Maple's KPop Sunday: SS501 "Love Like This"

So I'm sure that you have all been sitting around waiting for more KPop videos.
This week we wanted to feature our fav song from the boy group SS501: "Love Like This." The video won the award for "Best Use of a Car as an Expressive Device in a Music Video" in 2009. It was also nominated for the "Best Use of Strobe Lights to Give People Seizures" award.
Okay, not really. Those awards don't exist...
But if my award system did exist, this video would most certainly win "Most Horrible Clothing Worn in a KPop Music Video" for 2009. Though I am sure there are other contenders.
We actually thought that maybe we shouldn't post this vid because the style isn't something that any sane person should wear. But alas, SS501 has Kim Hyun-joong as its leader and he is the reason I breathe, so we are including it in our KPop series.
Kim Hyun-joong is a pop star/actor whom we totes heart. He is even our phone wallpaper:

 So. Adorable.
We first saw him in the KDrama "Playful Kiss" -- then we watched him in the KDrama "Boys Over Flowers" or "Boys Before Flowers" -- whatever you want to call it.

Both series are completely addicting, crack-like substances that include large doses of bad acting, whole episodes of horrible directing, headache-inducing soundtrack choices, and emotional roller coasters that need to include a prescription from a psychiatrist.
We recommend both shows as long as you have a sense of humor and patience. They are kind of like KDrama rites of passage. "Boys Over Flowers" is probably the most-famous KDrama in existence. Even though it is completely spoof-worthy. It also starred Lee Min Ho, in his debut role -- he is now an international celebrity.
And he has awesome hair.

Both of those shots are from "Faith" -- a KDrama that made me want to stab every character repeatedly. "Why are you doing that? How stupid can you be? That makes no sense!" was my constant refrain while trying to watch it. We never could finish it.
But back to the music video. And Kim Hyun-joong. He does not have great hair in this vid. But that's okay, we forgive him.
This is an upbeat, catchy song and the video features the best kick-skipping dancing we have ever seen. Some of their moves do make one LOL.  But that is why we are sharing these things, right?
Brace yourself for  1) Too much eye makeup  2) Really horrible animal print clothing and  3) Epic dance moves.

Maple's KPop Sunday: CNBLUE 'I'm Sorry'

Hola peoples.

Welcome to another Maple's KPop Sunday. :-)

Given the fact that we keep going back and forth from SHINee to Super Junior, you might think that there are only two KPop bands and Psy.

Not so.

One of our other favs is CNBLUE.

Or CNBlue, not sure which they prefer.

They debuted in 2009 and this is directly from Wikipedia because 

I want to prove that I didn't make this up:

"The band consists of Jung Yong-hwa (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Lee Jong-hyun (lead guitar, vocals), Lee Jung Shin (bass guitar, vocals) and Kang Min-hyuk (drums, vocals). CN is an abbreviation of ‘Code Name’ while BLUE is an abbreviation of the members’ individual images. ‘Burning’ represents Lee Jong-hyun, ‘Lovely’ represents Kang Min-hyuk, ‘Untouchable’ represents Lee Jung Shin, and ‘Emotional’ represents Jung Yong-hwa."

Burning. Lovely. Untouchable. Emotional.

Could describe me....

Except they would need to add "Claws."

But then it wouldn't spell Blue...

Oh well...

This is our fav song from CNBLUE: "I'm Sorry."

Lots of English words in there for the Korean-impaired.

And this is a rock band -- not a synchro-dancing boy band.

So there is a different vibe.

The video is a hoot.

It involves more break-ups. Two of them.

And two near-fights.

Overall, a rock band with a lot of pent-up emotions.

One break-up over the phone. Classy.

With subsequent sweeping everything off a desk in anger movement.

One almost-fight in a subway tunnel.

Apparently Euro or American authorities don't like Korean rock band members playing there.

One almost-fight in a bar.

Apparently Euro or American bar thugs don't like Korean rock band members hanging out in bars.

Overly-aggressive chair-smashing bonus.

One break-up on the bus. With rose flinging.

Don't recommend that.

Could have blinded the poor girl.

During all this, we flash back and forth to the rooftop jam session 

where they can all deal with their emotions through music.

Spliced with dramatic walking scenes in the street.

Not as comical as other KPop videos I have shared.

But comical for its over-dramaticnessiness.

On the believability level -- we score in at zero.

In reality, no one would ever break-up or fight we these guys.

They are too adorable. ;-)

The leader of this band, Jung Yong-hwa, has starred in two KDramas we have watched:

'You're Beautiful' -- which is one of those completely addicting, heart-wrenching dramas with healthy doses of cuteness.

