CNBlue: Can't Stop (Original Version) 5th Mini Album Review

In February 2014, CNBlue released their 5th Korean mini album named after their spectacular title song, "Can't Stop." CNBlue has always held a special place in my heart, and I love how the members write and compose the songs themselves and have their own unique sound as a band. This album actually has three versions, all released just a few weeks apart in February and March of 2014, with the same songs but just different packaging. I didn't really know the major differences between the three, so I decided to buy the original version. The second version, Can't Stop II, looks very similar in packaging, and the third version, Can't Stop Special, has a completely different look and comes in an LP format (like those old vinyl records).

This album has really interesting packaging I've never seen before. It's a square, 6.75" x 6.75" and comes in a transparent slip case. The overall concept has a monochromatic color scheme revolving around time and clocks.

This is the backside with the slip.

Here is the slip cover. The slip case is made of plastic sheeting (like those for overhead projectors), and it's really easy to get grease on it from your hands, from fingerprints to palm prints. I'm sorry I complain about the weirdest and more irrelevant things. The side reveals the tracklist.

This is the album without the slip, with the city as its design.

Oddly enough, the CD makes up the back cover; the backside is made up of two thick layers, and the CD is held by a plastic middle and embedded into the cover. I don't know why the CD is also so prone to fingerprints...also because of the plastic CD holder in the center, it gets in the way when putting back on the slip case.

I like how the back cover, including underneath the CD, continues the city look and the monochromatic theme.

Flipping over the front cover reveals the standing paper and photobook.

This version comes with one random member standing paper out of four, which is basically like a paper photo frame with a standing back. I want to preserve this, so I won't open up the backside. If you want to though, keep the standing paper faced down and fold the two vertical flaps upward and inward. Here you see I got Minhyuk's~

The photobook is absolutely gorgeous and is of the same high quality as the photoshoots from CNBlue's limited albums and Blue Travel photobook; at first I was having doubts for buying a non-Infinite album, but now I'm so happy to have this album for the songs and for the photobook.

The photobook is 54 pages long and includes three photoshoots at various locations. Their YouTube page also released the jacket making for this album, which includes two of the three photoshoots in New York. Each section includes a couple of group photos and several pages dedicated to each member. The first set is of CNBlue on Brooklyn Bridge. This is my favorite; it's impressive they were able to take these beautiful shots without others in the background, and the compositions are just gorgeous.

The second set is of the band on a luxury tour bus.

The last set is of CNBlue sauntering around Times Square at night.  I somehow have to link every post to Infinite: Myungsoo wore that same spotted jacket Yonghwa's wearing while Myungsoo and Yonghwa were both MCs for the 2014 SBS Gayo Daejun. It's a tough suit to pull off, but they both work it so well~

The last few pages are for the lyrics. I really like how they take the space to showcase the song lyrics, instead of cramming all six onto two pages. Each song has one page and is beautifully laid out.

Because the photobook is only connected to the actual album by gluing the back page onto the album, it is not strong. The further I looked through the photobook, the more the last page's binding broke apart. I definitely have to be careful next time I'm looking through it!

Here is the tracklist printed in the photobook. Yonghwa participated in creating all the songs except the fourth track, which Jonghyun participated in creating. I cannot express my love enough for the title song, "Can't Stop," as it has such unique combinations of sounds that make this song timeless to me. Just the amazingness of this song outshines the other five tracks. Those tracks also have a similar feel as the title track, as they're all more classical, slow, and relaxing, but they just don't compare to "Can't Stop."

The music video for "Can't Stop" is really amazing, with the band performing in pastel suits and in a European-inspired setting and in various other locations, like a dark basement and in a bright bedroom. There is also a parallel world linked by a mirror between Yonghwa and a Caucasian girl. I really like how FNC isn't afraid of using non-Asians as part of their music videos, such as CNBlue's "Love Girl" and now "Can't Stop."

Overall, I absolutely love this album. The photobook is one of my favorite photobooks included in a Kpop album. The title song is one of my favorites of CNBlue and adds to their always-impressive musical creations. Excuse my pun, but I honestly can't stop playing "Can't Stop"!

