MCM Buzz are excited to inform our readers that Onion Production have confirmed that they are bringing the K-pop boy group Infinite to London as part of their 2nd World tour. Previously as part of their One Great Step 1st world tourInfinite visited London as one of their stops and performed to a packed out, high energy crowd. It seems as though the love calls from European fans have been heard by Woollim Entertainment and the Infinite members, and they have decided to return to London for their latest adventure.
Infinite are one of the fastest rising K-pop groups in the Korean music industry. Their singles “Destiny”, “Back”, “Bad” and “Last Romeo” alone have achieved over 50 million views on YouTube whilst climbing charts all across Asia. The group consists of members Sungkyu, Woohyun, Sungyeol, Hoya, Myungsoo (L), Dongwoo and Sungjong who have exceptional vocal talents but are well known for their 99.9% precision dancing.
Infinite’s London concert will take place 9 October 2015 and will be held at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire. Tickets will go on sale from 5 September at 11:00 AM and can be acquired from Ticketmasterand TicketWeb when they become available. You can see the other stops of the group’s “Infinite Effect” tour poster that was shared on Infinite’s Official Twitter below…
To show your support for the event and for Infinite, check out their Official Facebook page! Be sure to keep checking back to MCM Buzz for more exclusive news and updates as well as Onion Production Facebook, and watch Infinite’s latest release “Bad” below, with the new fully interactive 360VR music video giving viewers a very personal and trippy experience.
MCM Buzz are excited to inform our readers that Onion Production have confirmed that they are bringing the K-pop boy group Infinite to London as part of their 2nd World tour. Previously as part of their One Great Step 1st world tourInfinite visited London as one of their stops and performed to a packed out, high energy crowd. It seems as though the love calls from European fans have been heard by Woollim Entertainment and the Infinite members, and they have decided to return to London for their latest adventure.
Infinite are one of the fastest rising K-pop groups in the Korean music industry. Their singles “Destiny”, “Back”, “Bad” and “Last Romeo” alone have achieved over 50 million views on YouTube whilst climbing charts all across Asia. The group consists of members Sungkyu, Woohyun, Sungyeol, Hoya, Myungsoo (L), Dongwoo and Sungjong who have exceptional vocal talents but are well known for their 99.9% precision dancing.
Infinite’s London concert will take place 9 October 2015 and will be held at the O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire. Tickets will go on sale from 5 September at 11:00 AM and can be acquired from Ticketmasterand TicketWeb when they become available. You can see the other stops of the group’s “Infinite Effect” tour poster that was shared on Infinite’s Official Twitter below…
To show your support for the event and for Infinite, check out their Official Facebook page! Be sure to keep checking back to MCM Buzz for more exclusive news and updates as well as Onion Production Facebook, and watch Infinite’s latest release “Bad” below, with the new fully interactive 360VR music video giving viewers a very personal and trippy experience.
On August 9th 2015 London held its first ever free to attend London Korean Festival within the iconic Trafalgar Square, boasting the talents of K-pop girl group F(x), K-rock band Guckkasten and an array of cultural experiences throughout the event. The entrances to the event opened at 12 noon, but from around 8am fans were already seen queuing to get a prime spot at the front of the main stage. They were accompanied by the many Korean food stalls based around the perimeter preparing their stock ready to be devoured by the masses.
There was a lot to offer in terms of small tents around the festival perimeter, from Korean snacks at the H-Mart stand, travel information by the KTO (Korean Tourism Organisation) and an assortment of cultural stands which allowed visitors to try traditional Hanbok clothing, Hangul writing lessons, as well as an introduction to the many Korean games and products for you to own at home. Not being able to resist the smells of the famous Korean fermented pickled cabbage known globally as “Kimchi”, I decided to have a try at the many different types that were available – which to my delight was extremely scrumptious, especially when accompanied with some Bulgogi and rice from the stall next door.
