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Article: 2NE1’s “I Love You” Ranks 4th on Billboard’s 20 Best K-Pop Songs of 2012

Waaah! So proud of 2NE1~! ^_^ Check out who else made it to the top 20! Congratulations to YG Family! ❤

20 Best K-Pop Songs of 2012: BIGBANG, PSY, 2NE1 & More

These 20 K-Pop songs represent a fantastic array of veteran artists, popular idols, ballad crooners and talented rookies.

4. “I Love You” – 2NE1 

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The ladies’ discography features a slew of self-empowerment anthems, but 2NE1 delved into a completely new topic for their 2012 single; love. Each member sounds completely in her element in the atypically structured half-melancholy, half-euphoric track where the biggest moment doesn’t come until the very last section.

Check out the other songs that made it to the top 20 below!

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News: Yang Hyun Suk reveals his upcoming plans for 2013

Yang Hyun Suk reveals his upcoming plans for 2013 + Kang Seung Yoon and the new boy group

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YG Entertainment has revealed some more hints about their upcoming plans for 2013!

Yang Hyun Suk himself stated, “During the first half of this new year we will be focusing on the album production and promotions for Lee Hi, 2NE1, and YG’s new girl group… If all goes as planned, then I want to reveal our new boy group as well in the last half of the year. However, this date is just a wish of mine as a producer and I hope the fans will take this as more of a hint rather than a promise.”

He also revealed some details on the upcoming boy group, stating, “The members of this new boy group are between the ages of 16~18, and have all been training for more than two years and are extremely good… For the past two years they have been training with Kang Seung Yoon.”

As ‘Superstar K2‘s Kang Seung Yoon was previously said to be getting ready for a solo debut, Yang Hyun Suk clarified, ”Although Kang Seung Yoon will be releasing his solo debut album during the first quarter of next year, we will not nail him as only a solo artist,” revealing that he may be included in the boy group as well.

He also added, “Ever since he entered YG, he has improved tremendously in dancing… He will release his first solo album before or after February, and will show just how much he has changed while under YG… His new image will be different from his ‘Superstar K’ image.“

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Source: AllKPop

Re-uploaded by: OhDara

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Article: 7 Idols To Go Gift Shopping With This Holiday Season – Dara at Number 2

Dara (2NE1)

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If you’re looking for something cute or maybe some makeup to give to a friend, then 2NE1’s Dara would be the perfect shopping companion. Dara is one that knows her cutesy things as well as her makeup products, and would be able to help you find the perfect gift for your friend. Plus she’s a shopaholic, so I’m sure she would walk away with quite a few things herself.

CL, G-Dragon, and Thunder were also mentioned in the article.. Check out what was said about them after the cut!

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Article: 2NE1 Mentioned in Yahoo! News (UK & Ireland) – “What is K-pop?”

When even the President of the United States is re-enacting your dance moves, you’ve made it big, and that is exactly what happened to PSY this summer when ‘Gangnam Style’ became a global phenomenon.

This year the world stood up and took notice of the South Korean artist and the style of music he represented, and opened people’s eyes to K-pop.

What is K-pop?

PSY

K-pop, or Korean Pop, is a fusion of dance, electronica, electropop, hip-hop and R&B that originated in South Korea but has spread across Asia (and now the rest of the world).

Exponents of the genre have attracted a fanatical following in recent years, though western audiences could be forgiven for not being entirely au fait with K-pop until this year.

The movement has largely been driven by the internet with every wannabe artist in the world having a platform to showcase their abilities.

Though instant stardom is not guaranteed, the internet has played a major role in the spread of the Korean Wave (which describes the rise of Korean music and entertainment business) and has unearthed many new stars.

Undoubtedly the biggest of these is PSY, but he is not the only one to enjoy significant success in the charts.

PSY – Gangnam Style

The most famous K-pop song in history has made a star out of the man who recorded it, launched an iconic dance move and topped the charts in countries across the world.

Despite having released five albums already, it wasn’t until the self-titled PSY 6 (Six Rules), Part 1 that PSY truly broke into the mainstream.

The third track, ‘Gangnam Style’, became an internet sensation, quickly racking up records for most likes, most views in a week and – on November 24th – replaced Justin Bieber’s ‘Baby’ as the most watched video ever.

It went to number one in 27 countries, including Australia, the UK, Germany and PSY’s native South Korea, and was assured its place in history when US President Barack Obama revealed he was to privately perform ‘Gangnam Style’ for his wife Michelle.