CNBlue: Ear Fun Special Limited Edition Album Review

CNBlue's products have consistently been very high quality and elegant, especially their limited edition albums. That being said, I didn't mind the extra cost of getting the Special Limited Edition of the band's third Korean mini album, Ear Fun. This special version was released in April 2012, just a couple of weeks after the normal version's release. There are four versions of this special edition, one per member, but it's difficult to find a new copy of any member (besides Jungshin...)! Luckily Amazon.com still has new copies of Jonghyun, so that's who I got!

This album comes in an A4 sized hardcover sleeve. This sleeve has a matte, canvas-like pattern yet the texture feels smooth with glossy lettering. Inside the sleeve is the hardcover photobook with a CD and DVD, and underneath that is the paperback individual member photobook.

The backside of the sleeve indicates which member this edition is. Jonghyun looks so chic yet laid back in those shades and attire! I love how this is a bokeh photo, making the entire album even more classy.

Here is a close up of the details on the back. This album focuses on all the details, such as framing the information like a stamp on a postcard. The CD and DVD tracklists are to the right.

The main photobook is very high quality with gorgeous front and back covers that match the classiness of CNBlue's special photobooks. This photobook has 140 pages of gorgeously artistic photos.

This collection is mostly of group photos, with individual member shots disbursed throughout the photobook. These photos have really cool angles and some look vintage with a black and white finish. There are also several artistic shots of the surroundings.

These last three pages include the tracklist's lyrics and album credits. I loved all of the photos in this book and will definitely treasure it for showing the cool side of CNBlue and for its artistic creativity!

The inside of the back cover contains the CD and DVD, both held together by a cylindrical foam in the center. This mini album has six tracks, and not surprisingly, Jung Yonghwa participated in the creation of all the tracks except the first.

Here are my two cents on the tracklist:

1. "Hey You" was the only song that really caught my attention during the album's initial release. This main track has such a fun sound, starting with what sounds like a DJ scratching a disc, and the fast pace and fun vibe just continues. This music video takes the viewer on a backstage tour of CNBlue getting ready, then performing the song on a live stage of a music show.
2. "Still in Love" is the other song CNBlue promoted. This track is slower and showcases Yonghwa's vocals beautifully. The accompanying music video has a vintage music show feel, with the band casually sitting in the studio and recording the song.
3. "Dream Boy" is also a slower song with a fun, upbeat chorus. This song often alternates between Yonghwa and Jonghyun, contrasting their voices well.
4. "Rock N' Roll" is a rapid and fast paced number with a chorus perfect for one of those oldies beach dance parties. I love how Jonghyun's angelic vocals break Yonghwa's more raw voice, creating that contrast unique to CNBlue. 
5. "Run" has slow, calm verses that escalate to a fast and catchy chorus. The chorus is really catchy with the repetitive "run" that makes me just want to be carefree and run through a grass field.
6. "In My Head" is the Korean version of one of CNBlue's Japanese singles that Yonghwa had composed. It has that CNBlue sound found in their Japanese songs (like "Robot"), like that rock feel.

The DVD shows the special features of creating the photoshoot for this album with automatic Korean subtitles and the Ear Fun tracklist playing in the background. Just under 20.5 minutes, this feature was really fun to see CNBlue enjoying their time in LA as tourists and as models for their album. The DVD was divided into "Shopping" and "Photo Shooting," which was the bulk of the DVD. This includes video clips of the members enjoying their vacation, such as eating snow cones and playing on the beach, with mini interviews of their thoughts. CNBlue also interacted with local kids (some of who thought Yonghwa was Chinese -.-), and Jonghyun even adorably held a Caucasian baby! My favorite part was watching Yonghwa and Jonghyun becoming creepers soon after by chasing other kids.

Here are the covers for Jonghyun's individual photobook. This looks like a glamorous accessories catalog, like for Tiffany & Co.; I love the timeless feel these photos give.

There are 18 pages in this photobook, with most of these photos are of only Jonghyun, but there are a few with the members (like in the cafe in the top photo) and one group photo at the end.These photos show Jonghyun interacting with this new and unfamiliar environment, like how he's playing with a little girl or dining at a cafe.

Overall, this album is amazing! This special edition is so worth the extra cost and the songs are all so fun and have the signature CNBlue sound. CNBlue never disappoints with their extravagant products.

