I actually really miss the old kpop... watching this clip really brings back a lot of memories. On that stage are some of the greatest Kpop groups and singers that I've known since I've listened to Kpop. Unfortunately, my favorite ones are hard to see around nowadays and might not see for a while.



1. Bi aka Rain aka Jung Jihoon
     He was and always will be the first Kpop artist that I liked (and still like), admire and respect, not completely for his singing - which HAS improved over the years, but for everything else; dancing, stage presence, his determination and will, his perseverance, his commitment towards his family, his humbleness, his love for food haha... and the list continues :D He's become extremely successful and by my standards, has and will continue to surpassed his mentor JYP. His accomplishments were already amazing before he left to try to make it on his own, but he has now produced two of his own albums (both of which are very successful), produces for a kpop boyband MBLAQ (and is rumored to be coming out with another female singer?), owns his own clothing line, starred in two Hollywood films (which both kinda flopped.... but that's beside the point ), ambassador & representative to a bajillion different labels and organizations, held a (semi-)successful world tour, and apparently (according to a recent show he appeared on) is now richer than JYP. I haven't heard a lot about where he's going to try enter the US music market, but we can leave that to Jay Park haha :D
     Unfortunately, although he just returned with a new album, he is 29 now and sooner or later, he's going to have to fulfill his duty as a Korean man. T_T Two years with no Rain...

2. DBSK aka TVXQ aka Tohoshinki
     They will always be the best Kpop boyband for me. I never really got into H.O.T. or Shinhwa music, which of course are legends for Kpop history, but DBSK will always be the best. They are the one boyband where I can most proudly say that every single member CAN SING, especially now. (Back then, there were two members who weren't as strong vocally and one just didn't have very good control of his voice) All five of them are soo extremely humble for people of their status and popularity, and they are most definitely the most successful Korean artists to infiltrate the Japanese music market. Unfortunately, just like previous legendary bands H.O.T. and Shinhwa had a hard time when they tried to break away from the all powerful SM Entertainment production company, DBSK right now has an unstable situation and all Cassiopeia fans are dreading the possible news of disbandment as they continue to tackle in their lawsuits. Luckily, all the members are actively partaking in individual activities: Jaejoong, Micky, and Changmin are all filming TV dramas, Xiah has his solo single and his twin brother's promotions, and Yunho just finished a MJ concert in LA (dunno what he's doing recently). Since they still have quite a few years before military calling, we'll be able to see promoting together with the FIVE of them sometime this year or next year. Keep the Faith!!!

3. SE7EN
     This guy is definitely talented, and like Rain is a perfectionist when it comes to his work. His singer ability is way better than Rain's, although I don't completely like his higher-pitched voice, so not the biggest fan, but definitely respect this man. In dancing, he is no second to Rain, although acting wise, he definitely falls below Rain. He started trying to break into the US music scene, but unfortunately, something went down with YG (his production company) and they pulled him back to Korea. (rumor was that his contract was almost over and they wanted to make as much money off of his as possible before it expired so they pulled him back to Korea because he most definitely had some awesome opportunities lined up for him here, even his US producer said he was disappointed they pulled him back) He's due to make a comeback sometime this month or the next, but he's also due for his military duties too.

4. Shinhwa
     Although I never completely got into their music, these guys are hilarious together and are very talented. The are the boyband that have stayed together for the longest time in the history of Kpop. All members have enlisted into the military now, except Hyesung who was exempted indefinitely for some medical reason(?) and we are expecting a reunion in 2012 I believe.

5. Super Junior
     This band I never really paid attention to at first just because of the ridiculous idea of having a 13-member boyband. However, after spending a year in China and learning that there was a Chinese member, and with their new popular songs U and Sorry Sorry, couldn't not pay attention to them haha... plus, they're good friends with DBSK. However, the Chinese member, Hankyung, or Han geng in Chinese, is also in a lawsuit with SM and will most likely leave the band. One of the members is currently focusing on his acting career and it has just been announced that Kangin will be joining the military soon due to his recent controversial actions, such as getting into a fight and imprisoned as well as a DUI. Although that might seem like not a big deal for normal people, for someone who is in the spotlight and scrutiny of millions of very patriotic netizens and fans, it's a big enough deal that most broadcasting networks don't want you on their shows. So for the next album coming out soon, there will only be 10. Sad that this is happening for them because it seemed like they had just started to get closer to the top.

So while we wait for the senior singers of kpop to return full blown... there's lots of groups to watch out for:
SNSD, 2NE1, Wonder Girls, T-ara, 2PM, 2AM, B2ST, The Boss (deemed next DBSK), MBLAQ, Infinite and of course Big Bang should be around for a while

具體的對應關係為：子鼠、丑牛、寅虎、卯兔、辰龍、巳蛇、午馬、未羊、申猴、酉雞、戌狗、亥豬。

地支		子	丑	寅	卯	辰	巳	午	未	申	酉	戌	亥
生肖		鼠	牛	虎	兔	龍	蛇	馬	羊	猴	雞	狗	豬
年份除以 12的餘數	公元前	8	7	6	5	4	3	2	1	0	11	10	9
	公元後	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	0	1	2	3

for everyone's who's wondering, or curious ....

