How to become a Kpop Idol (Part I)

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"How do I get a record contract?"

That's something that I used to google all the time when I was a kid. I had a dream of being an internationally recognised singer, something which many used to attribute to my vanity and love for fame (but that's a whole other story about the entertainment industry). Since then, I had become obsessed with music and have been training as a singer since elementary school. I also spent three years studying music and the entertainment industry once I finished high school, and went through the processes of recording a song, filming a music video and gigging with my band. Although things were short lived, I got an insight to the industry through both my education and friends that are now professional musicians.

Since then, a lot of people have asked me about the music industry but most of the questions I get are in regards to the Kpop industry. There are a lot of false stories and rumours out there, mostly due to the fact that the entertainment companies are very meticulous with their marketing and are very good at manipulating the psychologically relationships between the consumer and their artists. It also doesn't help that a lot of people who are interested in this field are both young and inexperienced. For this reason, I decided to write a post about the industry (both in Australia and Korea) as I know it. I specific Australia because I'm unsure about the practices in other western countries but can only assume that they are similar.

The Australian perspective is written through my first and second hand experience, while the Korean perspective is written through my research using news reports, interviews, fan/trainee accounts (which will be indicated as I must emphasise that many many fan accounts are untrue or biased) and personal observations.

And with that, we will begin!


How do you get 'discovered'?

The discovery process is a little different in Australia and Korea. 

In Australia, most people wanting to be singers would have gone through some training and partaken in local talent quests and competitions, as well as putting up YouTube videos. Getting discovered in a difficult task and most people will spend years trying to get an opportunity. Aside from luck, it is also very dependent on your own skills and self marketing.

In the past, people would send their demo tapes to record companies in an attempt to be discovered. Let me tell you now that this is useless and the chance of them actually listening to your track is very slim. The only direct way to get the attention of important people is to go and get the attention of everyone else - be YouTube famous, be popular on every possible social networking platform and then perform... a lot. You need to create an identity for yourself and market yourself online as a package, not as raw talent. Aside from that, there is a way to be a professional singer without starving for a chance that may not come.

Performers, be they singers, actors or dancers, will often audition and get signed with talent agencies. As I have once been signed to an agency, I can specify that they will either hold open auditions, ask you to come into the head office or will prefer to do their own scouting. What happens in auditions vary depending on your field. These agencies will sign you on contract by the year and, then, will be your legal representative in Australia. Their job is to find you auditions and, in return, will take a percentage of your earnings (Approximately 10% although I could be wrong about that as it's been three years).

Whether you go to these auditions is up to you, but the truth is that you will get many jobs that you aren't sure about. You won't be auditioning for record companies, but rather jobs as entertainers at restaurants, cruise ships, television shows, shopping malls and etc. For a lot of people, their aim is that elusive record contract but, since getting discovered online is difficult unless you're very popular, this is the only choice to make it as a professional singer.

In Korea, however, a lot of their talent is discovered via open auditions. The entertainment companies hold official events to seek people with potential. From what I can see, they are not looking for polished talent. They are looking for young, raw, passionate people with adequate training. Aside from this, they do very little online scouting (via Youtube and other platforms) but do street scouting instead.

For street scouting, they are looking for people with strong charisma and good looks - that's just being honest. Many have been told about former ulzzangs becoming idols. It isn't just because they are somewhat famous, but because they already have the foundations of a marketable idol - attractiveness. 

There isn't much to say about the scouting process in Kpop because it's mostly just open auditions or being (luckily) scouted. The reason for this is that, once a singer is discovered in Korea, they are not necessarily on their way to stardom - instead, they become trainees.


What is a trainee?

There is, essentially, no equivalent to a trainee in Australia. This is because the record company will only sign people who are already trained and prepared for a professional musical career.

In Korea, there is a process called training in the entertainment companies. Here, the auditionees that have been chosen to proceed to be given lessons in different fields (singing, acting, dancing, languages, speaking and, I think, image making, where they are taught what they can or can't say in public). The training is not glamorous at all. Even in WIN, they tried to make the process look shiny with stages and cameras, but the fact is that the hard work is real. I simply cannot stress this enough.

