Tag: K-pop

Go Away With … Amber Liu

Jae-Ha Kim

As part of the group f(x), Amber Liu has grown used to performing worldwide. But this winter marks her first ever solo tour, to promote her mixtape “Rogue Rouge.” Her Gone Rogue tour kicks off December 5 in Chicago. Born and raised in Los Angeles, the singer-songwriter splits her time between L.A. and Seoul. The Taiwanese American artist recently signed deals to be an ambassador with both L’Oréal and Nike. Liu, 26, did this interview while on a break from shooting with Nike in New York City.

Go Away With … Lay

Jae-Ha Kim

Musician/producer Lay is celebrating his recent 27th birthday with the release of his latest solo album, “NAMANANA,” on Oct. 19. Born Yixing Zhang in Hunan, the EXO star recorded each song, including his self-produced single, “Give Me a Chance” — in both English and Mandarin. A workaholic who says he’s happiest when he’s busy, he made his solo United States festival debut this past summer at the Chicago stop of Lollapalooza.

Go Away With … Girls’ Generation’s Tiffany Young

Jae-Ha Kim

Tiffany Young is the new face and voice of H&M’s Divided Music campaign. Born and raised in California, Young spent more than a decade in South Korea as a member of the band Girls’ Generation, before moving back to Los Angeles to study acting. “I just finished shooting this video for (my new solo single) ‘Teach You,’” says Young. “And I get to tell you first: My bandmates (Hyo-yeon Kim and Soo-young Choi) make cameos in it!”

Can you ever be too old for K-Pop?

Jae-Ha Kim

A month ago, KPop For Thought contacted me, asking if I would like to answer a question for her online newsletter about K-Pop. And this is the question she sent me: “I always see you bonding with your son through K-pop on Twitter, and it’s such an amazing thing. In times where some people say that being over 18 is too old to like pop music, could you talk a bit about your experience as a K-pop fan and mother?”

Go Away With … I.M of Monsta X

Jae-Ha Kim

Rapper I.M is used to traveling around the world with his group Monsta X and says he’s excited about returning to the United States, where he spent part of his childhood. “I’m sad we won’t get to play in Boston,” says I.M, 22, who was born Chang-kyun Im. “But I’m happy we will get to see so many of our American fans.”

Tiffany Young’s “Over My Skin”

Jae-Ha Kim

Tiffany Young was 15 when she left her native California for Seoul, South Korea, where she hoped to become a music star. Within two years, the teenager made her debut with Girls’ Generation, which would become one of the most successful K-Pop groups ever. She’s back in the U.S. and has a new solo single, “Over My Skin.”

Go Away With … Eric Nam

Jae-Ha Kim

“Traveling has been a really big part of my upbringing and I’ve been fortunate enough to travel for different reasons,” says singer Eric Nam, 29. “I’d like to think that it has had an impact on my character and personality, which ultimately affects my music.” Born and raised in Georgia, Nam currently is on tour promoting his Billboard World Top 10 EP, “Honestly.” His song, “Float,” also is featured in the film, “Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation.”

Go Away With … San E

Jae-Ha Kim

“I didn’t really know what hip hop and rap was when I was in (South) Korea,” San E says. “And then I moved to Atlanta when I was in middle school and just naturally started paying attention to it, because it was everywhere. I was lucky, even though I didn’t think so as a kid. Atlanta has a lot of great musicians. The music scene is pretty diverse and I was just going with it.”

Go Away With … Rap Monster (of BTS)

Jae-Ha Kim

BTS’ Rap Monster remembers being blown away by the opulence of Las Vegas during his first trip there: “I was last here in 2009 when I was 15. What I remember the most was the inside of the Bellagio. It was amazing. I had never seen a hotel like that before, where there was a whole world inside the hotel. It was beautiful. I got to see Cirque du Soleil’s “O” show. It was so nice. I remember the night view of Vegas, which was tremendous. I remember all the lights and people having fun. I saw a lot of people drinking, which was shocking to me then (since I was so young).”