Che'Nelle(シェネル)- Destiny Album Thoughts(J-pop)

1. Destiny
2. Heartburn
3. Fun
4. Fall In Love Again
5. Miracle
6. Love Sick
7. Love You Like Me
8. Outta Love feat. MINMI
9. 君がいれば 
10. Remember My Name
11. 終わらないラブソング ～Like A Love Song 

   I'm pretty disappointed that I slept on Che'Nelle for all these years. I don't where my attention was when she was releasing music in Japan. She has had a long career in worldwide but she mostly known in Japan currently. To top it all off, she's an multi racial musical artist. Destiny is her newest album to date. The album charted at number ten on the Oricon Chart while the album made the number seven spot digitally.

  If I'm to get right to the point of my thoughts on Destiny, I wasn't a huge fan of the album as a whole. I do however acknowledge that the album has a good selection of different styles of music to choose from.  Che'Nelle took the time to make Destiny feel like a Japanese record but doesn't take away from what makes her unique. Its a record that jumps from being like a Japanese drama soundtrack(track one:Destiny) to sounding like a pop record with different cultural music influences. My favorite tracks during my listen were Outta Love and Love You Like Me. Both Tracks are right in alinement with each other in the album play order, clearly making this the highlight of the album for me. Love You Like Me has a Spanish flare mixed with a beat that you hear in many Bollywood films. I was deeply intrigued by the style of the music since Japanese listeners will not be used to a sound like this. I do think that it made sense placing it on Destiny as one of the album's up beat numbers. You can instantly imagine people dancing to this track very intensely. Just going all out as the beat picks up more after each chorus. Outta Love is the second dose of music getting into your bones making you want to get up and shake the hell out of your hips. Like I said above, the both track highlight each other to become the most rememberable tracks on Destiny. MINAMI hypes you up with her speaking intro then from there, Outta Love will have you Outta breath by the end of the song. Love Sick was the third and final track that peaked my interest on Destiny. Its honestly just a fun track to listen to once you let the beat take control. There's also a different sound used during the opening that reminds me of the accompaniment used when gypsies used to dance for money. A sexy vibe that comes from her vocal performance adds to this idea. I grew to love the full sound of the song overall.

  Che'Nelle sounds like she's shouting sometimes when she hits her belt notes. She might want to work on making those belt notes sound a little more clean and precise. Her vocals are more in the high range but belt notes are for singers that have natural power to hit them. Don't force belt notes because its really easy for the whole action to come off like a singer is trying too hard to have power in their vocal performance.


  I'm kicking myself for not just realizing that Destiny is basically all Japanese versions of Che'Nelle's  english songs except for a few tracks. Wait! …. Maybe it was a good thing that I slept on her music a little bit. The experience of listening to Destiny wouldn't have been the same if I had heard the English versions of the tracks beforehand. YAY FOR MULTIRACIAL MUSIC ACTS IN JAPAN!

Jung Yong Hwa(정용화) - Do Disturb Mini Album Thoughts(K-pop)

Track List:
01. 여자여자해 (That Girl) (Feat. 로꼬) 
02. 딱 붙어 (Closer)
03. Password
04. Navigation
05. 대답하지 마 (Not Anymore)
06. 널 잊는 시간 속 (Lost in Time)



