By now, I’m sure y’all have heard about Epik High’s newest album — and their new, independent business model by which they’re distributing it.

Namely, they’re opting out of the major-label system and putting out their record themselves, via their spankin’-new website mapthesoul.com and iTunes. The site’s got everything written in Korean and English, is taking overseas orders, and they’ve even got a Twitter account (mapthesoul).

This isn’t the first time a band has done something of the kind — recall Radiohead’s 2007 “In Rainbows” album, which they released online (for free! — they accepted donations but didn’t charge a set fee) — but for a Korean artist or group, it’s a bold step. I don’t think they’ll be changing the kpop landscape single-handedly, because if anything, bands like Radiohead and Epik High have something important that struggling indie newbs don’t, and that is a huge and loyal fanbase from which to draw. Naturally, this makes their jump out of the “system” into self-production easier than, say, had they attempted this as unknowns.

But the buzz and the likely success of their endeavor is promising for the future, and — as the band proclaims on their website — revolution begins with one step.

Below is a new interview from Chosun.com, which talks to Tablo about the album, the business behind the decision, his personal philosophies, and all that other good stuff.

 
Instead of a “Song of the Day,” here’s Epik High’s newly released “Map the Soul” MV:

[Read more →]

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Yikes. Another celebrity car accident?

This time it’s Tablo and DJ Tukutz who were in a car collision that left the car “half wrecked.” The two were riding in a taxi at 3am on May 20th in Seoul’s Kangnam neighborhood and were rear-ended at an intersection where their taxi was waiting to make a left turn.

The driver of the car that collided with them was driving drunk. The trunk of the taxi was completely wrecked and all the windows shattered; Tablo and Tukutz were both admitted to the emergency room, received treatment and released, but both were readmitted to the hospital later that day.

Tablo described feeling “severe pains” in his lower back and neck. The X-ray taken that morning showed no particular injury so he was released to get back to work, but because of continuing pains, he made the decision to return to the hospital to get another checkup. Tukutz suffered from similar symptoms, and their work activities were canceled for the 20th and 21st.

Best of luck for speedy recoveries.

Via IS Plus

 
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On May 7, Epik High rapper Mithra Jin issued a public apology on variety show Goldfish for rude remarks made toward Min Kyung Hoon of the ballad group Buzz.

The rapper had hosted a radio show on music portal site Melon, “Mithra Jin’s Music Date,” in a special New Year’s broadcast back in January, after which he was criticized for insulting other artists. Mithra Jin explained that he’d been a little looser than his usual style that night, and should have been more careful when he said:

“The Nuts’ Ji Hyun Woo and singer of 1988 [old-fashioned] ballads Min Kyung Joon… The ones who don’t bow [in greeting] properly are all 1984′ers. You’d think their necks were in a cast.”

Tablo clarified, saying the press had misreported the statements. I’d say they really did, because the first article I read made Mithra Jin out to be rude and abrasive, but a second report printed the full quote, which is much less incendiary:

“The Nuts’ Ji Hyun Woo and singer of 1988 ballads Min Kyung Joon. Why are these kids born in the Year of the Rat so tall? They’re at least 184cm — the kids who don’t bow are all 84′ers. You’d think their necks were in a cast.”

(It’s a little convoluted, but it was meant as a play on words, with 184 cm => born 1984, Year of Rat => 2008 is Rat Year => New Year’s radio broadcast.)

But, Tablo conceded that although the comments toward Ji Hyun Woo weren’t that bad, Mithra Jin had been a bit unfair to Min Kyung Hoon, and DJ Tukutz even extended his own apology as well.

The show put Mithra Jin on the phone with Min Kyung Hoon, and although Min was unable to answer because he was in the middle of his own TV appearance, Mithra Jin apologized, saying, “I made some rude remarks about you in the past, and I want to take this opportunity to apologize directly. I’d like if we could have a drink sometime in the future and talk.”

