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This was published on my Tumblr feed and literally made me LOL. EXO -- when they were kids (literally) starting out: Happy dancing. Chanyeol slaps D.O.'s ass. D.O.: The !@#$%^&*], man? Quickly back to happy dancing. Chanyeol smacks D.O.'s ass again. D.O.: I'M GONNA FUCKIN KILL YOU. OMG at Twinkletoes dancing over to break things up.

OMG, can I come too? LOVE Tokyo! T.O.P. is intensely hot in that Reebok spot.

Same here! I had a crush on Sehun before I even considered he might be that way romantically inclined, but now that I've seen these two together on EXO Showtime and YouTube, I ain't bitter. In fact, I love them both all the more. It's part puppy love, part burning-hot attraction. Frankly, they are the cuteness.

LOL, thanks re: the avatar, he's totally adorkable IMO. And sorry again about all the gifs. I fell into Tumblr yesterday and there were so many hilarious ones, I literally couldn't climb my way out without grabbing at least 10. I love XOXO too, and didn't realize that they never released it as a single on its own. It is so melodious-- not to mention the title track on one of their albums. Honestly, though, I love the YouTube vid that a fan produced here. The hangul/romanji/English translations are the focus, as are the color-coordinated shots of whoever is singing (particularly love DO's!). It's simple, fluffy and to the point and works better than an actual MV -- which, in EXO's case, would prob be filmed in the same dark garage, or in the Korean version of Pottery Barn. I don't need to see EXO in matching pink sweaters, buttondown shirts, khaki pants and loafers swaying to the vocals, kthanx. You are right -- CL is beautiful, especially in that MV. I love her with that smooth dark hair. I think this is the most listenable 2NE1 song I have heard to date (not that I am an expert on many of their songs).

Forgot to respond to this part. I saw the Chinese version, and I honestly cannot choose between Baekhyun/DO and Chen/Luhan. Chen really impressed me with his singing -- once again I feel like I have been overlooking this guy who is really talented. And Luhan's voice was so light and sweet. The only funny moment was Lay's English at the beginning and he said "gull" for "girl," but I found it endearing and totally understandable. I am impressed by EXO-M in general, though -- their version of Overdose was cleaner (in song) and more focused ( dancewise) than EXO-K's. Their dance version of History was cleaner, too. But D.O.'s voice is a big asset for EXO-K and he rocks both ballads and faster tracks. He comes alive when he sings, just like Kai is completely blissed out when he dances. LOL somebody on AsianJunkie posted that losing Kris was one thing, but if Kai or DO ever decided to make a run for it, SM would make sure to burn their passports and send ninja assassins out after them, lol. Songwise, it was a really good move for SM to release a ballad like this after the heavy dance tracks of Mama and History because it got to showcase their versatility. It must have worked for the group because they also released a string of love ballads right after that, and then Miracles in December. And then choosing to go back to dance and Growl was another wise shift. IMO the only really wrong move has been Wolf (or "Wurf" as they pronounce it in the song).

I never thought Suho would suit the blonde locks (I don't think D.O. would, either. Don't get me wrong, I love D.O., he's so cute and shy and cuddly, but I'm not sure that blonde is for him) but it does. He looks really cute! Blonde also really suits Kai whose luscious mouth you can just see on the right and who is truly one of the most beautifully-looking people Korea has ever produced. And then on the left, you have my lovely, kooky, awkward Sehun giving us the Smize. lol. I am completely infatuated. Also: I am pretty convinced that he and Tao are in a romantic relationship IRL. On EXO Showtime, they are literally always together, getting into mischief. Be warned -- I kind of went nuts on Tumblr: Early days of EXO (well, early 2013): That third gif, lol. Self-explanatory. Tao gave Sehun a bracelet. On EXO Showtime: Work it Tao. Lover's tiff. Growl promotion: LOL At the MaMa Awards. Tao invited Sehun to spend Chinese New Year with him and his parents in China this year. Hmmmmm.

First of all, love love LOVE your avatar! And your signature! I sense that BigBang are currently in your #1 fave spot at the moment. Um, those pics of T.O.P. (am I correct?) with his natural hair color are so striking. Especially the last one. I love his eyebrows and his mouth, and the way his shirt is all messed up at the collar. Is "1 Year with CL" a reality show? Maybe I need to get into that to get to know CL. I have to say, I love the "deck of cards" design for the 2NE1 T-shirts. Is the second one CL with the dark hair swept over one eye? Because I like that one.

