The K-pop phenomenon

            In recent years, K-pop, which stands for Korean pop music is becoming so prevalent. It is not just thriving and prosperous in its homeland, but people around the globe, especially in Asian countries like China, Taiwan, Singapore and Japan. Here in Hong Kong, K-pop is almost the biggest common topic among youngsters. I could always hear my classmates talking about the new moves of the Korean singers. Although I do not keen on K-pop, yet the question: “Why K-pop could become so popular?” is always in my head. After reading the article “K-pop: how South Korea turned round its music scene”, I have summarized a few possible reasons.

            First of all, the music production houses in Korea have investigated a huge fund on their own singing academies and album generation. These singing academies are where the top agencies and publishers trained teenagers into pop stars. Besides, the companies often invite famous British songwriters to write songs for their artists, which draw attention from the fans.

            Moreover, the marketing strategies of production houses are also a main factor.  Most of the time, the CDs’ packaging have several versions, they are all glossy and luxury, thus some fans will buy more than one version of the CD.  Meanwhile, the production house knows how to promote their artists wisely. For instance, the SM Entertainment cooperated with mobile phone manufacturer LG. While LG launched a new brown phone, SM Entertainment’s biggest girl group, Girl’s Generation and FX appeared in LG’s advertisement singing the song calling Chocolate Love and then the song went straight up on the ranking list. Furthermore, the language mixing lyrics of K-pop has globalized the recipients as a cordial feeling is created when language familiar to them appears in the songs.

             In addition, K-pop music got its unique characters which are attractive to teens. Most of the Korean songs come along with a special dance. The fans love the dance and often imitate the moves.

All in all, K-pop is one of the biggest symbolic capitals of Korean and it boosted the country’s economy and has proved how infectivity a culture can be.

Comment on Bilingual Features of the NYT and Reuters

There is the usage of cross-reference in NYT news. Throughout the article, there are some phrases or words that are blue in line. When we click on the words, there is a link to pop out. For example, “the recent trial of Bo Xilai”,” journalists jammed behind the police cordons”, “said in an interview with Phoenix television”. If readers click on the link of “the recent trial of Bo Xilai”, an original new of the Bo Xilai’s incident titled “As Surprisingly Open Trial Begins in China, Fallen Politician Shows Defiancein” from New York Times online pop outs. The link does not only include text but also pictures and video. It adopts a multimedia element. For example, when readers click on “journalists jammed behind the police cordons”, a picture from sina.com is shown immediately. If “said in an interview with Phoenix television” is clicked, a video of the prominent Chinese Lawyer Chen Youxi, is analyzing the case of Li Tianyi. Using the cross-reference makes the news more authentic and reliable. People always want to know more information. This can increase their knowledge and satisfy their curiosity. This also shows the diversity of multimedia in mediascape.

 

Both of the news do not adopt linguistic code, or mixed code, which means second language in a particular text. The common language use is the national language - English only. However, only Reuters offer different types of languages at the top of the column, such as in France, Canada and Spain edition. The New York Times has lesser language options to choose, which have global, US and China edition. So in this region, we can say news in Reuters is more likely to have linguistic diversity and NYT is more linguistic homogeneity. Since NYT have English and Chinese language only, we can probably call it a bilingual media discourse. Moreover, no language-mixing or code-switching are observed in both of the news too.

 

Under the new era of amateur, everyone can be involved in the internet with the technology advancement. When internet users visit both pieces of news online, they can have some follow-up actions in terms of sharing, comment or click a “like” on social networking sites. This undeniably increases the interaction between the readers and the writer. Their national identity can be increased by their engagement and participation on the news. Gradually the people participating in such social network can be called as “social actors” or even “cultural translators”. These people are having symbolic capital, which is the relationships and social network they create online and later, they will be changed as concrete capital after a period of time. The internet users will create a speech community unintentionally. It means a community which shares the same speech. The computer-mediated communicaton technology facilitates the establishment of the speech community. According to“ the virtual community: Homesteading on the electronic frontier” by Rheingold, H., Community includes both communication ( a group of people who shared interests) and communion ( which is spiritual, emotional, a “human” feeling that comes from the communicative coordination of oneself with others and the environment). When browsing the comment corner from the news, the online users have shared their own view and feelings towards the Li Tianyi’s case. Therefore, speech community is established. It’s not necessarily to be too large.