Scooping gongs at the American Music Awards, MTV Europe Music Awards and Mnet Asian Music Awards, Gangnam Style was not only the biggest K-pop song of the summer, but the biggest K-pop hit ever.

2NE1 – I Am the Best

The Korean equivalent of the Spice Girls, 2NE1 – pronounced either “to anyone” or “twenty one” – are unlike other K-pop girl groups, in that they deliver attitude in great measures.

Their debut US album has been produced by Will.i.am, which guarantees exposure in the US, and if the tracks are anything like ‘I Am the Best’, a hip-hop infused electro hit is on the cards.

Big Bang – Fantastic Baby

If 2NE1 are the Spice Girls, then Big Bang are the K-pop equivalent of One Direction.

Each member of the five-strong group has his own unique look, while their musical stylings – ranging from R&B and hip-hop to electro and pop – are just as diverse.

Not only are they huge in Japan and South Korea, but have also made it big in Europe where they were named best worldwide act in the Asia-Pacific category at last year’s MTV Europe Music Awards. Big Bang look set to explode.

2PM – Without U

This male ensemble combines the harmonies of Westlife or Boyz II Men with edgy rap that truly sets them apart from their K-pop contemporaries.

With members hailing from South Korea, the US and Thailand, they have a truly international feel, and are currently enjoying a global tour that is bringing their music – and the sensation that is K-pop – to the masses.

Now PSY has well and truly opened the door for K-pop artists to take over the global music scene, who do you expect to become the next big thing?

Source: Yahoo! News (UK & Ireland)

Read more: http://bigbangupdates.com/2012/12/yahoo-news-uk-ireland-what-is-k-pop.html#ixzz2EnWhVEPL

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Article: ABS CBN – Review: 2NE1 bigger than Psy?

Review: 2NE1 bigger than Psy?

Korean group’s New Evolution 2012 Global Tour closes in Singapore

SINGAPORE — “Bigger than Psy.” At the height of the “Gangnam Style” craze, Forbes made this daring pronouncement in October, after K-Pop idol 2NE1 staged sold-out concerts in both the US East and West coasts as part of their 2012 New Evolution Global Tour — a groundbreaking endeavor that made them the first Korean girl group to embark on a world tour.

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‘While the comparison may be a tad awkward, the contention is probably based on the difference between who’s watching and who’s buying.

While Psy’s ubiquitous single gallops to nearly one billion views on YouTube, unofficial tallies show sales at between five to six million downloads worldwide; it is his biggest hit since entering the music industry 12 years ago.

On the other hand, 2NE1 has sold over 27 million digital downloads since their 2009 debut, including “I Am The Best,” which moved 4.5 million units and propelled them to a “perfect all-kill” sweep on Korean and other Asian music charts. It was only one of several songs that hit No. 1 for the group that was named MTV Iggy’s “Best New Band in the World,” describing the girls as “an unparalleled presence in today’s K-Pop scene.”

Singapore showdown

If their unexpected showdown in Singapore last December 1 was any indication, then Forbes might not be all that audacious in their forecast. Their shows clashed head-on that Saturday evening, filling the harbor skies with exciting K-Pop fireworks.

Psy pranced and regaled an audience of 4,000 who flocked to see his free concert at the Marina Bay Sands, while 2NE1 rocked the Singapore Indoor Stadium with a full house of more than 8,000 screaming fans who shelled out over S$200 for tickets.

At the end of the day, however, there is really no competition between the two acts since everything is kept all in the family — the YG Family to be exact. Both Psy and 2E1 (as well as recent Manila visitor Big Bang) belong to the same management group, YG Entertainment, whose chairman Yang Hyun-suk has been officially named the richest man in South Korea’s entertainment industry today.

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Article: The New Paper – “Kiss of a Lifetime”

KISS OF A LIFETIME

The New Paper

Now, what’s better than a concert filled with electrifying energy, stunning visuals, boundless fun and mind-blowing performances?

A show that not only encompasses all the above, but also serves up generous doses of sex appeal.

South Korean sassy quartet 2NE1’s New Evolution Global Tour, held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium last Saturday night, screamed sensuality from start to finish.

From topless hunky male dancers to the gals flaunting their long slender legs in slinky pink outfits, it kept the 8,200-strong crowd riveted for two-and-a-half hours.

Bom (Park Bom), Dara (Sandara Park), CL (Lee Chaerin) and Minzy (Gong Minji) certainly lived up to their reputation as K-pop’s boldest and wildest things.