Our wires crossed! All I can say is one giant Unf to Taeyang boxing with his chain in his mouth. UNF, boy! I liked both songs you posted -- I think I might prefer Gray's one a shade more (even though the chick in it has a terrible nose job).

GD went to Paris, met Pharrell http://omonatheydidnt.livejournal.com/13289933.html#comments#comments and posed with Taeyang for a new photobook: I am also posting an older EXO song called What is Love, very ballad-y, RnB, back when they were just figuring out their image: Highlights: - Baekyun and D.O.'s soulful voices, - Kai's beautiful face. And beautiful jacket. - face-twins Luhan and Sehun randomly toasting marshmallows with each other (!).

Taeyang's Rise teaser spot!!!!!! I am definitely feeling the short blonde hair... the outdoor training... and the Tears for Fears sample at the end. Everybody wants to rule the world! Omonatheydidnt gives its verdict: http://omonatheydidnt.livejournal.com/13293504.html?page=1#comments Also up: 2NE1's dance version MV of Gotta Be You: http://youtu.be/q3r9trAy_vg Omona unimpressed. Maybe it's the sweaters they are wearing. http://omonatheydidnt.livejournal.com/13294131.html#comments#comments And 2NE1's Bom has caused some "controversy" on the reality show Roommates. http://omonatheydidnt.livejournal.com/13293817.html#comments#comments Korean controversy lol OMG. They should check out reality TV in the UK or US!

Speaking of Scandinavia -- I am listening to Lykke Li - No Rest for the Wicked And I am currently obsessed -- OBSESSED -- with EXO. This is Growl which is just awesome:

Cheap, I saw this on Omonatheydidnt and was just coming here to post this very image! Even though I don't know Taeyang's work (hello, next Monday!), that face. That back! Those arms. Unf. OMG, remember Psy? Gangnam Style! Everybody doing the cowboy? LOL. That seems a long way away from all this. Like a novelty song. BIGBANG and Beast are Must-Check Outs for me right now, though God knows if I had the time I would be on the internet all day surfing YouTube for all the bands you mentioned and their MVs. Like, Jay Park, GD and T.O.P. look really interesting. So does Gray. So do Junhyng and Junho.... I can totally understand your initial hesitation about trying new material because it does get to be an obsession -- I am more easily distracted at work now because all I want to do is replay Crooked or History or Growl in my head or something. It is scary how quickly this infiltrates your spare time. Thanks for your list!

At the risk of being EXOcentric... TY for posting this! I was worried that after the Krisis, EXO would quit major promotional work in a bid to regroup, but this gives me hope that they intend to continue as a unit of 11. Chen is growing on me. I haven't noticed him as much because Suho, Kai, Luhan and others get a fair amount of the spotlight, but he has a sweet smile. Suho has such charisma, no wonder he is leader. But lol at that fangirl screaming in the vid. Your #1 fan, Suho! Sehun, swooooooon. It is SO wrong the bias I have for this guy. I just adore him.

AllMy Days!! I am so pleased you are back on this thread! I am only a K Pop newbie and want to learn more about all other worthwhile acts. EXO just happens to have grabbed my attention the most but I don't want to be the dumbass who incessantly fangirls one group only. Forgive me if I post a lot about them for now while I also find out more about GD, BEAST, 2NE1 and others. I still have so much to soak up!

Oh so that's Dujun. He was very watchable in the Adrenaline MV. And too bad about Junhyung because he is clearly very good-looking! T.O.P's hair is SO amazeballs! It has got to the point where I would seriously consider getting a cut like that for me (don't know if you are familiar with UK girl group The Saturdays, but Frankie's asymetrical short hair with long front fringe has always fascinated me). However, what looks hot on guys and Frankie may not work on other women. I saw a Japanese criticism on a website recently over one of their idol's new short hair and look: "She looks like a middle-aged housewife who is tired of life" lol. I haven't seen many Korean women in K Pop with shorter hair. Most love long and the hyper girly look.

