Musing While Cruising the Hallyu Highway
How about today we go for a Vocal Magic moment that served as a vocal warm up prior to an actual recording? Instead of breath work, vocal runs or other vocal exercises to prepare the voice to sing, Donghun warms up with Sam Smith’s Too Good at Goodbyes and gives us a lovely vocal magic moment in time.
Okay, so here’s what happened. Back in late August there was a live streaming musical festival that featured Asian artists from all over the world. Known as The Joy Ruckus Club, this would be the 4th annual festival of its kind, and as we were still in the midst of COVID (and unfortunately still are), the fest would take place online. Artists performed live sets from various locales including small venues with small audiences, to the artists’ own living rooms. It was a full ten day festival and was broadcast from places like New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the US, and of course, South Korea. Part of the festival included a K-pop segment called K-pop Superfest-New Beginnings. I bought a ticket and on August 28, 2021, I was officially introduced to MCND.
Oh it’s that time again. Yes, it is time to let Donghun set the mic aside and lace up his dancing shoes. I know I have mentioned (maybe even over-mentioned) the fact that all five members of A.C.E are powerful dancers. I absolutely love watching all five of them in dance mode but will admit to having an extra special soft spot for Donghun. For a boy who just wanted to sing, he certainly proved that he is a man who excels at both. Today’s dance break travels back in time to March of 2020 with the group’s Japanese comeback. I know, I know, I have not even mentioned or talked about A.C.E’s Japanese debut, but I am sure I will have something to say about that at some point during this countdown. As is evident that this countdown is more of a counting toward as opposed to counting back (or down), it is clear that my sense of time in and of itself is a little out of whack. Anyway, A.C.E released a non-album single, My Lover, for their Japanese comeback, and were most likely preparing for potential in-person fan meets or concerts as they choreographed the song and it was definitely stage ready.
In the early days both before and after debut, and even up through their 2019 Under Cover Tour, A.C.E took to the streets busking. Out meeting the public, surprising and engaging with their fans, and garnering new Choice converts, A.C.E tirelessly put themselves in public view. It was not busking in the traditional sense however, as in setting up a mic, grabbing a guitar (or other musical instrument) and being impromptu troubadours. No, they were out there out there A.C.E busking in the dance performance sense. Like in Shinjuku, Japan in March 2018.
Content. Seriously, thank goodness groups put in place a variety of content well before we basically all had to go remote. Even with a robust selection of variety programs (on both television and the radio where we can enjoy seeing our favorites in various environments), K-pop groups expand that even further by way of V-Live and YouTube channels where they can create a variety of programming exclusive to themselves. From day-in-the-life vlogs to behind the scenes offerings, A.C.E serves up a variety of enjoyable content which included one of my fave video series of theirs, the A.C.E Diary.
I can conceivably consider every one of these countdown posts an ‘art break’ because I basically consider Donghun a work of art all unto himself, and a multi-faceted one at that. However, DH Fan-Artastic is all about those who are inspired to draw, sketch or paint Donghun’s image capturing a moment that could encompass an element of his personality, a mood or how he was particularly styled for a comeback. Ah, yes, the comeback concept. A.C.E has had some truly remarkable and memorable ones. I admit I am kind of stuck in the Siren:Dawn era and that is where our fan art lands today.
Getting to know Donghun and learning about his artistic journey is one of the best parts of doing an extensive blog series like this countdown. If you know me or have been around the blog for some time, you probably know I am a research nerd. Even though I went into the legal field as a profession, I still have thoughts about being in some kind of research-oriented job. I guess in some small way I am feeding that desire here as I learn and write about some of my favorite groups and artists. So, where did it begin for our sweet main vocal?
I think I will be arguing throughout this entire countdown that even though Donghun is not a named main dancer in A.C.E, he is still a main dancer. Truth be told all five members of A.C.E are main dancers. In the blogosphere we can find a lot of conjecture, but I can say that when it comes to A.C.E and dancing, I am delivering truth. So in my initial DH Dance Break post, we got a taste of Donghun grooving with Wow. In this one, he brings a little Latin spice to the floor with Byeongkwan.
I don’t even know where to begin. And, we are too early in this countdown for me to have a breakdown. In and of itself, Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga’s Shallow from the A Star is Born OST is an iconic and memorable track. That is, it leaves its mark. But when your K-pop bias steps in and covers it, it becomes all kinds of next level. Paired with the talented Sonnet, I give you a truly Vocal Magic moment with their cover of Shallow.
Let’s agree that what happens at fan meeting/signs, stays at fan meeting/signs. Unless of course there is tangible proof of the mischief that ensues when a group meets with fans to shower them with love and gratitude. And well, they want to make it memorable, right? Even if it gets a little rude, yes? I am not talking offensive rude. No, just the kind of rude that can make a fangirl blush. Sort of like what A.C.E served up at their June 29, 2018 fan sign in Busan, and which is the subject of this Hunnie Cam offering.
The Fangirl Lane 