Of Babblings and Musings

BLACK HAPPINESS - TASHA

This is a story about a girl who's forced to live as a stranger in Korea, enduring racial prejudice. Tasha (korean name- yoon mi rae) is half African American and half Korean. As she grew up, she had a hard time searching for self identity.

A Korean Rapper which i JUST discovered in Youtube. Massive.

(Live version)

Labels: information, music

K-Pop Music Culture and Industry

The past few weeks, I have been immersing myself in K-pop and K-dramas. I call it my "Unofficial Korea pop cultural immersion programme". Haha. Seriously, I have been googling loads of information with an unusually extreme hunger. I wonder why am I not studying Mass Comm?! O.o This could be a very interesting FYP topic! Smth like "Analysis of Korean Pop Music Culture and Industry".

Good talent agencies are very important. JYP Entertainment is my personal choice. I think Park Ji Young (JYP) is a genius and a good example to follow. He himself is a singer, but he is on the lookout for more talents not just in Korea but holding auditions all over the world. This man has ambition!

1. Wonder Girls

JYPE adopts a "family" concept. Every artiste in this talent agency is as close as family. I think that's awesome. I remember watching MTV Iggy's, when WG performed live, and the host interviewed JYP.

Q: What do you look out for when you are choosing someone who is an aspiring singer?

JYP's Ans: Of course talent is important, but I believe that passion is more important. I have seen many talented young people who tried to make it big, but they failed in the end because of the lack of determination and perseverance. Like Sun Ye from Wonder Girls, she has been training for 6 years before she debuted as the Wonder Girls. Just training alone. To succeed, you must be really hardworking.

Wow. This guy teaches core values to his JYP kids. I think that's awesome. Because...success can come in two methods. First would be step-by-step. Second would be just based on something that appeals to people (more like chance?) and hope you would strike it rich. I think the 1st method has greater sustainability in that measure of success. And I think that's what JYP always had in mind for his company & the JYP kids. Which is great! Unlike some agencies around (I am sure there are) that simply uses artistes to earn more $. Exploitation happens alot in the entertainment industry.

Getting to the top is easy compared to STAYING at the top.

This coupled with JYP's acute sensing of what people love to see in music and entertainment, produced not just the success of WG, but also a boyband group called 2PM.

2. 2PM

CAN YOU SEE/FEEL THE ENERGY?? Goodness they are awesome. Every single member from 2pm can dance superbly (& sing in tune at the same time) unlike any other boybands I've seen. Seriously. Okay, maybe Energy from Taiwan...but they have long been in history. And if you know about Energy, their failure was precisely contractual conflict with the agency managing them. Which reinforces the fact that having a good agency is very important.

JYP Entertainment abolishes “slave contracts”

"JYP Entertainment, who currently has the Wonder Girls, 2PM, etc artistes under its charge has announced on the 26th, that it will adopt the standard contract protocol set by the Korea Fair Trade Commission. They will thus become the first management agency in Korea to abolish what many has come to know as "slavery contracts".

The term "slavery contracts" are basically contracts signed by artistes where the terms mainly interferes with their personal life, infringing their human rights and weren't really beneficial to them. Despite that, it is quite a normal practice in the industry because it's somewhat a culture that has lasted for many years. Trainees who have hopes of making it big, have to agree to these terms because they have no other choice.

But despite being singled out by the Korea Fair Trade Commission many times since late 2008, many management agencies have persisted with the practice. Although some did modify the contract terms after getting several warnings, it did not really help since the whole "slavery contracts" were still in place.

But JYP Entertainment has now taken the first step to rooting out this unnecessary evil in the industry by adopting the new contact protocol, which will see the contract length shortened, ratio of earnings changing according to market value, artistes able to decide their own schedules, etc terms that will better safeguard artistes rights.

A representative from the Korea Fair Trade Commission expressed that, with the huge influence that JYP Entertainment wields in the industry, they have high hopes it will help to set a good foundation and example for other management agencies to follow in future."

Source: http://www.allkpop.com/index.php/full_story/jyp_entertainment_abolishes_slavery_contracts/

Cheers to passion. Passion > talent.

