Dream High: An Idol Feast For Your K-Drama Addiction

Usually I would prefer watching historical or family-based Korean dramas, but this time round I was anticipating the premiere of Dream High, a drama based on an art school for student who are groomed to be idols.

Since the hype surrounding the idol cast for the drama made it to the headlines of many K-pop related websites way before the drama was slated to air on Korea's KBS network, I like many other K-drama fans have been following the progress of the drama all the way through since filming started.

Dream High had proved that it was a drama not to be missed, albeit a slow start in the first episode. The main characters in this drama are portrayed by Miss A's Suzy, T-ara's Eunjung, 2PM's Taecyeon and Wooyung, and IU, with many other cameos by idols such as SS501's Hyunjoong, 2PM's Nichkhun and JYP's JOO. Well, that pretty much spelled idol-overload already. Not forgetting Bae Yong Joon and Park Jin Young acting as headmaster and English teacher respectively!

Hyemi, Suzy's character, is a rich man's daughter who is forced to give up her dreams of joining Juilliard when her family goes bankrupt. She instead finds herself having to audition to enroll in Kirin Art School to pay back her father's debts. She fails her audition but somehow her best friend, Baekhui (Eunjung's character) passes the audition. They left the place on a bad note by ending their friendship.

Hyemi was given a conditional offer to be a student in Kirin and she soon finds herself between two guys (Taecyeon and Kim Soohyun) vying for her heart, as well as being the target of the entire student body's wrath, no doubt initiated by her ex-bestie, now a rival and arch-enemy.

There is also another couple to look out for, IU and Wooyung's characters, Pilsuk and Jason. Their budding romance is a definite laugh inducer as Pilsuk is the chubbiest girl in school while Jason is an exchange student from the United States.

There are many scenes where the idol cast sing their heart out and I couldn't stop watching in awe at their good singing chops as well as their acting skills. They really could sing with all their heart!

The biggest question in Dream High is who will Hyemi choose in the end? And will Pilsuk and Jason end up together? Tune in to KBS World on ASTRO Channel 391 at 9pm every Monday and Tuesday to catch all the drama between the students!

The author would like to recommend the OST of Dream High as it features the idol cast of the drama. Suzy's Winter Child and IU's Someday are her two favourites off the soundtrack.

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JYJ Music Essay: Their Rooms

After a Japanese and English album comes JYJ’s latest album in their native Korean. There are no barriers to their creativity here as they definitely capitalized on their fluency and comfortability with the language.

Hence, the 6 songs on JYJ Music Essay: Their Rooms is something that all fans have been waiting for as they wrote, composed and produced all the tracks on the album. Coming straight from their hearts, this album is definitely worth a listen to.

The first track is Mission, written and composed by Junsu, and it has a grand opening featuring a strings orchestra and sounds like a movie soundtrack. It has a great beat and catchy chorus, as well as Yoochun rapping. If you excuse the not-so-cool English skills of Junsu and the use of an expletive in the rap, then this is probably a track that proves that they still can retain and improve their sound from their Dong Bang Shin Ki (DBSK) days.

A mellow track written and composed by Jaejoong, Nine was written using basic chords that he learned from Yoochun when he first learned to play the piano. According to Jaejoong, upon the addition of Yoochun, it’s been nine years that the five members of DBSK came together as a group. Therefore, the song also symbolises the five DBSK members in an indirect way.

Pierrot, the third track, starts off slow, picking up a catchy beat just before the first refrain. In this song, Jaejoong describes the experience of working under their previous company, and he doesn’t want to be used as a tool to entertain others in order to generate more money anymore. A pierrot is a pantomime character which is a sad clown, often seen as the fool and the butt of pranks, hence the unique title of the song.

Fallen Leaves is another slow number which showcases the powerful vocals of each member. Written and composed by Junsu, it is a beautiful song with a beautiful melody, as well as beautiful lyrics (although I am just reading the English translations). One thing for sure, this song is definitely one of my favourites off the album.

Next on the list is I.D.S. which stands for Ideal Scenario, yet another track written and composed by Jaejoong. The mid-tempo track has a techno feel towards it, as well as some elements of auto-tune to the voices of the three members. (In this track with Junsu singing in English you have to listen carefully or you might misunderstand the opening lyrics!)

The only song fully written and composed by Yoochun for this album is A Song Without A Name Part 1. The song has a simple yet great melody and features lots of piano sounds, traits that shows the identity of the composer. Most of the time Yoochun raps, while Junsu and Jaejoong joins in to sing at intervals. Of all the tracks, Yoochun’s piece is the most expressional one, as he poured out all his feelings into the lyrics of the song. It captures his ups and downs in the journey of being a member of a popular boy band. All in all, any listener would understand the struggles he had gone through by listening to the song.

A pretty great album indeed from JYJ and my recommendation is to buy JYJ’s Music Essay as it is a unique release. The album also comes together with a diary of the three members’ photos and essays about their daily lives and stories, which are a must-have for every fan!

