Musing While Cruising the Hallyu Highway
It has been two weeks since I posted a Vocal Virtuosity moment here on the countdown which is partially false since any time I post G.O singing anything, it is a VV moment. In fact, today this post can double as a VV moment as well as a Fan-Camming moment and had this been Friday, that would have synchronized quite well. But alas, it is Sunday. A perfect day for a ballad. A perfect day for 나무 [Tree].
Continue reading “The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 424”
We were but eight days into April when G.O surprised us with another update. He is truly spoiling us, don’t you agree? But I am not complaining. This lovely selca came in the wee hours of the morning actually of 9 April 2017 while most in the east were asleep and most of us in the west were wide awake with our day well under way. For this reason, I was actually thrilled to have that 14 hour time difference between Chicago and Seoul!
Continue reading “The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 423”
The sound of a voice that is authoritative, abrupt and cold begins to flood his heart with the memory of a deep and painful loss. His mind is transported back to when she left. His heart is reminded of the void he is still suffering. He longs to hear her comforting voice and not his abusive tone. Dong Ho is devastated. Lost. Heartbroken. The intensely emotional 소리기억 [I Remember The Sound] in 서편제 [Seopyeonje] is a flashback moment from the mind of Dong Ho who relives the tragedy surrounding the death of his mother. A death he squarely blames on his stepfather, Yoo Bong. Continuing on my spring Seopyeonje revival, the heart-wrenching 소리기억 [I Remember The Sound] is the subject of our Fan-Camming Friday today.
Continue reading “The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 422”
I would like to continue with our little Road to Seopyeonje retrospective as we look back at G.O’s preparation for his role as the fractured and fragile Dong Ho. The role of Dong Ho required a versatile musical actor. He had to act, sing and believably play the 소리북 [sori buk], a traditional drum used to accompany pansori. G.O accomplished it all and deserved all of the praise, accolades and the musical award he received for his tender and honest portrayal of the complex Dong Ho. Putting the serious aside for a moment, let’s revisit the rehearsal studio where G.O, along with his fellow actors he shared the role with (Michael Lee and Song Yong Jin) learned the way of the sori buk.
Continue reading “The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 421”
Ok, I think I am back on schedule with the G.O One Shots. I decided that with just a little over 300 days left (312, to be exact), I am going to be less stringent with some of the parameters I have set for myself here on the Countdown. Much like our serene music man, I am going to relax and let things effortlessly flow. Today’s flow is all about the 14 January 2012 Music Core performance of the powerful 전쟁이야 [This Is War]. I cannot help but turn this one shot .gif day into a multi-shot .gif day. See, I am happily stepping outside of the One Shot boundaries, it and feels good.~^^
Continue reading “The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 419”
More Seopyeonje love today as we return to the rehearsal room to get another glimpse of G.O as he prepared for his role as the troubled Dong Ho. It was in these rehearsals where the magic began. G.O meeting the character Dong Ho, stepping into his shoes, feeling his pain, and ultimately giving him a voice.
Continue reading “The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 418”
The road to Seopyeonje was so long ago and yet it seems like only yesterday. Since spring was the season of Seopyeonje (in 2014), I have been feeling very, very nostalgic. I thought revisiting a couple of the early rehearsal videos would be nice for a Sunday. G.O’s voice on a spring Sunday in April? Absolutely.
Continue reading “The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 417”
I know that any time we are particularly missing the sounds of G.O’s beautiful voice, we only need open up our music apps (or pop a CD into the player) and choose from one of the many MBLAQ, Tykeys and/or his solo songs in our libraries to soothe that yearning. But every so often it is nice to detour from those libraries to get lost in an old impromptu radio broadcast performance, a cover song that perhaps holds deep meaning for him, or one he simply loves to sing. Kim Kwang Seok’s 사랑했지만 [Though I Loved You] might be one of those songs. A lovely melody. The poetic lyrics. The big notes. Yes, a perfect match for our tender main vocal.
Continue reading “The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 416”
There is just something about 열쇠 [Key]. It seems to be one of those songs that digs deep into G.O and takes ahold of every fiber of emotion welling inside of him. From the Broken promotions to the final performances of the song into late 2014, you see it in his eyes when he sings it and without question, hear it in his voice. 열쇠 [Key] is a somber song filled with pleas to help ease the pain of a broken or closed heart and probably has one of the most poetic and touching choruses of any of MBLAQ’s songs. And yes, G.O is the commander of that chorus. Today’s Fan-Camming Friday moment is a G.O- focused cam taken during the performance of the lyrically beautiful 열쇠 [Key] at MBLAQ’s July 2014 Summer Vacation in Tokyo.
Continue reading “The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 415”
I don’t believe I am exaggerating when I say that from 2009 through 2013, the men of MBLAQ (collectively and individually) were the undisputed kings of variety. I think you will find truth and subsequent proof in this bold statement by watching (or re-watching) some of their show appearances and specifically those shows that were built around them. Idol Manager was one of those very shows. I have not yet shared any IM moments here on the Countdown ~ gasp! Today, I have a particular yearning to reminisce. My usual M.O here with episodic shows has been to choose a random episode and hope that it held a good many G.O memorable moments to share. For my first visit to Idol Manager during this countdown series, I am choosing Episode 5. It is ripe with so much goodness, I almost don’t know where to begin.
Continue reading “The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 412”
The Fangirl Lane 