 

Context

Both of the news focused on the scandal of the political figures of the Communist Party. However, NYT report the news in more different aspects by reporting the view of Mr Li (the prosecutor) and Ms Lu and also it compares with the recent trial of Bo Xilai. Reuters adds many facts and focuses more in the bloggers. It shows that the internet users are social actors and they concern about their society. They build up their identity in China.

 

Posted by Catherine Lo Tsz ChinThis shows the internet users in China are very keen on and concern about this.

It is a small article cut from MingPao newspaper. It is talk about the wisdom behind a name. A good name can lead you associate with some beautiful things. Chinese have an adage:「唔怕生壞命，最怕改壞名」, that’s mean have a bad name is even worse than an unlucky destiny. This can show that traditional Chinese people are paying much attention on naming. Even nowadays, some people will search for geomantic consultation when naming. If you are interesting on Chinese naming, welcome to talk to with us!

Good Eats: Cha Chan Tang, a Hong Kong-Style Cafe

   

Bao Ong, contributing food writer

French toast drizzled with golden syrup. Ham and macaroni soup with buttered bread. Baked beef steak with tomato sauce. Yes, Cha Chan Tan is a Chinese restaurant.

If you want to get technical, it’s a Hong Kong-style eatery with an extensive menu that includes an eclectic range of more traditional dishes, like shark fin soup, to Western-influenced creations such as the popular pork chop with tomato sauce over spaghetti.

But first a quick history lesson to the somewhat zany choices here: Hong Kong, with its strong colonial connection to England and other European countries, was full of upscale Western restaurants. Most locals couldn’t afford to dine at such establishments, though, so they came up with their own creations, often merging typical ingredients in Italian or English cuisine with a touch of local flavor.

Take any of the noodle dishes as an example. You can find a variety on traditional kinds of spaghetti or fried noodles using the ubiquitous egg noodles found in packaged ramen. At Cha Chan Tang you could eat the noodles fried and topped with slices of barbecue pork or with spareribs and shreds of bitter melon.

As one my of my dining companions put it, the food isn’t meant to be upscale (he described it as “street” or “home”-style cuisine). But that doesn’t mean it lacks in flavor. In fact, I’d describe it as comfort food at affordable prices (the most expensive item on the menu is $7). The portion sizes are decent, too.

On a recent visit, we ordered baked spaghetti with pork chop. This dish included a generous amount of noodles topped with sweet tomato sauce with fried and breaded pork cut up in thin slices. It was a marriage of sweet and salty carbs and proteins, both fried and baked. On a lighter note, we couldn’t pass on the French toast with a side of maltose, a common sweetner in Asian cooking. But my favorite was a cold Hong Kong style tea. This black tea with evaporated milk came in a glass bottle in a bucket of ice so the drink would stay cold but would not become watered down.

Part of Cha Chan Tang’s appeal is its young and more hip vibe than many other Chinatown eateries. There’s the requisite exposed break wall but fun light bulbs sit in hanging Vita Soy bottles above the white formica tables give it a modern touch. There are flat screen monitors on the walls looping images of Hong Kong street corners.

Analysis

 

1. Cha Chan Tan (transliteration)

2. shark fin soup (code-switching)

3. spareribs and shreds of bitter melon (code-switching)

4. Vita Soy bottles (transliteration)

5. Macaroni/Spaghetti (From Greek, not an English word, language mixing)

Target readers- should be foreigners and travellers

Mediascape-private non-commercial media, but it inform, educate and entertain readers.

