SMROOKIES

This is your one-stop shop for everything SMROOKIES!  As I pick up new information on SM's pre-debut group, I'll update the page.

Check out their Facebook page and Official Website!

SMROOKIES is a part of SM's new "Co-Creation" system.  Fans will be able to participate in preliminary events and showcases before their official debut.  The rookies will have the freedom to form different groups with each other, and show their day-to-day lives and practices to their fans.  These rookies will also participate in concert and variety shows to win the hearts of fans.  We can also expect covers of songs by their company's seniors and their own originally composed songs in open performances to showcase their talents. (Soompi)

One by one the Rookies were released through Facebook.  A few music clips, dance clips, and casual clips were also released on SM's YouTube Channel.  After the opening of their official website, the avenue to introduce new Rookies was switched over.  They plan to release webisodes and pictures as the Rookies strive to show the public their talents.

Consisting of three SMROOKIE Girls - Irene, Seulgi, and Wendy - and a fourth, previously unknown, member Joy, SM is debuting a new girl group, RED VELVET (레드벨벳).  As long as SM updates their ROOKIE profiles with Red Velvet material (their teaser is also posted under "SHOWCASE"), I will treat them as 'ROOKIES' and continue to update here.

I will try and sub the first webisode, but as you know, listening and then understanding is my weakest skill when it comes to Korean.  ㅠㅠ  At the very least I can sub the graphics on the video...

Video Credit:  SMTOWN YouTube

Let's Learn Together: 슬픔 속에 그댈 지워야만 해 (Because I Love You) // 웬디 (Wendy) [SMROOKIES]

Let's Learn Together:  슬픔 속에 그댈 지워야만 해 (Because I Love You) // 웬디 (Wendy) [SMROOKIES]

Song:  슬픔 속에 그댈 지워야만 해 (Because I Love You)

Album:  미미 Official Soundtrack

Artist:  웬디 (Wendy) [SMROOKIES]

Lyrics:  music.naver.com

Photo:  images.google.com

Company:  SM Entertainment

English:  10 / 10

Translation Difficulty:  4 / 10

Please credit "auditionadviceandthoughts@blogspot.com" or "angelsfallfast."

Just A Few Words:
I didn't listen to this earlier because I didn't have the time when it first came out.  However, after listening to Wendy's cover of Taylor Swift's "Speak Now", I just had to check it out!  I don't know about you, but Wendy is now my bias!
[Edit:  4/21/14]

English:  10 /10
There's no English in the song (though I doubt it would be fine seeing as how her cover of "Speak Now" went and that she was raised in Canada as an English speaker) but the English in the title is fine.

Translation Difficulty:  4 / 10
Ballads are always a little difficult for me just because I'm not good with Korean imagery.  I'm not exactly sure what some of it means, much like a Korean speaker translating an English song might not understand our imagery.  Also lines like "외로웠었던 나의 메마른 그 두 눈에" doesn't translate well into English.

10 Words:

1. 지우다 (verb):  "erase [wipe] (sth from one's mind)" or "blot out" or "purge (sb of sth)"
2. 불어오다 (verb):  "blow (in) (from)"
3. 텅 빈 (adjective):  "hollow" or "empty" or "vacant" or "bare"
4. 새벽하늘 (noun):  "the dawning sky"
5. 곁 (noun):  "side"
6. 떠나다 (verb):  "leave" or "depart" or "go off (to)"
7. 짓다 (verb):  "{smile}" or "{make happy, etc.}"
8. 낯설다 (adjective):  "unfamiliar"
9. 어둡다 (adjective):  "dark" or "dusky" or "dim" or "gloomy"
10. 언젠가 (adverb):  "sometime" or "someday" or "one day" or "one of these days"

Credit:  dic.naver.com

Politeness Level:

Casual

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

Let's Learn Together: BUBIBU // Apink

Let's Learn Together:  BUBIBU // Apink

Song:  BUBIBU

Album:  UNE ANNEE:  The First Album

Artist:  Apink

Lyrics:  music.naver.com

Photo:  images.google.com

Company:  A Cube Entertainment

English:  10 / 10

Translation Difficulty:  2 / 10

Please credit "auditionadviceandthoughts@blogspot.com" or "angelsfallfast."