The number of people that attended the event was on scale much larger than I thought. There was a feeling that there would be the usual K-pop loving crowd, but seeing as the event was free and open to the public, the amount of passing visitors made the festival a bigger success than anticipated. The organisers believe that a turn out of 35,000 people was achieved. The full impact of the attendees were felt about an hour before S.M. Entertainment’s girl group F(x) took to the stage; there was no floor space at all and the crowds were even building up outside of the perimeter. The stage area was busy throughout the day with traditional dance and music performances, as well as a Psy “Gangnam Style” flash mob performance which was greatly received by the audience.
The event was a success in entertaining and educating those who wouldn’t generally have known anything about South Korea. When talking to the general public they were surprised by the beauty of the traditional costumes, and by how healthy and beneficial Korean cuisine is for the body. A small family I had the pleasure of taking to had travelled from Scotland to be at the event as they wanted to introduce their children to the different types of culture from around the world. It turned out that the children really enjoyed all of the hands on events while the parents were really surprised at how friendly the K-pop fans had been with their family by giving them balloons, banners and hand fans.
The London Korean Festival proved that there is a lot more to South Korea than just K-pop and Kimchi. Seeing as this was the first event of its kind in the UK (and going by number of people that turned up), I believe the market is there to possibly make this an annual event. If anything is to go by, the hosts final words mentioned the likes of Big Bang, 2NE1, Super Junior, BTS (Bangtan Boys), Girls Generation, 4Minute, VIXX and B1A4, meaning that there could already be cogs turning in the system to make the next festival bigger and better. It was really nice to see the UK open their arms to South Korea and help promote cultural diversity, something I wish to see more of in the near future.
Be sure to pop onto the MyM Buzz Facebook page where you can look at some images from the day’s festivities. And make sure you come back to MyM Buzz to see our coverage of the Guckkasten and F(x) press conference.
On August 9th 2015 London held its first ever free to attend London Korean Festival within the iconic Trafalgar Square, boasting the talents of K-pop girl group F(x), K-rock band Guckkasten and an array of cultural experiences throughout the event. The entrances to the event opened at 12 noon, but from around 8am fans were already seen queuing to get a prime spot at the front of the main stage. They were accompanied by the many Korean food stalls based around the perimeter preparing their stock ready to be devoured by the masses.
There was a lot to offer in terms of small tents around the festival perimeter, from Korean snacks at the H-Mart stand, travel information by the KTO (Korean Tourism Organisation) and an assortment of cultural stands which allowed visitors to try traditional Hanbok clothing, Hangul writing lessons, as well as an introduction to the many Korean games and products for you to own at home. Not being able to resist the smells of the famous Korean fermented pickled cabbage known globally as “Kimchi”, I decided to have a try at the many different types that were available – which to my delight was extremely scrumptious, especially when accompanied with some Bulgogi and rice from the stall next door.
The number of people that attended the event was on scale much larger than I thought. There was a feeling that there would be the usual K-pop loving crowd, but seeing as the event was free and open to the public, the amount of passing visitors made the festival a bigger success than anticipated. The organisers believe that a turn out of 35,000 people was achieved. The full impact of the attendees were felt about an hour before S.M. Entertainment’s girl group F(x) took to the stage; there was no floor space at all and the crowds were even building up outside of the perimeter. The stage area was busy throughout the day with traditional dance and music performances, as well as a Psy “Gangnam Style” flash mob performance which was greatly received by the audience.
The event was a success in entertaining and educating those who wouldn’t generally have known anything about South Korea. When talking to the general public they were surprised by the beauty of the traditional costumes, and by how healthy and beneficial Korean cuisine is for the body. A small family I had the pleasure of taking to had travelled from Scotland to be at the event as they wanted to introduce their children to the different types of culture from around the world. It turned out that the children really enjoyed all of the hands on events while the parents were really surprised at how friendly the K-pop fans had been with their family by giving them balloons, banners and hand fans.
The London Korean Festival proved that there is a lot more to South Korea than just K-pop and Kimchi. Seeing as this was the first event of its kind in the UK (and going by number of people that turned up), I believe the market is there to possibly make this an annual event. If anything is to go by, the hosts final words mentioned the likes of Big Bang, 2NE1, Super Junior, BTS (Bangtan Boys), Girls Generation, 4Minute, VIXX and B1A4, meaning that there could already be cogs turning in the system to make the next festival bigger and better. It was really nice to see the UK open their arms to South Korea and help promote cultural diversity, something I wish to see more of in the near future.
