[WEEKLY IDOL] 2015 Roundup!

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The Christmas period has come to a close and the New Year, and 2016, are nearly upon us. Many people use this time to plan for the year ahead and to make resolutions aiming to improve themselves.

'Adventure Time' observations: Character depth and the exploration of morality.

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I have been a fan of the Cartoon Network cartoon 'Adventure Time' for a few years now and anyone who watches the older episodes as well as the newer ones can probably tell that there has been quite a change in the story-telling style over the years. What used to be fairly surreal and nonsensical narratives that led to no real development from episode to episode has now morphed into complex story-telling, where viewers are drip-fed information about each characters own, often intersecting, past lives. Most new revelations also have an effect on the future of the programme and its characters.

This has allowed for a significant amount of character development and, while there were indeed a few complex characters from the start, it now seems that every single one has a story to tell. What I have also noticed is the underlying exploration of morality throughout the programme as many characters exhibit both 'good' and 'bad' traits and have their own complicated reasons for their actions. This is part of the reason why I think it is such a great show for children (and adults) to watch.

Here are a few of my character observations:

[GET THE LOOK] Christmas E-mag Special!

SHINee in 'Santa U Are the One' MV.

[This GTL was part of the UnitedKpop Christmas E-magazine, please do have a read of the full issue here. Wishing you all a very merry Christmas!]

Yes, it is that time of year again! Like it or loathe it, Christmas time is just around the corner and you cannot escape the festive cheer. For this Get the Look special, we are getting some Christmas fashion inspiration from popular K-Pop stars.

[WEEKLY IDOL] Twice

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Twice are a newly debuted girl group from JYP Entertainment. There are nine members in total, all hailing from different parts of Asia. Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Jihyo, Daehyun and Chaeyoung are South Korean, Momo, Sana and Mina are Japanese and maknae Tzuyu is Taiwanese.

[WEEKLY IDOL] Ga In

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Ga In is a member of the girl group Brown Eyed Girls under Nega Network. For this edition of Weekly Idol though, we will be focusing on her solo career which began in 2010.

[MAKE UP REVIEW] ETUDE HOUSE 'Missing U' Hand Cream

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First of all, I know what you might be thinking: “Hand cream isn’t classed as make-up!” You are correct, but of course, it can arguably still be included in the very largest of umbrellas that is cosmetics and beauty. So, we can get away with it, right?!

For want of a tampon: Menstruation disrupting education.

Every single woman in the world - unless personal, medical reasons mean otherwise - menstruates. For many girls and women, it is that rather unwelcome monthly visitor that can bring with it all kinds of collateral symptoms. From bloating and abdominal cramps all the way to nausea and headaches. These are just a few of the physical occurrences, and in the interest of brevity; we will omit the various emotional ones.

In short, it’s not a walk in the park for many females, but just imagine how much more difficult it would be if you didn’t even have the necessary facilities to deal with it. Unfortunately, this is the reality for millions of females in the poorer parts of the world.

[WEEKLY IDOL] SHINee

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SHINee (pronounced like the word 'shiny') are a five-member male idol group that debuted under SM Entertainment in 2008. So far the group has released four Korean and three Japanese albums. The members are Onew (leader), Jonghyun, Minho, Key and Taemin.

[ESSAY COMP] Princess Bari by Hwang Sok Yong (Theme: Quest/Journey)

N.B. I wrote this essay for a Korean literature competition held by the KCCUK this year. Unfortunately, I didn't get a place in the top three, but I hope you enjoy my piece on Hwang Sok Yong's book 'Princess Bari'!
Image banner credit goes to Lore, it originally comes from her review of the book.

=WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! =

        ---
The theme of a quest/journey can be applied in many ways to the book ‘Princess Bari’ by Hwang Sok-yong. Bari’s namesake, Princess Bari, undertakes a long and arduous journey in  the Korean folktale which serves as the undercurrent for the physical, spiritual and personal journeys Bari herself embarks upon in her life. Each of these areas will be explored in this piece.

[GET THE LOOK] IU - 'Twenty Three' MV

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This time, we are taking fashion inspiration from female soloist IU and her MV for ‘Twenty Three’!

[WEEKLY IDOL] iKON

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After what seems like a decade, iKON finally made their debut this year under YG Entertainment. Setting out to be an ‘icon’ in South Korea, iKON are a seven-member hip-hop group. The members are: B.I (leader), Kim Jinhwan, Bobby, Song Yunhyeong, Koo Junhoe, Kim Donghyuk and Jung Changwoo.

[GET THE LOOK Unisex] Halloween Special!