Read the full report in The New Paper on Monday (Dec 3)

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Source: The New Paper

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Article: Review – 2NE1 New Evolution Global Tour 2012 Singapore

Review: 2NE1 New Evolution Global Tour 2012 Singapore

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2NE1’s catchphrase has always been “Nolza” which means “Let’s play” and fun was what the group brought their Blackjacks (the official name for 2NE1 fans) in Singapore.

Three years after their debut, Korean girl group 2NE1 successfully wrapped up their first ever solo concert, New Evolution, in Singapore.

This time round, Singapore, being the last stop for the quartet’s New Evolution Global Tour, was treated to a little something extra – an extra encore song the fans picked.

Blackjacks were entertained with 2NE1’s powerful performances of 25 songs which lasted slightly less than two and a half hours.

The popular K-Pop group, made up of CL, Dara, Minzy and Park Bom, performed to an almost sold out crowd at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on December 1, 2012.

We were excited to be in the audience for the group’s first-ever full concert here in Singapore and with 2NE1’s electrifying energy, all the Blackjacks, including us, were having a great time cheering and dancing along to the songs. With such an energetic crowd, this concert was nothing short of fun.

Visual effects, lasers and fireworks
The show started at 7.10pm in an electric atmosphere with the girls making an entrance on elevated platforms with their hit song “I Am The Best”. Throughout the show, fireworks on stage, elevated platforms, inflatable slides, laser lights, conveyor belts and confetti were just some of the effects that the organisers worked in to up the ante.

Transformed into a club
Energy levels in the room got even higher when leader CL showed off her amazing DJ skills as she stood on an illuminated platform which rose above the stage. Wearing her Beats by Dr. Dre headphones, she spun remixes of Cyndi Lauper’s “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”, Rihanna’s “We Found Love” and Madonna’s “Hung Up” which CL exclaimed to the audience “this is one of my favourite songs”.

Surprise kiss
During her solo performance for “Kiss”, Dara surprised the public by revealing, “I’m going to kiss a really lucky guy tonight”. “But I won’t be doing this anymore after tonight as this is the last concert. Since this is the last time, shall I kiss him on the lips instead of the cheek?”, teased Dara. The singer invited a lucky fan from the audience and briefly sat on his lap during the performance. But no kisses on the lips for this one, she left him with a kiss on the cheek.

Dance machine
The youngest member in the group, Minzy, known for her astonishing dance moves didn’t disappoint as she pulled out all all the stops during her dance solo. Not to mentioned every movement was perfectly executed. Throughout the night, Minzy drew cheers as she danced and even as she playfully cartwheeled across the stage during the encore.

Powerful vocals
2NE1’s lead singer Park Bom stood on a podium and performed “Don’t Cry” and “You and I”. It’s a wonder how this petite girl on stage could have such a powerful voice. Nonetheless, we were all charmed by her voice and cutesy expressions at the end of the night.

Wearing their heart on their sleeves
Being the last stop of the New Evolution tour, CL stated “Tonight, I don’t want to regret (anything). I want to give everything I have to all of you.” With their non-stop dynamic performances, the 2NE1 members had fun on stage and gave Singapore fans a great night.

But during the encore performances, Dara started crying and thanked fans for giving her “such a wonderful memory.” As they said their thank yous and I love yous to their fans, lead singer Park Bom started tearing up too.

Extra treats
After 2NE1 came back on stage for their encore with “I Don’t Care” and a remix version of “I Am the Best”, the girls left the stage but came surprising back again to the delight of the fans with CL stating, “since this our last show, we would love to take a photo with all of you”.

Unlike other their other concerts which only played two encore songs, Singapore fans were unexpectedly treated to an extra last song when CL asked the ecstatic fans “do you guys want to go for another round? What song do you want to hear?” 2NE1 ended the night with “I Love You” and with this amazing concert, the girls showcased their perfect chameleon-like styles – ever changing – and why they are the undisputed K-Pop queens of reinvention.

2NE1’s energy and enthusiasm was felt in every corner of the Singapore Indoor Stadium and their high energy performance sure made this concert a fun and memorable one.

2NE1 New Evolution Global Tour 2012 Singapore Set List:

I Am the best
Fire
Clap your Hands
I Don’t Care (reggae version)
Don’t Stop the Music
Please Don’t Cry (Park Bom solo)
You and I (Park Bom solo)
Follow Me
Please Don’t Go (CL and Minzy duet)
Pretty boy
Kiss (Dara solo)
It Hurts
Lonely
In the Club
Stay together
I Love You
Ugly
Let’s Go Party
Sceam
Hate You
Go Away
Can’t Nobody

Encore:
I Don’t Care
I Am the Best
I Love You

Source: http://www.herworldplus.com

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Article: Concert Review – 2NE1 / Girl Power

2NE1 / Girl Power

2NE1 showed off the right stuff

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SINGAPORE – It was a weekend of K-pop fever. But to the thousands of fans who waited patiently for 2NE1 to come out on Saturday night at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, Psy hardly figured.