CNBlue 1st Photograph Collection: Blue Travel Review

In September 2013, CNBlue released their first photobook with the theme of travel, leading them to have their photoshoots in Australia. This book is written entirely in English, with many complex sayings sprawled throughout the pages and few grammatical errors.

The front cover has the famous Sydney Opera House in the distance, along with lots of text that's well-formatted to look like a fancy magazine. The top left has a "01" meaning there are potentially more photobooks in the future? The title of this photobook is "Blue Travel," which is very fitting to the band and the concept of this book. In gold are "Nostalgia," "Shelter," "Experience," and "Healing," which is like the table of contents.

Here is a close up of the book's main purpose, which is printed several times throughout the book. The focus is on each member's interaction with traveling in Australia. The book is divided into a section per member, with their theme being what travel means to them. Nostalgia is for Jung Yonghwa, shelter is for Lee Jonghyun, experience is for Kang Minhyuk and healing is for Lee Jungshin, which are all pretty deep and meaningful insights.

There are roughly 40 pages of gorgeous photos per member. These photos focus on each member as they enjoy the beautiful and quiet setting surrounding them. Each member had his own location, with Yonghwa at a serene desert, Jonghyun seaside, Minhyuk roadside and at a grassy park, and Jungshin at a park and on the street. My personal favorite selection of photos is Jungshin's (bottom right), because his photos show such playfulness and are beautifully composed. Each section starts with that member's theme printed on two pages, along with a short description of his theme (top left). There are also some photos of just the breathtaking scenery, like the desert (top right). Many of these photos show an air of coolness and confidence like from high end fashion ads, like Jonghyun's (bottom left).

The last 20 pages bring the members back together at the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge. This section opens with a group photo (sans the members' heads) with "Blue Travel" sprawled across the pages. Most of these photos are individual shots, but there are a few group photos. Even while they are at a tourist location, the band still manages to look cool!

Each of the member's sections include many meaningful sayings in English that reflect that member's feeling about traveling. The left is from Yonghwa's section, the top from Jonghyun's, and the bottom from Minhyuk's.

The back of the book contains a cute envelope with the behind-the-scenes DVD. This DVD is for regions 1 and 3 and automatically includes Korean and English subtitles. It's only 11 minutes and 36 seconds long and doesn't include much behind-the-scenes footage. This DVD is mostly of the members modeling, as if the photos from the book are coming to life. Roughly two minutes is dedicated to each member during his individual shoot, then the remaining 2 minutes are of the group taking photos at the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.

The photobook also comes with one of four postcards. These are honestly the cutest postcards ever, because they're actually like postcards! The front side is a glamorous photo of one of the members and the backside is in the format of a postcard, with a printed, handwritten message by that member. Here is Jungshin's postcard.

I have always loved CNBlue's photobooks because they're well-formatted and very elegant, like a high end fashion magazine. Even if/when I'm not a fan of CNBlue any longer, I will still enjoy glancing at these photos because they're honestly works of art. While photobooks clearly have nothing to do with CNBlue as musicians, I like that it feels that FNC isn't just trying to milk Boice's money, but rather give them quality artwork in return. Overall, I really love this book and it'd be perfect as one of those coffee table photobooks.

Hong Kong's Mongkok: Korean Shopping

Mongkok is a happening place in Hong Kong, with lots of shops and lots of pedestrians!  The atmosphere is so lively that the crowdedness may be overwhelming at times, but that's just part of the adventure.  I headed to this district in search of some Korean shops, and here are my results.

Sino Centre (信和中心)

582-592 Nathan Road in Mong Kok

My first stop was a very happening mall called Sino Centre.  Sino Centre is three stories of pure madness and chaos, with numerous, very similar, super small and cramped independent shops.  The top two floors have several stalls carrying Kpop albums at reasonable prices.  I saw Apink's latest album, Secret Garden, for $110 HKD ($14.19 USD), which is barely cheaper than HMV, a music chain store, which sold it for $115 HKD.  I also found a rare item: CNBlue's Ear Fun limited edition Yonghwa version for roughly $450 HKD!  This item is so rare, I can't find any online; I've only found Lee Jung Shin's and Lee Jong Hyun's online.  These shops carry the latest releases, have usually just 1 copy or so of their merchandise and shop owners know their inventory well.  Just a warning, beware: there are some shops selling counterfeit albums, so just be cautious as to what you're buying. 