Hong Kong Comics

 

 

Old Master Q (老夫子) is the collective memory of Hong Kongers, ranging from the children to the eldery. It was particularly popular in the 60s-80s in Hong Kong. I think only foreigners may not very familiar with this because it's a unique culture from Hong Kong. Old Master Q is created by Alfonso Wong. Its first cartoon appeared in the newspapers and magazines in 1962, and later serialized in 1964. It is still in publication today. 

 

Portrait of Mr. Alfonso Wong

 

The series features the now well-known characters such as Old Master Q and Big Potato, as well as Mr Chin, Mr Chiu and Miss Chan, in many different hilarious situations. Old Master Q lives his life in a very unorthodox manner—often stumbles himself and his friends in and out of trouble. Playful and childlike in nature, Old Master Q and his “cool gang”, particularly the chubby darling Big Potato, handle the everyday life problems and annoyance with sunny outlook in sometimes shockingly hilarious manners. 

                                                                                                                     

Main Characters:

 

                  

OLD MASTER Q

The leading character of the self-entilted comic series, likes to dress as a traditional but behaves as a kid with unbounded curiosity for life.

Age: Secret ( younger than he looks..)

Costume: 17.26% traditional chinese, the rest comic "ought couture"

Sign: Sagittarius

Personality: Ecpert of knowing everything about nothing, playful, optimistic (oftern overly) and romantic

Skills: Kung Fu (semi), cooking, multi-style x-sports (ffree, cheap and no style)

Girlfriend: Ms Linda Chan

                                                         

BIG POTATO

The leading side-kick of Old Master Q, loves to eat and has over confidence in everything he wishes to do. Unfortunately, results often contradict his expectations.

Height: 1.27 meter

Weight: Secret, but going up...

Sign: Libra

Personality: High (and often unrealistic) level of self-confidence, fun-loving

Skills: Eating, lots and lots

Dislike: Doing sit-up

 

                                       

MR. CHIN

Mr. Chin, another side-kick of Pld Master Q, is the best looking on in the gang and possesses a bright outlook for all things.

 

While Old Master Q comics primarily focuses on humor, it also reflects changing social trends, particularly from the 1960s to the 1980s. The comics would sometimes feature societal problems in urban life, such as poverty, petty thefts and secret societies. It also poked fun at fashion, contempoary arts  and rock music. The comic strips sometimes also bemoan the decline of ethical or moral values in modern day living. One can spot characters displaying acts of selfishness or misery, although the comics occasionally display good values like filial piety.

 

There is even English version translated by the public!

 

I used to do the same with the one in the article below. Did you?

 

                            

This is such an excellent activity to do during the waiting time for yum cha in Chinese Restaurant! Do u agree?

 

The above is the theme song of the cartoon of Old Master Q from TVB. Did you watch this before when you're young?

 

However, it seems that the own production of HK comics gradually decline now. Most of the people like watching Japanese comics or American Heros. The comics industry in HK is not as popular as before. Some of the opinions are extracted below.

1. "香港漫畫發展的兩大障礙 撰文：hsbchk

 

 本土創作者缺乏國際視野的基礎

我所指出的國際視野並非單單指「對國際大事的觸覺」或是「對外國文化的深入了解」，而是在以上兩個要點達到前的基礎：對自己國家和地區的文化認同和認知。香港人一直強調自己如何注重國際交流、如何兩文三語等。但實際上，他們連自己本地都還沒有確實的認識。普遍香港的學生對香港自身的歷史背景和文化都不去認識，就只會一味套用外來文化而不去選擇「明白、了解」該種文化，並以此為榮。對自身所知及本土文化毫無了解之時，本土發展出來的文化不會發達。殖民教育百多年下的成功產品，不會有自發性去了解自身真正的文化、真正的根。

 

 