When the fantastic foursome finally burst onto the stage with their hit, I Am The Best, the crowd went wild, waving their light sticks with manic force. 2NE1 felt the love for sure.

Despite being on their first global tour, the girls exuded enough confidence to almost match their YG Entertainment seniors Big Bang. Throughout the two-and-a-half-hour concert, they churned out several of their urban pop tracks like I Don’t Care, Fire and their newest hit I Love You.

There was plenty of spectacle and pageantry. The set, for one, included inflatable slides and explosive pyrotechnics. The stage was even converted into an LED rollercoaster during leader CL’s and Minzy’s duet Please Don’t Go.

Sure at some points, the vocal chops weren’t quite solid as they sounded a little shaky. The choreography wasn’t executed to a finish and ballads fell a little flat but the foursome more than made up for these shortcomings when it came to their more energetic songs.

2NE1’s leader CL took charge of interacting with the audience and presented the most charisma and confidence. During her solo spot, she mock-DJ’ed to Girls Just Wanna Have Fun and Rihanna’s We Found Love. She wasn’t fooling anyone, but it was definitely something different and it got the crowd pumped up.

Member Dara also had a solo bit where she brought a lucky male fan up onstage during her performance of Kiss. She teased, “Where should I kiss him? On the lips?”, but in the end, the guy walked away with only a small peck on the cheek. Hey, it was a K-pop concert. Strictly PG-13, okay?

Following this performance was a Kiss Cam filler that didn’t see much kissing going on either. The Singapore audience didn’t really get it and most of them were too young anyway to partake in such things (at leastin public).

A highlight for this writer was when the band performed Pretty Boy and their dancers took off their shirts and paraded around the stage in inflatable, transparent balls. Memories of Abercrombie & Fitch’s opening in Singapore came to mind. CL, Dara, Bom and Minzy expressed how bittersweet it was that Singapore was their last stop. They got the audience to take a picture with them and offered a post-encore encore of I Love You as demanded by their fans. Boy, do these girls know the way to a fan’s heart.

Source: TODAYonline

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Article: 2NE1 Burn Up The Stage With ‘Fire’

2NE1 BURN UP THE STAGE WITH ‘FIRE’

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One long, super-fun party — that’ the best way to sum up the Singapore leg of 2NE1’s New Evolution Tour.

Charismatic and full of energy, Park Bom, Sandara, Minzy and CL worked the stage like pros while still keeping it real like a bunch of young funky girls on a  rocking Saturday night out.

Starting the night on the dance-floor

The two and a half hour concert at the Singapore Indoor Stadium kicked off loud and strong with club anthems “I’m the Best” and “Fire”. The four girls jumped around the stage in neon street-grunge togs to some seriously loud screams from their 8,200 fans, who call themselves Blackjacks.

Known for their over-the-top hip hop inspired fashion, the girls, who endorse Adidas, wore matching sports jackets with metal studs and prints of their faces on the front. Never a K-pop band to shy from loud colours, CL and Minzy sported purple and blonde hair, while Park Bom fluttered heavy, sooty-black lashes and Sandara rocked a half-shaved head.

The big guns also came out quickly — although the sets were simple and nothing very fancy, pyrotechnics and fireworks were used liberally to drive the mood up fever pitch in the mosh pit, where fans enthusiastically waved official “Blackjack light sticks”, spades with wings.

After performing the two hot favourites, 2NE1 chatted with the audience. CL, 21, said that it was a “very special night for 2NE1 as it’s the last show” and how she wanted to “give everything I have to all of you”.

She was referring to the show being the last performance of their Global Evolution Tour and also their final concert for 2012.

Before things got too emotional, with Park Bom saying that she hoped she wouldn’t cry, the fun continued with the catchy ‘Clap Your Hands’, or 박수쳐(Bak Su Chyo) and then the reggae inspired “I Don’t Care” as the girls kept it casual and sang from a patent gold sofa, completely at ease but enjoying themselves tremendously.

