News bites: June 14, 2008

20 June 14, 2008May 17, 2015

by javabeans

Ara and Jang Geun Seok are dolling up and gettin’ down in an online teaser ad for a cosmetics brand, showing off what is being dubbed their ~~“techtonic”~~ Tecktonik dance. Touted as sexy and cute, I’d use any another term — dorky-cute, disco-lite, uber-goofball? — instead.
21-year-old Moon Geun Young opens up in an interview about her feelings about how her fame has affected her younger sister, who has explained that it’s hard being the little sis of Korea’s Little Sis — she’s always being compared or treated with awkward curiosity. Now a high school student, younger sis lives abroad and studies in Australia, where Moon Geun Young explains that she can hopefully “stand on her own without being in my shadow.”
According to the director of Rain’s company JTunes, Rain hasn’t mentioned any interest in a woman in the past seven years. (What about guys?)
Fashion designer Andre Kim (who’s had a long career but hasn’t seemed to have a new idea in years) tells The Star Show that of all the numerous celebrities he’s worked with, sob queen Choi Jiwoo is the star with the perfect body. (He lists Lee Byung Heon as the most charismatic male actor.)
Yoo Seung Ho (that young cutie who played young Yonsama in Legend) has been cast in the music video for “Don’t Go, Don’t Go,” R&B duo Brown Eyes‘ comeback single. (Starring opposite is new Japanese actress Ishizaka Yuri.) His role entails “emotional” and “heartbroken” acting; looks like he’s trying his best to shed the child-star image.
With only a week till his new drama airs, Lee Dong Gun is lining up the CF offers, promoting pre-harvest rice sales and fielding more proposals from beverage, clothing, and construction companies. While it’s common for a new drama to bring the CF offers, it’s cited as being unusual for the offers to come in before the drama has even begun. Maybe they’re just happy to see him back onscreen after his recent rough patch.
Some of JYP‘s teen-sex-kitten proteges the Wonder Girls had a few words to share about their Svengali-master on MBC’s Brain Battle (isn’t that shooting a little high?). Apparently JYP gets “sensitive” when he’s hungry (unlike the rest of us robots); Yoo Bin explained that while recording their album, he’d gotten so hungry once that he’d scolded her. After a snack, she saw him being affectionate with another member and felt sad. (Maybe he was upset with, I don’t know, her work? I’ve seen her performing.)
Singer JOO cites an occasion prior to her debut when JYP had commented on her weight, saying, “What’s with this [flab]? It’s like tofu.” Because teenage girls don’t already have enough issues about their looks — thanks, Mr. Monkey-man.

SONG OF THE DAY

Alex – “깍지껴요” (hold hands), from his recent first solo album “My Vintage Romance.” Overall, the album sounds a lot more mainstream than his previous work, going more into ballad and pop territory. He does have the voice for it, even though I prefer the more innovative music of Clazziquai. [ Download ]

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1 Georgie

June 14, 2008 at 1:32 PM

I don't know if you've heard of it, but "Tecktonik" (as it's spelled -- it's even been trademarked and has become a well-known brand name) is actually a dance/clothing/life-style (I know that "lifestyle" is one word, it just kind of worked out that way... :) ) that got really popular within the past year (or possibly 2) in France. It was created by some people in the Parisian suburbs and spread throughout the country (I know this because, while I was living in France, it was all over the news, TV, and it was basically all my students wanted to talk about!). Here's one of the more famous videos set to a remix of Yelle's "A Cause des garçons." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYaZYmTwOxA

After all of that, I haven't seen the video that you mentioned, so I don't know if it's the same idea, but, eh. Maybe! :) Enjoy the video, in any case. It's pretty amusing to watch!

EDIT: OK, so I just watched your above-mentioned video, and this is exactly what they're trying to do! HAHA! Looks like I can't escape Tecktonik...

Oh, and btw, do you know if her eyes are really that light in color? Or is she one of the increasing number of people wearing contacts (whether it is to alter the color, or alter the shape of one's eyes)?

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2 snoopy

June 14, 2008 at 2:34 PM

Hey! I live in Paris, France. I confirm this tektonik thing is from here. It is a lifestyle among of a limited group of young people. To all other common people, It is a plague. Because when you meet these tecktonik people in real life, their clothing ( chess check, stars, cross; they all wear the same stuffs, they end up like clones), hairstyle (girls are normal, but the guys, OMG), attitude(shouts and run around like crazy patients in the subway) and dance( in fact, they are just throwing around their arms uncontrollably) are so ridiculous that you want to smack them. I'm deeply sorry for parents who have teens in this style.
Just look at them: http://images.wikia.com/desencyclopedie/images/0/02/Tecktonik.jpg
I hope koreans will not get infected by this virus of absudity.