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With October 31st fast approaching, we have a ‘Get the Look Unisex Halloween Special’! Yes, it’s time to get spooky with some fashion inspiration from a selection of creepy K-Pop MVs!

[WEEKLY IDOL] JJCC

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JJCC are a seven-member male group that debuted in 2014. They were created and are currently managed by legendary martial artist and Hollywood actor Jackie Chan. They reside under his label ‘Jackie Chan Group Korea’.

[GET THE LOOK] Lovelyz - 'Ah Choo' MV

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Today, we are taking our fashion inspiration from Lovelyz' ‘Ah-Choo’ MV!

[WEEKLY IDOL] Brown Eyed Girls

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Brown Eyed Girls (often referred to as B.E.G) are a 4 member girl group that debuted in 2006. The members are: JeA, Narsha, Miryo and Ga-In.

[Make Up Review] Tonymoly Lip Tint Crayon Delight

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Before we even start this review, I have something of a confession to make, I do not wear make-up. I have just never really been bothered with it all, and go with my completely natural face wherever I go.

However, of course, I have heard a lot about Korean cosmetics through fellow K-Pop fan friends and have always been intrigued by Tony Moly’s cute and unusual package designs. So I thought, hey, let’s give it a go! (Yes, I was sucked in by pretty and weird packaging, I know).

[WEEKLY IDOL] Crayon Pop

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Crayon Pop are a five member girl group under Chrome Entertainment. They made their debut back in 2012.

[GET THE LOOK] April - 'Dream Candy' MV

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April have recently made their debut, and for this ‘Get the Look’, we are looking at their debut MV ‘Dream Candy’ for our fashion inspiration!

[EDITORIAL] Tao's EXO Departure: an open discussion

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Back in May 2014, EXO member Kris filed a lawsuit against SM Entertainment in order to be removed from the group. As a member of one of the most successful and popular K-Pop groups in history, his actions shook up the industry and understandably made many EXO fans (EXO-Ls) very upset. Months passed, and in October of the same year, fellow member Luhan also filed a lawsuit to be removed from the group. Fans were shaken once again, but many continued on and voiced their support for both the former and remaining EXO members.

[WEEKLY IDOL] AOA

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AOA are an eight-member girl group under FNC Entertainment that made their debut in 2012.

[GET THE LOOK] Girls' Generation - 'Lion Heart' MV!

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If you were asked to give one word to describe Girl’s Generation’s music video for ‘Lion Heart’,  you might say ‘retro’. We see the girls dressed in outfits inspired by fashion from the 1930s right up to the 70s, each showing a classy feminine image. Today, we explore how you can emulate this style for yourself with high street brands.

[WEEKLY IDOL] GFriend

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GFriend are a six-member girl group that debuted this year. They work under Source Music and have enjoyed a very positive response and a good amount of success even though they are very new idol rookies from a relatively small company.

[GET THE LOOK - Unisex] B1A4 - 'Sweet Girl' MV

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B1A4 recently made their comeback with ‘Sweet Girl’, a smooth and funky serenade-style song that gives you a fresh, upbeat feeling when you listen to it. Today, the music video serves as the style inspiration for ‘Get the Look’!

[WEEKLY IDOL] TINAMINA

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TINAMINA (A.K.A Justine Ok) is a Korean-American singer/songwriter and rapper. She has worked with a plethora of artists all over the globe, including K-Pop artists like 2NE1, Baek Ji Young and BoA as well as Britney Spears, Alicia Keys and and Kelly Clarkson.

[GET THE LOOK] Gu Hara - 'Choco Chip Cookies' MV

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KARA member Gu Hara debuted as a soloist last month, and we are taking on her sweet MV for ‘Choco Chip Cookies’ (featuring Giriboy) for this edition of ‘Get the Look’!

[WEEKLY IDOL] Dal Shabet

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Dal Shabet are a six member girl group under Happy Face Entertainment that debuted in 2011.

[GET THE LOOK] AOA - Heart Attack' MV

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AOA have recently made a comeback with ‘Heart Attack’, and the outfits featured in the MV are perfect for the hot weather. We are going to explore how you can get this look for yourself on the high street!

[Song of the Week] Super Junior - 'Devil'

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After a series of inventive and humorous teasers, Super Junior have returned with ‘Devil’!

[Weekly Idol] Say Yes

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Say Yes are a 5 member South Korean idol band that debuted in 2013. They are under the agency Music Factory, and were actually created by Kim Tae Hyung a member of first generation group Firetruck.

[UNISEX GET THE LOOK] Boys Republic - 'Video Game' MV

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In honour of the commencement of Boys Republic’s European tour this week, we are looking at their MV for ‘Video Game’ as our source of ‘Get the Look’ inspiration!