Just A Few Words:
Boy am I a sucker for cutesy songs.  But anyway, I wanted to know what "BuBiBu" meant.  Translations around the web suggest "to accidentally touch" to "brush up against" but it sounded kinda wrong so I asked my friend 민언니.  She said it's just a cutesy "word" that doesn't actually have a meaning.  Kinda like the jabbering you'd make at a baby ("goochie goo") or, in her words, "what does the fox say? Ger-ding-a-ding..."

English:  10 / 10
The few lines of English were well pronounced and grammatically correct.  Thank you A Cube Entertainment for not keeping the only English speaker...

Translation Difficulty:  2 / 10
It was easy except for "BuBiBu" :)

10 Words:

1. 모습 (noun):  "figure" or "form" or "image" or "reflection" or "(face)"
2. 자꾸 (adverb):  "repeatedly" or "again and again" or "over and over again" or "often" or "frequently"
3. 여자 (noun):  "woman" or "women" or "female" or "lady" or "girl"
4. 천천히 (adjective):  "slowly" or "leisurely"
5. 볼 (noun):  "cheek"
6. 얼굴 (noun):  "face"
7. 산책 (noun):  "walk" or "stroll" or "take a walk"
8. 소풍 (noun):  "(day) trip" or "picnic" or "outing" or "excursion"
9. 꼭 (adverb):  "tight(ly)" or "fast"
10. 간지럽다 (adjective):  "itchy" or "(dying to)" or "(burning)"

Credit:  dic.naver.com

Politeness Level:

Polite

The singer(s) are removed from the audience.  They either respect the listener, are unfamiliar with the listener, or the listener is of a higher status than the listener.  The listener may be an in-law, parent, boss, teacher, 선배, crush, etc.

Let's Sing Together (Parody):  Part Of Their World

Song:  Part Of Their World
To the Tune Of:  Part of Your World
From the Album:  The Little Mermaid
Original English lyrics by:  angelsfallfast
Please credit "auditionadviceandthoughts@blogspot.com" or "angelsfallfast" when using the lyrics.

So...I've been spacing off due to my terrible seasonal allergies and weird things popping into my head.  I got stuck on "Part Of Your World" just starting changing the lyrics.  Not terribly creative, but it's fun!

Let's Learn Together: Dancing Queen // 소녀시대

Let's Learn Together:  Dancing Queen // 소녀시대

Song:  Dancing Queen

Album:  I GOT A BOY

Artist:  소녀시대  //  Girls' Generation  (少女時代)  //  SNSD)

Lyrics:  music.naver.com

Photo:  images.google.com

Company:  SM Entertainment

English:  9 / 10

Translation Difficulty:  1 / 10

Please credit "auditionadviceandthoughts@blogspot.com" or "angelsfallfast."

Just A Few Words:
The song that could've been!  However, I'm glad they stuck to "Gee" instead of this song.  Since it is a remake of Duffy's "Mercy," Girls' Generation may not have been the powerhouse that it is today!

English:  9 / 10
Since all the lyrics written in English are spoken by Girls' Generation's two English speakers, the pronunciation is fine (I don't count the Konglish words written in Korean as it is expected they will be pronounced in a "Korean" way like 파티 as "pah-tee" instead of "par-tee.")  The only issue I have with the song's English is the "dancing queen."  A dancing queen is usually an insult used toward guys who dance that questions their sexuality.  I would assume they would be talking about a girl, but the song is too sexy to be from girl to girl.  So what does "Dancing Queen" actually mean?
The grammar is fine even though it is in the vernacular.

Translation Difficulty:  1 / 10
This was pretty easy, but there was some guess work involved.  Sometimes song lyrics tend to omit "known" information.  This is okay if you (think) you know where the song is going, but otherwise it's a headache.

