Kpop: San E & Raina - Sugar & Me (달고나)

With the success of San E & Raina's previous cooperation two year's ago, "A Midsummer Night's Sweetness", it isn't surprising that they came together again this summer for "Sugar & Me". And in both cases I didn't care, and especially with the new song where Raina only figured in a token short five secs at the start (to be followed by a anonymous model for the rest of the song). Then comes the charming Date version and -wham- I love it! The charm and presence is all there, and isn't there quite the chemistry too? ... :-)

• San R & Raina - Sugar & Me (Live/Date version)
• San E & Raina - Sugar & Me (달고나)
• San E & Raina - A Midsummer Night's Sweetness (한여름밤의 꿀)
• San E & Raina - A Midsummer Night's Sweetness (Acoustic ver)

Kpop: Echae en Route (이채언루트)

So I've waited for a "real" video from the duo Echae en Route and here it is in the form of "Night Drive", an ethereal song true to their live appearances. Singer/violinist Echae Kang and bassist Oh Kyung Kwon normally balances between indie and experimental, and in this song I find they manage to keep it melodic which is more in my taste.

• Echae en Route - Night Drive
• Echae en Route - Madeline (live)

Kpop: Mamamoo - You're the best (넌 is 뭔들)

Ok, ok, Mamamoo - I can't resist writing about "You're the best" too! I loved "Taller Than You" so much so I may have been treating their recent song a bit unfairly but here it is. What made me decide was their "0.5 x 2" version which was another fun take on the original video. Please watch some of their live recordings too, they really rock live too.

• Mamamoo - You're the best (넌 is 뭔들)
• Mamamoo - You're the best (0.5 x 2 Ver.)
• Mamamoo - You're the best (live)

Jpop: Ringo Shiina - Ketteiteki Sanpunkan

Ringo Shiina will be releasing a live DVD in March, and this is an excerpt from that where she really shows of her powerful charisma.

• Ringo Shiina - Ketteiteki Sanpunkan

Jpop: Daichi Miura (三浦大知)

There is a certain nerve in Daichi Miura's singing, and his dancing isn't bad at all too, so one can understand the associations some people get to Michael Jackson. The new video "Unlock" is a prime example of it, but I also love his duet "Possibility" with BoA. His looks are quite more rough than usual for jpop boys, but I actually think thats works for him.

• Daichi Miura - Unlock
• Daichi Miura - Cry & Fight
• Daichi Miura - Fever
• Daichi Miura & BoA - Possibility (live here)
• Daichi Miura - Answer
• Daichi Miura - Lullaby
• Daichi Miura - Turn Off The Light

Mandopop: Elephant Dee/Dee Hsu/Xiao S (徐熙娣/小S)

Elephant Dee is really Dee Hsu (or Xiao S) who is a well known co-host for the Taiwanese TV-show "Kangxi Arrives (康熙來了)", one of the more popular variety shows in the Chinese speaking world. She and her sister Barbie Hsu actually did have a singing career back in the 90s (as the group ASOS; All Sisters of Shu), but the two new videos of "Blue" from november and now "Heart spurting" shows of a much more mature and darker side.

• Elephant Dee - Heart Spurting (心臟噴血)
• Elephant Dee - Blue
• ASOS - Love does not last long
• Funny live performance
• Last friday's episode of "Kangxi comes" which was an excellent ecample of the shows modern themes, being about the problem so many modern economies share - a falling birth rate, and young mothers and women was invited to talk about this.