Lay, Kris, Chanyeol, and D.O., on KBS-R Cool FM Hong Jin Kyung’s 2pm Radio Show (Credit: As watermarked)
Today, Lay, Kris, Chanyeol, and D.O. did a lovely cover of Officially Missing You on KBS-RCool FMHong Jin Kyung’s 2pm Radio Show. You can listen to a clip of it here, or you may watch the following video.
Just in case anyone was wondering about the original version of the song that Lay, Kris, Chanyeol, and D.O. covered, the song is by Geeks ft Soyu (the English lyrics can be found in the ‘About’ section of the following video on YouTube).
Geeks is a well-known South Korean hip-hop duo. I had mentioned Geeks in one of my posts before, since I was searching for one of their songs, and I eventually did find the song that I was looking for two days ago! I don’t know if it’s just me, but I find that one of the rappers from Geeks sounds like G-Dragon when he raps.
Surprising thing is that, I was listening to Jayesslee‘s version of Offcially Missing You yesterday when I was searching for Korean indie music on YouTube.
I really like the peaceful music in these kind of songs, but the lyrics…they’re too cheesy that sometimes I can’t relate. I think love songs are a trap because it gives the listener a false fantasy or notion about the topic that is being sung. What are your thoughts on this kind of music?
Ben Ben/Dodo trying to act smart in front of the camera (Credit: To the rightful owner)
Also, did anyone watch the ArirangShowbiz Korea interview with EXO today (click here to see)? Apart from the English, I noticed that sometimes members of K-Pop groups have absolutely no clue about the meaning behind the lyrics of the songs that they have to sing -_- This is why we should question some of the songs that are simply given to K-Pop groups, which have members that did not provide any input in the lyrics. I say this because a couple of songs may have a darker meaning behind them. I didn’t find Wolf appealing, but rather dark, and as one of my other friends mentioned, “demonic” too. A wolf, itself, is a symbol that is widely used in music videos with occult symbols.
Ben Ben/Dodo‘ Jigglypuff/baby faces (Credit: As watermarked)
You may believe it or not, but it is always good to question and figure out why the same symbols are repeatedly used in music videos across the world. Furthermore, when a K-Pop star can’t describe what the song he/she is singing about, it really shows that he/she doesn’t question either, and this also results in the question, “Do K-Pop stars do whatever they are told to without any say?” >_<
Sometimes I think my bias really is a Ben Ben aka Dodo, but I say this out of friendliness.xD
And someone please explain what are these Jigglypuff or baby faces that he has been making lately, as seen in the left-hand pic. He might as well have gotten a tattoo of a Jigglypuff instead of a Borneo Scorpion too. Hahaha! I kid, I kid! Don’t even think about it!
P.S. I feel like a ninja when it comes to searching for music. I don’t think that’s something to be proud about, though =P
EXO has won on MBC Show! Music Core, making this their second win! Congratulations once again. Will EXO be able to receive a “Triple Win” aka three consecutive wins? We’ll just have to wait and see.
Looking closer at the pic. above, I feel that EXO should be eating lots of food. =P
The following video is of EXO‘s performance and win today:
I liked their expression of anticipation and excitement when the winner was being announced. I have one question though, why do K-Pop groups have to perform the same song on several music programs throughout the whole entire month? Doesn’t anyone get bored of watching the same performance over and over again?
On the other hand, I hope some of the videos that I’ve placed in my posts are not removed. I’m a bit of a perfectionist and if I see broken links, I get frustrated. >_<
Whoopsie daisy… Kris accidentally getting hit in the nose by Chanyeol‘s arm. (Credit: As watermarked)
Please notice the right-hand side pic. that was taken at the fan signing event at Cheongnyangni today. This is what happens to not-so-innocent people like Kris. Just kidding! This happens to me at times too! =P I like Kris‘ cheeks.
Moreover, can someone please remind me of why I’m a fan of this Wu Fan guy? Hahaha! I kid, I kid.
All I have to is that Kris can be sharp in terms of communicating with fans. He’ll talk about what fans are talking about. For instance, if fans talk about his drawings, he will focus on talking about his drawings with them. Fan: “What is your favorite thing to do?” Kris: “Sometimes draw because I’m very talented at drawing.” Notice his sarcasm and how he didn’t tell the exact truth. =P
From what I remember of yesterday’s fan signing event, Krisdrew a wolf and asked himself, “What is this?” xD Even Kris questions his own drawing skills.
Apart from that, Kris sang some parts of Guan Zhe’s 想你的夜/Xiang Ni De Ye aka In The Night When I Miss You atyesterday’s fan signing event. He sang nicely. If anyone wants to listen to the song that Kris sang, click here (I’ve also found the English lyrics for the song).
EXO TV Report Collage (Credit: suhos.tumblr.com)
How can someone like him with a gangsta image listen to lovey-dovey and emotional songs? ^^’ Then again, there are people that often say that the way I appear doesn’t match my interests at times =P One girl that hung out with the members of 2PM before (she knows them through a friend) told me that I look too innocent to be listening to K-Pop. I thought, “Is she saying that people that listen to K-Pop are not innocent?” O_O
That also reminds me of the time when I met my friend, who I talked about in this post, and how she thought I would judge her if I saw her room full of SHINee posters. She was scared, but was suddenly surprised when I told her that I’m a fan of K-Pop too xD There are a few people that surprisingly have this perception of me as someone that has a “judging you” characteristic when really it’s the complete opposite! =P
Anyhow, thanks to Wu Fan, my iPhone has new songs now. Kekeke! I can go up to my Chinese friends and say, “I listen to this song.” I’m sure that most of them would have an amazed expression and will ask me how I know about the song. I’ll answer, “Because I’m cool like that. ” Bahahaha! Just kidding! ^_~
P.S. I’ve been told that my Tumblr is hard to find, so I’m placing a link here if anyone is interested in following me: asparkofmoonlight ^^ I follow back, so don’t be shy. Also, my blog is not focused on any particular area of interest. I simply blog whatever I find interesting.