Be sure to pop onto the MyM Buzz Facebook page where you can look at some images from the day’s festivities. And make sure you come back to MyM Buzz to see our coverage of the Guckkasten and F(x) press conference.
The Japanese dance scene is one that is forever faithful to traditional genres and movement, but continues to elaborate and evolve its own language of dance. Recently the idea of fashion and dance are joined together as a collaborative in showing your own personality and rebelling against the constraints of the social norm.
Japanese models/dancers Aya and Bambi Sato are possibly the biggest thing to come from Japan’s dance scene in recent years, with their claim to fame being one of their workshops self-titled the “Bump Dub”; the video showcases a style of dance all of its own but akin to that of Madonna’s “Vogue”. Their fame from that singular video on YouTube had sparked a worldwide love for AyaBambi and had allowed the duo to be recognised by entertainers such as Madonna, Snakehipsand Boa.
Dance is not the only thing that AyaBambi stand for. They are also recognised for their unique and beautifully composed fashion sense which revolves around the punk rock, goth and red carpet looks. Mixing leather and PVC they create a style not truly seen before: the girls managed to capture the hearts of designers such as Chalayan, NumeroTOKYO x Wacoal x Fashion Tsushin, and Lumineand performed some of their most memorable dance pieces for each brand.
But what does AyaBambi have to do with the Korean boy group TOPP DOGG? Well as fans of TOPP DOGG will know that member Hansol is a very unique and talented performer, known for his dynamic tastes in fashion, music and art. He has revealed a few times through his personal Instagramand through the Official Topp Dogg Twitterthat he is a fan of AyaBambi and would like to work with them one day. This has also been something a lot of fans of both parties have wanted to see for a long time as well. But it seems as though Hansol wanted to show his dedication as a fan through his own video.
Showing his skills and dedication to the style we have associated with AyaBambi, Hansol went full out and created his own homage to the pair. He managed to re-create a manly yet perfect representation of the fashion sense accustomed with the Japanese duo, with a full PVC leather suit and baggy knee-length shorts. Showing the artistic side to his personality Hansol created a background story and then performed his own choreography with an onslaught of feelings and precision.
With TOPP DOGG coming to Europe on their tour, there is one question that had arisen since the release of this video: will Hansol be performing this on stage? There is only one way to find out! Check out the breathtaking video below.
The Japanese dance scene is one that is forever faithful to traditional genres and movement, but continues to elaborate and evolve its own language of dance. Recently the idea of fashion and dance are joined together as a collaborative in showing your own personality and rebelling against the constraints of the social norm.
Japanese models/dancers Aya and Bambi Sato are possibly the biggest thing to come from Japan’s dance scene in recent years, with their claim to fame being one of their workshops self-titled the “Bump Dub”; the video showcases a style of dance all of its own but akin to that of Madonna’s “Vogue”. Their fame from that singular video on YouTube had sparked a worldwide love for AyaBambi and had allowed the duo to be recognised by entertainers such as Madonna, Snakehipsand Boa.
Dance is not the only thing that AyaBambi stand for. They are also recognised for their unique and beautifully composed fashion sense which revolves around the punk rock, goth and red carpet looks. Mixing leather and PVC they create a style not truly seen before: the girls managed to capture the hearts of designers such as Chalayan, NumeroTOKYO x Wacoal x Fashion Tsushin, and Lumineand performed some of their most memorable dance pieces for each brand.
But what does AyaBambi have to do with the Korean boy group TOPP DOGG? Well as fans of TOPP DOGG will know that member Hansol is a very unique and talented performer, known for his dynamic tastes in fashion, music and art. He has revealed a few times through his personal Instagramand through the Official Topp Dogg Twitterthat he is a fan of AyaBambi and would like to work with them one day. This has also been something a lot of fans of both parties have wanted to see for a long time as well. But it seems as though Hansol wanted to show his dedication as a fan through his own video.