對自己的文化毫無認識而欲將兩種不同地域的文化融會貫通，即使那兩種文化有再多的共通點，也是不會成功的。創作，在許多範圍內，是要基於一個基準，再為這些基準加上自己的變數，才能成為一個「獨有的創作」。但是，在對那個基準沒有充分的認識的同時，創作也就當然地不能獨特吧。
在這裡，可能會有許多人說：「只要我不依照自身的文化為基礎就行了。」或是「我不是在中國長大，所以我的基礎文化並不是中國文化/我不是中國人，所以我不用去了解中國文化。」(97年前普遍學生的答案)。但是，他們可能忘記了他們所受的教化，無論是家庭教育，還是學校教育，只要是中國人所出，所包含的必然有中國文化的精神，那怕是一點點也好。
君不見大部分日本ACG作品的根本，都是以日本文化(現代/古代)為本，內容細節裡處處透露了日本人的特質。(就是說大部分時候文本的主要觀點都是以日本人的角度去體驗事件)姑勿論其文化本質為「抄襲者」還是其它，也證明了其創作是以一個自己最為熟識、每天都接觸的自身的文化為根基作出深化的發展。所以要作出一些良好的創作(在ACG方面就是劇本一類的文本和設定等)，就必先要對自己的本根和對像物有深度的認知，才能對其作出細膩的刻劃，製作出一個優秀的文本。"

2. From internet user: nyx

 

"個人意見，要分的話，不要單從畫去分。日式漫畫和港式漫畫的最大
不同，是製作手法。日式是職人主義，漫畫家有著自我的創作空間，
以師徒相承的做法去支持著漫畫界。香港是工業式分工做法，以流水
作業的模式去生產漫畫。大家認同的被稱為「港漫」的作品，是後者
。新派的所謂「日式港漫」，是前者。"

 

We hope that the development of HK comics would not stop and continue creating our own memories!

 

 Posted by Catherine Lo Tsz Chin

CRUSH? 我有小小中意左佢><"

不論看電影,與朋友討論,都聽到這一句: I have a CRUSH on him/her.
我個人解讀為: 我有小小中意左佢(即刻聯想到早年紅翻天的萬寧妹妹).
但談到要單獨解"CRUSH"此詞,我則未能找到一個完全吻合的中文詞語.
不知大家會如何解讀"CRUSH"呢?
若大家也毫無頭緒,不妨參考以下網址 ^^
http://ww3.sinaimg.cn/woriginal/641167cfjw1e8qg2x6ikaj20c31qpqf7.jpg

《狂舞派》風潮省思本土、熱血的緣由



 

作者：行光 - 五, 2013-08-16 01:38

剛過去的一個星期，在香港引起最多話題的電影無疑是《狂舞派》。導演黃修平的街舞電影在香港國際電影節首映之後，經過幾個月的醞釀成為眾人力捧的作品，甚至有文化紅人包場力推，輿論也近乎是一面倒的好評。對筆者來說，和這個現象同時出現的，讓一眾支持者興奮的關鍵詞，像本土、熱血等等，其實也頗值得細細玩味。
《狂舞派》是一部香港電影當然沒有任何疑問，但說這部電影本土，到底又有多本土呢？或許，對一些觀眾來說，出現了豆腐舖、工廠大廈、屋邨平台的表演等等香港的背景和場面，就已經是本土的表現。但不能否認的是，《狂舞派》把整個戲劇的焦點集中在一群舞者的身上，某程度上是把整個社會背景抽空了，那些老舖、廠廈，以至屋邨的街坊，其實都是沒有生活和細節的；讓人眼前一亮的阿花、Dave、太極男、Rebecca 等等，除了舞蹈和太極，也是沒有生活的。他們的全部世界，除了青春片常見的多角戀愛，就是全世界都有人跳的街舞，或是整個大中華都有人耍的太極拳，所謂的本土就是由台前幕後都是香港人決定？那大家討論的本地價值又在哪裡呢？難道同學們會把汽水罐留給拾荒的婆婆就叫做有本土／人文的關懷？