EXO winning on KBS Music Bank! (Credit: As watermarked)
Congratulations to EXO for winning on KBS Music Bank! This is the first time that the entire group has won on the show, making it a memorable moment for both the members and the supporters.
After noticing that EXO has the highest number of albums sold this week, it was expected that they would win on Music Bank. Two words: SM ENTERTAINMENT =P Hard work played a part from EXO‘s side, but it was also the fans that played a large role in buying their albums and voting for them.
Here is EXO‘s introduction, performance, and win on Music Bank.
When Suho cried, it looked like I was watching a Korean historical drama where those working in a palace cry and bow down to the king when hearing about a tragic event. I’m not saying that he was fake crying, but it looked forced. I just got those vibes. He did say that he was going to cry if EXO won on Music Bank. So, even if he wasn’t on the verge of tears, he would have still tried his best to cry in order to fulfill his promise to fans =P
Kris and Xiumin heading to Music Bank…I thought they would be dressed up like this throughout the entire performance (Credit: Belong Yo You)
Furthermore, I noticed that Kris was wearing Sehun-ah‘s beanie. It’s a beanie that has one eye on it. Instead of wearing the beanie like Sehun-ah wore it, which had the one eye facing the front, Kris wore it backwards. I wonder if he deliberately wore it like that because he knows about the Illuminati? o_O
The faces of EXO
Also, there was news that Chanyeol had made a Twitter account, but it turned out to be fake. Imagine if one of the surprises for fans is that EXO joins Twitter. =P I bet if Kris ever makes a Twitter account, he is going to get tons of followers and Tweets. I have a feeling that he may have had a Twitter account before or currently has one. Hmmm. I’m just going to stick to RenRen…it’s more peaceful and “exotic” over there =P
EXO is now available on the LINE phone app. as well. How many phone apps. is EXO going to be on? If they are many phone apps., there will be information overload. We’re already facing that with EXO‘s recent activities =P Does SME really believe that fans are not busy people? xD
I know that SME is trying to be as interactive as they can in terms of their groups, and one of the ways that they’ve been doing that is by playing games with fans. One of the games includes trying to increase the views on EXO-K‘s music video for Wolf and releasing something special later on. With EXO‘s LINE update today, it’s about a lucky winner being able to see unseen photos of the group. This update was announced in three videos with each one featuring two members.
Official LINE Update Photos
EXO‘s official LINE update featuring group pic.
EXO‘s official LINE update featuring individual pics.
As for NAVERMUSIC’s special giveaway event that included EXO‘s most treasured items and asking fans to guess which items belong to whom (see post), the answers have been released (see answers). It turns out that my guess for Kris‘ most treasured item was correct. It was the deck of cards.
Now that EXO has won on Music Bank, I wonder if SME is finally going to release the drama version of EXO‘s Wolf or a music video for Peter Pan.
Congratulations to EXO for their 1st album, XOXO (Kiss & Hug) being ranked 1st place on Billboard World Albums! I had a feeling that EXO would be a “global hit” in some way. I even talked about it in this comment in which I described a dream that I had about EXO‘s Wolf. =P It may not be a viral hit like PSY‘s Gangnam Style, but EXO‘s album, overall, has done well in terms of sales.
EXO‘s 1st Album XOXO (Kiss&Hug) ranked 1st place on Billboard World Albums (Credit: @Code_EXO)
Moreover, Super Junior-MHenry‘s album, Trap, ranked third and I couldn’t help but notice that a Bollywood movie, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani‘s, soundtrack ranked 5th xD
I wonder if EXO will ever get bored of receiving awards =P
Kris at Yongsan Fan Signing Event – June 13th, 2013 (Credit: As watermarked)
Kris‘ style here reminds me of a Greek princess/Cleopatra. There’s another clear pic. of him like this, which was taken backstage on M! Countdown yesterday when Chanyeol, D.O., Suho, and Kris gave out their greetings to K-Pop legends, Shinhwa.
Kris‘ “princess” style also reminds me of the time when I was in my Senior year of undergrad., and I had to organize a “grand” event at a hotel with my fellow committee members for a student organization that I was part of. This event usually happens at the beginning of every year of the first semester and is an occasion where the Freshmen students get to meet new people, and the Seniors, Juniors, and Sophomores get to catch up with old friends.
The year that I was on the executive board for the student organization, the theme for our party at first was a Las Vegas theme, which I disapproved of because the event was taking place in Dubai and Dubai is completely different from Las Vegas.
We then changed the theme to a Halloween theme since Halloween fell close to the date that the event was supposed to happen. The theme wasn’t spooky, though…there was a sophisticated and classy feel to it.
Me dressed as a princess… xD
Since the theme of the event was Halloween, we had to dress up in an outfit that would suit the occasion. I don’t celebrate Halloween, but I chose a Pakistani outfit that had a “princess” feel to it and decided to dress up as a princess =P Some people thought I was dressed up as Cleopatra, whereas others recognized that I was dressed as a princess because of the crown.
I immediately remembered the pic. on the right-hand side when I saw Kris‘ “princess” style xD The color combination of white and gold in our outfits is the same =P
Not only was Kris dressed like a “princess” for M! Countdown, but he also appeared like that for the fan signing event that took place in Yongsan in the evening. Kris‘ cheesy lines have also jumped to another level.
Fan:Kris oppa, can you teach me English? Kris: I only know “I love you”, sorry…………….
Where does he learn all these pick-up lines from? I’m guessing that it must be all the Korean dramas and movies that he watches. AHAHAHAHA!
Beautiful Princess Kris/Wu Yi Fan… (Credit: To the rightful owner)
Speaking of edited pics., here’s a realistic looking one of Kris at yesterday’s fan signing event. Placing it here for fun! =P No offense to Kris or anyone. I usually don’t like edited pics. of the EXO members as girls, but this one was…precious. Look at how gracefully Kris‘ hand is placed over the Angry Bird.
Kris looks so beautiful in the edit. Can’t believe that this is even possible. We all know that Kris is manly and cute…but beautiful? xD
Kris, we still like you. Don’t worry about that =P You’re still a Dragon/Chinese Fairytale Prince for many fans. ^^’ I can already sense Kris asking, “How can they do this to me?” like he asked when speaking about his fellow group members leaving him behind to talk to fans during the fan signing event (click here to see).