Junhyung? Dujun? I need an EXO style face-sheet for this group. And for ShiNEE and Super Juniors too. All these K Pop groups yet to discover! It's crazy how good some of these guys look with platinum hair *looks at Exo's Kai/Sehun* OTOH I watched the MV Wolf (by guess who) and couldn't warm to the song. The chorus line, holy [!@#$%^&*]. "Ahoo Ulf Ahoo!" Plus Kai has dreadlocks and it looks so... not right.

Awwww little Tao! He certainly took Kris's leaving to heart -- he went all out on Instagram/Facebook. He does seem sensitive (and you forget how young these kids really are when you watch the MVs). Maybe because he's living in Korea, away from home, and still learning Korean -- in some of the Showtime stuff, he seems to lean on Suho for support. He kind of hero worships him. It's funny because from his angular face, I just assumed he was diva-ish but not so much, maybe. I wouldn't watch EXO Showtime religiously unless you are a major, major fan of the group (which I am prob on the way to becoming at this rate) and just cannot get enough of them. It was cute but obviously very controlled in that what you see is what SME want you to see. Still, the first episode was helpful in that it helped me with facial recognition, lol. Like, now I can recognize Suho, Xiumin and Chen in addition to my lovely Sehun/Kai/Tao/Luhan (it's harder when he's not Sparkly Princessing himself up)/Kris (not that it matters anymore). ... Speaking of Beast, Cheap, here is Adrenaline in Japanese: And here are Omonatheydidnt!'s thoughts on the MV (if you want a laugh): http://omonatheydidnt.livejournal.com/13255077.html

It is going to be a long weekend here so I cannot wait to watch these ! I keep hearing about Crush, it must be a big song for the group. And yes, Omonanotheydidnt is a great place to check out if you like K Pop... Fans tend to post new stuff almost as soon as it comes out. I have to say, though, I am not crazy about 2NE1's "Minnesota Sweater" theme in some of these promo pics. Unless it's irony! The cool thing about that GD MV in London is how little out of place GD looked in it. In fact, he looked like he fit right in with the city! Sometimes these J Pop or K Pop groups do a MV in a foreign country (NYC seems to be popular), and they look a little awkward and out of place. The only ones that didn't IMO where Japanese dance group World Order where the whole thing is tongue in cheek and playing on Japanese stereotypes. So I watched the first episode of EXO Showtime on YouTube and I think I can see why you like Suho! He is hilarious and definitely has a lot of authority in the group and works overtime to make everybody laugh and in good spirits. He is probably trying to make up for the fact the Kris is withdrawn and aloof. Watching the episode in hindsight was very revealing because Kris definitely put up a wall between himself and the group, and it is clear how unhappy he was with the whole idea of being a K Pop "idol." He does eventually warm up towards the end of the episode, though, and even laughs at himself, which was reassuring because at first he seemed cold and standoffish. However, he doesn't seem to share the same closeness with anybody the way Suho and D.O. do, or Tao and Kai. As for the others, Kai seems to be the recipient of many a boy-crush within the band, lol. He must be considered one of the better dancers, too. And Tao appears much shyer than I expected. Finally, Sehun is fast becoming a joint favorite with Luhan for me. Not sure why. He just exuuuuuuuuudes cool IMO. So there you go -- favorite EXO-K member: Sehun. Fave EXO-M member: Luhan.

Or allowed to define this season of NY (which I am loving btw). IA with everything you posted, Eric (and I say that as someone who likes both Ramona and Kristen).

Finally! An Asian girl group I can get behind. I have kind of been avoiding them because of all the underage schoolgirl/subserviant little pixie undertones that seem to appeal to 45-year old Japanese salarymen. 2NE1 look like they are more fun than that. Love the girl in the Crazy Vest! BTW, have you seen this? 2NE1's Gotta Be You promos? http://omonatheydidnt.livejournal.com/13258767.html As a London resident, I love that GD came over here to shoot a MV and he fits right inn with that whole East End vibe of that MV. I like that he mixes genres, too. This guy must appreciate all kinds of music and has the musical ear/judgment to put together unexpected combinations. I am going to have to ask you why Suho is your fave and D.O. your #2. Obviously I can see why D.O. is high on your list -- the singing, the swagger. Suho is the one who does the hoppity bunny move in the middle of Growl, right? BTW, did you say earlier that Kris was your favorite? I think I have nominated Pink Hair as my current fave because of that shrug/head flick/finger snap in Growl. Sehun, Kai, D.O., Lay, Tai and Kris are all close behind, though. OK, I am going to stop now because you must be tired of responding to all my random, "beginner K-Pop" posts, lol.