     CNBlue's frontman, Jung Yong Hwa has finally released his first mini album that doesn't feel like his first. He always seemed like he could hold his own even in the band's performances to me. There's a strong presence to lead in this guy's demeanor on stage that causes Do Disturb to not be a surprising release. I guess it might be surprising to fangirls who spend every waking moment breathing in the sweet old goodness of Kpop news. My mind never drifts into thinking about Kpop anymore unless its about Kpop that I'm listening to right at that moment. What did surprise me was how good the title track actually was when I gave it a listen. While being ready to click off the youtube video of 여자여자해 if the song sucked, I was surprised at how catchy the melody was. Many different musical components also are inserted into the track as it plays out. Loco as a featured artist, adds a new school Korean hip hop style to the song and even makes the original beat change to a more urban beat which doesn't halt Yong Hwa's vocal performance. The original beat that starts the song is a more pop influenced with a base guitar that is played every other beat. Then hand clapping effects were added over top of that.  After the title track ends, two tracks present a grove dance sound without much consistency to the title track's joyfulness. This sound doesn't excite me in the least. Its boring because we're in 2017. Stop recycling classic signature music styles from the USA only to not elevate what you have into a new musical experience for Korean audiences. Navigation starts to play as I begin to think this album is going to be a one hit wonder for me. I like the mid tempo of instrumental since this would still be considered a type of ballad. Piano, electric guitar, and the beat make Navigation great for those times when you're trying to "navigate" on the road during a late night drive. Not mention the lyrics are perfect if you are driving to meet your significant other. 대답하지마 can be labeled as one of those ballads an American singer would sing back in the 60s or 80s in America. The instrumental felt really retro to me even if I wasn't alive in the 80s. Ballads that were selected for Do Disturb weren't half bad actually. You know I always write about how ballads can be either dry as fuck or alive and full of moisture. Jong Hwa knew how to locate the lotion here[INSERT ME LAUGHING].

  Vocals on the album are vocals of a singer that was really open to trying new styles. CN Blue started out as a pop rock band in Japan then became a soulful pop rock band in Korea. Their last step was going electrical in their last mini album. So listeners see how well rounded of an artist Jung Yong Hwa is considering Do Disturb is the icing on the top of the cake. I liked the lyrical content of the album, taking listeners from cute to very emotional in a matter of six tracks. He sang with power and ease for life to come into those lyrics too.

  Two tracks on Do Disturb need to go away. These tracks aren't doing Kpop any favors but I enjoyed the rest of the album surprisingly. I continue to find reasons why CNBlue is one of the handful of Korean pop acts that I keep coming back to.

LOVE PSYCHEDELICO( ラブ・サイケデリコ)- Love Your Love Album Thoughts(J-Folk)

Tracklist:

1. Might Fall In Love

2. Feel My Desire
3. Birdie
4. This Moment
5. 1 2 3
6. Good Times,Bad Times
7. You’ll Find Out
8. Rain Parade
9. Beautiful Lie
10. C’mon, It’s My Life(Album Mix)
11. Love Is All Around
12. Place Of Love
13. No Wonder

   I'm not too informed on Love Psychedelico since I'm just finding out about their music in the year of 2017. Alright, I'll wait while their fans scorn me for not being a listener in the band's golden years of good music. I don't know but I feel like their newest album titled, Love Your Love isn't their best work. Mostly because I checked out one of their older songs called Last Smile and this song as a completely different vibe compared to the tracklist of Love Your Love. In fact, Last Smile threw off my expectations for this album, serving me a douse of expectation vs. reality.  This band's musical style consists of rock acoustic arrangements that also are inspired by blues and 80s soft rock. Love Your Love however, does things a little differently for it's release by including a light pop sound. supportive instruments normally used in pop music like violins and cute sound edits. I wasn't feeling majority of the tracks until the album gets to birdie as well as a track named Good Times, Bad Times. These are actually my two favorite tracks on the album. Beautiful Lie is also a track that I've grown fond of because this track along with the other tracks I've mentioned have bright choruses that open up the vocalist's voice more than the other tracks. One of the biggest qualities that Love Psychedelico has in their music is the way that their songs transitions back and forth between Japanese and English gracefully. I have heard that the vocalist's Japanese sounds different from other Japanese singers because she sings in English then goes right into singing in Japanese using the same English accent.

  Kumi sounds just like the Japanese version of Avril Lavigne vocally. Especially on this album for the most part. I like her voice as a fan of old school Avril Lavigne also.


   I'm probably going to keep the three songs I liked the most from Love Your Love then delete the rest of the tracks off my iPod. The album was a little of a disappointment but that's my fault for expecting the album to sound like a song they did years ago. Don't you hate when cases of expectation vs. reality kicks your ass?

A Man and A Woman(남과 여) Korean Film Thoughts(2016)

   A Korean man and a Korean women meet in a foreign country. They originally are their to get help for their children mental problems but meet each other on a snowy morning as their children are sent away to a counseling camp. A relationship forms between the two even though both of them are married with children.