Please note that the following information is drawn from some of the more reliable trainee fan accounts. Although it is not completely objective, please also note that a lot of these conclusions are quite logical.

While the idea of working so hard for your dreams that you don't sleep is somewhat romantic, the truth is that your body will shut down from exhaustion. People do get sick and, in many cases, being so far away from family and their own support system will tear them down. You will not being 'best friends' with attractive soon-to-be idols, but actually compete against each other. It is brutal and not pretty at all.

Trainees are not paid much for their time, but rather given a small allowance. I'm sure that there is a residence where international trainees can stay but most will live with their parents (some who will actually move in to Seoul to support their kids) and attend school regularly, but go for training afterwards. 

All in all, training is difficult and you can be 'kicked out' if they don't see that you are improving that you should. Many will also drop out because of the difficulty. Companies do not debut all of their trainees and many who are very talented will stay in their program just because the company has no plans or budget to debut a new group. A lot of people decide that their time is better spent towards a more realistic job as the odds are always against you. 

There will always be someone prettier, stronger, more talented and smarter than you. However, the truth is that it is the same for every occupation if you want to get to the top - the only difference is that there are fewer people fighting for the other opportunities. Those who succeed are not necessarily the most talents or handsome, but rather just lucky.

So that's about all I can type about the scouting and trainee process so far. There's actually a lot to every step in this, but the big defining difference is in contracts and how an artist is marketed. I will be talking more about contracts, debut and marketing in the second part of this series. Until then, feel free to leave me any questions in the comments section and I'll be answering them to the best of my ability.

How to dress like F(x)'s Red Light MV

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Personally, I am finally loving f(x)'s comeback. In the past, although I enjoyed watching the girls on variety shows, I never quite got their music. It was all so boppy and, while that's good on occasion, always left me with a feeling of disappointment.

In their previous comeback with Pink Tape, they did an art film that was perfect.  I loved it but, unfortunately, they then released Rum Pum Pum Pum which, although was a good song, all just sounded like Electric Shock all over again. It was no different from everything else that they and numerous other girl groups had done before and definitely did not make use of the five girl's potential.

F(x) has a lot of fans but they seemed to always get the short end of the stick when compared with artists like SNSD, EXO and (of course) big sunbae TVXQ. For me, Red Light broke this streak and definitely gave us something to be excited about! They went back to the artistic glory of Pink Tape and brought of a darker, haunting concept. It's quickly becoming the trend in both kpop and fashion now and, even though F(x) is a little late, I will never complain about it.




The teasers were gorgeous and the song was great. My only complaint about the music video is that dance sequence which was too much of a conventional SM Entertainment video for me. I think it would have been interesting to put forward a drama video or to have filmed the think in a similar fashion to Pink Tape. They can do the dance in live performances, but they really didn't suit the raw, artistic concept of the song.

As for the costuming, one might be able to note how I've suddenly become very obsessed with black and white. Usually my favourite costume choice would sway towards Sulli but, in this comeback, I'm very much in love with how everyone is dressed. They've even (finally) gotten Amber to dress like the feminine tomboy she was back in debut days rather then just raiding the mens section of what ever chain store the stylists go to.

I hope SM Entertainment continues to work in this direction. Most of their artists have been known for their boring, convention box set MVs. While they are all highly talented, the lack of edge in the creative team's work has been holding them back. Also, can comeone ask these guys to style EXO for their next comeback? Because I don't want to start on the costuming for Overdose.

And to prove that this post was meant for more than just me ranting about F(x) glorious new concept, here are for looks inspired by the Red Light MV. The look for this concept uses a lot of black and small amounts of white. Accessories is the most important, using a lot of stud and chain embellishments, as well as chain headpieces which are getting extremely popular now. In fact, you'll soon be able to purchase some chain hairpieces like those in Red Light on my brand's online store, which is launching in approximately a month.



Red Light Inspiration

Until then, keep supporting F(x) guys and lets hope they stick to these artsy concepts from now on.