Bit of a side rant:

I swear, Korean media really needs to get its act together. I’ve always been kind of wary of the press, but sometimes it’s hard to tell just how much liberty the reporters are taking in telling a story. As you can tell above, the simple omission of a sentence can drastically alter the tone of a statement. I’ve read at least four different articles all reporting this same story, and each source has “quoted” Mithra Jin differently. Western press has strict rules on quotations — anything that wasn’t explicitly stated must reside outside the quotation marks or be set off by brackets, so there’s no confusion as to what was exactly stated. But Korean media almost always paraphrases — within quotes, outside quotes, willy-nilly. The same “quote” can have slight wording variations in every source that chooses to quote it. It’s ridiculous. It’s like there are no standards for professional reporting — and perhaps there aren’t.

Via OSEN, and OSEN again

SONG OF THE DAY

Buzz – “약자의 눈물” (Tears of the weak) [ Download ]

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Tablo was on MBC’s Goldfish — Radio Star program on the 30th, and revealed his bad history of dating the wrong girls.

He’d initially declined to answer the host’s question about bad exes, but when he was pressed to describe typical behavior, he “answered carefully,” saying, “Cheating was a given, and she lied a lot. I’ve also dated someone who lied and said she didn’t have a boyfriend when she did.”

The (persistent!) host Kim Gura asked specifically if he’d had money issues, and Tablo answered that there was one instance when one demanded a huge amount of money. Asked how much, he answered, “$80,000 or $90,000?” He continued, “When I told her I couldn’t give it to her, she accused me of playing around with her and made me out to be the bad person.”

He also said that because he’s so consumed with work when an album is about to come out, he tends to break up with his girlfriends whenever a release date approaches. But that’s not too unusual for the Epik High guys; Mithra Jin added that all three of them tend to get caught up in their work and have no time to date.

Tablo, hon, you’re just meeting the wrong girls. I know where you can find some really awesome, non-cheaty ladies.

Via Mk.co.kr, Hankyung

SONG OF THE DAY

Epik High with Younha – “우산” (Umbrella) [ Download ]

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• Sung Yuri is set to appear in her first solo talk show appearance on SBS’s new The Star Show; the show concept is centered on deep conversation with “big stars.” Originally veteran actor Choi Min Soo was scheduled for the show’s second episode, but that was scrapped with his recent scandal for beating up a 70-year-old man. Episode airs May 5.
• Chae Rim admits to having her eyes done on a recent episode of Happy Together. She was also asked, somewhat uncomfortably, “Why don’t you get married?” (uncomfortably because of her public divorce). She broke the awkward mood and explained, “When I see others living with their husbands, I don’t really feel envious.”
• In the same episode, MC/funnyman Yoo Jae Seok revealed he’d gone to the same university as Chae Rim and Rivals co-star Lee Jong Hyuk, but he’d never graduated (he’d been working as a comedian and had to often leave to go to the broadcast station).
• In middle school, Kim Rae Won was always ranked (academically) in third place — from the rear. (He continued, “I quit playing basketball, shocked to hear my grades wouldn’t be good enough to continue to high school, so I started studying harder.”) He’s currently filming manhwa-based drama Gourmet.
• Epik High rapper Mithra Jin has a girlfriend (Tablo disclosed the fact when the group appeared on Love Letter on the 26th). Mithra said that although that’s true, they only have time to meet once every two or three weeks to confirm they’re still alive.
• Go Soo was released from military duty on April 25, and he sure looks happy. Welcome back, dude.
• …and goodbye to pop singer Eru, who took the stage to bid goodbye before beginning his military service next month (May 1), appearing on MBC’s Music Core on the 26th with new hit group Mighty Mouth. He performed, appropriately enough, the song “Last Concert.”

 
SONG OF THE DAY

Mystic Puzzle – “A Fairy Tale” (Featuring Epik High) [ Download ]

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