Etude House

Unknown Address

At an intersection of Woman's Street, I found an adorable Etude House!  This store is so popular in Asia, while all other Korean beauty brands seem so scarce.  This corner location has limited retail space and its layout is like a wide hallway with a 90 degree bend.  The exterior detailing matches the typical princess concept Etude is known for, which enchants me every time I see Etude because the design is just so charming!

I didn't spend much time in Mongkok and I know there's a lot more to explore, but these two locations are a great place to start!

CNBlue: Re:Blue Special Limited Edition Album Review

I ordered CNBlue's latest album, Re:Blue Limited Edition Yonghwa Version, through kpoptown.com.  CNBlue was the first kpop band/group I listened to (besides fictional You're Beautiful band ANJell), and I have been faithfully listening to them since July 2010.  I've never purchased a kpop album, let alone a limited edition version, so my first purchase had to be of CNBlue!  Note, this post will be very photo-heavy because I was just so excited to share my happiness with the world!

First off, I must admit the photo book smells like a school yearbook fresh off of the press!  Holding this album before my eyes has made me so happy, I can't stop smiling stupidly just thinking about its arrival.  Here are the front and back covers of this hardbound photo book.  The front cover is specialized for the Yonghwa version while the back displays all four members of CNBlue.  I like the artistic approach of having the sepia-like lens in these images!

Like CNBlue's other limited edition album Ear Fun, Re:Blue has four versions, one for each member.  Each version comes with the same, beautifully created and abundant photo book of the album's creation in London.  While each version has the same exact content inside the book, the front cover differs with a photo of that version's member. The photo book has 4 parts, and each member designed his own part.

I love how each member even hand wrote commentary and labels throughout his own section, making it more personalized and showing us a bit of their personality in penmanship.  Here is the cover page of part 2, which Lee Jung Shin designed.

I never had a particular interest in Lee Jung Shin, but I loved the creative little touches he added to his part of the photo book!  His penmanship is very interesting, mixing up various fonts and styles.  Jung Shin also expressed his artistic side, with simplistic yet cute doodles throughout his section.  The umbrella just adds a nice touch to the photos of CNBlue strolling the streets of London :)

And here is Part 4: Stage behind!  Jonghwa's snake is adorable.

Yonghwa also added cute little doodles to some of his pages!

 Each version contains 3 postcards.  Mine came with 2 of Yonghwa and 1 of CNBlue.  I really like the quality of these postcards.  They're not typical images printed on printer paper, but instead the paper is a thick, sturdy paper that feels almost like it's for watercolor painting.

As a pre-order gift, kpoptown offered 5 back-to-back photo cards of CNBlue as well.  Honestly kpoptown had said "5 sheets" so I was expected larger photos, but these photo cards are still nice to have.  These photos are mostly from a commercial shoot I believe, with one photo (top left) being Re:Blue's album cover.

In the very back is the CD and DVD, firmly wedged by foam in the center of the discs.

Below is a closeup of the back cover, which shows the tracklist along with the shiny hologram of authenticity. Listening to Re:Blue's tracklist, I've noticed how CNBlue's been experiencing various genres within rock. The main song in this album is "I'm Sorry," though honestly this song didn't stand out when I listened to the entire tracklist.  My favorites are "Coffee Shop" and "The Guy Like Me" (track 4) for their catchy and upbeat notes.  I loved every part of both of these songs!

I watched the DVD, which is a 20 minute long video about the making of CNBlue's music video "I'm Sorry." I originally didn't really like that song, but by the end of this video I started falling in love with this song! There are no subtitles, but they really aren't needed to get the gist of the video.  It was mostly visual, with clips of CNBlue's photoshoot throughout London, CNBlue strolling the streets and lastly CNBlue rocking on the rooftop.  Despite how cool CNBlue looked while walking on the streets in the actual music video, it was interesting to see how silly they looked while the cameramen were giving cues and shooting the footage. Lots of times the members of CNBlue also had random dialogues in English and spoke English interjections out of the blue, making the vibe of the video more casual and fun.  

In some of these photos, you can get a sense of just how big this book is.  It really is kind of big, which surprised me!  This is like a thin textbook.  I also really like the texture of both the book and the 3 postcards: they're matte with 3-D horizontal waves.  The quality of this limited edition album is well worth its price and I'm very satisfied with it!