I haven't gone *poof* (as Victor described it), I'm still here. You can find me in Chinatown Mon-Sat from 11 am-6pm. The plans so far seems that I will be leaving some time in the summer, so I will still be here for a while. But the reasons behind my *poof* act:

Originally, the plans was for me to attend a hotel management college in Shanghai where classes are taught in English. The tuition for the two years in Shanghai was only 7000RMB and would all be reimbursed as a scholarship if you did really well. Then the last two years of undergraduate would be completed in Switzerland. After undergraduate, I would've probably gone back to China to work for a couple years and find some way to trasnfer my way back to America. Well.... after my mom went back for Chinese New Years, and as I was kinda preparing to leave, kinda not wanting to leave, that plan went *poof* (as well as my plan to go to Rain's concert in Shanghai!!! *tears*). The college in Shanghai is not recognized by China's Board of Education so if I ever wanted to switch out of the industry, my degree would not be recognized anywhere else because the college is run by one of the biggest hotel corporations so the degree would be recognized in the industry, but nowhere else.

So .. what have I been doing? Just going to Chinatown, coming back home, watching Kdramas, Jdramas, and anything related to TVXQ/DBSK and Rain. Why? Because this path that I thought was supposed to be my destined road to walk down, acknowledged by my parents, and relatives, AND what I thought was in line with God's will is suddenly ... gone. that's why I kinda.. crawled into my little shell .. not knowing what I should do .. not knowing what to tell people. i've kinda prayed about it ... but I don't feel confidant in understanding what God wants me to do, since I got it wrong, or maybe this is a test..but I would feel even more unconfidant in trying to dicpher what the heck is going on. I feel really .. fake because I dun know who I am anymore, but afraid of losing even more friends so try to act like "me" .. I feel stupid, while all my peers are learning lots and lots of things, I dun have the self-discipline to self-study... I feel lost, worthless.. wasting my time..  .. but dunno what to do about it... I feel burdened because I know that my future and what I do in these next few years will greatly affect my whole family, many projects I have planned to do but will take a lot of time to do so put it off.

Right now, my plan is for me to go to Shanghai this summer, and enter into either the Foriegn Language School and learn Chinese for either until 2008 summer, or finish undergrad there, or a film school? or go to Beijing? But I have to take an exam, the HSK, the equivalent of "TOFEL" for chinese international students, but because I still hold a China passport (yes, I'm not an American citizen..), I have to pass level 6 and take classes with other Chinese students, not allowed in international student programs.  so I dunno anymore. You can also say my relationship with God right now is pretty fake and nonexistant as well, mmm well, more like at a standstill where there's a wall between us and I can't hear what He's saying but dun care to try to hear Him, altho sometimes it still seems like God is trying to reach me, but I dunno for sure anymore. My mom's been trying to get me to find other part-time jobs, but I"m really skeptical and tell all of them that I will be leaving by summer. My mom says that I'm blocking myself into a corner, passing by any opportunities that come up in front of me. I guess I might be, but if they really needed someone, they would take me even if I was leaving by summer wouldn't they? At the same time, I know I'm blaming them and purposely trying to put the blame on them because this is the path they're making me take even though I should be the one building my own path. I should feel blessed that my parents are still trying hard to help me find a path when I really should be doing that for mself.

Mm. kinda long and emo I guess you could call it, and not wanting pity or anything. Just trying to face up to the facts that I've been ignoring and admit to my wrongdoing and apologize to everyone because I really don't know what I'm doing anymore.

are going lower and lower to get high viewing ratings. What's sad is it's also influencing the children programs as well.

Recently a movie called "The Naked Brothers Band" aired on Nickalodeon. After watching it with my brother (trying to spend more time with him), my summary of it is a reality tv mockumentry of a rock and roll band, with one exception: it's performed by kids who are still in elementry. Why do I not like it? Here's some of the conversations my brother and I have been having:

Last night as Kevin and I were choreographing, my brother comes up and sits down looking all teary eyed and sad, sniffling. I asked him what's wrong and he says:
"I just feel so sad that [he] (I dunno remember the lil dude's name) can't be with his one true love."

My reaction? Stare. Burst out laughing. It was a little mean, but my brother is only in 2nd grade? Those words should not be coming out of his mouth after watching a movie on a children's channel. That wasn't as bad as tonight though.

*The "lead singer" is playing the song he wrote for the girl he likes at their band's concert*
William: "You know, chicks really dig those kind of songs. I just I had a copy of that song, then if I could change the name to Hanai, maybe she'll become my one true love."
Me:        *stares silently* thinking, wow .. whatever.

(FYI: Hanai is an asian girl in my brother's class, and Emily has been his "girlfriend" since kindergarten.She was the only asian girl in his class before 2nd grade.)

Later after the movie:

Me: *after telling Daddy what William had said earlier* "So Willliam, what happened to Emily?"
Will: Emily is just my oldest best friend, that's all.
Me: "How come Hanai is your one true love?"
Will: "Because she smells good"
Me: *speechless*

See what television is teaching our kids??? Whatever happened to all those really cool shows like Wishbone, the Magic School Bus, Bill Nye, Lamp Chop??? Both educational and enjoyable to watch ^-^ and Doug, Clarissa Explains It All,  and even though they still show boy meets world, full house (the american one, yes), saved by the bell, but they're on really late. and growing pains, and wonder years.. man, haha .. there were more, but I can't think of them off the top of my head.