  This film was the most interesting during its first ark to me. The settledness of the acting and story flow were calming somehow. It was interesting seeing two people meet but not know anything about each other in a foreign country. They traveled with each other for a little while too. A Man and A women uses the idea of love blossoming in the most unusual places. Nothing couldn't be more true because you can't help who you fall in love with. You can however create a situation that is healthy for that love. This is where the film falls flat for me. Some of the good is that the daring cheating relationship they had was thrilling until you get tired of seeing them sneak around. Both parties don't come from loving marriages so I understood why it was easy for them to find love else where. Just  don't keep having the cheating relationship to the point that it's hurting yourself though. A divorce would have been the best option on both ends. Certain problems such as their children mental health does cause the two characters to hesitate being together officially but I would rather them be happy than to be miserable to keep their family together. Instead of the film going toward a more daring direction, the scriptwriter decides to marinate the story progression into the same old melodramatic outcome you see in every other Korean film. The way the film ended ruined what I did love about the film in the beginning. Well, besides the scenery and the sex scenes. I also had a little bit of problems with the sex scenes.

  The scenes shot in Finland were so unbelievably beautiful with the snowy forest stretching into open fields that seemed endless. These landscapes really contain an essence that feels unable to be disturbed. It was similar to being in another world where only those two characters existed. Perfect place to fall in love in fact. I enjoyed seeing the film being shot in Finland just because it was something different. Also, the scenery worked well with what was taking place in the story. Next we have the sex scenes that are  kind of graphic. Not too bad on the nudity unless you want to count butt shots. My problem with these scenes is that they came off as awkward even in the actors performances. Their first time having sex together is understandable but after then it was like they were rushing to get to the finish line. Where's the passion in that? Maybe the rushing came from fear that what they were doing was wrong. Viewers get to see shots of the more upscale parts of Seoul as well. Nothing that normal watchers of K cinema haven't seen before. Finland is shown one last time during the film for those closing melodramatic scenes. I was SO happy that the main character didn't chase after the car then fall in the snow or something like that. I would have turned off the film if that had happened.[INSERT ME LAUGHING.]

  Jeon Do Yeon and Gong Yoo act together very well here. I think thats why I loved the parts of the film when they were alone with each other verse them being in the direct interference of other characters. Their chemistry bounces off of each other as they try to sort out what these feelings really are. Gong Yoo had it pretty easy in this film thanks to Jeon Do Yeon's acting ability. She can make herself have chemistry with almost any leading actor from what I've seen in her other works. Gong Yoo is an amazing actor too but he wasn't connecting in his sex scenes like I though he would. He didn't feel emotionally there completely to me. First time for everything right? At least he was brave enough to take on a role that steps out of his comfort zone. [CLAPS HANDS!] The costars needed more to do in the film. Gosh, things would have been way more interesting if the husband and wife had gotten involved in their forbidden relationship. Gong Yoo's character's wife was crazy as hell and I wish that there had been more character development with her character. There were so many different directions that could have been taken in order to make this film have a better lasting impression.

  A Man and A Woman was directed by Lee Yoon Ki,(My Dear Enemy) written by Shin Eun Young and stars Gong Yoo along side Jeon Do Yeon. Both Lee Yoon Ki and Gong Yoon worked together back in 2008 on the film Dear Enemy. Sadly, A Man and A Women doesn't have the central charm to grip viewers compared to My Dear Enemy. Do check out A Man and a Woman out if you want to see scenes of Finland or awkward steamy sex scenes.

***PLEASE NOTE: THIS FILM HAS SCENES OF SEXUAL ACTIVITY THAT'S NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN. BE MINDFUL OF THIS FACT. THANK YOU.***

ZICO(지코) - TELEVISION Mini album Thoughts(K-pop/Rap)

Track List:
01. 천재 (Behind the scene)
02. Artist *Title
03. ANTI (Feat. G.Soul)
04. FANXY CHILD (Feat. FANXY CHILD)
05. She`s a Baby
06. BERMUDA TRIANGLE (Feat. Crush, DEAN)




   Zico is a member of Kpop idol group, Block B but they haven't released an album for awhile now. I used to be a fan of them years ago and always respected Zico for coming up from the underground to stardom. He really impressed me during their debut when he showcased his rap skills during Block B's live stage. Television is Zico's newest mini album after several appearances on mega popular rap show, Show Me The Money as well as a couple of digital singles released prior.