PS: I have included links for the English translations of each song's lyrics, just click on the bolded song name to read. Credits go to the sites that I have linked to. Enjoy!

The author first listened to JYJ’s The Beginning and came to know of their struggles of performing in their own country due to their lawsuit with their ex-company. The members showcased determination in succeeding without any promotions and advertisement for their albums, and their hard work had paid back well as their album has already topped several charts so far.

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American Idol's Crystal Bowersox: A True Farmer's Daughter

It's no surprise that Crystal Bowersox decided to release a country album with pop influences post-Idol since that was pretty much her style when she was performing onstage, vying for the top spot against Lee Dewyze.

The American Idol runner-up's debut album, titled Farmer's Daughter, pretty much sums up who is she as a person, as well as the tracks on the album.

Her awesome voice shines on every track and she retains her own musical accompaniment throughout the whole album on her trusty guitar.

Farmer's Daughter, the title track, is a mellow track which ironically has her stating that she doesn't wants to be a farmer's daughter anymore.

My favourites off the album are For What It's Worth, a mid-tempo song with a great beat, which keeps you tapping your toes. Holy Toledo and Arlene are also slower songs which showcases Bowersox's great vocals.

Other songs off the album include fast-paced tracks such as Ridin With The Radio, Lonely Won't Come Around, On The Run, Kiss Ya, as well as slower ones like Hold On, Speak Now, Mine All Mine and Mason.

Great effort for another Idol alumni who is also another great addition to country pop.

The author first listened to Crystal Bowersox's awesome voice on American Idol, and was torn between supporting her or Lee Dewyze to win the coveted crown.

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Natasha Bedingfield's Strip Me Album

Who can forget Daniel Bedingfield's equally amazing sister, Natasha Bedingfield, who made her debut in the industry with her song Unwritten?

The vocally gifted Natasha Bedingfield has made her return to music with her latest album Strip Me, released late last year.

Strip Me is filled with tracks that has a lot of piano and guitar sounds in the background, as well as with a hint of techno to them.

The first track, Little Too Much, starts off with guitar sounds, providing a good start to the whole album. The second track, All I Need, is a techno-filled track with a good beat, plus it features Kevin Rudolf and samples his hit song Let It Rock.

Strip Me, the title track, has a bassy feel, and it really strips down and allows Bedingfield's voice to shine through while Weightless has the same tone with her previous hit, Unwritten.

My favourite track off the album is Neon Lights, a happy and uplifting track filled with drums in the background.

The other songs on the 13-track album includes Can't Fall Down, Try, Touch, Run-Run-Run, Break Thru, No Mozart, Recover and a (Less is More Version) of Weightless.

A great effort from this great singer, and I look forward to her next project!

The author has always loved Natasha Bedingfield's songs which are written from the heart.

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JOO's Mini Album: Heartmade

Lately I have been listening to a few female Korean singers and I have found them to be really good and their vocals have some kind of soothing effect on me. The current one on my list is Heartmade, JOO’s latest mini-album which was released on January 4, 2011.

Bad Guy, the opening track is a great ballad that starts off softly on a melancholic note, and JOO’s stunning vocals were fully showcased as it reaches the chorus. The song tells a story of heartbreak and JOO truly expresses the emotion of heartbreak through the tones of her voice, especially when she sings “Ah~ Ah e ya / I’m so sorry”.

The second track which is my personal favourite, Can't Even Take A Glass Of Water, is another ballad. The best part of this song is the chorus where she sings “Saranghae neol neol neol neomaneul nan nan nan ireoke tto tto tto” with her great voice.

Not Even In The Movies, the third track, features 2PM's Chansung rapping and is a faster and more upbeat number. Other songs include After Looking At You, which has a catchy beat and Unbelievable, another slow number.

JOO's voice is strong and angelic and fits the ballad genre well, plus the song arrangement is suitable for her voice. A great listen for those looking for an avenue to release their pent-up feelings after a heartbreak or for those simply wanting a relaxing time.

The author is always on the lookout for upcoming Korean singers' albums although she has yet to master the language fully.

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Westlife's New Album: Gravity

The boys of Westlife are back again, this time with another album titled Gravity. I must say that for a group of four, they still have the capability of rolling out albums at a consistent rate (one per year).

Their latest album doesn't indicate much changes in their style, which has lots of piano sounds as their background, but they do have a more matured and mellow sound as compared to way back then when they were younger and huge boy band stars.

My favourite tracks off the album are Beautiful Tonight, Safe and I Will Reach You. All three songs have a very Westlife 'feel' towards it, which I think suits their new matured sound.

Others include Chances, Closer, Tell Me It's Love, I Get Weak, Before It's Too Late, No Ones Gonna Sleep Tonight, Difference In Me, Too Hard To Say Goodbye, and bonus track Please Stay.