EXO must be extremely busy. Their schedule is packed every single day. Having to get up in the morning and get their makeup and hair done, have their outfit chosen, perform on music shows, and then attend fan signing events… I wonder how tired they must be. This routine will be going on ’til the end of this month.
This year, it seems like there is no EXO-K or EXO-M. It’s only EXO. Majority of their promotions for their 1st album have taken place in Korea so far, which has mainly been through music shows, radio, and fan signing events. I would like to see EXO on a Korean variety show soon, iA.
EXO on Arirang‘s After School Club (Credit: As watermarked)
Last night, after coming back from my graduation ceremony, I noticed that Arirang‘s After School Club featuring EXO was aired live at 5 P.M. (KST) and that the video for it was uploaded on YouTube. I decided to watch it. I was already surprised by the fact that a person that I met yesterday described my experience of living in different countries, moving around, and being an Australian with an American accent as “exotic”, and that one of my Chinese friends with the name “Chris” in her name introduced me to one of her friends whose name happened to be…guess what? Kris. He was Chinese too.
Even on my graduation day, I have to be reminded of EXO. It seems as though, no matter how busy I am, or focused on something incredibly important, there will always be something that will remind me of EXO or Kris.
Furthermore, just when I had indicated in the post, Of ‘Buing Buings’, Gummy Smiles, and Angry Birds…Kris Style, that the connection between K-Pop stars and fans is “one-way”, I read After School Club‘s (@arirang_ASC) description on Twitter, which is, “Tired of one-way K-Pop love? Get on Google Hangouts, video chat with stars and request MVs LIVE on the After School Club!”
I see what’s happening. Destiny is trying to tell me that someday it will be a two-way connection, despite the fact that I still believe that the connection is one-way no matter what =P
Here is Arirang‘s After School Club featuring EXO.
Overall, I enjoyed watching the interview. All the members of EXO were very giggly, even though 11 out of 12 of them probably had no idea what was being said in English =P No worries, the hosts knew how to speak in Korean and there was Kris, who had comfortably communicated in English. It also looked like the cameraman loved Kris, because majority of the time, the camera kept focusing on him.
Other than that, D.O.‘s pronunciation of words in English is really good. I wonder if he has studied a bit of English before. I’m starting to pay a bit more attention to D.O. He looks like the kind of person that keeps to himself, and even though he is talented, he appears to be humble about it. I’ve also noticed that some of the faces that he makes sometimes indicate, “I’m judging you!” =P
Kris‘ reaction to “Oh, sugar” (yes, I re-phrased it! =P) (Credit: to the rightful owner)
Also, what’s with all the cute expressions that Kris has been making lately? O_O This innocent child look must be some sort of trap. I usually become wide-eyed when I look at babies with admiration, but now the same thing is happening when I look at Kris. Kris is not a baby, but why is my expression like this? Even the way he tried to pronounce, “fermented,” was like a baby learning how to read the names of objects from a baby book. =P His reaction to the swear word…let me rephrase it, “Oh, sugar!” was cute. His whole aura has taken a 360 degree turn after the end of EXO‘s MAMA era. What if Kris is really innocent? Or maybe he’s really good at acting. Who knows? =P We can’t forget the fact that he’s in the entertainment industry.
It’s really mind-blowing how a group of boys that once looked like “thugs” or “gangstas” roaming around the streets together look angelic, innocent, and child-like now. It amazes me sometimes. I feel that who they really are may not correlate 100% with the image that they’ve been given. I’m still fascinated with how Kris has changed a lot. He looked like an EWIL (yes, “ewil” with a “w”) person in his trainee years, except for that one passport photo in which he looked innocent, but look at him now. Hahahaha! xD Some of his jokes, as seen in the interview here, sound like mine =P
Anyhow, Kris mentioned that it is EXO‘s dream to have a world tour and that hopefully that dream will come true next year, iA. As he was listing the name of places that are likely to be on their world tour, my eyes became wide…hoping that he would mention Australia…but, no. I felt disappointed. Don’t call yourself a koala bear if you’re not going to visit Australia, Kris! >:( I’m guessing that it must be more disappointing for Canadian fans as Kris AND Super Junior-M‘s Henry are from Canada. A world tour is not a world tour if it doesn’t include Canada and Australia =P
Kris flying over the moon and into the night sky (Credit: kaiwaiian.tumblr.com)
Oh, look…it’s Kris flying over the moon! =P This is a really dreamy pic. The dreams in which I’m flying are the best! Has anyone ever had a dream in which they were flying as well?
Kris‘ wish on the XOXO (Kiss&Hug) album wish list is “to fly.” It’s the first one on the list:
EXO‘s XOXO (Kiss&Hug) Wish List (Credit: exom-trans.tumblr.com)
Kris wants to fly like Superman and maybe even Peter Pan, but I think Peter Pan is already reserved for Luhan =P
I’ve noticed that a few fans have made lovely edits of Kris and the moon ^^ Hahahahaha!
Baidu Wu Yi Fan (Kris) Bar Header in March, 2013
Kris at the 13th Top Chinese Music Awards on March 14th, 2013 Edit (Credit: To the rightful owner)
I found the pic. on Tumblr, but I forgot who edited this. My apologies. I remember the lyrics of the song that the person had placed underneath it. They were lyrics from Bruno Mars‘ Talking to the Moon.
Talking to the moon. Trying to get to You In hopes you’re on The other side Talking to me too.