Point #2: JYPE do not just groom their talents to be good singers, but have a good grasp of stage presence, which makes them a true entertainer, being all-rounders. And people like to be visually stimulated, not just auditorily as in hearing the singing voice.

Cheers to their English! Weee.

Labels: information

Nature Republic @ http://nature-republic.com/index.jsp

Much of the information on the website are still in Korean...guess that's how new the brand is.

It has opened its doors at 313 Somerset, which is its 2nd branch in Singapore. =) T3 brought me there on Sunday and introduced this brand to me. I think I'm getting to like this brand much! It's endorsed by RAIN, and is relatively new in Singapore. The first branch is in Bishan J8. Hope to see more of it sprouting around Singapore, ideally AMK coz I live there. Hehe. But Bishan's convenient too!

Anyway, I bought quite alot of stuff until I became a member of it! =x

I like the shop because:
1) Cheap compared to the Face Shop, Etude House, Skin Food, etc.
2) Nice classic packaging and not excessively cute
3) It sells everything from top to bottom for your body
4) Salesperson is VERY friendly & knowledgeable about the products they r selling!
5) Asian product suits asian skin best. Duh? =)
6) Its emphasis on NATURE in its product. Though alot of other products do that too haha.

Some of the stuffs I got from there:
UV Lock Sun Balm SPF 50+ PA+++(Violet) - This is their star product.
Foot Mask - 1 sheet just to try its effectiveness
Cream mask
Makeup spot remover - this is such a brilliant invention!
Lip gloss
Deodorant Foot Spray

And so...I got a free Lipgloss (Real) handphone accessory + Sheet mask. There are also a few other products I would love to try actually, but not necessary for my usage now.

Labels: Makeup

Something that a friend mentioned recently strengthened my conviction on this topic.

For many people in the church, maybe this year is the season whereby it is their time to get attached. But for me (& also for her too hence this comment she made), it may not be due yet in God's planning schedule.

The church has been encouraging people to get attached, and people ARE getting attached by the tens of hundreds in 2009! To the point that it is a little bit overwhelming...around me, I witnessed some godly attachments, but there are also certainly some unwise ones...but in the midst of all these, where do I stand in God's planning schedule? When is my time?

I think it is very important that we are not rushing God, that's number one. If it isn't the ripe season yet, it will never work out without God's blessing in the relationship.

Secondly, it is very important to know for yourself, what God is speaking to you in this aspect of your life. Indeed, the church may be on this movement, so people around are getting attached at a faster pace, and conversations are often revolving around this topic. It seems like it has become part of our church culture lol! But it is so important to heed the voice of God, and even place it above the voice of your Pastor, close friend or CGL.

I'm not saying that we should become disobedient towards our spiritual authorities. Just that we must exercise wisdom and discernment. Not everything we learn from a preaching applies to us right NOW. It maybe meant for us to keep in in our hearts, until the right person appears.

It takes maturity and determination to stand strong in the midst of a seemingly "church culture". Haha. It really does because we can be tempted time and again to take the shortcut. But end up settling for something short of the will of God. Which won't last, of course. =\

There is added pressure too from family members, and other well meaning friends...and they aren't always helpful. =p Because it will be a challenge to convince that person WHY you are not getting attached, since it is something that's between you and God and sometimes, not even a fellow Christian may be able to fully understand your position.

Hence, my prayer would be to keep my foundation in the Lord strong...not compromising my standards, but instead benchmarking it against God's standards. And wait. =) And with all my heart pray for that person to become the person God has wanted him to become...so that when we meet, we are ready for each other. So meanwhile, I'm gonna make sure I am moulded into a better person from inside out! =)

Labels: contemplative, revelation

Watch from 3:45 to 6:00 minutes. HILARIOUS OK!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24dT4JSzYIg

This guy has a cool personality in the drama, who is the lead singer of a band. But when he went to the countryside, he started being weird, enjoying himself in the field of grass. But ended up being chased by a pig....super LOL.

Title of Drama: You're Beautiful (You're Handsome)

My ratings: 4.5/5 stars! Must watch! It's not sappy love story. It's SUPER FUNNY but in a natural way.

Labels: drama review, information

You know, I seriously am grateful that next semester is my LAST. I wished I had 3 years instead of 4 years of studying in university. I'm getting tired of taking exams. 8 times over the past 4 years!