My Kpoptown Package! (Preordered Album)

Kpoptown is an online retailer that sells kpop albums, DVDs, collectibles, jewelry inspired by idols, as well as Korean beauty brands and fashion (some of which relate to kpop).  I preordered CNBlue's Re: Blue Limited Edition Yonghwa Version through Kpoptown.  Despite the positive review my friend gave about Kpoptown, I wasn't too happy with them.  I preordered my album 2 days before the release date of January 31, 2013.  According to the site, preordered items should be shipped in 1-4 days from the release date.  However, my package didn't ship until 8 days after the release date.  I did email them to check up on my order, but that didn't really speed up the process.  After being shipped, I received an email saying that my package should come to the US in 2-4 weeks.

The limited edition albums have been out for one day over four weeks now, and it's hard browsing online and seeing others being so happy with their albums.  Even my friend who recommended this site received the Yonghwa version as a surprise birthday present (her friend ordered it from a different site)!  The package arrived yesterday, so exactly 3 weeks since it shipped, right in the middle of the estimated 2-4 weeks.  Kpoptown really tested my limit on how long I could wait for limited edition album!  But it's all okay, because it has finally arrived:

It came in a plastic delivery envelope with bubble wrap inside. The photo book itself had a sealed plastic wrap on it and another bubble wrap pouch over it. Overall the product was nicely sealed and there were no nicks or scratches. I'm so ecstatic that it's finally here!!  Here are the actual contents of the Re:Blue Limited Edition album, along with a pack of photo cards that came as a pre-order gift.

I will post my review of CNBlue's Re: Blue Limited Edition Yonghwa Version soon!

Running Man Ep 129: 2013 Winter Olympics & Idol Special Edition Review

I have always wanted to watch the famous variety show Running Man, but it wasn't until I saw the outstanding list of idols that I finally tuned in to the show.  For those who are unaware of the show, Running Man is an SBS variety show that stars the Running Man Team that must compete in challenges to beat the opposing team.  Episodes have different missions, locations and guest stars, making each episode unique and all the more entertaining to watch.

One of the most recent episodes, which aired on January 20th as Running Man's 129th episode, is the 2013 Winter Olympics and Idol Special Edition.  It was quite a treat to have so many stars on the opposing Idol Team, which includes my biases Jung Yong Hwa and Lee Jong Hyun of CNBlue, Choi Min Ho of SHINee, Sulli of f(x), Kim Myungsoo of Infinite and others, such as Hwang Kwang Hee of ZE:A and Lee Joon of MBLAQ.  To my surprise, the Running Man Team also has a celebrity: Lee Kwang Soo, who starred in Nice Guy alongside Song Joong Ki (who is a former member of the Running Man cast).  With such a star-studded cast, they could be eating watermelon or peeling an orange for all I care, I'd watch this any day! Luckily this episode was much more entertaining than that though.

This episode is filled with enthusiasm, funny remarks and banter among both teams.  The "Opening Ceremony" hilariously introduced each member of the Idol Team, immediately illustrating Kwang Hee as a sort of buffoon and Yong Hwa as an ace, after all he is the guest who has starred in the most Running Man episodes.  Not only is the show humorous, it is also adorable in scenes showing friendly Min Ho and Sulli interactions, especially after they starred in 2012's drama To The Beautiful You. The music montage is also fun, offering the latest hits from the guest stars during very fitting scenes. While Myungsoo competed in a race, Infinite's "The Chaser" played.

While watching variety shows, I'm always surprised at how down-to-earth and human idols are outside of seeing them performing. I love how these types of shows exposes more realistic personalities not seen onstage.

Of course this show isn't fueled 100% by guest stars. The Running Man cast all offer different personalities and humorous antics, creating an all-around entertaining cast. The written commentary is also laugh out loud funny. I'm sucked in right away and can't get enough of Running Man!  In all, the show can't stop me from cracking up!

Here is a link to view this episode in full, with English subtitles: http://www.dramafever.com/drama/3970/40

Kpop Songs 2012, Part 1: Boy Bands

I love writing recap posts that cover an entire year.  Though we are well on our way into 2013, I want to write about my most favorite kpop songs of 2012. These aren't necessarily songs from 2012, but more like songs that I have only discovered in 2012, and I am still very excited about these songs, so bare with me if I'm writing about 'old' songs.  These songs spoke to me, giving me an emotional connection one way or another, and are always stuck in my head because of their catchy tunes.  I was just gathering the songs that I truly obsessed over last year, and it ended up being ten-perfect!