Another fan on Tumblr wrote, “When I look at the moon, I think of you,” and tagged Kris from EXO. Maybe someone has been reading my blog! xD
My question, now, is…why are there no edits of Kris with the sun or sunlight? I ask because Kris refers to the sun or sunlight every now and then. For instance, Kris drew a sun in his message for the XOXO (Kiss&Hug)album and even wrote, “Sunlight through the cracks,” on his RenRen a week or two ago. He also said, “The sun is angry at the moon,” on SBS PopAsia when he displayed his koala bear drawing that he made for Halloween. It appears as though he doesn’t like the moon =P
The sun and moon (Credit: holeinmypocketblog.blogspot.com)
Speaking of the sun and moon, let’s talk about stars. There are “facts” about the members of EXO that should be taken with a grain of salt. I noticed that one of them is that Kris likes to read about astrology and believes that the star signs accurately represent some of his fellow members’ behavior or attitude, except for Luhan‘s =P
Let’s use Kris‘ line, “I still like you even if you aren’t tall,” and slightly alter it. What if I say, “Even though you’re a Scorpio and I’m an Aquarian, I still like you,”? Is Kris going to believe that a Scorpio and an Aquarian will still not get along? =P
I’m not sure if many of you know this, but I don’t believe in astrology. I’ve stated this several times throughout my blog, but I’ll go into more details now.
Observing the stars… (Credit: To the rightful owner)
The purpose of stars:
Allah created these stars for three purposes: to adorn the heavens, to stone the devils, and as signs by which to navigate. Whoever seeks anything else in them is mistaken and does not benefit from them, and he is wasting his time and effort in seeking something of which he has no knowledge. —Sahih al-Bukhaari, Baab fi’l-Nujoom, 2/240
The study of the stars is divided into two kinds:
Study of the influence of the stars (astrology)
Study of the positions and movements of the stars (astronomy)
The former, which includes believing in star signs and looking up horoscopes, is considered haram (act forbidden by God), whereas the latter, which is using stars for navigation and scientific purposes, is not haram. Note, the opposite of haram is halal, which is an act that is permissible by God.
Additionally, consulting fortune tellers, soothsayers, palm readers, and the likes, is considered shirk, which is polytheism/idolatry. This also means associating partners with God. The consequences for such a consultation is that one’s prayers are not answered for 40 days. Furthermore,
Whoever acquires knowledge of any branch of astrology, has acquired knowledge of a branch of magic. The more he increases in that knowledge, the more he increases in sin. —Sunan Abu Dawud, Vol. 3, p. 1095, no. 3896
It should also be noted that believing in the information that astrologers, fortune tellers, soothsayers, and the likes provide means that one believes that a human being has knowledge of the unforeseen rather than believing that God has knowledge of that and has already laid out one’s destiny.
With Him are the keys to the unseen and none knows it except Him —The Holy Qur’an, Chapter 6, Verse 59
So, where is the information that astrologers, fortune tellers, soothsayers, and the likes provide coming from? The answer is simple. It’s from Satan.
It’s true that there is a “spiritual realm” that one can connect to receive information like some fortune tellers, soothsayers, and the likes do; however, the problem is:
The angels descend in the clouds and mention matters which has been decreed in heaven; Satan steals a hearing (listens to it stealthily) and communicates it to the soothsayers who tell along with it a hundred lies. —Bukhari
This simply means that the information that is provided to astrologers, fortune tellers, soothsayers, and the likes, is information that has been fabricated by Satan. Remember, Satan deceives people in an attempt to turn them against God.
Please note that whatever quotations that I have used above, which are not from The Holy Qur’an, are from the Hadith. Hadith is a “a saying or an act or tacit approval or disapproval ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad (PBUH),” and, “Hadith are regarded by traditional Islamic schools of jurisprudence as important tools for understanding the Qur’an and in matters of jurisprudence.” (Islahi; Ibn Hajar)
Having spoken from a religious point-of-view, upbringing, experiences in life, and the willingness of a person to change play a large role in shaping one’s behavior and his/her attitude towards things as well. Therefore, star signs are not a reliable source for predicting one’s behavior and attitude.
(Credit: To the rightful owner)
Generally speaking, I’ve done quite a bit of research on the culture of South Korea, China, and Japan. Social issues, customs…you name it. I can even tell you that the divorce rate in South Korea is near 50%, making it one of the 10 countries with the highest divorce rates in the world (so much for Seoul being called a “romantic” city -_-), and that there is a marriage crisis in China right now due to the large number of men in comparison to women.
Since I’ve done some research on the cultural dimensions or aspects of South Korea, I’ve stumbled across articles mentioning that it’s common for people in South Korea to consult with fortune tellers. There’s even a specific term that is used for a type of fortune-telling that is practiced in South Korea and some of it is based on Chinese teachings. It is already known that some fortune-tellers take an interest in predicting the future of Korean celebrities.
Interestingly, some of the “facts” that should be taken with a grain of salt also indicated that a couple of Chinese trainees in SME believe in superstitions, which are, of course, Chinese superstitions. One of the superstitions mentioned was about a tap on the shoulder or head. According to this superstition, there are three “invisible” flames that are meant to keep spirits away: one on each shoulder and one above the head. If a person taps another person on either shoulder or head, it is seen as extinguishing an “invisible” flame. If one of the flames is extinguished, it means that it’s easy for a spirit to enter inside a person.
Sehun and Luhan palm reading at the 5th Mengniu Music Awards? (Credit: To the rightful owner)
As stated in the “fact”, whenever a Korean trainee would tap a Chinese trainee’s shoulder, he would be confused about why the Chinese trainee would tap his shoulder back.
I wouldn’t be surprised if the Chinese members of EXO believe in such superstitions. After all, there was an awards ceremony in which Luhan and Sehun were spotted in an act of what looked like palm reading.
Moreover, my Changsha friend has told me about a few Chinese superstitions. I, of course, don’t believe in any of them, especially the ones that center around bad omens, as believing in bad omens fall under the same category as fortune-telling. The belief that good luck charms also bring good luck is a form of shirk or polytheism.
However, in Islam, we do believe in “spirits”, but we have another term for them, which is “jinns” or “genies”. Their population is much larger than the human population. They can see us, but we can’t see them (unless they want to be seen by us). They can also be categorized as good or bad, have freewill, and are subject to same test as humans are. However, unlike humans that are made from clay, jinns are made from smokeless fire and they do have the ability to enter inside a human. That is one of the reasons why we should seek protection from God to ward off all harm and evil.
Speaking of that, I’ve always wondered why an app. that centers around K-Pop has to be called GENIE out of all the names that are available in the world.
