IRINA KISELEVA
LEARN LEARN LIVE
WEB-cams in South Korea
Panorama from Namsan tower in Seoul
Traffic on the Gwangan Bridge in Busan
Bridges over the Hangang River in Seoul
Downtown Seoul, skyscrapers, restaurants and cafes
Kpop
A few years ago, few people listened to performers from Korea, but now idol compositions are in the rotation of radio stations and are spinning on TV. The musicians not only delight fans with new tracks and videos, but also break records in the Guinness Book, take first place in listening to Spotify, Billboard charts, gain millions of views on YouTube and conduct successful world tours.
K-pop is a musical genre originating from South Korea. It all started after Park Jae Sang, better known as PSY, released the viral track Gangnam Style and its music video in the summer of 2012. A humorous video for a hilarious song about luxurious living in an upscale Seoul neighborhood is the first ever to reach one billion views (now 3.7 billion). The hit topped the UK Singles Chart and peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. As a result, Korean music gained worldwide interest. But it's not just Gangnam Style.
Many K-pop listeners who are now actively learning Korean admit that they became fascinated with this direction after watching dramas (Asian television series, mostly romantic ones) and started using Korean cosmetics.
K-pop is not much different from American or European pop. There, too, different directions are combined, for example, electropop and hip-hop.
Group members, as a rule, are called not soloists or vocalists (although this option is also appropriate), but the exalted word idol (from the English idol - idol, ideal, deity). This means that the musicians in the eyes of the audience and listeners are perfect artists: with clear vocals, polished choreography and appearance that meets all the standards of South Korean beauty: thinness (sometimes excessive), snow-white skin, narrow nose and chin (for girls) and big eyes. On the stage and in life, they also keep themselves perfectly - they smile sweetly, never quarrel and always know what, when and how to say.
But to become such, future K-pop stars overcome a difficult path and sacrifice a lot. First, they go through a strict casting, where they must prove themselves to the producers and bypass hundreds, if not thousands of the same young people. Then they become trainees. In a special training center, they are waiting for exhausting training and intensive classes in vocals and acting, which not everyone can withstand - only the most persistent and purposeful .
All celebrities have fans and fanclubs where they discuss idols and exchange news. In the case of K-pop, such communities are called fandoms. This is a prerequisite for the success of any group. Without the support of fans, K-pop would hardly have become a phenomenon of modern musical culture. They spread the word about idols on different platforms, arrange all kinds of voting for their favorite artists and help them reach new heights. Admirers watch for idols near emergency exits, buy merch and dream of someday starting to meet their biases.
Korean tracks, soundtracks and videos, see
Not Alone
지쳐가는 니 눈빛이 자꾸 나를 놓으려고 해
숨 이차 니 모습을 볼 수도
지쳐 stop stop stop 이젠 더
모든걸 step step step 벗어나
돌이킬수가없다고 끝이라며
so I can believe I'm not alone
이젠 not alone
and I can feel it I'm not alone
절대 not alone
이젠 다신 down down down down no! no! no! no!
down down down down no! no! no! no!
I'm not alone
I can believe
갈수록 니 기억이 날 붙잡아
그흔적에 살아
점점 stop stop stop 시간이
다시 또 step step step 벗어나
돌아갈수가없다고 끝이라며
so I can believe I'm not alone
이젠 not alone
and I can feel it I'm not alone
절대 not alone
이젠 다신 down down down down no! no! no! no!
down down down down no! no! no! no!
I'm not alone
I can believe
숨을 쉴 수 조차 없는 어두운 이
다시는 두렵지 않아 너 때문에
so I can believe I'm not alone
이젠 not alone
and I can feel it I'm not alone
절대 not alone
이젠 다신 down down down down no! no! no! no!
down down down down no! no! no! no!
I'm not alone
I'm not alone
you're not alone
MBLAQ | MBLAQ | MBLAQ | MBLAQ |
---|---|---|---|
2PM1 | VIXX | TVXQ! | TVXQ! |
TVXQ! | Super Junior | Super Junior | SS501 |
SHINee | SHINee | SHINHWA | red velvet |
Monsta X | INFINITE | kak-zvjozdy-k-pop-sohranjajut-figuru_15967957951409176864 | MaSEpZN |
GOT7 | INFINITE | FTISLAND | |
EXO | DAY6 | cnblue | |
cnblue | cnblue | BTS | Block B |
BLACKPINK | BLACKPINK | ATEEZ | Big Bang |
B.A.P | B.A.P | 2PM | |
2NE1 |
DORAMA
Since the beginning of the century, Korean cinematography has declared itself as a supplier of, probably, the best genre films of our time - thrillers, detective stories, violent horror. They occupied the niche that Hollywood completely lost - the niche of mid-budget cinema. The mentality is largely the secret of the success of the Koreans. Genre cinema is always associated with heightened, extreme emotions. Koreans are not afraid of extremes, including emotional ones. And therefore they work much better on contrasts - even in the most poignant and deeply tragic stories, they always have a place for humor, and vice versa.