[UNISEX GET THE LOOK] EXO - 'Love Me Right' MV

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EXO are currently enjoying success with their latest MV release ‘Love Me Right’. For this edition of ‘Get the Look’ we will be focusing on their unique style shown in the video! Don’t worry though, there’s not a single American Football uniform in sight!

[GET THE LOOK] SHINee - 'View' MV

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SHINee’s latest MV ‘View’ serves as our ‘Get the Look’ inspiration this time around! The concept gives us a very laid-back, summer style that is perfect for both genders.

[PLAYLIST] South Korean Female Soloists!

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There are a plethora of ladies on the K-Pop scene today, ready to dazzle you with their cute or sexy vibes and pretty faces. Aside from the beautiful images, it is clear to see that a lot of these women possess a great amount of talent and determination. This month's playlist is dedicated to all the girls who are doing it alone (whether it be full-time, or as a solo from their group). Get ready to be delighted with just a small selection of these lovely ladies!

[GET THE LOOK] Minah - 'I am a woman too' MV

Girl’s Day member Minah recently made her solo debut and released a beautiful MV for the track “I am a woman too”. As expected, it encompasses a very feminine look which serves as our inspiration for this ‘Get the Look’ article!

[GET THE LOOK] Red Velvet - 'Ice Cream Cake' MV

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SM Entertainment’s newest girl group, Red Velvet made a comeback a little while ago with a new member and a brand new look. Their music video for ‘Ice Cream Cake’ gives quite a bright feeling and the bold colour style we saw in their debut is back with a vengeance.

For this ‘Get the Look’ we have ‘Ice Cream Cake’ inspiration! (Sounds delicious, doesn't it?!)

[GET THE LOOK] Super Junior's Donghae & Eunhyuk - 'Growing Pains' MV

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Many of the Get the Looks we feature often cater to a more female audience with the odd item suited towards males. However this time around, we are giving the boys a chance to shine using Super Junior’s Donghae and Eunhyuk’s ‘Growing Pains’ MV as our source of inspiration! (Girls, you can still wear this stuff though of course, but pretend this is just for the guys - shh!)

[OP-ED] Amber Liu: A refreshing perspective in the K-Pop world

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When you consider the term ‘female K-Pop idol’, what sort of image comes to mind? A very, slim, long-haired, pretty woman in a sparkly short dress and some ‘killer’ high heels, perhaps? That’s what I see, at least. The majority of female idols do indeed conform somewhat to this imagery – forced to reveal their ridiculous dietary and beauty tips to the world every time they are promoting and often portraying a very glamourous, yet timid and cute persona.

Of course, I am generalising an awful lot here, as not all the women of K-Pop fit into this box, However, after prolonged exposure to these sorts of themes as a long-time K-Pop fan, you begin to see the similarities and over-compartmentalise things a bit. That’s why f(x) member Amber Liu makes me glad.

[GET THE LOOK] FIESTAR - 'You're Pitiful' MV

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FIESTAR have recently made a comeback with the sexy and glamorous single ‘You’re Pitiful’. Here’s our style suggestions inspired by the beautiful MV!

[PLAYLIST] K-drama Songs!

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South Korean drama series enjoy a widespread popularity throughout Asia as well as globally. The tumultuous and occasionally strange storylines intrigue viewers, not to mention the complex love triangles, comedy and usually great-looking casts.


Soundtracks for these dramas also often enjoy a popularity all of their own, successfully tugging at our heartstrings and getting firmly stuck in our heads. It is common to have drama OSTs taking up space on our mp3 players soon after watching a particular series. They have a unique ability to bring back all the emotions the show made you experience while watching. We have compiled our own selection for this month's playlist, do your favourites feature?

[GET THE LOOK] Berry Good - 'Because of you' MV

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For this edition of ‘Get the Look’ we are taking our inspiration from cute girl group Berry Good and their latest MV release ‘Because of You’!

[PLAYLIST] South Korean Trot Songs!

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Trot music plays a significant part in Korea's cultural history. One can trace its origin as far back as the early 1900s. And as this was an era of the country under Japanese rule, it understandably carries a lot of Japanese influence. However, it also has a mixture of more Western and of course, distinctly Korean flavours which sets it apart from all other musical genres.

Despite suffering ups and downs in its popularity over the century, it has enjoyed quite a revival over the past two decades as many young K-Pop stars have given us a new version of the style. We hope this playlist adequately depicts both the traditional and the modern takes on this great area of music!

[GET THE LOOK] Davichi - 'Cry Again' MV.

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You may have seen that the female singer duo Davichi have recently been in Budapest filming for some of their latest MVs. This GTL will be based on their very emotional ‘Cry Again’ MV!