EXO Greeting on Genie Launching – June 9th, 2013 (Credit: 4ever-a-kpop-fan.tumblr.com)
I, of course, do not have the ability to predict the future, but I do find it strange that some of the things that I mention do come true. I don’t believe in coincidences, except maybe in a few instances, but I do believe that most things happen deliberately. In fact, I should be saying that everything happens for a reason and that there is no such thing as “coincidence” in this world. What happens for a reason may not be a reason for another person outside the situation, but it may be a reason for the person in the situation.
I find some instances funny, though. For example, during the time I traveled back home last year, Kris traveled back home too. When I attended a wedding over the Winter break (in the Northern Hemisphere), EXO had attended a staff member’s wedding around that time as well. When I had a haircut where my fringe looked uneven, on the following day Kris had a hairstyle where his fringe looked uneven. When I shifted from the old apartment to a new apartment, EXO had shifted from their old dorm to a new dorm.
If that’s not all, when EXO had traveled to L.A. for KCON last year, Kris, Lay, and Luhan had gone shopping and there was a photo of Krissitting on a table of clothes waiting for his members (in the most unenthusiastic manner, may I add =P). Guess what, I was sitting like that in a store while waiting for my friends to finish shopping, and as I was browsing through Tumblr on my cell phone, one of the photos that popped up was of Kris sitting in a store just like me. LMAO! Also, the way that Kriswore a black T-shirt over his white shirt once, is the way I wear my black scarf around my shoulders after I’m done praying at home. When I saw a pic. of him wearing his black T-shirt like that, I had my black scarf wrapped around myself like that too (my way looks much nicer, though xD).
Furthermore, the day before Kris received his son, Ace, I was trying out a half ponytail hairstyle on my hair. The following day, I saw airport pics. of Kris on Tumblr and he had a half ponytail too. However, that wasn’t the most noticeable thing that day. What was noticeable was Ace and how much he looked like the pic. of a puppy with a scarf and a pair of glasses in the post, EXO Kris’ “Mysterious” Pet and Other Cute Traits, that I had made two months before Ace was introduced.
Recently, I talked a little about VIXX in a post on EXO and this week a photo of VIXX and EXO posing together emerged. Likewise, a few days back, I talked about SNSD, and the day before yesterday, all of us fans had the chance to see a photo of SNSD and EXO together. xD
1st Pic.: 130607 EXO with VIXX 2nd Pic.: 130608 EXO with SNSD
Maybe the reason for all of this is that it’s time to get off EXO Planet =P In fact, my really good friends that were into EXO since the beginning, which is the pre-debut era of teasers, have stopped being a big fan of them. I can understand their reason without even asking for it. I think after being into K-Pop for four years now, we kind of know the formula that is used in the Korean music industry.
All K-Pop groups are practically the same at the end of the day. Different songs, different concepts…but they’re still the same. They are all marketed with a particular image and everything they say or do in public is strictly monitored or controlled. How are they like when the cameras stop rolling? Only they know.
And I’m starting to think that my reaction when I see any K-Pop star one day is going to be like this =P:
After hearing what Omar Regan said, I remember the beautiful Malaysian girl, Rabi’atul Afifah, that looks like Yoona from SNSD. I saw many of her pics. and she’s like a duplicate of Yoona! She is naturally pretty, mashAllah. Imagine if there was a Muslim guy that looked like Kris…kekeke! That would be pretty awesome!
Right now, all I can say is:
‘I believe I can fly, so I can fly,’ and ‘We are really happy that we can have the CeCi, so um yeh, and today uhh our concept is kind of like, uh, flower boy, like propose, like going on a date, so like we’re all really colorful, and then we have flowers together, and we take pictures with flowers.’ —Kris (130609 EXO on Sister Day)
Kris, I love you as a friend, but please let me help you in writing a speech =P
Speaking of “flying”, I still find it odd How I Predicted That One Of The EXO Members Can Fly. Like I’ve said before, everything happens for a reason. Maybe I was meant to be a fan of Kris. Because of this, I don’t see it much as a waste of time, but probably a lesson to be learned. K-Pop is an addiction and I can feel myself emerging out of it now, alhamdulillah.
Bird flying into the moonlight (Credit: wallpaper-million.com)
I know that some of us have stories about how we got into K-Pop and some of those stories center around being in a state of depression. Maybe I should share my story of how I got into K-Pop one day, iA. I remember that day really well. It was during the time a Talent Show took place at my undergrad. uni in October 2009.
Furthermore, I’m not the kind of fan that goes hysterical when seeing his/her bias on screen. Maybe it’s ’cause I’m a bit older than most fans and perhaps, I’m aware that that sort of action leans towards “idol worshiping.” My faith, after all, keeps me grounded, alhamdulillah. I also know that nobody should be praised more than God, and when one does praise another person, one should always say, “mashAllah” (as Allah wills”; a term, we Muslims, use in place of “God Bless”).
It’s true ^^ (Credit: As watermarked)
Another point is that there are no ugly people in this world, only lazy people. Everyone can look beautiful from the inside and outside if they worked on it. K-Pop stars are proof of that…in terms of what is shown on the outside. One of the biggest examples is Kris! xD Seeing his high school photos and comparing them to his current photos, you would realize that all he needed was to invest some time into grooming, which he does now =P That’s it! Obviously, things are different for people in the world of K-Pop because they have makeup artists, trainers for fitness, and stylists, whereas everyday people, particularly those with a 9-5 job, don’t have that kind of luxury and have to push themselves to invest their free time on grooming no matter how exhausted they may be by the end of the day.
Over time, I’ve also realized that the two qualities to look for in an individual are definitely religion and character. I’ve finally understood the reason, especially after being a fan of particular K-Pop stars. Someone of religion doesn’t drink, doesn’t date around for fun, and doesn’t try and make people walk away from the path of God. Whereas, someone of character is respectful, caring, trustworthy, knows what’s right from wrong and stands up for what he/she believes in, etc.