  TELEVISON reminds me of why I don't like Zico's music completely. This mini album's track list switches between an idol rapper then a rapper that comes from the underground Korean rap scene. Zico doesn't know how to have his music go both ways in a solid matter. Listeners instead get Zico trying too hard to appeal to everyone from the two different groups. I couldn't connect to his songs such as She's a baby and other pop songs that felt disjointed on Television. Anti, a collaboration he did with singer/songwriter G.soul is without a doubt the best track on the mini album. Zico's rap flow is sick while G.Soul adds his sultry RnB vocals to the chorus of the song. What's really messed up is Anti's lyrics written by Zico himself. The lyrics of this song are clearly a jab at other Kpop Idols. Hmmm.. Zico, The last time I check, you were a Kpop idol once upon a time. Don't let being on Show Me The Money make you have amnesia or make you think you can look down on other idols. Most of the fans you have came from you being in Block B so don't forget that. Its very hypocritical too because he can't shake off that idol style in some of his music. I believe he is afraid to do music that only he likes since it might contrast with what the majority of his fans like. Tracks like Artist were that defense mechanism to make sure his little Kpop fans remain happy. They are happy while I'm listening to the song wondering how he backtracked from such a good song like Anti. Of course this is all my thoughts. Zico is praised for being able to jump back and forth between K-indie and Kpop. I just don't think it worked for this album musically.

   Zico can rap really well when he's not putting up a front for the people around him. On SMTM, he tries to act hard like everyone else there in order to shun his Kpop idol image. We all know that they hate Idol rappers on that show. He then goes back to putting on makeup and eyeliner because he knows that the bulk of his fans are used to seeing him like that. I wonder if he will ever have the courage like Jay Park to put out whatever the hell he wants even if there's a chance his fandom doesn't like it. I'm in no way saying that he should not think about his fans at all but he seems to be conflicted in where his heart truly is in his music. Zico seems to have the most fun when he does a more underground rap sound. One of my favorite tracks by him is 말해 Yes or No. Who is the real Zico under all the flip-flopping?


  Television wasn't my cup of tea. The tracks didn't connect like I wanted them to either. Anti is a good Jam if you want to check out that track though.

ASURA: The City Of Madness(아수라) Korean Film Thoughts(2016)

    Asura: The City Of Madness is a film that was released in 2016 directed by Kim Sung-Su and stars Jung Woo Sung, Hwang Jung Min, Ju Ji Hoon, and Kwak Do Won. The film is the fourth time that director, Kim Sung Su has worked with Jung Woo Sung directing a film.


   An undercover detective gets purposely found out by the power hungry mayor of Asura in order to get more money to help his cancer sicken wife. This decision  pulls everyone involved with the detective into a war where people will do anything to be in a position of power. Asura isn't a place that was built on greed and drugs alone.

  Asura opens like a functioning machine already in progress. The characters, setting, along with a strong motive are already set up for the viewer. A viewer literally walks into Asura like a lost puppy while the narration gives you a quick picture of what's going on. The picture the plot paints makes you automatically not like this city. Nothing good seems to come out of existing in Asura. Well, that is unless you're willing to get your hands dirty for the people in power. Our film's plot centers around doing crime to live another day and Asura's mayor is at the center of it all. I always say that you can't do bad in this life then expect to live life happily. What you did will come back on you in a different form. It doesn't always have to be a person trying to seek revenge. Life will get you back in another way. When certain people are going through hard times and they used to be rude to others, I always remember the time that they did something that hurt another person. Those hardships are that person's pay back sent to them by good old karma! My words connect to Asura because every single character really was crazy or "mad". I didn't feel anything for the characters but their struggle to dethrone the mayor was excellently used to charge up the progression of the plot. You're on edge the whole film since you know that this film can't end well. Every character has too much blood on their hands for the result to end well. I could only watch while holding on to the side of my bed. The action is to live for even if its graphic…… Not too graphic for viewers who are used to gangster films. Just graphic for those who might not be into the nitty gritty.. I saw some reviews saying that the film was over the top however, I don't think that this was anymore over the top than other Korean gangster films. In fact, what you will see here is very normal compared to other films I've seen. Killing was like a damn game in Asura though. HEY! Don't pretend like we weren't all watching for the dark stuff.