We loved it and it tops our list of favs.

It has near-legendary status in the world of KDrama, 
so it is a good place to start a KDrama education.

It involved a rock band, a cross-dressing girl, and a pigbunny. ;-)

And he also starred in 'Heartstrings' as the male lead.

This was very cute and romantic at the beginning.

But much more family drama-ish and tense toward the end.

Still we recommend it because you get to stare at Yong-hwa.

And you can learn about traditional Korean music instruments.

Extra bonus. :-P

Trends to Sew inspiration from this video:

Hoodies

Bracelets

More of a 'Trend to Craft'

Chunky, layered, plentiful - Stackable

Much like Taylor Swift tends to wear

Graphic Tees

Lots of nice looks for warm spring/summer days,

which we hope are right around the corner....

Thanks for visiting us today!!

Maple's KPop Sundays: Super Junior's 'It's You'

Welcome to My KPop Sunday! 'My' as in Maple -- The Awesome Maple.
On Sundays I share a KPop video and some Trends to Sew ideas derived from it.
Today we have Super Junior's 'It's You' from 2009. Which I like to call 'Someone Needs a Hug.'
The beginning of the vid sets the stage -- a girl gives back a couple ring to one of the 600 Super Junior members. So obviously this is a song about breaking up.
If you don't know what a couple ring is -- it is something that appears in almost every KDrama in existence -- when two peeps become serious in their dating they typically get couple rings. It's like wedding rings before wedding rings. And not quite an engagement ring either. 
Typical timeline: 1) 2 peeps start dating, perhaps some chocolates, a hairpin or flowers for girl 2) Decision to be monogamous, couple rings - one ring for each peep, they typically match or coordinate 3) Decision to get married, engagement ring for girl 4) Marriage, wedding bands
Just in case you wanted to know all that. Ahahahaha. You know you did.
Highlights of the 'It's You' video, in order of appearance:
1) Acting lessons stat! Everyone in the vid is near tears.  But in a way that makes me LOL. Yes, the acting in this vid is a bit overdone. But that is what we like. ;-)
2) What are the chances that all of their girlfriends broke up with them on the same day???  I mean really, what are the chances? They really don't have good luck with women.
3) Note the car mechanic jumper which appears on several members. And amuses me. Because, dude, it is a car mechanic jumper.
4) The mouth-wiping, kiss-off dance move. Not sure at which moment in the vid this first appears, but keep an eye-out for it. It is the stuff of magic.
And of course...
5) The infamous heartbeat dance which has a cult icon status  in the land of KPop and KDramas. Once you know what to look for, you'll see it everywhere. Two methods of the heartbeat dance: a) You feel up your own chest, making a heartbeat thumping/tapping motion with one hand. b) You get someone else to play puppetmaster and they float their hand over your chest as if they are making your heartbeat with the thumping/pulling at your heartstrings motion. It is a complex artform. :-P

So what Trends to Sew can we get inspired by?
Well, we thought: vests, contrast piping, and blazers.
So here are your hip and trendy fashions for those ideas. Courtesy of yesstyle.com
Vests:

Contrast Piping:

Blazer:

Thanks for visiting us today!

Maple's KPop Sundays: SHINee's "Sherlock"

Whattup peoples! Maples here.
It's Sunday, and as I said awhile back --- "In the interest of being more silly and posting more stuff more often, I am starting my KPop Educational Campaign. It will show up on Sundays."
Today's video -- Shinee's latest hit -- "Sherlock (Clue+Note)."
This is definitely one of our fav KPop vids. It has a Sherlock theme, a dog, and overall it is so ridiculous, it speaks for itself. I don't even need to point out its weirdness. ;-)
But I will say keep an eye-out for the knee-to-almost-chin kick dancing. We ❤❤❤ it very much. It's like 'Fiddler on the Roof' meets KPop.
We could watch this video all day and never grow tired of it.

From the screenshot we can be inspired by two things.
Light blue denim and stars.
And we can also wonder how a girl snuck into an all-boy group.
And she forgot to wear light blue denim.
Oh. That's a boy? Our bad.
So here are some Trends to Sew style inspiration for you.
Light blue denim button-down shirt with cold shoulder detailing.

Star shorts.

Distressed denim shorts. With inset fabric accents.

Denim culottes with unique double-front.

Light blue denim zipper accent jacket. With lace studded collar.

Denim mini dress.

Thanks for visiting us today!
p.s. Check out the 2013 Grand Photo Contest entries and vote before April 6! http://dw2013grandphotocontest.blogspot.com/

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