Is there a K-Pop star out there that’s genuinely like this, especially in the kind of industry that they are in? Ask yourself, what’s the point of creating an image if the individual is already supposed to be amazing? Doesn’t one create an image when he/she doesn’t have the “qualities that every boy/girl wants,” but wants to create the illusion that he/she does just to be accepted? Accepted by who? Fans, of course! Just think about it.
I mean…we could see Kris like this:
Cute Edit of Kris at EXO‘s Fan Signing Event in Ilsan – June 8th, 2013 (Credit: To the rightful owner)
‘Buing Buing’…Kris style xD (Credit: To the rightful owner)
WHAT IS THIS!? WHERE IS THIS!? WHEN WAS THIS!? WHO IS THIS!? xD
Why does he look like me? This is what I mean. It’s a selca that I took last year with my panda beanie and there’s a bit of “aegyo” in it =P. There is no makeup on my face, so sorry if the photo doesn’t look nice. I look younger without makeup, though. I also have a photo in which my expression is EXACTLY like Kris‘, but I’m not too sure about uploading it. Kris is not the only person in the world of K-Pop, who has a few of the same expressions as mine. There’s a photo in which Gunwoo from the K-Pop group, MYNAME, looks kind of like me too (I’m referring to another photo of mine that I haven’t uploaded). It’s probably the face shape.
Hopefully this also clears up some questions from those who were wondering whether I’m a girl or a guy =P All I can say is…I’m a lady (Proof: 50 Questions About Myself). I still don’t know why one would assume that I’m a guy? ;_; Wouldn’t it be strange if I talked about EXO like this? =P Maybe I should have pretended to be Kris then. Kekeke! Imagine Kris running a blog about himself.
Having seen Kris improve in his ‘buing buing’, I have updated the post, EXO’s Kris Wu – The “Mysterious” Member, with the above gif. I once thought of placing one of Kris‘ derpy photos in the post for fun, but then I thought, “Nahhh…” =P
EXO‘s activities have increased ever since their comeback and now we are seeing a whole new side to them, including Kris‘ dancing machine skills on MBC Shingdong’s ShimShimTaPa Radio and his aegyo skills on TenCent Celebrity Interview (why am I even placing these gifs. here? I am so embarrassed by the first one! I know how Lay feels xD)
(Credit: kaitaestrophe.tumblr.com)
I like how Kris just falls to the ground while laughing. Hahahaha! That’s exactly what I do too. xD
I always knew that Kris had a “cute” side when many saw him as “cool.” Thinking about it, I realize that it has been one and a half years and that I’m still a fan of Kris -_- This was not supposed to happen.
Here, the world is close to coming to an end and Kris is spending it flirting around like this at the EXO fan meeting in Daejeon/Busan, which happened yesterday:
Fan: OPPA! What are the requirements to become OPPA’s ideal type? Kris: You don’t have to be very tall Fan: That was said in the broadcast. I don’t want you to say it again Kris: *struck* Fan: You can be my ideal type! Kris: You are also my ideal type! *smile* =)
(Credit: remiiverity)
If I meet Kris one day, iA, I’ll let you all know what he thinks about height, because I’m petite myself. =P Kris would be a skyscraper if he stood next to me.
Anyhow, I tuned into MBC Shindong’s ShimShimTaPa Radio last night and heard EXO speaking on the other end. It was just a few seconds before Kris and Lay started performing Call You Mine by Jeff Bernatt ft. Geologic of the Blue Scholars. Talk about the right timing!
Ladies and gentlemen, it’s Kris and Lay in da house! xD
It appears as though EXO likes to sing a lot these days. Forget acting, Kris should just start singing. A bit more practice and he’ll be fine. My parents like singers more than actors. There is this notion that actors do immoral things to get roles in movies and I’ve been hearing a lot of stories about many celebrities like this…even the decent ones. I guess that is why so many go into depression and start doing crazy things that are harmful to them =( *sigh*
I wish there was a way to make them understand and tell them that fame is not everything and that they don’t need to go through all the pain and pressure for something that will not even matter after death, and that they don’t have to give up their integrity and dignity for some short-lived attention. It’s simply not worth it. They should ask themselves if they would rather be a slave of a man-made system or a person, or would they rather be a slave of God? The ultimate decision, however, lies with them and more importantly, God guides whom He wills.
Going back to the topic, here are the lyrics of the song that Kris and Lay performed, but it doesn’t feature Geologic of the Blue Scholars (for that version, click here):
The song kind of reminds me of B1A4‘s What Do You Want To Do in which the lyrics mention a guy waking up and calling a girl over the phone and saying, “just the two of us,” and, “follow me” =P Moreover, I like the cute rabbit art that’s been done on the coffee, as seen in the video’s pic. It reminds me of the coffee-making class that I took with my Changsha friend. ^^ I even made a post about it: The Day I Learned the Art of Coffee Making.
Anyhow, all K-Pop boy groups should understand this message: “Don’t let her fall in love if you don’t intend to catch her.” K-Pop boy groups make their fans fall in love with them but never end up with one of them or be there for them. THEY BREAK HEARTS! WHAT KIND OF GUYS ARE THEY!? PERFECT!? ABSOLUTE NONSENSE…if they were perfect they wouldn’t be breaking so many hearts in the first place =P
I’ll become a fan another boy group member and make Kris jealous. Hahahaha! Just kidding! xD
Gummy smile…Kris style ^^ (Credit: As watermarked)
In this pic., Kris looks exactly like this Australian Chinese guy that came with his friends to inspect the old apartment I was at, which was in April. It’s like I’m looking at a pic. of the guy that I saw. He had a gummy smile too and he was joking around with my family. During inspection, people take note of everything in the apartment or house, and when the guy saw our TV, he said, “That’s a nice TV you’ve got! Does it come with the apartment?” xD We laughed and replied, “No, that’s ours.” He then saw the PS3 on the entertainment unit and jokingly asked, “Does the PS3 come with the apartment?” Hahaha! I remember him because his gummy smile was just like Kris‘ and he had a cute face. =P
Looking at all the recent Happy Camp photos, it seems like the members are all newly-wed couples, especially Sehun-ah. xD There were many KT, KrisBaek (someone needs to control Baekhyun!), and ChanKris/KrisYeol moments, but no Krispy Lay moments. Despite that, there was a moment where Kris was dressed up as Angry Bird! =P
Angry Brid…Kris style! =P (Credit: As watermarked)
Hahahaha! Remember the time when I said that we might see EXO dressed up as fruits and vegetables on stage? It was in the post, Dui Zhang Kris – From EXO’s Showcase to 3 Months of Debut (I used to write so lovingly about Kris…what happened? =P). I even wrote, “Seeing him dressed up as Angry Bird would be interesting xD,” and 11 months later, I get to see him dressed up as one! I never expected EXO to be dressed up as birds, particularly an Angry Bird! xD I look forward to watching the show, iA.
