Tag - j-pop

 
 

J POP

Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Jun 21, 2018
Online media pick up #MeToo stories the major outlets miss
The Japanese media love a scandal and so far 2018 hasn't disappointed in that regard. Two recent stories centered around J-pop idols have been mostly ignored by mainstream outlets, but both have taken off online thanks to web publications, hinting at a shift unfolding in the nation's news landscape.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / DESSERT WATCH
Jun 16, 2018
Meet summer head on with Coco's limited-edition Pop Blue Soda kakigōri shaved ice
The addition of popping candies on top of this Blue Hawaii and lemon-flavored kakigu014dri might not add much flavor-wise, but they are a treat to be enjoyed.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
May 3, 2018
Nariaki Obukuro comes out of left field
Nariaki Obukuro bristles at the suggestion he makes J-pop. He prefers his music being described as J-pop-adjacent.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink / KONBINI WATCH
Apr 21, 2018
Baskin Robbins' 'Popping Shower' ice cream promises more pop
Baskin Robbins' ongoing tie-up with confectionery maker Fujiya has produced a bumper crop of tasty sweets available at convenience stores across the country. But so far, none of them have been particularly daring. The candies tend to highlight a pretty basic palette of flavors — chocolate, strawberry,...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Apr 19, 2018
BTS is big, let's hope the hype helps other Asian acts
Earlier this month, an album sung mainly in Japanese landed on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart at No. 43. That's a rare accomplishment for any Japanese artist — and an even less frequent one for a non-Japanese outfit to pull off.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / FOCUS
Apr 1, 2018
K-pop stars turn diplomatic envoys with concert dates in North Korea
They won over buttoned-up investors at a banking conference with their jingles about teenage love, but the K-pop girl band Red Velvet is about to face what may be its toughest audience yet: North Korea.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Mar 22, 2018
Just let Johnny's Jr. be Johnny's Jr.
Around 60 people gathered at YouTube Space Tokyo on Tuesday to welcome Johnny & Associates to the 21st century. It was a day before the launch of the talent agency's first official YouTube channel, devoted to its Johnny's Jr. acts. It's a huge development for a company that has viewed the web as...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Feb 15, 2018
Pyeongchang's pop takes home gold
Politics hovered over the opening ceremony of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. The pageantry came against a backdrop of geopolitical intrigue, featuring the presence of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's younger sister, Yo Jong, who was on hand to watch a unified Korean team march into the Olympic...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Entertainment news
Jan 19, 2018
Famed producer Tetsuya Komuro quits music industry over alleged affair
Music producer Tetsuya Komuro said Friday he will retire from the industry following a recent magazine report about his alleged extramarital affair with a nurse.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Dec 14, 2017
South Korea's Moon tries K-Pop and TV stars in China charm offensive
South Korean President Moon Jae-in will unveil an array of TV talent and K-pop celebrities at events, including a state dinner, in China on Thursday as he attempts to smooth out a year of difficult diplomacy with a star-laden charm offensive.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Dec 11, 2017
Electronic music artist LLLL gets more intimate on latest chain of releases
Kazuto Okawa, who performs as LLLL (pronounced "four-el"), has spent the past two years since releasing his sophomore album, "Faithful," getting in touch with his personal side.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Entertainment news
Sep 21, 2017
J-pop diva Namie Amuro plans to exit showbiz next September after 25-year career
Popular singer Namie Amuro, who has a strong fan base in Asia, said Wednesday she will quit show business next September.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books / ESSENTIAL READING FOR JAPANOPHILES
Sep 2, 2017
'The Encyclopedia of Japanese Pop Culture': A quality guide to the Showa Era and beyond
As members of Japan's postwar baby boom generation approach their seventh decade, they have been wallowing in an extended nostalgia boom over the historical and cultural accouterments of the Showa Era (1926-89). If you feel left out of the discussion, the antidote is to hunt down a copy of this book,...
Japan Times
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Aug 7, 2017
J-pop duo Scott & Rivers on writing Japanese lyrics
When American musician Scott Murphy first came to Japan in 2001, he could only say a few phrases in Japanese.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Jul 6, 2017
Twice shows just how resilient K-pop can be
Last week, Korean pop group Twice made its "official" debut in Japan, featuring the release of a Japanese-language best-of compilation and a showcase at Tokyo Gymnasium on July 2. In between, the members appeared on the popular weekly TV show "Music Station" and posed in front of Tokyo Tower, which displayed...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Art
Jul 4, 2017
Eating the dreams of Keiichi Tanaami
"Kurai" ("It's dark") says someone as we open the door at the new entrance of Nanzuka gallery in Shibuya, Tokyo. Yet, the freshly painted black walls and dimly lit stairs inside set the mood for a gallery specializing in underground art, and provide the perfect contrast to the explosion of color that...
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
May 12, 2017
Deep dive into the 1980s with the music of Satellite Young
Synthesizers, drum machines and Vocoder-filtered vocals in the style of pop star Chisato Moritaka — this was 1980s Japan, and it's the sound of Satellite Young.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Mar 22, 2017
Shinobu Yaguchi can make sparks fly, even off the grid
When I met Shinobu Yaguchi at a Chicago sushi restaurant on March 1, I made my usual mistake with well-known directors: mention that I had interviewed him before. He, understandably, blanked, since the interview was 20 years ago for his 1997 indie comedy "My Secret Cache" ("Himitsu no Hanazono")
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Feb 19, 2017
Asako Toki presents a more modern take on city pop on 'Pink'
Asako Toki "Pink" (Rhythm Zone)
Japan Times
CULTURE / Entertainment news
Feb 7, 2017
Lady Gaga soars over Super Bowl stage with bow to inclusion
Standing atop the roof of Houston's NRG Stadium with drones illuminating an American flag in the night sky behind her, Lady Gaga kicked off her Super Bowl halftime set on Sunday by singing "God Bless America" as a subtle message of inclusion and unity in a deeply divided United States.

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