Showing his skills and dedication to the style we have associated with AyaBambi, Hansol went full out and created his own homage to the pair. He managed to re-create a manly yet perfect representation of the fashion sense accustomed with the Japanese duo, with a full PVC leather suit and baggy knee-length shorts. Showing the artistic side to his personality Hansol created a background story and then performed his own choreography with an onslaught of feelings and precision.
With TOPP DOGG coming to Europe on their tour, there is one question that had arisen since the release of this video: will Hansol be performing this on stage? There is only one way to find out! Check out the breathtaking video below.
With the London Korean Festival being held in Trafalgar Square on Sunday August 9th, Korean culture fans have been celebrating the news of S.M. Entertainment’s girl group F(x) as well as the rock band Guckkasten performing at the free public event. It has also been announced that two world champion break dance crews from different corners of the globe are set to lay down their best dance moves in an epic dance battle.
London’s super group Soul Mavericks will go face to face against Seoul, Korea’s B-Boy world champions Jinjo Crew. Both crews are widely acclaimed and travel internationally to represent their country in hip-hop dance battles. South Korea has a relatively new and eternally expanding hip-hop fan base which is home to some of the top rated B-boy crews in the world. Where crews like the UK’s Diversity have won a major television talent show and become household names, Korea’s B-Boys are also very popular and have won MTV dance shows, talent shows and international battles. Both dance crews have faced each other once before at a championship in London, where Jinjo Crew triumphed, but the Soul Mavericks, who are marking their 10thanniversary as a group, are determined to win the battle this time around.
Soul Mavericks range in age from 12 to 40 years old and include both male and female members. Based in London, they have attracted dancers from all over the country, including one member from Wales. They also took part in the Beijing and London Olympic ceremonies as special guests. With Jinjo Crew based in Seoul they are flying to London especially for the dance battle and have been rehearsing a brand new routine that is set to entertain and surprise fans of the hip-hop B-boy movement. The crew include world champions B-Boy Hong10 and B-Boy Wing, winners of the Red Bull BC1 in 2006 in Brazil and 2008 in Paris, plus members Skim, Vero, FE, Octopus, Fleta, Giboon, Stony, Mold and Patrick Star.
Before the battle Jinjo Crew will be meeting young fans and teaching London school children some break dancing moves in a free dance lesson in south London on Friday 7th August. Both of the crews are part of a wide range of acts in the form of musicians, dancers and top chefs who are taking part at the FREE one day London Korean Festival. The event is organised by the Korean Cultural Centre UK, Korean Tourism Organisation, Korea Creative Content Agency and supported by the Mayor of London. Bringing together an exciting mix of modern and traditional Korean culture it will host a dynamic programme of dance from traditional to modern, delicious Korean food including live demonstrations by celebrity chef Judy Joo, plus e-sports games and live music.
For more information about the event be sure to check out our previous article covering everything you can see and do at the London Korean Festival in Trafalgar Square on Sunday August 9th. And be sure to check back to MCM Buzz for a full review and coverage of the event. Below is a video of Jinjo Crew Vs Soul Mavericks at the UK B-boy World Championships in 2011.
With Topp Dogg’s European showcase tour just around the corner fans are getting anxious as to what they can expect from the group at the concerts in Milan, London and Paris. By using their official YouTube channel, Jazzy Group (the team hosting the European Tour) have asked Topp Dogg to answer questions sent in by fans.
The first video shows B-Joo asking questions to Sangdo about fans visiting Korea, food, and places to visit. Though it seems B-Joo feels Sangdo is being too negative. The boys really show their caring yet comedic side to these interview questions.
Next up B-Joo decides to bother Hansol as he sits in the office quietly. In this video it seems Hansol finds it the best moment to promote how much he loves his fans, and to talk about his love for alternative dance and famous dance groups in Japan. Though things get aggressive when the brotherly love between the two are left in shatters because of B-Joo.
It seems B-Joo has really taken his MC position within these videos pretty seriously, so this time barges into a practice room with members Nakta and Jenissi. Again the subject of food is bought up and Nakta explains his love for pasta and how he can’t wait to try it when on tour. With doe eyes, Jenissi prepares himself to answer a serious question, which ends on a slightly “perverted” note about the colour of his underwear.