  Jung Woo Sung has played gangster type roles for years. Nothing new about his role in Asura since he doesn't have anything to prove with his acting ability. I'm pretty sure that the director knew he would be perfect for the role. The deep conflict in Asura was defiantly shown in his acting. His character seemed like he didn't know what to do with himself at time so he lashes out violently. Watching him in characters made my stomach twists up like I had to look over my shoulder every five minutes during the film. Having a sick wife in the hospital just made matters worse. Hwang Jun Min played the mayor that everyone loves to hate. Min's acting also showed another deep rooted quality that existed in the people of Asura: being cold hearted. I hated his guts and couldn't wait for someone to do him in. Sadly, his character had a lot of protection. Don't you hate people who talk big but don't do things for themselves? Ju Ji Hoon's character was the most innocent character out of everyone involved….. but he has character developments that put him in the ring with the other characters. I did feel a little something for the brotherly relationship that Jung Woo Sung and Ju Ji Hoon's characters had with one another. There was a protective feel in the relationship but you can only care about another's well being for so long before they have to also care about their own well being. (Some characters don't use their common sense in this case.) The rest of the cast also brought a relentless rawness to the film that was both sad and entertaining.

  Camera shots do great introducing Asura to us with overhead shots of the city. Shots like these are used constantly to set a new scenes while the inside of Asura is shot on location in the slums of the city. Looking at the scenery in this film doesn't make you feel good for the most part and that's the point. Asura is a city of destruction meant to fall to the ground eventually.
 

   Asura: The City Of Madness was a great film from the first scene to the hard smacking conclusion. The replay value is also very high so I will be watching this film again for a second time. I came for Ju Ji Hoon and left with another great film to add to my collection.

CRISIS: Special Security Squad(CRISIS 公安機動捜査隊特捜班) Japanese Drama Thoughts(2017)

   Crisis was a drama that I wanted to see really bad as soon as I saw that Oguri Shun and Nishjima Hidetoshi were casted in this drama together. The plot doesn't waste anytime stalling to fill up time in an underdeveloped script.  Each episode is to the point. This could be a problem from some viewers that need to see the characters being developed on screen but I felt that you could feel the history that the characters in the Security Squad had because of their chemistry with each other. The plot deals heavily with the idea of a corrupt Japanese government in addition to the terrorists that try to bring harm to Japan. In reality, these terrorists were born out of the injustice of the corrupt Japanese Government. Crisis's episodes tell different stories about the different people that threaten to change Japan from corruption. A good half of the show makes you think that the squad is stopping these people because their crazy until you start hearing their reasons for their actions. Bombs fly a lot in this drama like the terrorists are playing catch with the damn things too. The Special Security Squad was always there to catch them though… I mean that literally….. Don't worry about being bored action fans. There's enough fighting scenes that were realistically done just for you. Also, some romantic relationships are made time for in the script too. Humanity is the biggest vocal point in the show over all and you will really be upset at the way that society is being fooled by the government. Crisis ends in an open ended sort of matter that is left up to the individual to decide if they like what they saw or not. I could take the ending either way. Creators could make a season 2 or leave the ending up to viewer's imaginations. Crisis makes for a fun watch either way.

   Episode eight was the episode that really stood out to me by the way that scenes were shot. Most notably, the fighting scene during the episode when the two main characters are fighting in a terrorist's hideout. The camera used looked like a normal hand camcorder based on the shakiness of the frame and the quick way it followed the actors as they moved around. I liked how the camera followed closely behind them then moved around them to get a different shot. Not a lot of jump cut editing was done for this particular fighting scene. Besides that, the cameraman films many of the shots like the viewer is a second person in the room, watching everything unfold from a hidden place.