STAYREAL's Disney Collection feat FTIsland

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People will come to learn that I'm a huge fan of Disney (my favourite is Peter Pan and I guess you can call me both a collector and obsessor when it comes to that story). Although it isn't my favourite, a little Mickey goes a long way for me so imagine how happy I am to see the photos from STAYREAL's Disney Collection which is (perfectly) modelled by the boys of FTIsland.

I love the dance and hiphop/rnb genre in Kpop, but I can safely say that my favourite is pop-rock and I think the Kpop bands do this perfectly. Although I first came to know FTIsland's lead singer Lee Hongki through his role as Jeremy in You're Beautiful, it is definitely their music that keeps me hooked. Their Korean tracks tend to be more poppy, while they rock out a little more to their Japanese tracks (which are perfect for me).










I love these shirts with their not so subtle hints at pop culture appropriation. Clearly STAYREAL has had the go ahead from Disney to use their mascot (and let's stop to imagine how expensive that licensing fee would have been) but all the references to the other brands are definitely quirky additions. Boy London is the most obvious reference, alongside Chanel, Supreme and two which I definitely know but can't quite remember (feel free to drop it down in a comment).

Pop Art seems to be a major thing in fashion right now, with Jeremy Scott, Lady Gaga (the perfect Pop Art muse) and artists like Jeff Koons popping up everywhere. Although they all come with a hearty serving of criticism, I'm personally loving it. I loved Pop Art as a movement, with all its political commentary that no one seemed to understand, and so seeing people wear it on the streets is amazing. It's similar to the use of comic strips and advertising back when the style first exploded - it's ironic, and not in a hipster kind of way.

I just hope that people understand that.

Check out some more of STAYREAL's Disney collection (including the womens wear line) here.




How to take risks

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The fact is that, growing up, we will all meet crossroads in our lives. Sometimes, they're big decisions to make and sometimes they are smaller, but they all lead us somewhere. Our job is to make sure that we let them take us where we want to go. For Goo Jae Hee (To the Beautiful You), the crossroad was leaving America for Korea in order to find her own happiness by finding Tae Joon. Although most of us aren't going to cross dress and sneak into a boys only boarding school, we still have decisions to make.

Just two years ago, I made what was, back then, a huge decision. I was graduating music college and in a place in life that made me unhappy. Sometimes, thinking about how I let music slip away from me still hurts, it hurts a lot, but I know that I made the proper decision for myself. I was aware of my own flaws and lack of marketability in the Western Industry. Having auditioned for Kpop Star, I was also aware that I lacked the charisma that made an idol in Asia as well.

With that in mind, I went into studying design and I put my whole heart into it. I don't think I've ever studied anything as intensely or with as much dedication as I do design. Even though I'm known to procrastinate now and then with some kpop, I put down all my dramas and socializing, letting myself sleep three hours a night in order to achieve what I want to. I've put so much time into this because I had one goal in mind - foreign exchange.

Getting my results back, I do have the sinking feeling that I haven't made the marks in order to get what I want and that kills me. It hurts because I know how hard I've worked, what sacrifices I've made and I know that there was no way for me to do better. The fact is that I do not have natural talent or inclination towards design, what I know is purely out of class and practice. Instead of making me satisfied that I did my best, it only concerns me because I feel my best wasn't good enough.

However, tonight I reminded myself that it doesn't matter. I never went into design with the intention of being the best, simply because I didn't think I was capable. Frankly, I am not the best at anything and never have been. In a sad kind of way, I accepted that but still took on this course as a challenge.

In the last two months, I was faced with another crossroad. I was given two paths, one which was tedious but simple, and the other that was exciting but extremely risky. Typically, I would say the smarter decision is to take the safe road but I also know that that would make me unhappy. Although people think that twenty two is young and a time to take risks, I don't feel that that. To me, I think I wasted many years of my life making mistakes and, finally, I need some form of success.

And so? I'm going to take the riskier path. I'm not a thrill seeker but I know I need to make a selfish decision now, against what everyone is telling me to do. Even if it's a long shot, I need to try to find some satisfaction in life.

In the end, the choices that we make are and need to be selfish. You're living your own life and, as I said before, you are the only constant. It doesn't matter what other people want you do to or if you want to follow your friends to college. Things are scary but, unless we dare ourselves to make the plunge, we'll only be forever trapped in a situation that doesn't make us happy.