熱血的兩大脈絡
「熱血」這個概念在香港人接觸到的流行文化可以找到兩個脈絡，一個是張徹的動作片開始，到吳宇森的英雄片登峰造極，為朋友「兩脅插刀」在所不辭的義氣熱血。這種熱血一般都帶著強烈的二元衝突，而上溯他們的源頭，則是上世紀六十年代大行其道的日本黑幫片。另一個脈絡則是在運動中挑戰自我，突破極限的「熱血」，香港電影基本上極少拍攝運動片，這個傳統更多出現在翻譯的日本漫畫之中。《狂舞派》的熱血，無疑是由這條線索而來的。在這種熱血故事，並沒有黑白分明的二元對立，所謂的對手其實是互相扶持進步的朋友，像《足球小將》中的戴翅偉和小志強那樣。在這點上，《狂舞派》可以說是深得那些日本熱血漫畫的三昧。
這部電影有句廣為流傳的宣傳口號，「為了××，你可以去到幾盡？」這句話，當然是強調了為理想犧牲一切的「熱血」，出自電影中的場景，是完全成立的。不過筆者好奇的是，由電影一開始阿花強調自己不跳舞就周身不自在，到最高潮時「大反派」揭示他為街舞作出的犧牲，整部電影都只是強調這種「熱血」的感覺，但並沒有告訴大家街舞的「價值」何在。阿花、Dave 所在的舞隊為何要打倒「rooftoppers」？除了爭第一，電影給出的另一個理由是據此向校方爭取被收回的會室。沒有會室真的這麼重要？筆者真的要好好反省一下讀書年代搞活動的態度。當然，大眾文化中的「熱血」作品，其實都沒有說明「理想」的內在價值的傳統，《足球小將》、《鄰家女孩》不會告訴你參加世界杯或甲子園對人生意義何在？《舞吧！昴》也不會解釋芭蕾舞對舞者的價值何在。當然，觀眾一般都不會對傳統的對抗運動或表演藝術的價值提出疑問，只不過像街舞這種結合了表演和對抗兩種元素的活動，多一點發掘會不會讓觀眾更加投入呢？

追尋理想的內在價值？
這部電影另一個受不少人注目的點子，是太極與街舞的結合。中與西、新與舊的對比的確有很多文字發揮的空間。而這點讓我想到的倒是，曾經聽某崑曲名伶提到，上世紀九十年代崑曲最低潮的年代，他有學生靠表演霹靂舞維生，大受歡迎之餘，更被日本人邀請出國發展。最後是什麼原因讓那位年輕的崑曲演員放棄賺大錢的機會，而「熱血」地守著當時看來寒酸，沒有前途的崑曲舞台？名伶說是要讓他們知道崑曲的好處，讓他們上癮，也就是說要他們認識這件事的「內在價值」。《狂舞派》的熱血不能打動筆者，可能就是欠了這麼一點。
《狂舞派》有著香港電影一向的優點，在技術層面上神采飛揚。每一場舞蹈都活力十足，放諸世界層面之絕不失禮，尤其是「rooftoppers」搶上工廈天台的一幕更是精彩。但同樣的，香港電影在故事通順，人情合理上的弱點這部電影一樣奉送。幸好，一眾表現精彩的演員十分搶鏡，而某些角色的故事更是討好評論人，讓導演帶點說教的青春故事不那麼紮眼。或許正是這故事某些似通不通的地方，激起了一些人力捧的熱情，一如之前那句「唔打咪唔輸囉，打就一定要贏！」（另一部被視為本土電影《打擂台》的對白）的台詞。
【原載2013年8月15日《大公報》】


From:香港電影評論協會http://www.filmcritics.org.hk/%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1%E8%A9%95%E8%AB%96/%E6%9C%83%E5%93%A1%E5%BD%B1%E8%A9%95/%E3%80%8A%E7%8B%82%E8%88%9E%E6%B4%BE%E3%80%8B%E9%A2%A8%E6%BD%AE%E7%9C%81%E6%80%9D%E6%9C%AC%E5%9C%9F%E3%80%81%E7%86%B1%E8%A1%80%E7%9A%84%E7%B7%A3%E7%94%B1