Since my parents are only here for a few days, I don’t have time for watching all of EXO‘s interviews or public appearances. Like Kris said, “Spend time with family and when you’re free, spend it with us.” =P The thing is, I’m going to start spending some of that free time on other things too. Many guys think that I have disappeared from the face of Planet Earth, and that’s not a good thing. This clearly means that I’ve been spending time on EXO Planet and need to come back down to Earth…where guys that I can talk to are around unlike EXO. xD
Speaking of this, there was one dude on WeChat that messaged me around a month ago saying, “love your quote.” The quote that I had used was, “Waiting can be a blessing in disguise…” I didn’t tell him where I got the quote from. It was what Kris had said in his good morning message when he was in Guangzhou in March. Hahaha! Why should I? I’m pretty sure that Kris has lurked around the Internet to understand his fans and use some of the things that they have said to make fan girls fall more in love with him. Now, all of us fan girls should use what he says to get guys to fall in love with us. It only makes sense. Just watch…I’m going to be a good cook, iA, and Kris isn’t going to get any of the food. BWAHAHAHAHA! I suggest all of you fan girls should start doing the same. It is pay back time. =P
Other than that, on the day EXO‘s 1st album, XOXO (Kiss&Hug) was released, I had to travel to Macquarie University Station and take a company test in a building nearby the area. There were tons of students walking around and traveling to and from the area using the train from Macquarie University Station.
On the way back, after I had completed the test, there was a handsome and well-dressed person with a nice hairstyle sitting nearby me on the train. I was thinking, “Imagine if he was famous…there would be tons of girls following him, wanting to take photos of him, reblogging photos of him on Tumblr, and probably writing letters or making drawings for him and doing the usual fan girl things…but no, he’s just sitting in a row of seats on his own and with his earphones on and is about to snooze away. There’s no, ‘Aww…oppa is tired,’ there’s no, ‘hope you eat well and take care of your health,’ there’s no, ‘let me carry your bag for you,’ there’s no, ‘I want to marry you.’ Nope…none of that. It’s strange…it’s strange how people with power and money can completely change someone if they want to and try and control people’s actions and behavior using that individual…”
Sometimes we think that K-Pop stars work incredibly hard and that they must have it tough. The truth is…they do work hard and are often under stress because of expectations from the company and the public. However, we forget that there are people out there in this world that are struggling and working even harder for hardly anything in return. They have no fans. They receive no gifts. There is no one to ask them about their health. There is no one to ask them if they have eaten. That’s when I realize, “Why are things like this? What have we, humans, become? It’s as if we have created the injustice ourselves…” Now I know why there’s a saying that poor people, who often face injustice, will be the first to enter Heaven. The more we have, the bigger the responsibility and the bigger the test!
It’s true that I become really philosophical when I’m on the train =P I think it’s because I see several people come and go on the train and everyone seems unique and interesting to me. You wonder how their day was, how their life is like, and what their dreams and aspirations are. Even though there are so many people in one place together, there’s still that distance due to today’s technology. I see most people on their phones or listening to their music, so it’s hard to break that barrier. Technology, in certain ways, does have its drawbacks.
Does anyone else feel the same…about how odd it is that things are this way? I question a lot of things, so maybe I’m like this. It’s good to question, though…you’ll realize how “fan girling” over a normal human being, itself, is a really strange act and that a K-Pop boy group’s existence depends on that. O_O
Anyhow, I’ve noticed that Kris has been incredibly giggly and happy these days. Is there a new girl in his life? =P
Happy Kris xD (Credit: To the rightful owner)
Hahaha! I’m just kidding. It could mean anything or it could mean nothing at all. You never know, though… xD
However, if such a case does arise, we shouldn’t take it to heart, but be happy. I think it’s easier for me to say because I can only marry a Muslim or a convert to Islam, so there’s no point in being delusional in the first place =P God has said this for all the Muslim girls, so my dear Muslimahs (I know that so many of you are fans of K-Pop boy groups!), don’t feel sad if your bias ever ends up with someone. The number one trait for Muslim girls to seek in a man is that he should be of the same religion. Don’t forget that. Maybe that will ease your heart.
Overall, if you’re a Muslim, find a good Muslim man, if you’re a Christian, find a good Christian man. If you’re a Jew, find a good Jewish man. If you’re none of the three, find a good man that will be there for you, respects you, and who you can trust. ^^
“Without communication, there is no relationship. Without respect, there is no love. Without trust, there’s no reason to continue.”
Think deeply about what I have just said and relate it to your bias. The number one thing to ask about is communication, and the answer will be obvious. Hopefully this well help in overcoming any feels.
I read through the printed and handwritten “Thank You” message by Kris for EXO‘s 1st Album: XOXO (Kiss&Hug) and have shared my thoughts.
Handwritten
Kris‘ handwritten “thank you” message (I must say, very neat handwriting =P)
Thank you to all the members who have fought together, the future will be even more powerful
Thank you to the company, the boss, and all the staff.
Thank you to my family, friends
Thank you to all the friends who support EXO
To the each and every one of you who is important to me, I like you, love you, It will never change
Let’s jiayou together
Present is present <3
EXO Let’s love!