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3 shelll.

June 14, 2008 at 3:35 PM

the song of the day---is it from alex's new album ? the "my vintage romance" album ? do you know where i can get it ? [;

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4 Jackie

June 14, 2008 at 4:22 PM

JYP sounds like my mom when she's hungry.. OMG stay out of her way till you can get her a sandwich xP haha
apeman is in no position to be criticizing other people's looks
im sure joo didnt have tofu flab but koreans seem so critical of weight...

neway! OMG GO ARA'S EYES ARE STILL GREEN
gaaaah I thought my eyes were special... even though they're from my euro blood
she really brings down my self esteem »_«;

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5 rocketfuel

June 14, 2008 at 4:23 PM

So R. Kelly was found not guilty for pissing on a minor while making home made porn....and as soon as I heard that I thought of JYP and how he let one of his minors become a "prodigy" of him. R Kelly is a tool...and JYP is one as well for working with a guy who compares his problems to Martin Luther King.

I'd like to ask JYP....WTF was he thinking. He should have kissed Chris Brown's butt instead.

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6 Georgie

June 14, 2008 at 5:19 PM

It's true. Tecktonik's only the "it" thing with certain kids. Most find it hilariously, ridiculously stupid and perhaps even a little sad. But, I have a couple of friends who, when drunk and prompted (and sometimes not prompted), will flail their arms in the Tecktonik style. It's fun to watch! At least, à mon avis. Unfortunately, I can actually see the Tecktonik style becoming popular in Korea. Mais, bon, tant pis. That'll pass, just as every other fad in the world has...thankfully!

Despite it all, this is making me very, very nostalgic for France! I may be going to Korea this coming fall for an extended stay, so if that happens, I'll update those interested about the Tecktonik-thing in Korea.

To Snoopy: I just wanted to mention that your English is fantastic! MUUUCH better than my students...even the older ones who were actually pretty good.

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7 its_trish

June 14, 2008 at 5:30 PM

just gotta say.. I LOVE your comments sarahbeans ^^

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8 C

June 14, 2008 at 5:56 PM

dats cute pics of JGS and Ara...

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9

June 14, 2008 at 6:27 PM

Your comments are very funny! your entries put a smile on my face everyday! Thanks!

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10 pajamapop

June 14, 2008 at 6:36 PM

Tecktonik must have some kind of underground following in Korea because before this CF came out I've already seen a couple references to it from the singer Eun Jin Won and actor Jung Kyung Woon.

I'm all for precocious, young starlets like Moon Geun Young, but Jang Geun Seok irritates me to no end. I'm sure he's a nice kid, responsible for his age, but every time I hear him talk on a show or interview, I always sense the feeling he thinks he's reaaally cool.

Anyways, what are the chances we'll be seeing some Tecktonik routines on SYTYCD? The show did say they're adding new styles of dance this season. By the way, just caught the top 20 episode and damn, the whole episode was a bust except for one routine. The second NappyTabs routine was insanely good and redeemed not only their horrid choreo for American Boy, but the entire episode for me. Everything else pretty much sucked bottoms. The jive was not a jive, the cha cha was not a cha cha and I am so OVER Mia Michaels.

Man, I would kill to see Korean versions of SYTYCD and DWTS.

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11 shro

June 14, 2008 at 6:44 PM

yes, techtonik! JGS is pretty good. You should see the teams. They're so good-Wantek.

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12 ed

June 14, 2008 at 7:29 PM

tektonic sounds similar to paninaro in the 80s...

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13 eevee

June 14, 2008 at 7:51 PM

hahahah i bet yoobin WAS scolded for her lack of effort to sing live even tho we all know she has an issue with her vocal cord. i mean u cant really call it an "illness" afer lip syncing for 5 live shows, can you? i just happened to honestly, but gently mention this on one of their live performance videos on youtube and i got backslashed 10 times. i mean i get that she is "sick" and they are working hard, but obviously not hard enough. i love their hit songs, but come on, wondergirls cant go LIVE to save their lives.

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14 whaleatape

June 14, 2008 at 8:12 PM

I hope Moon Geun Young's sister grows up wonderfully. It must be terribly hard to have an extremely famous star for your sister. I've always wondered how the siblings of celebrities fared. Always felt that they must have it bad.