Kpop: Exid - Hot Pink (핫핑크)

Exid's Hot Pink video seems to oscillate between sexy and horror-ish, and one can't help wonder what "pink oil" is supposed to be...is it supposed to be blood but pink is used to make it less scary? But the song is still OK, even though it kind of goes in circles. I'll be honest and say that both this and Ah Yeah from earlier this year both tries to substitute quality with attitude but it means that the music doesn't manage as well when on its own. In that sense "Every Night" from 2012 is still my favorite.

• Exid - Hot Pink (핫핑크)
• Exid - Hot Pink (horror movie trailer version!!)

Kpop: Rainbow - Black Swan (블랙스완)

It *is* a bit strange, this new video from korean Rainbow. New and dark, their return single "Black Swan" seems to be about them losing their mind and the music somehow manages to mix polished kpop and at the same time conveying a slightly uneasy feeling. Or, maybe the composition simply isn't good enough(a bit flat and static), I'm not sure. But it is fascinating to watch.

• Rainbow - Black Swan (블랙스완)

Movie: Killing Toon (더 웹툰: 예고살인)

Killer Toon was a unexpected cinema hit in Korea last year, with its theme of horror and web-comics going well across the Korean public. And the use of animation and storytelling to blur the line between real and fantasy is used quite well. I am easily scared but prefer psychological fear before too much blood and in that sense Killer Toon also fulfill my wishes. Several reviews I have read like the movie but thinks it slows down tomuch in the middle, but I dont agree at all, as I think the mood and slight terror is trasnlated quite well from the start to the end. It is not a masterpiece, but it delivers surely if you want a enjoyable scare. At the moment of writing, you could find the whole movie on YouTube here. More reviews here.

Kdrama: Spellbound(오싹한 연애)

Spellbound(2011) has a nice twist to the romantic comedy which you may not expect, in that its a romantic *horror* comedy. It actually works quite well, and it could actually be the optimal concept for a dating movie as it has both romantic elements (which is good) and scary parts (which means sitting closer together).

I hate reviews giving away to much of the story, but in short the story is about a magician Jo-Goo and one of his assistants, Yeo-Ri. The problem is that Yeo-Ri sees ghosts and therefore has isolated herself, because everyone who shares her life gets to see the ghosts too. Problem starts when her boss Jo-Goo insists on her joining a after-work dinner.

I really dont like scary stuff, but I must say that even though the effects are quite well done, you know when they come and can easily solve it by looking away for a sec or two. The romance on the other hand is quite nice and ends well, which by no means is guaranteed in Korean movies.Also the explaination behind her seing ghost is also quite sympathetically handled. Comes recommended.