Best Korean Dramas:
SOUTH KOREA FASHION
Korean Fashion Facts
1. Western-style clothing appeared in South Korea only in the 1960s.
Prior to that, in South Korea, the population wore exclusively national clothes - hanbok. Western clothing was first introduced by politician and activist Yoon Chi-Oh, but was mostly worn only by the Korean aristocracy, while the rest of the population were still adherents of traditional clothing. In the 1960s, Western clothing became mandatory as part of the dress code in offices, and mass fashion began from there.
2. The first designer to introduce Korean calligraphy print collections was Lee Sang Bong.
And it happened in 2006 in Paris. The designer himself admits that initially he was dissuaded by many from bringing such a frankly traditional element of culture into the collection for the West, but he did not listen and did the right thing: the collection became successful, and many other designers followed his example.
3. The Korean fashion industry is only 16 years old.
Seoul Fashion Week is only 16 years old, but in recent years it has been rapidly gaining popularity among the Western press and buyers.
4. K-Pop and fashion are inseparable in South Korea
In South Korea, unlike in Europe and the US, fashion is heavily inspired by Korean pop music, better known as K-Pop. Performers always sit in the front rows to support their favorite designers by dressing up in their clothes. Hence the democratic nature of the South Korean fashion week and the industry as a whole - it is designed for the general public, largely due not only to commercial availability, but also because of the focus on music fans. Most of the managers of K-Pop artists even deliberately seat their star players in the front rows to draw additional attention to them. At Seoul Fashion Week, you can always catch the stars of the Korean pop scene such as rapper Beenzino, G-Dragon, Junsu and many more.
5. High fashion and street style go hand in hand.
Many young and not-so-Korean designers favor streetwear and sporty cuts. The peculiarity of Seoul Fashion Week is that sometimes the clothes from the catwalk collections exactly copy the Seoul street-style. This is the result of two factors: firstly, Korean fashion is completely inspired by Seoul realities, such as pop music and street style, which in Korea reaches the level of a subculture, and secondly, Korean designers are still struggling for sales, and therefore launch more affordable rulers to stay afloat.
6.Korean models and bloggers are celebrities in South Korea
If in Paris and New York during the fashion week bloggers and models scurrying through the streets are already commonplace that touches little local residents, then in Seoul everything is exactly the opposite. Korean models like Lee Sung-kun and Irene Kim and bloggers like Hong Suk-woo are real rock stars. After each screening, there is a line of fans waiting for them to compete for the right to take pictures with them and get an autograph.
7. Korean fashion is no longer so isolated from the West.
If earlier in the Western fashion industry South Korea was represented only by Lie Sang Bong and Park Choonmoo, now a new generation of Korean designers is stepping on their heels. Young people are opening more and more boutiques in world capitals: for example, the young brand Juun J has opened its store in Paris, Kye in New York, and Eudon Choi and J JS Lee in London.
8. South Korea is a trendsetter in Asia.
And that is why many Asian and Western fashion houses are rushing to open their flagship stores there and show off their new collections. Success in the South Korean market guarantees success throughout Asia, which is one of the largest global markets in the industry. The secret of South Korean success is again in its attractive pop culture, as well as its sensitivity to global trends.
Korean fashion trends 2021
1. Tennis Pleated Skirts
The skirt itself is not new and belongs more to the classics than to the hot trend, which is why it is good. Despite the fact that now she is at the peak of popularity, her relevance will not pass so quickly. The renewed love for this piece of clothing is also due to its versatility. It will suit almost everything. And as a school uniform, and for any other informal occasion. Wear it with shirts or turtlenecks.
2. Tweed
Tweed clothing is also considered a timeless classic. With the filing of Coco Chanel, tweed became the epitome of elegance and still did not consider young people to be its target audience. Recently, he again became unusually in demand and did not go unnoticed by Korean fashionistas. And already at the suggestion of k-pop idols, tweed has found not only a second life, but also a new reading. Moreover, representatives of boy bands also fell in love with tweed.
3. Sleeves with puffs
This is a great way to decorate, make even the simplest basic item unique, such as a black turtleneck or a gray sweater. Puffs can be found on any piece of clothing - on shirts, men's and women's, dresses, the already mentioned turtlenecks and sweaters. On some of them, the volume will be only on the shoulders, and there may be completely free volumetric sleeves along the entire length.
Puffed sleeves are not something that always remains relevant. They came to us during the Renaissance, then returned in the middle of the XIX century and again became fashionable in the 50s and 80s of the XX century. Therefore, it is still difficult to say how much longer it will last.
4. Knitted vests
Again, at the peak of popularity in South Korea, there was a thing familiar to everyone, recognizable, at first glance, ordinary. Stylish Koreans and idols walk the streets in knitted vests, with a pattern or in plain, cropped or long, with a V-neck or U-neck. Vests for every taste and color can be worn to school or university, to work, to a cafe or to visit. The vest can again be combined with shirts and T-shirts.
5. Crop tops
Korean fashion used to be much more conservative than it is today. Although, according to the above trends, we can conclude that the love of the classics remains unchanged. Crop tops are not only tops, blouses and cardigans can also be short. Both female and male. And this means that everyone can find their own crop top and try it on both in summer and winter, both with and without a bare stomach, as an elegant and elegant crop top, as well as casual, sporty.
To view all photos in slide mode, double-click on any photo!