   Hidetoshi and Shun work well together while in character despite their characters having slightly different personalities. One character has a cool collected persona while the other is outgoing and hot around the collar. I was a fan of their chemistry together even though the drama doesn't give enough time to mold their relationship. Acting chops are required more in this situation in-order to make the connection the two characters had seem genuine given only what little screen time they had to do so.(Solving cases is NOT bonding time.) Same situation goes for the whole squad team. Viewers are led into believing that these characters have been working together for a while since they socialize with one another in a joyful  manner. They also never let one team member face a problem alone. Each member was always by each other's side through thick and thin. The whole cast down to the costars executed  their acting in a raw manner that hits a dark place in any caring human heart. I will never forget how Hidetoshi and Shun's characters always whipped out their combat batons at the same time in unison.[INSERT ME LAUGHING]

  Written by Kaneshiro Kazuki and directed by Suzuki Kosuke, CRISIS: Special Security Squad is a fun drama that will pass by in the blink of an eye. Its pretty straightforward drama that can be watched all in one day if you don't have anything else to do. You won't be bored that whole day, thats for sure.

Soul Mate(七月与安生) Chinese Film Thoughts(2016)

 

   Soul Mate was directed by Derek Tsang(The Thieves), written by Anni Baobei, and produced by Peter Chan. The film stars actresses, Zhou Dongyu and Ma Sichuan along side actor Toby Lee. Both actresses were praised for their roles in the film. They have also received several awards since Soul Mate's release.


   Two women have a friendship that goes back to since they were children. Both women have different personalities that balance out the other. One is quiet as she chooses to keep her head in a book rather than talking with others. The other girl is headstrong and not afraid to do anything to get what she wants. The appearance of a boy they met in high school threatens rips the two apart. Secrets, lies, and jealousy are about to put this friendship to the test spanning over twenty seven years.

  Soul Mate's plot borders a very emotional rollercoaster ride. Reading the plot puts you in mind of a ton of other films that deal with love triangles between long time friends. This film could have easily gone down the same copycat road but the film does well to highlight what is important. Yes, this film contains a lot of dramatic conflicts that might seem familiar to viewers until you realize that these events are only the surface of the problems. I noticed that the film tries to let you known from the first scene that you won't get a normal same old same old emotional driven story. It plays with the progress of time to show the girl's friendship from young girls to adult women causing you to feel a connection with them. Time really can tell you things about people based off of the different changes that both characters went through in the film. A boy being the object of both girl's desires helped bring on many realizations that were already there but both girl chose to ignore. The big conflict of this film could have been solved if all the characters had said what they truly feel before the conflict got any bigger. Everyone just leaves the problems left unsaid until it couldn't be avoided anymore. While dealing with all of this drama, the film's writer uses her craft to divert the viewer from a hidden mystery in the story. I didn't even realize that I was solving a mystery where the film slowly shows you the truth until the conclusion. A lot of shit hits the fan so much to the point that all the secrets jump out the woodworks like a head that jumps out a jack in the box. Anni Baobei takes a chance at raw emotional storytelling that has an ending like no other. It was really a beautiful ending because it felt mature and everlasting even in the sad events surrounding what happened. I actually clapped when the credits rolled. This is something I rarely do after I watch films unless my heart feels extremely satisfied.

  Defiantly can't finish writing this post without addressing the performances by bot actresses. They play characters that go through a ton of emotional changes as well as awakenings. The way one would act showed that she was envious of the other while that same girl secretly wanted what that girl had. Whether it was personality traits or a loving family, Viewers are forced to wonder about the basis in which these girls relationship was built on through their performances. Also which girl was in control of the direction of their friendship. Sometimes you can tell, then other times you can't. That's the fun of watching both actresses act together. They have one scene that makes you look at the screen without looking away. The tension in their performance could have been cut with a knife and I lived for this showcase of talent. Toby Lee was a good costarring actor to these talented ladies. I couldn't get a true feel for his talent but he held his own in the scenes that needed the most emotional depth out of his character.

  Only thing I have to say about the filmography was that it was raw in capturing China's different ways of life such as the city slums and the more upper working class homes. I saw a little more of a detailed look into Shanghai and Beijing than I've seen in other films also. The scenes filmed in Russia were so damn breathtaking. The shots catch a sense of freedom for one of the characters. A freedom that wasn't limited by life or death.

    I highly recommend Soul Mate to fans of East Asian drama cinema. This film gave me deep feels. My heart is still full of warm emotions even now.