Jpop: bomi (ボーミ)

The background of bomi can be said to be a somewhat unique representation how international the kpop/jpop scenes really are today as she has Korean parents, was born in USA, and then grew up as a Japanese. As an parallell, many of the famous korean pop idols we see today was often born/grew up in America, only to move to Korea as a grown-up when they wanted into the kpop scene. The latest song is a airy synth sounding cover of CSS:s "Part Night, Hold Me Tight".

• bomi - Party Night, Hold Me Tight
• bomi - Mr. & Ms. Boring
• bomi - iYo-Yo
• bomi - Nakittsura Lily (泣きっ面リリー)

Mandopop: Hebe Tien (田馥甄 )

Hebe Tien from Taiwanese trio S.H.E. here sings in hauntingly beatiful "Insignificance", which thankfully enough is also subtitled in english. I usually doesn't like mandopop ballads as they often feel somewhat slow and even boring (sorry!), but the nerve that Tien gives this song makes it something more. And yes, it *was* shot on Iceland... ;-)

• Hebe Tien - Insignificance (渺小)
• Hebe Tien - Learning from drunk (不醉不會)
• Hebe Tien - Forever Love (愛著愛著就永遠)
• Hebe Tien - You Better Not Think About Me (你就不要想起我)
• Hebe Tien - Still In Happiness (還是要幸福)
• Hebe Tien - It's OK to be lonely (寂寞寂寞就好)
• Hebe Tien - Devil's Angels (魔鬼中的天使)

Jpop: Czecho No Republic(チェコ・ノー・リパブリック)

The group started of in 2010 with good reviews from the start, and with the new singer Mai Takahashi (starting with "Fine Day") they got even better I think. They got all the signs of a "real" indie band with all the inherent nerdiness and happy-ironic stances that comes with it. (^_^)

• Czecho No Republic - Music
• Czecho No Republic - No Way
• Czecho No Republic - Oh Yeah!!!!!!
• Czecho No Republic - Dream Beach Sunset
• Czecho No Republic - Fine Day (ファインデイ)
• Czecho No Republic - Rainbow (レインボー)
• Czecho No Republic - Neverland (ネバーランド)
• Czecho No Republic - Festival
• Czecho No Republic - Massachusetts(マサチューセッツ)

Ukrainian pop: Alain Vinnytsya - OH

"OH" with Ukrainian singer Alain has that kind of catchy sounding refrain that gets stuck in your head, it's like a gum you cant stop chewing.

• Alain Vinnytsya - OH

Kpop: Hyolyn - One Way Love (너 밖에 몰라)

I suppose the tactic with releasing two debut songs/videos like Hyolyn's company is doing, can have the benefits of higher exposure and also getting fans and subtractors to divide among themselves which one is the better one. And, yes, I will bite and say that I prefer the better song from "Lonely" to the more sexy but plain "One Way Love". The theme, common in kpop and kdrama, also makes me slightly sad as the signals in the video somehow sends double messages. Sure, that kind of uncertainty can be common in a relation, but it is just so often one is even supposed to somehow even enjoy this kind of misstreatment from men of their "loved" ones in korean/japanese/chinese dramas (as a kind of romantic suspense until thw two finally "falls in love") so I would rather skip it when possible. I'm not blaming Hyolyn for this, she's just part of an industry that really should learn to differentiate between sexy and sexistic a little bit more. It can be a thin line, but at least it could avoid flirting with such male chauvinistic views. It is like the difference between humor and sadism. One is enjoyed by both and the other is (usually) a One Way "Love".

• Hyolyn - One Way Love (너 밖에 몰라)

Kindie: DJ Hanmin(디제이 한민) - Show me your bba sae

From DJ Hanmin's 2nd album comes this catchy track, "Show me your bba sae". The video supposedly gives us an inside view of a DJ's hard life on the road... (^_^)

• DJ Hanmin ft Ingram Jones - Show me your bba sae(live version here)
• DJ Hanmin - Remix of Orange Caramel's Lipstick

Mandopop - S.H.E. / 女朋友

S.H.E. is a Taiwanese female pop trio that has produced 11 albums since their start in 2001, and here is just a few examples from that. Essential mainstream mandopop one could say. ;-)

• S.H.E. - One Million Years (一眼萬年, from The Little Fairy, 天外飛仙)
• S.H.E. - Irreplacable (永遠都在)
• S.H.E. - That Tree (那時候的樹)
• S.H.E. - Tropical Rain Forest (熱帶雨林)
• S.H.E. - I Love Rainy Night Flower (我愛雨夜花)
• S.H.E. - Desert Island (兩個人的荒島)
• S.H.E. - Love You (愛上你)
• S.H.E. - Leaving Cambridge Again (再別康橋, based on a Xu Zhimou poem)
• S.H.E. - Love So Right (愛就對了)
• S.H.E. - Who do you? (怎麼辦, from Taiwanese version of Hana Kimi)
• S.H.E. - You Won't Be (你不會)
• S.H.E. - May Day (五月天)
• S.H.E. - Coastal Highway Exit (沿海公路的出口)
• S.H.E. - Electric Shock (觸電)