My entire list included too many labels, so I have to split this post into two parts.  This first part covers my most four favorite songs from boy bands that I discovered last year.  Check out Part 2, which covers six videos of girl groups, collaborations, etc.

Hey You - CNBlue
From their 4th Korean mini album, Hey You is my most favorite CNBlue song!  CNBlue has always been my most favorite band, and their songs always amaze me.  This song really showcased the vocals of Jung Yong Hwa and Lee Jong Hyun, and the chorus is upbeat and smooth.  Random anecdote: this is the song I hum when I'm getting shots to distract myself!



Be Mine - Infinite
I first learned about Infinite through the drama Shut Up Flower Boy Band. This drama stars the adorable Kim Myungsoo, aka L, of Infinite. Early in the drama, there is one scene where the main cast sings a karaoke version of Infinite's song "Be Mine." I instantly fell for the tune and chorus of this song, and after watching at the music video I fell for the members of Infinite! I even try to mimic this dance in the shower sometimes!



Crazy - Teen Top
Similar to Infinite's "Be Mine," I fell for Teen Top's "Crazy" because of the catchy tune and chorus. The English lyrics are very repetitive and simple, making it easy for me to sing this song all the time. I just can't get enough of this upbeat pop song!



Hateful Person - Beast
Part of the Big OST, this song is simply fun and lighthearted, just like the drama. Every time this song is played in Big, I can't stop smiling at the happy tune of Hateful Person. Despite such a negative title, this song is definitely cheery throughout.



This is my short list of favorite boy band songs that I found in 2012! Check out the rest of my kpop 2012 list here.

Kpop Haul from Taiwan!

Last week my uncle traveled to Taiwan and surprised me with some kpop merchandise! I was ecstatic to receive in the mail CDs of my all-time favorite artists, as well as a kpop magazine.

I now have IU's extended play Real, which also includes a photo book. I also received CNBlue's latest Japanese mini album, Robot. Lastly, I have Kim Hyun Joong's latest Japanese full album, Unlimited, which also includes a poster of Hyun Joong. I'll have another post up for reviews and more details on these albums.

This kpop magazine illustrates pages of the latest idol groups and their most current events and projects. Included is also a poster of Queen In Hyun's Man, a drama that is on my watch list for its unique story line!

I was so excited to receive these treasures in the mail and can't wait for my upcoming posts about these CDs!

Richmond, CA: Kpop Shop

I've visited this mall several times throughout my life, but it wasn't until my last trip here (July 2012) that I noticed a shop filled with kpop in an otherwise deserted Asian mall! Kingstone Books is a small shop located in Pacific East Mall in Richmond, California (suburb of San Francisco).  The address is: 3288 Pierce Street, Richmond, CA 94804.

Besides selling books, stationary and random trinkets, they have a fairly decent selection of Kpop merchandise. What drew me to this store was the posters hanging on the storefront (I spy a shirtless Taeyang...). This quaint shop sells unofficial Kpop goods including posters (Big Bang, Taeyang, SNSD, Boys Over Flowers, etc.), hard iPhone cases, folders, post-it note packs, playing cards, and more, all for reasonable prices.

I stumbled upon this shop towards closing time and didn't have much time to choose what I wanted, but I ended up buying a Boys Over Flowers poster, 2PM folder and CNBlue notepad, totally under $20.

My Boys Over Flowers poster is smaller than two 8.5" x 11" put together and is made of high quality, glossy paper. There was another Boys Over Flowers poster with Go Hye Sun in the center, but she ruined the flower boy image for me (though Lee Min Ho and Kim Joon kind of ruin the flower boy image here too).

This is my 2PM folder, which was $5.99. The left photo shows the backside of the folder (man do they look fine in sleek suits!) while the left shows the front, with 2PM in colorful outerwear and making fun poses.

This is my CNBlue notepad, which is about six inches tall and cost $4.99.  It has two different pictures on both sides. This notepad is divided into several sections, and the pages of each section have different CNBlue images at the bottom.

If you're ever in this area, stop on by and get some kpop gear!