10 Words:

1. 무대 (noun):  "stage"
2. 평범하다 (adjective):  "ordinary" or "common" or "normal" or "average" or "plain" or "run-of-the-mill"
3. 인생 (noun):  "(human) life"
4. 지루하다 (adjective):  "boring" or "bored" or "dull" or "tedious" or "tiresome" or "wearisome"
5. 일상 (noun):  "everyday life" or "daily life"
6. 하룻밤 (noun):  "one night" or "single night"
7. 사로잡다 (verb):  "captivate" or "fascinate" or "win (one's heart)" or "knock sb out"
8. 화려하다 (adjective):  "fancy" or "showy" or "splendid" or "colorful".  Also "impressive"
9. 솜씨 (noun):  "skill (at/in)" or "ability" or "dexterity" or "knack"
10. 아찔하다 (verb):  "dizzy"

Credit:  dic.naver.com

Politeness Level:

Casual

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

Let's Learn Together: 거울아 거울아 // 포미닛 (4Minute)

Let's Learn Together:  거울아 거울아 // 포미닛 (4Minute)

Song:  거울아 거울아
Album:  4Minutes Left
Artist:  포미닛 (4Minute)
Lyrics:  music.naver.com
Photo:  images.google.com
Company:  Cube Entertainment

English:  5 / 10
Translation Difficulty:  0 / 10

Please credit "auditionadviceandthoughts@blogspot.com" or "angelsfallfast."

Just A Few Words:

Ah, 4Minute.  Always good for a repetitive but catchy dance song.

English:  5 / 10
So the English at the beginning is okay, but then the rap gets weird.  Not to mention that "Let's live it up" is correct in the vernacular, but they add an extra syllable to "live."  "That" is also unintelligible to the casual non-Korean speaker.

Translation Difficulty:  0 / 10
A pretty straightforward song!

10 Words:

1. 거울 (noun):  "mirror"
2. 거들떠보다 (verb):  "{to give a look}" or "{to cast a look}" or "{ignore}"
3. 제일 (adverb):  "(the) first" or "(the) most"
4. 예쁘다 (adjective):  "pretty" or "beautiful" or "lovely"
5. 비치다 (verb):  "shine" or "light up" or "break (through)"
6. 매일 밤 (noun):  "every evening [night]" or "nightly" or "night after night"
7. 들다 (verb):  "hold" or "take" or "pick up" or "carry"
8. 놀라다 (verb):  "be shocked (at/by)" or "be stunned (at/by)"
9. 다가가다 (verb):  "get close (to)" or "become close (with)"
10. 흔들리다 (verb):  "falter" or "waver (between)" or "weaken"

Credit:  dic.naver.com

Politeness Level:

Casual

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

Let's Learn Together: Let It Go // 효린 & 박혜나

Let's Learn Together:  Let It Go // 효린

Song:  Let It Go
Artist:  효린
Album:  Let It Go - Single
Lyrics:  music.naver.com
Photo:  images.google.com
Company:  Universal Records

English:  10 / 10
Translation Difficulty:  0 / 10

Please credit "auditionadviceandthoughts@blogspot.com" or "angelsfallfast."

Just A Few Words:

So yeah, I'm kinda obsessed with this movie!  I loved listening to all the various versions of the title song.  Some of my favorites were the Russian, Vietnamese, and Chinese, and of course, this version.  They picked a great the singer for this!  Also, I really enjoyed the duet Hyorin did with Ailee for this song.

English:  10 / 10
The pronunciation was flawless and the English grammar is perfect.

Translation Difficulty:  1 / 10
Pretty easy to do, but fun!

10 Words:

1. 더 이상 (adverb):  "(further)" or "(anymore)"
2. 내리다 (verb):  "fall" or "come down" or "snow" or "rain"
3. 뒤덮다 (verb):  "cover (sth in sth)"
4. 외로움 (noun):  "loneliness" or "lonesomeness"
5. 가운데 (noun):  "center" or "the middle"
6. 홀로  (adverb):  "alone" or "by oneself" or "(all) on one's own" or "single-handed(ly)"
7. 따위 (preposition?):  "etc." or "and the like" or "and so on [forth]"
8. 두고보다 (verb):  "watch" or "keep watch over"
9. 공기 (noun):  "air" or "atmosphere"
10. 가두다 (verb):  "shut (sb) up (in)" or "lock up"

Credit:  dic.naver.com

Politeness Level:

Casual

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