Girl-talk

The pace picked up with “Don’t Stop the Music” and then a solo from CL — who spun her own girl-power remix of “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”/ “We Found Love in a Hopeless Place” / “Hung Up” from an elevated DJ turntable that got the mostly-female crowd on their feet.
It was one fun song after another as the props got better with the rollercoaster themed “Please Don’t Go”, which saw Minzy and CL bopping their heads in a fake coaster carriage and in cheerleader costumes with bright silver pom poms of “Try to Follow Me”

The sauciest moment of the night was when Sandara teased and titillated for her solo “Kiss” — turning on her smoky cat eyes and purring about how she was “going to pick one lucky guy… tonight I’ll be sexy. So who wants to be the last guy to be kissed by me?”.

The lucky recipient turned out to be a grey-shirted fan who almost didn’t know where to look when bestowed Sandara’s pucker.

Heart-to-heart

Despite being better known for their upbeat electro-pop songs, the four truly shone during their ballads — especially Park Bom. Donning silvery-white gowns, the visibly emotional girls showed off their vocal chops with the bluesy “It Hurts (Slow)”, followed by “Lonely”.

It was a pity that most of the coolest props were saved for the end of the night — their encore song “I’m the Best” saw ridiculously fun looking bouncy castles appear on stage as the girls tumbled down slides and frolicked amongst the candy-coloured set in a scene straight from Katy Perry’s California Girls.

They finally left the feverish crowd with one last encore of smash hit “I Love You” in a upbeat yet poignant performance that showed 2NE1 for who they really are — girls’ girls, through and through.

Source: http://sg.entertainment.yahoo.com

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Article: Can’t Nobody Party Like 2NE1

CAN’T NOBODY PARTY LIKE 2NE1

It was one electrifying and emotional night for the four ladies as they wrapped up the 2NE1 NEW EVOLUTION GLOBAL TOUR 2012 in Singapore

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The four spunky ladies of 2NE1 opened the final show of their NEW EVOLUTION GLOBAL TOUR 2012 with crowd favourite I Am The Best last night, turning Singapore Indoor Stadium into a huge party venue right from the beginning.

“I don’t want to regret anything tonight,” leader CL’s holler was greeted by deafening screams from the Blackjacks (official fan club name).

Temperatures rose rapidly among the 8,200 people in the stadium during the first segment of the concert where hit dance tracks like FIRE, Clap Your Hands and Don’t Stop The Music blasted off the sound system. True to YG Family’s style, the ‘swag’ and ‘fierceness’ exuding from the group was outstanding.

While stunning visuals and pyrotechnics such as multi-colour laser lights, video background and stage fireworks definitely added points to the concert, it is the group’s stage presence and charisma that brought the house down last night.

Starting from CL’s solo deejaying on an elevated platform to Park Bom’s rendition of Don’t Cry and You & I which showed off her vocal prowess, 2NE1 proved why they are the girl group with the most character. Besides appearing in a ‘car’ with CL for Please Don’t Go, Minzy was just as captivating with her dance solo.

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But what drove the crowd wild had to be Dara’s Kiss where a lucky male fan was chosen on the spot by the lady herself. To the envy of many at the show, he got to enjoy ‘skinship’ with Dara and received a real kiss from her during the performance.

Other than props such as a shiny gold-coloured sofa and a mobile stage, the ladies also donned on fanciful costumes like the cheerleading outfits, complete with pom-poms, during Follow Me. With a packed stadium jumping along to the music, 2NE1 were far from ‘Lonely’ as they performed some of their slower songs.

What makes concerts especially electrifying is the contagious energy that spreads from the performing artistes to the fans below the stage. With the four ladies head-banging to the roaring music and grooving their hearts out to the catchy tunes, the fans were inspired to wave their white wing-shaped lightsticks with greater passion.

2NE1’s call for the crowd to stand up for the song Work It brought the show to a new high as everyone in the stadium, including the scarce few middle-aged fans, sprang up from their seats and danced along to the music.

Roller coaster ride of emotions it was, for 2NE1 and Blackjacks, as the atmosphere turned emotional when the two-hour concert was nearing its closure. Dara, who was already teary-eyed during the rehearsals, had big droplets rolling down her cheeks while Minzy and Park Bom tried to hold back theirs. Even the usually cool and collected CL became husky-voiced.

The four ladies returned on stage by sliding down from the inflated ‘playground’ during the encore and the fans were more than happy when their beloved idols performed I Don’t Care and I Am The Best for a second time. As it was the conclusion to their world tour, 2NE1 and their band had a group picture taken with all the fans in the background last night.

The concert was supposed to end with the encore when the fans started singing Please Don’t Go, beckoning the group to come on stage again. As the original song list had been exhausted, I Love You was aptly chosen as the true finale. The additional performance not only was a bonus for the Blackjacks, but it was also 2NE1’s final relish of the stage for their NEW EVOLUTION tour.

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