For Xero’s interview, it seems as if he was genuinely doing work when B-Joo waltzes in and starts his attack of questions about sleeping habits where they talk about Kidoh – But Xero gets his own back by declaring the worst sleeper in his current dorm is in fact B-Joo. Revenge is so sweet!
Taking things in a new direction, B-Joo makes Hansol join him in annoying Kidoh as he works, though they make a point of picking on him about his hair, calling him “mum”. In this segment Kidoh talks about his deep love for Poland, though things get serious when he starts looking for visa requirements.
We don’t know if there are more videos to come with the members answering fan questions, rest assured that MCM Buzz will update you on anything new. In the meantime, during the run up to the concerts, Jazzy Group revealed that Topp Dogg were working on a special project to commemorate their European tour. This project turned out to be the members performing their own cover version of Ellie Goulding’s “Love Me Like You Do“. The setting for the video is among statues of the famous landmarks of each of the representative countries on their European showcase tour, giving the video a personal touch for European fans. Be sure to check out the video below.
Something which is shown throughout all of these videos is the excitement the members have for meeting their overseas fans. In return fans are showing their excitement of welcoming Topp Dogg to their country by arranging a special GoFundMe pageto create fan items and provide gifts to the members. Plus, Jazzy Group are adding merchandise for the tour available to pre-order on the Jazzy Group Facebook page. There are still some tickets available for each of the venues which you can purchase from The Troxy (London), TicketOne (Milan) and TicketMaster(Paris). Or you can try your luck by entering Topp Dogg’s official competition to win yourself a ticket to their show.
Be sure to show some support for the movement of Korean music within Europe, and of course show your support for the members of Topp Dogg.
With Topp Dogg’s European showcase tour just around the corner fans are getting anxious as to what they can expect from the group at the concerts in Milan, London and Paris. By using their official YouTube channel, Jazzy Group (the team hosting the European Tour) have asked Topp Dogg to answer questions sent in by fans.
The first video shows B-Joo asking questions to Sangdo about fans visiting Korea, food, and places to visit. Though it seems B-Joo feels Sangdo is being too negative. The boys really show their caring yet comedic side to these interview questions.
Next up B-Joo decides to bother Hansol as he sits in the office quietly. In this video it seems Hansol finds it the best moment to promote how much he loves his fans, and to talk about his love for alternative dance and famous dance groups in Japan. Though things get aggressive when the brotherly love between the two are left in shatters because of B-Joo.
It seems B-Joo has really taken his MC position within these videos pretty seriously, so this time barges into a practice room with members Nakta and Jenissi. Again the subject of food is bought up and Nakta explains his love for pasta and how he can’t wait to try it when on tour. With doe eyes, Jenissi prepares himself to answer a serious question, which ends on a slightly “perverted” note about the colour of his underwear.
For Xero’s interview, it seems as if he was genuinely doing work when B-Joo waltzes in and starts his attack of questions about sleeping habits where they talk about Kidoh – But Xero gets his own back by declaring the worst sleeper in his current dorm is in fact B-Joo. Revenge is so sweet!
Taking things in a new direction, B-Joo makes Hansol join him in annoying Kidoh as he works, though they make a point of picking on him about his hair, calling him “mum”. In this segment Kidoh talks about his deep love for Poland, though things get serious when he starts looking for visa requirements.
We don’t know if there are more videos to come with the members answering fan questions, rest assured that MCM Buzz will update you on anything new. In the meantime, during the run up to the concerts, Jazzy Group revealed that Topp Dogg were working on a special project to commemorate their European tour. This project turned out to be the members performing their own cover version of Ellie Goulding’s “Love Me Like You Do“. The setting for the video is among statues of the famous landmarks of each of the representative countries on their European showcase tour, giving the video a personal touch for European fans. Be sure to check out the video below.
Something which is shown throughout all of these videos is the excitement the members have for meeting their overseas fans. In return fans are showing their excitement of welcoming Topp Dogg to their country by arranging a special GoFundMe pageto create fan items and provide gifts to the members. Plus, Jazzy Group are adding merchandise for the tour available to pre-order on the Jazzy Group Facebook page. There are still some tickets available for each of the venues which you can purchase from The Troxy (London), TicketOne (Milan) and TicketMaster(Paris). Or you can try your luck by entering Topp Dogg’s official competition to win yourself a ticket to their show.