Another good track is the cover of Hoobastank's The Reason, and I think the boys did a pretty decent job of covering the song, although there wasn't much variation from the original.

Give this album a spin on nights when you need a good relaxation time.

The author used to be a huge boy band fan during her teenage days, and still continues to be.

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Marry Me, Mary! is my Latest K-Drama Addiction

Who wouldn't want to be in Wi Mary's shoes? She's got two great-looking guys who's crazy in love with her, and would fight with each other for a spot in her heart as well as her hand in marriage.

Who are those guys you say? And is Mary such a gorgeous girl that guys would battle it out?

Kang Mugyul is a rock star who is destined for stardom, but is held back as he is too loyal to his bandmates who are nowhere in the same league as he is. Meanwhile Jang In is the son of a wealthy businessman who is an old family friend of Mary's parents.

While Mary's meeting with Mugyul is accidental, they were forced to fake a marriage to halt her marriage with Jang In, who she had promised to at a young age.

Many funny scenes in this drama as the tug-of-war ensues between the two men over Mary, and more drama is added when Mugyul's ex-girlfriend comes into the picture and a four-way love (square) begins! Don't forget to tune in to Marry Me, Mary on KBS World every Monday and Tuesday at 9pm.

The author is awed that the lead actor(Jang Geun Suk)'s vocals were so good and loves the OST so much!

Progress: Take That's Comeback Album

Finally the guys of Take That have come a full circle and is back with a new album as well as a newly-rejoined member, Robbie Williams.

I'm glad to say that they have been saying true to their roots and have not swayed in terms of their music styles and tastes.

Their latest offering, Progress, has a total of 10 tracks and the first single, The Flood, gives you an epic feeling when you hear the ethereal and echo-filled song.

The album cover definitely describes their progress in terms of music, with five figures (representing each member) depicting a man moving from a crawling position to a standing position.

My personal favourites off the album has to be the tracks titled SOS and Wait. The former gives you a sense of urgency when you hear it, while the latter gives more boyband vibe with the strong pumping beats in the background.

Other songs include Kidz, Pretty Things, Happy Now, Underground Machine, What Do You Want From Me?, Affirmation and Eight Letters.

Altogether the whole album was good, but not so top-of-the-charts material. But it provides a good listen for those who need to wind down after a long day.

It's great that the guys are finally back together again and hopefully they will continue to produce more inspirational music.

The author was a young girl when she got smitten by the Take That's boys' harmony on Back For Good.

The Band Perry: Country Music's Latest Addition

The latest album on my playlist is The Band Perry's self-titled album, which fulfills the void that I had for country music.

Apart from notable country singers such as Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Lady Antebellum and Miranda Lambert, I haven't come across any other singers which I had particularly liked in this genre.

The Band Perry consists of three siblings, Kimberly and her two brothers, Reid and Neil.

When I first heard The Band Perry's If I Die Young, I immediately fell in love with it. The song was full of meaning and I could not resist hitting the replay button over and over again.

With lyrics such as "If I die young/bury me in satin/lay me down on a bed of roses/sink me in the river at dawn/send me away with the words of a love song..." the song hit notes with youths who were going through bad times in their lives to the verge of contemplating suicide, and gave them hope not to give up.

My other favourites from the album includes Hip To My Heart, Independence and Quittin' You, which happen to be the more fast-paced tracks.

Other songs on the 12-tracks album are You Lie, All Your Life, Miss You Being Gone, Double Heart, Postcard from Paris, Walk Me Down the Middle, Lasso and Queen Maybelline.

The Band Perry's sound reminds me a lot of Lady Antebellum, since they have a similar make-up of two guys and a girl in a band, but they do have a more country feel as they have more instrumental sounds.

Let's support them in the hope that they would continue to come up with more great records in the future!

The author was touched when she first heard 'If I Die Young' playing on the radio as the lyrics hit a spot of a recent memory.

American Idol Winner Lee Dewyze's Live It Up Album

Having supported Lee Dewyze during the last American Idol season, I definitely have to get my hands on his album, post-Idol.

His latest album release, Live It Up, is mostly driven by his title track with the same name off the album. The song is a cool and mid-tempo track that shows off his husky vocals, perfect for starting off the album.

My personal favourites off the album is Sweet Serendipity and It’s Gotta Be Love, with their upbeat tempo and guitar sounds.

Consisting of 11 songs, other tracks on the album include Dear Isabelle, Beautiful Like You, Stay Here, Me and My Jealousy, Brooklyn Bridge, Weightless, Earth Stood Still, A Song About Love.

While Lee’s album is reflecting on life, his songs are not as dark and depressing as compared to the previous year’s American Idol winner Kris Allen’s post-Idol album.

Lee Dewyze’s songs with his guitar accompaniment definitely a good listen for a relaxing day at home or while driving around town.

The author is a huge fan of American Idol and looks forward to the 2011 season with the new judges’ line-up.

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