What's New in the World of Kpop

Korean pop music is an explosively popular genre of pop music with fans all of the world and Youtube videos that rack up millions of views. And with extreme popularity comes rapid change and many rising stars. Its hard to keep up with all the craziness of the Kpop world but every once in a while I like to check in with some of my favorite artists, and check out some new ones, just to see what’s new in all that is Korean pop music. And with this awesome genre there is never a dull moment. 

For example, popular and successful producer Crush announced that he will be making his own debut with his first single. The producer has helped many artists rise to fame throughout his career, but on April 2nd it’s his turn to test himself as not a producer but an artist himself. His talent has already been recognized through several successful collaborations with artists such as Gary and LOCO, but this will be his very first try at a solo career. So good luck to him and based off of what I have heard, I have no doubts that he will make it as a musician. 

Speaking of collaborations, Chunji from TEEN TOP will be teaming up with the all-girl group TINT for their next track “Wolves Don’t Know”. The song describes the challenges some girls face when dealing with a guy that they feel doesn’t understand their perspective or where they are coming from, using the concept of Little Red Riding Hood as a central theme. To complete the masterpiece and act as the guy’s perspective, they sought out the talent of Chunji. He expresses his excitement about the project saying, “I am joyful to be able to participate in TINT’s new song and I hope the song receives a lot of love.” 

The day that fans have long awaited is here! After four years of waiting, singer Jo Sung Mo is finally making his comeback with the release of a brand new album, appropriately titled, “Wind of Change”. The album is amazing right from the first track, which remembers back to one’s first love. Creatively titled, “Una Ya”, the song can have multiple meanings. It could be referring to a woman’s name or, if directly translated in Korean, it could mean “you are me.” The upbeat and beautiful album presents the perfect comeback, so I encourage you to take a listen to this talented artist’s work!

Click below to listen to a sample of the girls' group TINT with their track titled "Love at First Sight"

The Rich History Behind the Chinese New Year

While we celebrated the arrival of the new year on January 1st, preparations for the Chinese New Year are just beginning! The date of the New Year changes from year to year because it is based off of their Lunar Calendar, and this year the eagerly awaited holiday falls on January 31st. 

Out of the countless Chinese festivals and holidays, this is by far the most celebrated and cherished one. It is a time dedicated to honoring the household, remembering ancestors, and relaxing and celebrating with friends and family. And people really know how to get in the spirit, with celebrations beginning the evening before and lasting up to fifteen days after- sign me up! 

Like with most Chinese holidays, the Chinese New Year is a cultural event filled with rich history and tradition. There is deep legend and mythology behind the beginning of the national public holiday involving a mythical creature the ancient villagers referred to as "Nian". The stories say that this creature would reek havoc through the villages on the first day of every New Year- attacking people and eating livestock and crops. In order to protect themselves from Nian, the villagers began leaving food on their doorsteps each New Year's Eve, in hopes that the distraction of food would prevent further attack to their people. 

To learn more about the cultural and diversity taught at Fujimini Island, please click here.

The significance of the color red during the New Year also stems from this same legend of Nian. After the beast was scared away by a child wearing red, the villagers concluded that he was fearful of that color. So from then on, in addition to putting food offerings on their porches, the people would also hang red lanterns and red scrolls on all their windows and doors to ward Nian off. It was only after this act that the ancient creature never again returned to cause harm to the villages and people.