Be sure to show some support for the movement of Korean music within Europe, and of course show your support for the members of Topp Dogg.
On Saturday 4th July 2015, K-pop boy group Boys Republic greeted UK fans at the O2 Islington Academy with their first European tour. The concert couldn’t have been on a better day. It was one of the hottest days in the UK and for the first time, London did not greet K-pop idols with rain.
The venue itself was in the heart of Angel, Islington. The hall itself was ideal for an event like this and allowed the concert to feel more personal. There was merchandise available at the back of the hall where staff were laughing and joking with fans, along with security (which was nice to see as most of the time they can be slightly on edge).
The hall was not as full of fans as I had hoped for, which was sad in one way as these boys deserved so much more than what was given (though I’ve got to hand it to the fans that turned out for the concert, they gave it their best – dancing, screaming, and singing).
When the lights went down, and the music began, the crowd were pumped and went insane, screaming and singing. The boys stepped out wearing crisp suits looking ready to perform to their best ability, singing a mixture of songs from their own releases, as well as a few special ones along the way.
Sunwoo had his solo moment by sitting on a high stool centre stage and taking the hype down a notch by singing his own rendition of Robbie Williams “Angels“. The fans reacted by singing along with him and swaying their hands from side to side. The youngest member Suwoong took Sunwoo’s place on the stage and sang to his highest to Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me To The Moon“, which he stated was one of his favourite songs to sing. I have to hand it to the guy, his voice was out of this world; I was thoroughly shocked at how well he performed this song, his vocals were spot on!
Following on from the youngest, the oldest and leader of the group Wonjun took to the stage after playfully pushing Suwoong off, and set up a piano. The crowd were serenaded to a compilation of British and Korean songs, once again proving that these guys have amazing vocals that need to be heard! Minsu and Sungjoon then took to the stage a little later with their own R&B/hip-hop stage, performing their fusion of Korean rapping of Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars “Uptown Funk“, which was a huge hit with the crowds. There was a particular crowd of fans at the back who were truly enjoying themselves and dancing like there was no tomorrow, which caught the attention of the members. It was really nice to see fans enjoying themselves.
Choi Soo Min is a firm favourite of MCM Buzz, so it was a delight to hear that he was going to be performing with Boys Republic, especially after his last performance with Jung Min was cancelled. As if on command, Soo Min took to the stage and proved why he is a musical genius. People were enthralled by his skills on the keyboard and were even dancing along to the classical music he was playing. It was really nice to see a different genre of music being enjoyed by the crowd.
At one point during the concert the members invited a few of their fans on stage to play a game. It was a really heart warming moment to see the natural interaction with fans. As time went on there was a special video created, written, directed and performed by the members of Boys Republic, showing their heartfelt thanks to their fans. It was a nice edition and allowed the boys to change into their new outfits. The next segment was a dance performance. Full of acrobatic and strenuous movements, these boys slayed the dance floor.
Arriving at the event, nothing could have prepared me for what I was going to watch. I left feeling hyped and ready to party even longer. I found a new level of respect for the boys and their hard work, and even now I feel I could quite easily pop on to YouTube and watch their videos and performances. I went in unaware and came out a fan – that in itself is a feat!
Big companies look at these smaller concerts to see if it’s worth their time and money to come to London. Even if you’re not a fan of the group, it’s guaranteed that if you go with your friends to an event like this, you will end up leaving like you have attended a great party. At the same time you are supporting the growth of K-pop in Europe, and showing that there is a demand for more K-pop artists in the UK.
A big thank you to B7klan and Torpedo Productions, Charlotte Naudin, Boys Republic, Choi Soo Min and the staff at O2 Islington Academy for a thoroughly great night out. If you have a chance to see Boys Republic live, I wholeheartedly recommend you don’t miss out, as it was a fantastic performance. Be sure to check out the Boys Republic photo album we have on the MCM Buzz Facebook page.