I'm so gonna play Mario Kart on Wii at home, catch up on lost time with friends, somewhat indulge in drama-ing till the end of this week. And re-touch my Violin. It's been rotting inside its coffin. Haha. Btw, I'm very inspired by the 10,000 hour rule as spoken by Pst last Sunday. Tells me I gotta work harder...

I still got my dissertation draft to submit!!!! Gosh.....I'll have to plan my schedule for Dec-Jan after exams end. As for now, back to my notes! I'm so lagging in my revision due to distractions. Sigh. FOCUS!!!!

Labels: daily rantings

In a time when you have many strong Christians in the entertainment industry, you have now a choice to like an artist for not just his/her talents and personality, but also his/her faith and how that has applied to his/her career in the industry. Isn't it wonderful? =)

I like the Wondergirls, and I respect them for performing "Nobody" for like a zillionth time with the same passion for their fans. They are more than professional and mature for their age! They are all younger than me by at least 2 years! Amazing.

Now everywhere in the world you get someone who would know who the WGs are, their songs, their dancesteps. Especially since their tour with Jonas Brothers for their opening act. And to think there was a time when people thought they wouldn't make it big in the far west for being so Korean and stuff.

Oh I was thinking about this too. It's pointless to say you hate this girl in WG but you love the other, coz THEY ARE IN A BAND HELLO! That tells you something right? If you really like a band or group, you will like ALL of them regardless! Tsktsk. Ok I was just saying this in my heart yesterday night haha...when I saw comments like "oh I love WG but I hate SooHee coz she is uber act cute". Like whatever. Pls grow up.

Anyway, I do have special respect for 2 persons from WG. Yes, they are Ye Eun (Yenny's her English name) and Sun Ye. =) They are both professing Christians and they are the most "Big sisters" to the rest. I love people like that who have a big heart to not just look after themselves, but constantly looking after the others too.

Sun Ye's the leader of the group and she had been through JYP Entertainment (The toilet guy in the NOBODY MV is JYP!) many years of training that needed much determination and hard work....can see from some videos in Youtube. So I respect her for gritting her teeth through and now she has gained success!

The other person is Yenny! She is the last and the latest to join WG. Yet she is the most talented (she has the most steady voice, composes her own music, dances fabulously, has a great character). I love love love her so much that I was so excited to see her on TWITTER!!! Along with the other members of course. I quickly followed her on twitter. =D

Here is Yenny talking about herself!

Here is Yenny dancing with Chansung, a member of the JYP Entertainment's another pop
group, 2PM. He's hot! The dance is super awesome!!! My fave out of the 5!!!

Here is Sun Ye, with her introduction.

Sun Ye is really humble. I like her alot. =))

That's my little introduction on WG...quite a biased one towards Yenny and Sunye. Hehe. It's not too late to discover more stuff about WG! I think they rock.

Labels: information, music

I am actually feeling thankful on Thanksgiving Day. Hmm.

I thank God for: (A long list! Shows that I'm blessed in my past 22 yrs!)

FAMILY
1. A complete family...
2. Family members that are so supportive (morally and financially) that I develop my musical talents
3. Parents that are still paying my phone bills, Uni education, pocket money, & now cab fares when it's exam periods for me
4. A mum who fought tooth and nail to get me the best education past 22 years
5. Dad who nurtured me in experiential science when I was young - rearing caterpillars into butterflies, hatching lizard eggs, all in plastic containers - something I'll never forget, even though I don't feel fated with science anymore.
6. Dad who sat through Maths 10/10 PC Tutor, Biology, Chemistry, Physics with me and being readily available when I needed help
7. Brother who will always bless me greatly on my birthdays
8. Uncles and Aunties that are also caring for my future and well-being, and are also generous people, but stingy with themselves
9. A nice house to live in the past 15 years with many pets to accompany my growing up years. I will never forget Reagon who was put to sleep eventually due to his paralysis, Oscar who died in a car accident, my 2 chickens, a house of rabbits, hamster whose name I forgot, and Golden now who is still surviving (thank God)!

