Audition Notification 2013

2013 Global Auditions dates have started to come out!

Korea:
Friday, January 25th, 2013:  Incheon (Samsan World Gymnasium)
Sunday, January 27th, 2013:  Daejeon (Pyeongsong Youth Cultural Center)
Saturday, February 2nd, 2013:  Jeonju (Jeonju University - JJ Art Hall)
Sunday, February 3rd, 2013:  Busan (MBC Art Hall)
Saturday, February 16th, 2013:  Anyang (Anyang University - Ari Vision Center)
Sunday, February 17th, 2013:  Seoul (COEX Mall - Conference Room 4th floor)
Friday, February 22nd, 2013:  Bundang (Korea Design Center)
Saturday, February 23rd, 2013:  Gwangju (U Square Cultural Center)
Saturday, March 2nd, 2013:  Daegu (Bukkuch'eong Youth Cultural Center)
Sunday, March 3rd, 2013:  Chungju (Jungjushi Cultural Center)

When Only Korean is Available: (Auditioning)

If the company you want to audition for only has a Korean application form and you don't speak/read/write/understand Korean, I strongly encourage you NOT to audition for that particular company.

Why?

a.)  They will ignore it because they can't understand it.

If it's smaller company (like anything smaller than CUBE), they might not have staff on hand all the time who can read applications in English (especially since some of the people who apply in English have atrocious spelling and grammar).

If I were the a judge who only knew Korean, I would ignore applications written in English.  I could easily just pick someone who was just as talented who wrote in Korean, rather then expanding energy and time on getting a translator.

b.)  They'll think you're a stuck up snob who think's they're better than everyone else - traits they don't want in a future K-Pop idol.

Even if you get someone else to translate for you, the judge isn't going to know that.  They're going to assume you can read, write, and understand Korean and wonder why the hell you aren't replying in Korean.

c.)  You'll be false advertising

Say you go the extra mile and have someone else translate your English into Korean.  Then the company assumes you are fluent in Korean while in reality you're in desperate need of some basic Korean lessons.  If they do pass you farther into the audition, they WILL ask you questions.  And if they ask you in Korean (because it looks like you know it) and you can't reply, you'll be checked off the list.

Now don't think you're out of luck if you don't speak Korean.  There are still a lot of agencies who offer auditions in English!

So What Happens If I'm Not Korean (Or East Asian)?

Ah, a mindfield of a question...whether or not non-Asians should apply (or for that matter, should non-East Asians apply).
For me there's two answers, the optimistic and realistic answer.

Answer:
Yes!  The chances are slim, but so are the chances of winning the lottery!  Companies always seem to be thinking three or four years ahead of the public, so anything is possible.  You won't be able to get in on your looks and half-assing it.  You'll need talent, dedication, and manners to succeeded.

Honestly, if you're talented, the below answer won't apply to you.  K-Pop companies want to be global and want to branch out.  There will be a market for K-Popers of all races.  However, if you just want in the industry and have little or no talent whatsoever and just want in, you're going to have fit a formula that they know works and makes money.  (It's a lot easier to market a person from sayEuropean  descent or African descent if they have tons of BoA like talent then if they're as average on the dancing and singing scale as Sulli, Suho, or Minho.)

Full Answer:

Let's Sing Together: 일어나 (Stand Up) // J-Min

Let's Sing Together:  일어나 (Stand Up) // J-Min

Song:  일어나 (Stand Up)
Artist:  J-Min
Album:  아름다운 그대에게 OST (To the Beautiful You OST)
Original English lyrics by:  angelsfallfast
Please credit "auditionadviceandthoughts@blogspot.com" or "angelsfallfast" when using the lyrics.

Even when life gets hard, don't tell me you have lost hope.
I know the sky above is watching over you.
Your weary steps get louder and you collapse from it all.
You only see defeat for you laid ahead.
Come on, just one more try!

10 Reasons I'd Make a Great Idol...and 10 Reasons Why I Wouldn't...

10 Reasons I'd Make a Great Idol

1. I have tough skin.  I was the kid that ate alone in middle school.  I know what mean comments are and I could care less.
2. My world doesn't revolve around boys.  I like guys as much as the next girl, but not having a boyfriend doesn't bother me.
3. I'm a night owl and an early bird.  Late nights don't bother me but neither do early mornings.  Get up at 2 AM?  Fine.  Stay up til 4 AM?  Fine.
4. I like meeting new people.  New people are fun and exciting!  I love meeting them!
5. I love traveling.  I love plane rides and I love bus/car rides so traveling to my various schedules wouldn't phase me.
6. I don't mind how the industry works.  K-pop bothers feminists and people who think the artists are slaves.  I don't mind being cute or sexy and I don't mind the long contracts and their cold, calculating ways.  It makes sense, so I'd roll with it.
7. I have talents other than singing and dancing.  I can do theater make-up, I've done Taekwondo, I love learning languages (French, German, Japanese, Chinese, Korean), I play a variety of instruments (piano, percussion, and cello), and am fairly good at drawing.
8. I don't mind hard work.
9. I'm okay with an irregular feeling schedule.  I can deal with eating a lot or surviving on just a couple coffees and a sandwich.
10. I don't need close friendships to function.  I have a twin so I've already got a built-in best friend.  In an industry where schedules make most friendships very superficial, I'm not going to wither and die without a close BFF.