GANGNAM STYLE - A big influence on the music industry in global

I think everybody have heard of a song called gangnam style, which is sung by a South Korean singer, PSY. The music video has been viewed over 1.753 billion times on Youtube, and it is the most watched video at the site after surpsassing Jusbin Bieber's single "Baby"! So you can imagine his song is so popular through the worldwide. What factors that make the song have a big hit? It definitely contains some features whose style is different from the other pop songs. Its catchy rhythm, lyrics, the movement that PSY performed in the MTV are the charactersitics and the success of this song. 

His style of dancing makes people hard to forget him. There are main several steps of his dancing.

                       

His steps of dancing are not as difficult as the other K-pop groups'. They are easy to remember but interesting. People from all ages can dance! So it attracts fans from different genders and age group. Many "Youtubers" have made covers from listening the song.

FREAK
He and his MV is so unique that ti's hard to forget them.

TIME and TEACHNOLOGY
the technology and time is reap for hum to reap the benefits.

HUMOR
ITs funny that most people will laugh while watching this.

EASY DANCE STEPS
Even dance dummies like me can replicate it.

CELEBRITY ENDORESMENT
T-Pina's tweet about this has been retweeted 2400 times.



Below it's the translated version of the "GANGNAM STYLE" lyrics. Let's check it out.

哥哥是 江南style 江南style
白天是 充滿溫暖人情味的 女人
有著懂喝杯咖啡的情調的性格的女人
如果到了晚上心臟是火熱熱的女人
有那種反差性格的女人

我是男子漢 白天是像妳那樣溫暖的男子漢
就算喝咖啡也是乾杯的男子漢
如果到了晚上心臟會爆發失控的男子漢 是那樣的男子漢

美麗的 可愛的 沒錯 是妳 Hey 沒錯就是妳 Hey
美麗的 可愛的 沒錯 是妳 Hey 沒錯就是妳 Hey
現在開始到衝破極限之前 一起走吧

哥哥是 江南style 江南style
哥哥是 江南style 江南style

Eh- Sexy Lady Oh Oh Oh Oh
雖然看似文靜卻很懂得玩樂的女人
時機到了 髮束也會放開的女人
雖然遮掩但比起裸露還要更性感的女人
有那種性感魅力的女人

我是男子漢 雖然看似穩重卻很懂得玩樂的男子漢
時機到了 會完全失控的男子漢
思想比肌肉更加發達的男子漢 是那樣的男子漢

美麗的 可愛的 沒錯 是妳 Hey 沒錯就是妳 Hey
美麗的 可愛的 沒錯 是妳 Hey 沒錯就是妳 Hey
現在開始到衝破極限之前 一起走吧

哥哥是 江南style 江南style
哥哥是 江南style 江南style
Eh- Sexy Lady 哥哥是 江南style
Eh- Sexy Lady Oh Oh Oh Oh

一山還有一山高 我是什麼知道一些的人
一山還有一山高 我是什麼知道一些的人

哥哥是 江南style
Eh- Sexy Lady 哥哥是 江南style
Eh- Sexy Lady 哥哥是 江南style

Last but not least, let's review the MTV again!

Virtual POP Cults 的話

Hello everybody~
我們是正在香港嶺南大學修讀 “Bilingual Cyber Culture”的 Cath, Catherine, Coco, April, Summi and Kelly. 歡迎大家來到我們的部落格！*V* 
"Virtual Pop Cults"是一個為了探討“Bilingual Pop Culture”而設的空間，我們會在這個部落格 上發表一切有關於“pop culture” 和 “bilingualism” 的文章、影片、圖片和音樂。You are more than welcome to visit our blog and leave comments!

                                     ***we are the virtual pop cults, we are the cults~***