Mumbai today. A group of militants have attacked locations all through out the major city of India, for unknown reasons (at this time.) They have specifically targeted places around Mumbai that are tourist favorites and purposefully gathered foreigners using their passports as identification. The group attacked a train station, two high-end hotels and a restaurant that is a well known tourist destination. They rounded up Americans and Britains and held them hostage in different areas of the city. News is still breaking about the situation so I don't know all the details. The number of people wounded and killed are still rising so I don't know what to say there, it's in the hundreds already. I find it disheartening that this is still going on, but I realize the nature of society and that this is a part of life. It is unfortunate, and sad, but there can only be peace if everyone in the world is willing, and that is a hard concept to get everyone to agree on. I am going to keep myself informed on the situation, and I will keep the people of India, and the visitors involved in my thoughts. I know they will never read this, but I would like to say that I respect the police officers and officials of Mumbai for dealing with this as best that they could. I hope that in the future they will have the ability to stop things like this from happening in the first place. For more up-to-the-minute coverage do what I do and check out msnbc.com.

A welcome change.

The Korean Fair Trade Commission just issued an ultimatum to several Korean entertainment companies: change or be changed. The so-called "slavery contracts" that many Korean entertainers are bound to. I've always felt that the companies have too much control over the people that they are in charge of. I think they forget they aren't just money makers and are living, breathing beings who have feelings, lives, families and ideas that are different than that of the company. Among the companies involved are SME, JYPE, and M.net. A large portion of the biggest acts are under these labels. I hope that these new rules reduce the invasion of privacy that the entertainers are subjected to. I also hope it allows them to have a little freedom, and even a little less stress. I give big kudos to the Korean Fair Trade Commission for this.

Another one bites the dust...


I have a feeling I will hate this one. Gore Verbinski is going to produce the remake of The Host. It is actually in my top...40? 30? I've seen SO many movies, but it's really one of my favorite Korean movies and I try to show it to people when I can. My friend Sheri thought it was sad, but I felt the acting was superb and the story line was very believable and fairly reasonable for a horror movie. It will be pretty low on my check list.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

BoA is coming! BoA is coming!

BoA is a powerhouse of Korean entertainment. I saw her CD; ID; Peace B forever ago at a small Korean Hello Kitty store in Minnesota and bought it out of curiosity and I have been a fan of hers ever since. I've backed off the intensity for awhile, but I've always gotten her albums and listen to her when I'm feeling stressed or particularly nostalgic. She is in the middle of her American release. Her single has done well on the digital music charts and is in the process of adding a cd single release with re-mixes and a guest appearance by Flo Rida. The full-length album is slated for release in early 2009 with the name Look Who's Talking. I wish her the best, and I will do what I can to support her efforts. Just like I do with any artist who tries to come over to the other side. Haha. I hear that Utada is trying again after her flop a couple years ago. If they both stay true to their current style and fan base, I feel they can be very successful.



Watch BoA - Eat You Up (Korea Version) in Music Videos | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Re-Make Update:




The Korean movie "Addicted" has been renamed Possession and is staring Sarah Michelle Gellar and Lee Pace (star of Pushing Daisies.) The American re-make is slated for a January 23rd release. The actors are pretty decent, so the movie might not be too bad. I'll have to wait and see. I know that the version of My Sassy Girl has been released on DVD - I saw it at Blockbuster awhile back and ran the other direction. I don't like re-makes, they lose the original flavor of the movie. I might see it sometime though. And, the re-make of my favorite Korean horror movie A Tale of Two Sisters has had a name change as well, it's now being called "The Uninvited." Which, coincidentally is the name of another Korean horror movie. I doubt it can hold up to my favorite that has Moon Geun-Young. I love her and she just has a great innocence about her and her acting is superb. I also wrote about Sympathy for Lady Vengeance, but there is no other news on it at all. If you know of a re-make that I missed, comment and let me know. I'll keep updated as I learn about more.

On a similar note, I have plans to watch God Tussi Great Ho, a Bollywood re-envisioning/re-make of Bruce Almighty. I say re-envisioning because it has some differences and they also have traditional Bollywood musical numbers in it too. But, in the end, it's just a re-make. I'm curious to see it though. I'm pretty sure that Morgan Freeman does a better job at playing God than Amitabh Bachchan, but I will report on that later in a review.

Gackt's New Single!

I was very excited to find that Gackt had a new single coming out. The title of it is "Jesus" and it is basically a man praying for help from Jesus to overcome his challenge. I love the return to rock, he has been leaning towards his acoustic side lately. I've uploaded it to Veoh, hopefully the link will work. If I get permission from the person's lyrics I read to use them, I will add them here. Otherwise, enjoy some fun Gackt action.


Watch Gackt - Jesus in Music Videos | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com

Here are the lyrics: (I didn't translate them, Keesaiox from YouTube did.. Thanks to her!)

傷ついた抜け殻をただ抱きしめていた
降り注ぐ雨は静かな 君の涙

Wake me up
Wake me up
Wake me up
この夢から
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
教えてくれMaria!!!

「殺して」と微笑みながら頬に触れた
見えない目に涙を溜めて消えて行く
Take me Out
Take me Out
Take me Out
この夢から
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
答えてくれ JESUS!!!

God said when you die,
Your life will pass before your own eyes.
If you want to feel it right now,
Just do it, do it, do it!

Wake me up
Wake me up
Wake me up
この夢から
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
教えてくれ

Take me Out
Take me Out
Take me Out
この夢から
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
答えてくれ JESUS!!!


==================================


kizutsuita nukegara wo tada dakishimeteita
furisosogu ame wa shizuka na kimi no namida
Wake me up
Wake me up
Wake me up
kono yume kara
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Oshietekure Maria!!!!


「koroshite...」 to hohoemi nagara hoho ni fureta
mienai me ni namida wo tamete kieteyuku
Take me Out
Take me Out
Take me Out
kono yume kara
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Kotaetekure JESUS!!!

God said when you die,
Your life will pass before your own eyes.
If you want to feel it right now,
Just do it, do it, do it!

Wake me up
Wake me up
Wake me up
kono yume kara
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Oshietekure

Take me Out
Take me Out
Take me Out
kono yume kara
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Kotaetekure JESUS!!!



===========================

Please note my Japanese is poor and this is MY interpretation of the song. It may be right, it may be wrong. Depends on how you want to read into the lyrics I guess ;_;


Tightly embracing only the empty broken shell
The pouring rain is your silent tears
Wake me up
Wake me up
Wake me up
from this dream
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Please tell me, Maria!!!!


Smiling, I touched your cheeks and said "kill me..."
Tears gathered in my blinded eyes, and then disappeared
Take me Out
Take me Out
Take me Out
from this dream
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Answer me, JESUS!!!

God said when you die,
Your life will pass before your own eyes.
If you want to feel it right now,
Just do it, do it, do it!

Wake me up
Wake me up
Wake me up
from this dream
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Please tell me

Take me Out
Take me Out
Take me Out
from this dream
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Real or dream?
Answer me, JESUS!!!