Let's Learn Together: 일어나 (Stand Up) // J-Min

Let's Learn Together:  일어나 (Stand Up) // J-Min

Song:  일어나 (Stand Up)
Artist:  J-Min
Album:  아름다운 그대에게 OST
Lyrics:  naver.com
Photo:  naver.com

English:  10 / 10
Translation Difficulty:  2 / 10




Please credit "auditionadviceandthoughts@blogspot.com" or "angelsfallfast" when using the English translation.
[Edited 3/1/14]

Just A Few Words:
I just love this song!  It's great to see that J-Min is still up and kicking in the Korean market.  It's also a great song because of its message.  If you are having a bad day, this is the song to listen to!

English:  9 / 10
The pronunciation is dead on, but "one more try" is a tad awkward...

Translation Difficulty:  2 / 10

10 Words:

1. 일어나다 (verb):  to get up, to stand up [from a place]
2. 힘들다 (adjective):  to be hard, to be strenuous [physically]
3. 힘겹다 (adjective):  to be hard, to be difficult
4. 포기 (noun):  abandonment // (verb):  to give up on, to abandon
5. 지키다 (verb):  to guard, to take care of;  to keep, to obey
6. 지켜보다 (verb):  to watch [closely], to wait and see
7. 당당하다 (adjective):  confident, dignified;  majestic
8. 구름 (noun):  cloud(s)
9. 미래 (noun):  future
10. 어깨 (noun):  shoulder(s)

Credit:  dic.naver.com

Politeness Level:
Casual
The singer(s) are comfortable to the audience.  They are close friends, family, or in a relationship.

Connect the Dots: How Do I Get Into SM (Or Any Company In General) the Fastest?

I recently had a conversation with someone who wanted to know what was the easiest way to get into the Korean music industry.  As this conversation was by e-mail, I have no idea what this person looks like or sounds like which actually helped my thought process.
So what is the easiest way to get into SM or any entertainment company?

1.)  Have a connection to an industry insider who can recommend you
Seriously, this is the fastest way in.  In Korea, getting a good job is all about having the right connections.  Even if your connection is that it's your best friend's cousin's fiancee, if you get that connection to recommend you, you're already a few steps ahead of the pack.
For example, let's say A has an industry connection and average talent and B is pretty good, had professional lessons, was a back-up dancer for a semi-well-known singer, and doesn't have a connection.  They both decide to audition for Company C.  B is definitely more experienced and more talented than A, but more likely than not A will be chosen over B.

However, this does have a flip-side.  You need to be good for the insider to seriously consider recommending you.  Too many recommendation duds and their credibility to recommend potential trainees is shot.  Also, the pressure on YOU would skyrocket.  If someone recommended you, suddenly you're obligated to uphold their reputation.  Even if you are talented, if you do something stupid and earn a bad reputation, it's going to reflect poorly on the person who recommended you.

Example:  Girls' Generation's Sunny
[I'm not saying she isn't talented, but there are definitely others who are more talented than she is.  It didn't hurt that Lee Sooman was her uncle!]

3.)  Win a contest sponsored by SM

It's All Greek to Me!: A Quick Guide to the Korean Alphabet and Romanizations

Here's a quick guide to the Korean alphabet (한굴) and romanization.
I absolutely hate romanization.  I think it's difficult to read and it makes you sound very foreign because you try to make the vowels sound English.  Also, those who spell in Korean either go with the literal sound of the words or literal translation of the symbols.  The former you can't re-write in Hangul accurately and the latter you can't read fluidly.

The Korean Alphabet (한굴)
I'm not a linguist so I'm just going to divide them up into consonants and vowels.

For the Future: My Speculations for SM and 2013

Just a note, these are just speculations!  Please take the following with a grain of salt!

According to allkpop, Girls' Generation isn't going to have a comeback in 2012.  This got me thinking, what about the rest of SM?  It's high time EXO made a comeback so fans don't forget about them.

Here are my predictions for 2013 and beyond!

Jan-Jul 2013:
SHINee Korean comeback
     UPDATE:  2 Korean comebacks and 1 Japanese comeback!  "Dream Girl", "Fire" and a yet unnamed song.
Girls' Generation Korean comeback (this one is kind of a given)
     UPDATE:  GG has announced their comeback in January!
EXO comeback
     UPDATE:  They are for sure coming back!!  (Hopefully around May when I'm in Korea!!)  They've been recording and Lay and Chanyeol's new haircuts means a comeback is going to happen in a month or two.

Jul-Dec 2013:
TVXQ comeback
Super Junior comeback
f(x) comeback - practically confirmed by Amber (with clips of their choreography shown) in an interview with Danny Im in LA.
BoA comeback

Now these are kind of duh predictions, easily concocted from past experience and who just needs to make a comeback.
Now on to my musings.

UPDATE:
So with SNSD going all f(x) on us, and Amber growing her hair out, maybe f(x)'s comeback will be be in a more SNSD vein...?  Maybe a la "The Boys" or "Girls' Generation"?

My Ideas For the Future