Well, consider me STILL completely confused, because I cannot tell Luhan and Sehun apart! OK, let's see if I get this right. I am guessing (based on Growl) that Lady Face/Pink Hair is Luhan. Honestly, I cannot take my eyes off him in this MV. Because, obvs. WHO is this hot piece next to Luhan? Is he the guy in your avatar and siggy? I'm going to go with... Chen of the leopard-print (bwahaha!) in Overdose? Kris is the easiest for me to pick out, weirdly, because he's the tallest and coolest-looking. It sucks that he's left. Silver Hair. Sehun? I'm starting to think that he's one of the best dancers. I am told this is Kai. Clearly crazy-hot: Tao looks like a diva in the most fabulous possible way: So basically THIS ...is ZERO help whatsoever because they all change their hair color every other day! I have to say I prefer the first version of Growl because of the dancing and transitions. And thank you for the BigBang MV! I have heard of G-Dragon but have never really checked out a lot of his stuff. Obviously going to now. BTW, Beast looks like they mix a little punk pop in their stuff.

Growl is awesome. I love the transitions too and baby-face Luhan snapping his fingers, snapping his head and hoisting his shoulders... who knew he was such a lady killer?! Yeah Jpop is a little too ballady and cutesy, and I cannot abide the girl groups who are a little too little-girly for my taste. There is KAT-TUN, but even then they look so sedate. Kpop is so much more exciting and inventive next to them! I love their hip hop stuff. I guess what I like about Jpop is that some of them do really fun J dramas too, and I enjoy those. Matsumoto Jun especially. I will have to check out Beast and Junhyung's stuff, though. Thanks for the head's up!

I assume that Growl has already been spoken about here but I figured it was worth posting again because it is SO catchy:

By the way, what's the consensus on Jun Hyoseung (Korea's wannabe Beyoncé) and her first single Goodnight Kiss? I'm finding it kind of budget.

Kris -- he really was one of the hottest. I love his white suit. BTW, your siggy reminds me of the fast flamenco-claps beat in "Overdose" which is perhaps my favorite part. And it's so funny seeing how far they have come from "MAMA" in some ways. I can't believe I didn't go out to the Far East before -- oh, wait, I know why. Because my firm kept postponing this trip for, like, 8 years and because I really couldn't afford to do it otherwise. And I haven't actually got to South Korea yet! I was sent to Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore instead (but am already lobbying to go to Seoul for a work trip, lol). Still, Korean music and TV is EVERYWHERE out there. Ironic considering that tensions between Japan and Korea are at an all-time high, and yet K-Dramas pull in the ratings and K-Pop is huge. I can see why. K-Dramas are all about forbidden romance and tragedy and huge emotions, and K-Pop goes that extra mile, I think. It is more R n B, the beats and the dance routines are more catchy and extra. K-Pop has really internationalized their music (thanks also to Koreans living in major US hubs like NYC and LA, I suspect) and put their own spin on things (kind of like how Samsung took the i-phone, tweaked it and made it... better?). Anyway, all this to say that I am now obsessed by it ALL. It is a total addiction. I want to learn Mandarin, Korean and Japanese, like, immediately (currently learning Japanese only because, you know, full-time job and all). If I had the opportunity to live over there for a while, I would in a heartbeat (even though it would be difficult to get to know native Japanese/Koreans/Cantonese at first). Cheap, you are in the Tri-State area, right? Are there opportunities to learn Korean (if you wanted), or do stuff linked to Korean culture and pop culture? I'd say: plan for that 10-day trip to Korea if you can. Doesn't have to be this year necessarily, but save some money, check out some flight deals, go with a US tour group if you have to, then run out and explore Seoul's trendiest areas! Soak up the music! Eat yummy food! Go with any Korean-Americans if you can. At the very least, it would be a unique vacation experience.