Mikeru On Korean Music Today

Last year Big Bang teamed up with LG Cyon to promote the sweet Lollipop phone. Now they return with Lollipop 2 as the full sequel track has been released!

The previous Lollipop campaign was a definite success for the boys and helped ease in their sister group 2NE1, who also benefited greatly from the advertisement.

2NE1 may not be here to add their feminine touch but Big Bang still keeps the energy alive with their cute outfits and vibrant colors. Former 1TYM leader Teddy produced the song and with the help of G-Dragon and T.O.P., they composed and wrote the song together.

With the early ending of their previous 6th album promotions after member DJ Tukutz had to go to the army and also get married, group Epik High will be back next month.

According to their company, they will be releasing a new album ‘Epilogue’ in early March. It will be their new album after their 6th album released last September.

Tablo recently wrote on their official homepage, “The recording for ‘Epilogue’ is completed, we will be starting on mixing. And we are designing on the album jacket.” and it has been known that the album is 90% done in productions.

And a company official also revealed, “The members are in the last lap of their promotions, and have been staying in the recording room.”


With DJ Tukutz in the army, Epik High will be back as a duo with members Tablo and Mithra.

Korean-African American pop star Amerie and K-pop idol 4minute released their collaborative single "Heard 'em All" on Thursday.

Universal Music Group said the new song, available online, will also be featured in the special Korean edition of Amerie's latest album "In Love & War."

The two artists as well as Korean boy band Beast rapper Jun-hyung, brought together by a strategic alliance between global record company Universal Music Group and Play Cube, had finished recorded the song early this month.

Amerie is scheduled to make a visit to Korea in March to promote her special edition record.

The U.S. singer, also a songwriter and producer, made her debut in 2002 with her first full-length album "All I Have."

Five-member girl group 4minute made a splash into the Korean music scene with their first mini-album "Hot Issue," also the title of their debut song in 2009.

About half of the Japanese fans of the famous music group Donbangsinki/TVXQ reportedly listen to their music for two or three hours every day. Japan's major music web store HMV surveyed 3,846 users before releasing Dongbangsinki's first best-of album 'Best Selection 2010' and found that forty-nine percent of the people surveyed spend two to three hours listening to their music every single day.

The enthusiasts, who listen to their music for over 10 hours per day, consisted of five percent of those surveyed. Seventy-two percent of the respondents said that they have never visited S. Korea since becoming fans of Dongbangsinki. Meanwhile, twenty-two percent of those surveyed said they visited S. Korea one to three times, and one enthusiastic fan of Dongbangsinki has visited S. Korea forty times now.

The respondents answered the question 'How long have you been a fan of Dongbangsinki?' as follows. Seven percent, twelve percent, twenty-one percent, twenty-nine percent, and thirty-one percent of the respondents replied "since their debut in Korea," "since their debut in Japan," "three years," "two years," and "one year," respectively. The results show that the group is becoming more popular lately.

They answered the reason they like Dongbangsinki as follows: "teamwork" for thirty-seven percent, "outstanding singing ability" for twenty-four percent, "the group members' personalities" for sixteen percent, "their performances" for eight percent, and "their appearance" for one percent.

Female Korean idol group, 4minute has recently officially decided to make their music debut in Japan. They are quickly gaining interest from people in the music industry.

Universal Music Group Japan, which includes Big Bang and Supernova, established 4minute's official site, calling them Asia's strongest girl group and declaring their embarking on Japan, and made clear their Japanese album release, live schedule and extensive PR campaign.

They've also been declared the first Korean group to debut in Japan with members all born in the 90s, and the group's name has been explained to mean that they can captivate the fascination of all people in under 4 minutes.

Also, Western music magazine, Billboard, has praised the gir that "4minute is a group with the ability to be a huge success in the global market"

Amidst the girlgroup So Nyeo Shi Dae’s domination in the Kpop circle, the comeback of group KARA will spark off some competition between the girlgroups once more.

On SBS Inkigayo aired on 21st February, the So Nyeo Shi Dae girls showed a 180 degrees transformation for their ‘Show Show Show’ performance. They had performed the song before their performance of title song ‘Oh!’ on the show that day.

As can be seen in the ‘Oh!’ MV, there was the appearance of the sexy ‘Black SoShi’ at the end of the MV. According to So Nyeo Shi Dae’s company, they will be ending their ‘Oh!’ promotions in early March, and move on with the concept of ‘Black SoShi’.

And it has been known that the MV filming for their followup hit song has completed on 18th February.

Meanwhile, So Nyeo Shi Dae has won the Mutizen award on SBS Inkigayo for the 2nd week through.

T-ara’s really gaining momentum with their “evil seduction” concept, and it looks like they’re just going to keep heating things up: the full track of I Go Crazy Because of You has been released!

As the MV teasers suggested, this track has an electropop style with an upbeat tempo and fun, sexy melody arguably reminiscent of Britney Spears‘ style, click here to listen!

T-ara’s I’m Really Hurt has also been revealed, and it’s got the whole package – catchy tune, great lyrics & impressive vocals!
listen here!