FRIENDS & LEADERS
10. My friends from Primary School - Alethia, Charmaine, Joan. And also for putting me in Pri 6BD class that we're still meeting up frequently now & always looking forward to it!
11. YT, who brought me to know Christ as THE Person, not just my savior, but my Lord
12. Sis Veron, whom I learnt to respect by seeing how much others have respect for her, and then experiencing her leadership for myself, although for a short while only - she and the cell group taught my the City Harvest Church culture from there. That was the reason I stayed on.
13. Bro Victor, who I respect alot as a wise leader and learnt most of what I believe and apply right now from him.
14. My Uni Friends - Teng Teng, Stephanie, Li Chin, Ball, etc...whom I got to know better only during my final year, but I am glad I knew them better even if it wasn't over a long time
15. WL - The only person in church who I will show the level of my crap, and who will know the words that is truly in my heart and mind...and, the only person who I can trust to understand my words & who I am 100% comfortable with when it comes to confiding.
16. VIC Leaders - for always bringing laughter in the face of challenges before us. You guys amaze me at the level of strength to take all that in with a smile on the face...I have learnt well throughout the period of being part of you, and I must say, we have all grown together. In bonds and in service. I love & respect you guys for being my standard.

CELL GROUP (Also under "FRIENDS")
17. Cell group - N119, W280....you guys are always part of my life. I wish I had been more proactive in connecting with you all especially Clement, Huizhen, Elly, Esther (both, lol). But there was always alot of balancing to do, and I guess I could have done better...WELL, time is coming soon when I can take THE load off my mind! Exams end @ Dec 2! Meet up soon...

18. The NOW Cell group - Thanks guys for running the race with me. I know I'm not the most perfect leader around, in fact I'm far from it...but you guys have stuck together with me and it has been 4 months now. I can't promise that you won't ever face a disappointment in this cell group, but I can promise that I'll put in my greatest effort and tgt with God's grace, we will see each other grow and transform. I'm not perfect either, and all of us are long time Christians with alot of room for improvement. So let's give grace to one another, even as we seek the higher calling, and most importantly....NEVER STOP LOVING GOD & LOVING OTHERS!

---------------------
Last of all, I want to thank God for being God!

1. Thank God for placing ALL THE ABOVE in my life!
2. Thank You for being more interested in my character growth than my comfort/convenience...there are SO MANY instances in my life I could quote for this...only You know all of them!
3. Thank You for being a loving father, being smarter than everyone that I may know, being more forgetful about sins that have been confessed and repented from than others around me, being the peace in my heart when I need it, and the strength in me when I needed it to overcome odds, being the guide in me when I had to depend on the gifts of the Holy Spirit!
4. Thank You for writing the Bible - formidable weapon for those who have bothered to read the user manual! Haha...
5. Thank You for being a God that actually responds.
6. Thank You for setting up the standard for morality & ethics...makes me less confused living in this screwed up world.

That isn't all, but I'm sleepy now. Maybe I'll continue sometime soon! Or not! =) Thank YOU for reading this! I hope everytime you are here to read my blog, you are blessed.

Labels: contemplative, testimony

So, November 26th is thanksgiving day? Hmm.

Have been reading tweet posts and half the time people are tweeting about thanksgiving, or they were tweeting and thanking people. Well, all I can say is this is really new to me and to celebrate it on this day still feels foreign. Haha.

I'm looking forward to the end of year, because of Christmas and Cedar Homecoming (Dec 31st!)

I have been singing Christmas carols since June I think. Lol. Especially listening to Relient K's rendition of Sleigh Ride. So Christmasy! =) But it's gonna be BUSY at church....events, outreaches, appreciation in CG and Zone, etc.....and all these stretching till 1st week of Jan 2010. Phew. Effort + $$ ->Need LOTS of it.

As for the homecoming for my secondary school, I think the date is awesome - something to look forward to other than ushering in the New Year. =) Cedar is the place where God brought me through...it will always have a special place in my heart. I remember scenes of certain areas around the school. It has been etched in my memory already. Somehow I wish the newly opened building now at the same venue as where we used to study at wouldn't be too different. But I think it would be, and inevitably so. Will I be disappointed because of the change I would see at the Homecoming? Haha....

Relient K - Sleigh Ride