Park Bom's Drug Scandal

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When I first heard the news of Park Bom's 'drug smuggling' scandal, it shocked me beyond belief. I hadn't yet read the article yet but, knowing that kind of person Bom is, it all seemed ridiculous. The idea that celebrities may dabble in different types of drugs is not foreign to me at all. I'm not the kind of fan who lives in fallacy - people aren't perfect and, while some of what people do may not be forgivable to me (such as DMTN's Daniel Choi who, personally, I don't think will be returning to the public eye for quite a while), I would not delude myself into thinking that everyone is a good person.

However, Park Bom has always been a different case for us. Although there is talk about her alleged plastic surgery habits, the fact has remained that she is an incredibly bright and bluntly honest girl. As a Blackjack, I knew that well and I'm sure that many other Kpoppers will acknowledge that about her too.

And so, I was highly relieved when I read the article. Personally, I feel that it was purposefully blown out of proportion by people trying to fuel fan wars. Aside from it being a case from four years ago, the term 'smuggling' was also inappropriately used as she wasn't sneaking the medication in but rather receiving it through her family, the reason being that her illness was kept a secret from everyone - YG Entertainment, her members and her fans. The 'drugs' in question turned out to be medication she was prescribed while still living in the states in order to treat her depression and, possibly, PTSD (this is just my belief and how I read Yang Hyun Suk's open letter).

For this reason, this entire scandal should not exist. The case is something that Bom desperately wanted to keep in the dark from everyone. She works hard every day to do what she loves, to live even amongst all the hate she receives and to show her fans a bright image. She always tries to inspire her fans with her joyousness and, I guess, for her to have such a dark past really burdened her. For the same reason people choose not to bring up Sandara's history, the same courtesy should be given to Bom.

Instead, there are apparently still outcries from the public saying that she should have faced jail time for this. Perhaps I am a more lax person when it comes to scandals like this, but I simply don't understand. To me, I feel that people are just using this as an excuse to bring Bom and the rest of 2NE1 down. They are not a group without their haters, but we all know I think fan wars are stupid and immature.

The fact is that the case was dropped four years ago for the reason that adequate proof was given that the 'drugs' were used for medication purposes and not for recreation. Since finding out about that, Bom hasn't been abusing her power as a celebrity to keep receiving the amphetamines but rather switching to a legal Korean alternative. It's so utterly clear that she is innocent here.

Plus, look at her. Does she seriously look like she's hooked on prescription drugs? I know that appearances can be deceiving but these kpop idols keep intense schedules and work out routines that require them to be in excellent health. Her dedication to herbal medicines and other health care products is also proof that she is a very body conscious person.

I believe in you Bom.

No matter how many people try to bring you down, your fans are with you and, obviously, YG Entertainment is with you too.

How to be the Perfect Boyfriend

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I haven't dated a hundred men, but I like to think that I've figuratively had to kiss a few frogs. Although I hadn't found my prince yet, I did get a general of idea of who my prince would be (and it's not Jiyong). Here's my two cents about who I would consider my perfect man.


Well educated/cultured/read

For some unknown reason, this is a really big thing for me. I don't mean that I want a man to have graduated Harvard and that, if he didn't, he isn't 'up to standard'. However, I find that since I feel that my own intelligence is my stronger point, I want a man who is just as book smart or smarter so that we can either converse about the same things or I can learn from him. I don't care if someone can recite a text book to me, but someone who is capable of deep analytical thoughts would be amazing.

 Mature and preferably older than me

I've dated younger than me most of the time (not by a lot, max is just over a year) but I'm now at the point in life where I want someone older. I'm not judging based on age, but rather the idea that someone older will be more mature and ready to be serious with things. I don't enjoying partying, clubbing or drinking so anyone with that kind of lifestyle is out for me. I prefer someone who has a stable job and career.

 Good sense of style

Please. I don't intend for him to dress like G-Dragon, but to be presentable and to care about your own appearance is such a big thing for me. Don't spend hours on it and there's no need to be 'vain' but put a bit of thought into it. If you can't do this, then please let me be your stylist because I actually love doing that.