Kris
Source:Ivy_Ai Translated by: amy @exom-trans
(Please take out with credits)
Did he also draw a sun with a smiley face in his message? Why? Is he mocking the moon? xD Kris even made a drawing of a wolf. He tried. =P Notice, “Present is Present”. He wrote that as his status on RenRen before debuting. It looks like he is keeping that message close to his heart like Tao keeps “To me, nothing in the world is impossible!” close to him. It’s funny how the members of EXO wrote and drew all over their album as well. xD
Printed
Preview of EXO‘s 1st Album: XOXO (Kiss&Hug) (Credit: notmine_bh)
Firstly, I want to thank the members who have fought alongside together, thank you! For letting us create a name of our own, creating a history that belongs to us only, in the future, EXO will definitely become even more powerful, We Are One! I want to thank Teacher Lee Soo Man, thank you for grooming me, thank you for the faith you’ve had in me all these years, I will definitely repay you. and will not let your hopes down., I will work even harder, and not disappoint you and properly lead, and help the group towards success. I hope that you can continue to believe in me, I will continue to put in more effort, and prove myself. At the same time I want to thank CEO Kim Young Min , thank you for the concern and help you’ve given us. We will continue to work hard at our activities and not let your various hopes for us down. Director Nam So Young, Director Kyle Jeong, Director Han Se Min, Director Yoo Young Jin, thank you for all the care you’ve given us, you’ve really done a lot for us. At the same time, I want to thank Young Jun gege who has constantly shown me concern, care and trusted in me (Thank you for placing your hope in me, I definitely will not disappoint you), Min Uk gege (thank you for taking care of me like a real gege, I will work hard, please be assured.) Seung Hwan gege (The grace, understanding, care and hope you’ve had in me, I will not forget, I will definitely remember the lessons you’ve taught me.) Yong Min gege, (Best Soulmate thank you ge for being by my side when I was having trouble.) Ji Hun gege (You’ve worked hard, next time I’ll treat you to something nice to eat ^_^), finally, Hee Jun jiejie and Ah Reum jiejie who have given me so much care like a family member, all these years because of your being by my side, I was able to persevere on, because of your teachings I was able to become even more mature, allowing me to have the opportunity to walk towards success. Thank you! Thank my family, my beloved grandfather, grandmother, auntie, uncle, cousin and mummy ♡ I love you! To me, you are the greatest support and also the motivation for me to never give up! And my friends, brothers, of course, I would not forget you. Love you all, thank you. Finally, I want to thank all the friends who support EXO, you are the best. It doesn’t matter how hard it is or how long the wait is, it is all worth it. In the road ahead, I hope that you will be there to walk with us. And of course, my most important each and every one of you, to all my fanqings*, I like you, my love will never change. We’ll walk down this road in the future together, let’s put in effort and jiayou!!! XN
Present Is The Best Present for us <3
Source: Cordy♥ Translated by: amy @exom-trans
(Please take out with full credits)
This reminds me of a page that I had written for my yearbook in high school saying, “thank you,” to everyone and briefly talking about the memories we shared xD I remember editing the first draft because I forgot to thank my teachers, but the edited version was too late to place in the yearbook =( I still feel bad ’til this day that I didn’t write, “Thanks to all my teachers,” in the first draft. It’s okay, I’m sure that they all know that I’m thankful towards them. ^^ FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART! Kekekeke! xD The first thank you for me would go to Allah! =)
I noticed that Kris didn’t mention his father in the message… Luhan didn’t even thank his parents (see here). I wish I could show Luhan a very touching video about parents. The video includes a Chinese family and the story centers around the son. Lay‘s message was really nice (see here). ^^
Kris, of course, can’t finish off his message without saying, “each and every one of you.” =P
EXO XOXO (Kiss&Hug)Suho Scan (Credit: To the rightful owner)
Suho‘s photo for EXO‘s 1st Album XOXO (Kiss&Hug)perfectly depicts my busy situation right now. I wish giving speeches were as easy as saying, “Hello, we are EXO. My name is Kris and I am the leader of EXO-M. Please look forward to our new album,” but they’re not ’cause I have to be persuasive and use technical terms… *cries* I feel like starting my own business, iA, rather than working under someone. xD
Since I was out the entire day yesterday, I missed out on being present when EXO‘s 1s Album: XOXO (Kiss&Hug) was released. I had to take a test for a company and the whole journey to reach the place where it was being held, which was next to Macquarie University, took 3 hours. Nevertheless, I had a good time being out on my own and traveling around.
Now that I have some time to be online, I’m able to listen to all the tracks from both the Kiss (Korean) and Hug (Chinese) version and briefly talk about my favorite ones and provide a link to the English translation of each song’s lyrics.
Baby, Don’t Cry, also known as Merman’s Tears (didn’t I call Kris a Merman once? I think it was in this post. Hahaha!), is one of my favorites and one of the most anticipated songs from the album ever since it was featured in EXO‘s Teaser 17. Absolutely love it! My name is in the song, too. xD The word, “moonlight”, is mentioned twice in the Korean and Chinese version of the song. I didn’t know until I read the Romanized lyrics for the Chinese version and noted the word, “yue guang”. I liked the Chinese version just as much as the Korean version. I take back my words when I stated that the Korean version of the album sounds more easy on the ears. The flow in the Chinese version is great.
Did you know that Baby, Don’t Cry is based off Hans Christian Anderson’s The Little Mermaid, which has a sad ending instead of a happy one? According to luhanlu.tumblr.com:
The inspiration of this song is 《The Little Mermaid》(1837). When the little mermaid turn 15, she falls in love with a prince. She asks Sea Witch to give her legs in exchange for her tongue. She hopes that the prince could marry her but fails.
If she kill the prince with the knife, she will become a mermaid again. But when she stands in front of his bed, she could not bear to do that. When the sun rises, her body dissolves into foam. In the song 《Baby, Don’t Cry》, the prince doesn’t sleep, he wakes up and asks her to kill himself.
If one is interested in reading Anderson’s The Little Mermaid, click here. Sounds kind of like Romeo and Juliet in terms of dying for another person. *shrugs* I found the story of Romeo and Juliet to be overrated. People should love one another for the sake of God.
My second favorite song from the album. It was featured in EXO‘s Teaser 1 that showcased Kai‘s smooth dancing skills last year. Luhan‘s voice in the Chinese version is very soothing.
