It seems like there’s always some Asian pop chaos going on at the various airports in the region…so it’s not surprising that when Korean group Super Junior visited Beijing recently (apparently related to the upcoming Olympics) and word got out..well let’s just say slight pandemonium broke loose..
Tag Archive for 'c-pop'
It was a surprise to many, including Korean pop sensation Rain himself.. thousands of fans lining up in the early morning hours just to catch a glimpse of him? That was exactly what happened at Pu Dong International after the singer arrived in Shanghai an afternoon before an important show at Hongkou Stadium. He was so touched by the outpouring of support, that he quickly arranged for a fan meeting to take place immediately at a hotel nearby.
Korean singer Lee Hyori has had a long history of being influential in Korea’s fashion scene over the years, but now reports show a growing influence in Chinese fashion as well. The country has been broadcasting Korean TV shows frequently during the last few years, and Lee Hyori’s exposure has been quite substantial during that time. Chinese women have responded strongly to her image, and just like their Korean counterparts, they’re copying her many fashion sensibilities–from hairstyle, clothing, to accessories, she’s fast becoming THE fashion icon of China. Thanks to her influence, it is now said that Korean fashion surpasses even that of American and Japanese at this current point in time.
With a voice that’s been mesmerizing TV audiences throughout China for quite awhile now, Chinese pop singer Zhang Liangying, is making many in Asian music take notice– in a slightly unexpected way. After winning 3rd place in China’s incredibly popular “Super Girl” contest, she is not only known for her beautiful voice, but for her preference for singing English language cover songs. This has caused many of her loyal audience members, intrigued by her command of the language, to inundate Chinese bookstores and language schools, scrambling for the most direct and effective tools to learning the language. Businesses are making claims that, because of her growing influence, they’re seeing shortages of some of the more popular titles, and are having to order significantly more just to keep pace with the demand she brings.
Although mainland China hasn’t been known as a center of extreme pop idol worship, that trend seems to be reversing, following the introduction of Taiwanese boyband Fahrenheit. Fans have been so enthusiastic about the group, that many in the bands management have been quite hard-pressed at keeping a productive schedule. On more than a few occasions, fan exuberance has interrupted important recording sessions, acceptance speeches, interviews, and pretty much everything else the band’s involved in. This has put Fahrenheit’s schedule in a constant flux, and may force Fahrenheit’s management to issue a special plea, letting fans know how much they appreciate the excitement, but to please realize that they’re finding it hard to get anything done!
Despite an earlier downpour of rain, Chinese artist Jolin Tsai, went on to give a mesmerizing performance in front of an estimated 15,000 fans assembled at Petaling Jaya stadium in Malaysia. Many behind the scenes insiders believed that, because of the massive flooding throughout the city earlier that day, that many fans would hesitate to make the trek to see the show. Those worries turned out to be unfounded as the stadium filled to near capacity quite quickly. Jolin went on to give one of her most spirited performances to date, as if to say to her fans, “I won’t forget this show of loyalty.”
The Asian wave continues into the United States, with another Asian star making headlines throughout the mainstream US press. This time, it’s Edison Chen, who has been named one of People magazine’s sexiest people alive. The People article, not only called him sexy, but also complimented him on being a multi-dimensional star– mentioning his broad influence in Asian music, film, and fashion. He seems to have been picking up alot of attention after his work on the film “Grudge 2″, which exposed him to many new fans in Canada, the UK, and the US. When asked what qualities he himself thought to be sexy, Edison replied “confidence”, which he no doubt seems to have himself in spades.
With Asian music’s incessant need for bigger and better artists, scouting for talent in other Asian regions almost becomes a necessity. With that being said, it makes perfect sense that Japanese music industry heavyweight Avex Trax, would make an announcement of their leasing a major new office in vibrant downtown Shanghai– opening it for business almost immediately. Many talent scouts have been reporting back on a huge backlog of undeveloped talent within China, and Avex is looking to begin tapping into that market as quickly as possible. Not much is known yet what they have up their sleeves, but rumor has it that there are several very promising artists already lined up and ready for development.
The Korean phenomenon, better known as Bada, had a pleasant surprise during a her recent trip to China. After performing a few songs at the “F1 Korean Wave Concert” in Shanghai, she apparently impressed the audience so much, that she was the talk of the town for several days afterwards. This came, not only from fans, but from the press as well, many of which gave her glowing reviews throughout the Chinese media. Since that time, her management’s phone has been ringing off the hook with offers for return visits to be made as quickly as possible.
Should the term ‘Super Girl’ be included in the Chinese dictionary? That very question is being posed throughout China of late, with many differing opinions on the issue. This all comes, as one of China’s most respected dictionaries announced that they will not include the term in their upcoming 2007 edition. A statement from the editors, says that they are striving to include terms that are not only popular, but also come with some historical track record of use–which would exclude ‘Super Girl’ of course. This created quite a debate within the public, as the show has been so wildly popular, that many believe it’s future within the language should not be questioned.