 Genuinely kind hearted

This is massive for me and should probably be higher up on the list. So many of us girls go through high school wanting someone 'cute' and 'funny', but never have we really stopped to think that we want someone seriously nice. Stopping to help someone on the streets, donating to charity or doing someone for a good cause - all of that goes a long way for me.

 Responsible and caring

I don't want someone who cares about nothing but having fun. I want someone with a stable job, who I can truly trust and feel safe with. My dream is to find a man who, when we're out on a date, will not only think of me and what I want, but perhaps stop (if the occasion arises) and say that we should get something for my family. I've been with people and, while I'm always the one to consider their family during special occasions, my own seems to always be neglected. And that leads to...

 Respect my family and my upbringing

While I don't come from a super strict upbringing, I can say that we're fairly conservative. I'm sick and tired of 'men' who can't handle my family and yet think it's okay to bad mouth them in front of me. My family means the world to me and, if you don't treat them well, then you're going to the curb.

 Supportive

I'm an ambitious kind of person. I want strong wants and desires. While someone can support me emotionally the whole way, I'm essentially an independent kind of person and I want a life for myself too. Personally, I need someone who understands that and will support me in my endeavours, not tear my dreams down.



In the end, one person's perfect man is not necessarily the same to the next person. For me, these kind of traits are things that I decided upon based on past experiences, and I'm sure that you have them too. What I learnt is that, while it's okay not to follow these like some kind of check list, you should never ever settle for less. 

Don't stay with someone who hurts you or makes you unhappy. Don't turn back.

Move forward for yourself because you are the only constant in life.

Pote Usa Loppy Backpacks feat StyleNanda

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These were linked to me by a friend of mine and I can honestly say that they are one of the cutest things I have ever seen. I'm a sucker for plushies and, at twenty two years old, am so obsessed with Arpakasso, Rilakkuma and Hello Kitty. I even have a Rilakkuma and Domo Kun backpack, so you can imagine how much I wanted these!

They're available for $25 on Tokyo Otaku Mode  but are unfortunately out of stock right now. Luckily, you're able to track the item on the site so you will be notified as soon as they restock. These would be perfect paired with a frilly skirt or a short dress, such as these little gems that are available from StyleNanda. Remember that, generally, backpacks are better suited to sleeves.


Tier and Ruffle High Waist Dress for $87.85 USD


Laced Cotton Dress for $65.83 USD


Angel Laced Feminine Dress for $113.28 USD

StyleNanda also has a make up range called 3 Concept Eyes which I found out they are stocking in a Korean make up store in the CBD, so I'll be buying some things from there soon and will do a review for everyone.

Top 5 Men of Kdrama

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Anyone who knows me (and you don't even have to know me well) knows that I am a massive fangirl, especially when it comes to kpop and kdrama. As much as I love watching other shows as well, my favourite being Pretty Little Liars and the Haleb pairing, there is something about the Kdrama hero who always manages to capture your heart.

And so, here it is; Top 5 Men of Kdrama. Or, at least, the top five for tonight.

Cha Jae Wan (Hotel King)

I didn't know anything about Lee Dongwook aside from what is on Roommates and so went into Hotel King with absolutely no expections. However, his portray of the serious and broody Cha Jae Wan (or Jayden) has made me absolutely fall for him. While a lot of dramas have 'cute' male leads, I love Jae Wan for his undeniable masculinity - he's a ruthless businessman, he passionately and wholeheartedly loves Mo Ne and he's the stony, quiet type (which I love). Aside from that, we know that I love myself a misunderstood bad boy, and Jae Wan is exactly that along with his dark past of possibly being a murderer (albeit in self defence).


Park Heung Soo and Go Nam Soon (School 2013)

 These boys go together because there is absolutely no way for me to choose between them. Park Heung Soo (Kim Woobin) is your typical bad boy from school again - the bully that everyone is afraid of but, in a nice twist of events here, the one that people should actually be afraid of is Nam Soon (Lee Jong Suk) who broke Heung Soo's leg.

It was actually through School 2013 that I came to love both of these actors, because I thought their portrayal of the delicate relationship between the two was so perfect. In the end though, don't we all want to go on (at least) a date with the cheeky Nam Soon and the rough around the edges Heung Soo?

Lee Yoon Sung (City Hunter)

 City Hunter is probably (and I think will forever be) my favourite role of Lee Minho. Why? Because the poor guy is finally out of a school uniform and playing someone with actual depth. As a drama, the initial setting up of the story was brilliant - I'm all for the whole espionage and government corruption plot line.

As for Yoon Sung, he really caught my eye when they first showed him in Thailand. Although he's bright and cheeky, he has a darkness and maturity about him that only comes forth from a really painful past. Throughout the whole drama, the tension between him and his adopted father is beautifully portrayed, even up to the ending. For me, Yoon Sung is the kind of character that you fall in love with over and over but, in the end, you really just want the guy to be happy already.


Lee Joon Hyuk (Flower Grandpa Investigation Unit)

I went into this drama completely expecting to fall for Kim Heechul. He had an advantage as well, since I was already loving that selang in We Got Married Global. Instead, I fell in love with this man - both the young and old version. You know that a character is perfectly written when you fall in love with the 70 year old version.

Joon Hyuk's intelligence and stoic nature is what wins it for me. I'm not sure, but recently I've found myself really loving these kind of mature and serious characters. The actual appearance of the actor has glazed over for me in many shows and, instead, I just want the kind of man I can rely on. Joon Hyuk's growing revelation about how important his family is and how much he loves them just adds on to his character and makes him more loveable.


Seo Joon (Love Rain)

 Fact is that I loved Seo Joon's character a lot more than In-Ha as a youngster (loved him as a father though). I'm probably just a sucker for an artistic guy, but as soon as I found out that Joon was a photographer, I knew he was the man for me. It also made me laugh how the hair style changed Jang Geun Suk's appearance so much.

Although the kiss scene was odd for me (Am I the only one who thought the Prince soundtrack made it seem almost... perverted?) I was really drawn towards his awkwardness as he gradually fell for Jung Han Na (also known as pretty Yoona who resembles my niece). Similar to how I always fall for Geun Suk's characters, I found that I hated him at first but grew to love him.


Make a Good Impression (featuring Forever New)

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I tend to put too much thought and worry into the first post (almost as much as I do deciding on my blog name and template considering that it is already a minute past midnight) so I figured that I would skip all of that and jump right in.

Something people tend to forget, which will forever astound me, is that clothing is not merely what you put on your back. Just like a designer has to take into account type, kerning, colour selection, stock paper, style and all that in order to properly communicate to their audience, dressing yourself is no different. There are a lot of girls who roll themselves out of bed in the morning with little to no thought as to what they are wearing. While people think that can show people that they are 'too cool to care', I honestly think that it just makes you look sloppy.

You don't need to wear Chanel every day, but putting in consideration as to how people perceive you will move your forward leaps and bounds. As someone who often places herself below others in terms of success, intelligence and talent, I will always (and I mean always) attempt to make up for that in hard work and good impressions.

For that, I would never walk about Forever New. From the quality of their fabrics to their designs, they move beyond the tacky trends of short micro skirts and embellished nightclub dresses to ensure that we look like modern princesses sans the tiara.

With the reminder that these images do not belong to me and are used purely for reference purposes, I want to introduce everyone to Forever New's Sugar Blossom collection. I'm certain that it's been out for a while but, with all of the flowing fabrics, soft colours and lace, it reminds me of the reason I had fallen in love with the chain store in the first place. I love dresses, especially if they look just as stunning on the streets as they do during a romantic beach side stroll.


My personal favourite is the Annika Embroidered Bodice Dress (see below) that's available at the store for 200$. Although I admit that Forever New isn't the most affordable for students such as myself, they do have sales quite frequently and, from my experience, make up for the cost with really great customer service and quality. Remember, you get what you pay for and, frankly, I'd rather pay more for a lovely dress and a sweet check out girl than be rudely harassed by the underpaid, 'couldn't care less' girls.










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