#SANTAHASBEEN

Not working so much this year for me.
How about you guys?

In a warm-up post to get all warmed up for the season, and we still having the humid and terrible pouring clouds, here's my Joyeux Noel hamper, gotten from my cousin who's a master at the baking and cooking. Definitely a house kitchen master!

And you can't find these anywhere else...

TROPICAL STYLE GINGERBREAD PEEPLE.

Where else can you find?
Only in Singapore you'll have your Gingerbread people in bikinis and trunks (the surfer girl is my personal favorite but she broke her arm. /awww), and tux and a dress (out of ideas, my cousin say) whom she drew out of a non-hardening glitter food gel. Glitter!

What's more, she baked the most moist and soft pumpkin bread that is just right in its texture, and orange peel chocolate muffins that are so delectable and substantial as it is so dense once you bite in - after a pop in the microwave.

•lovely Joyeux Noel food hamper!•

•tried to save the surfer ginger people to a better place, while the girls lost an arm and...•

•lost her head. Michon naba. Kekeke~ Oops.•

I was dropping by for Feliz Navidad dinner and Midnight Mass and to visit my cuteeeeeeee pie Grace, the baby girl niece who turned 1 last month.

and boy SHE GREW A LOT. I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE HER walking and crawling on the floor with her adorable chubbiness I can't explain in words and her dad - my cous say, "she's still underweight though."


So here she is like when she was 4 months old or something...

•my favooooorite picture. LIKE 1 million times•

And now she's 1 year and 1 month's old... AND, THE BIG CATCH IS THAT SHE KNOWS THE CAMERA. She poses once I snapped and the flash blasted, and she started smiling and her face puzzled off as if she was thinking, "What face or pose should I do now?"

Speechless.

Too cute to believe but she now doesn't recognize me... TT_TT
Looks more like her mom now!

What is your Buon Natale wish? Here are some quotes taken from my dear T-list pal which I echo the most:

"@pyosaurus You know you're old when no one gives you presents anymore ):"

A sparkling blessed Christmas, dear readers and friends! Missed out what happened in the previous weeks of mine? The big issue of Adeline Chia, K-Pop party madness, and MAMA 2011 and other event coverages. 


Need some virtual love? Check out my T-list on the left here as I'm spamming some tweet-y love today for some #fangirl #kpop #food #christmas #presents.

Watch out for the next post in 2012 of what made my 2011 THE YEAR FOR ME. (NOT Y.O.U. since I'm still solo. It's going to be 'YEAR OF US' once Key's on my side.)

Euphoria.

First up is that most Singaporeans K-poppers should know (or you are still underaged thus you don't know what's going on) we had a serious K-popfied week with TWO club events just to celebrate K-Pop!

And what was the first installment for a fulfilling week (with SHAUN EVARISTO'S MOVEMENT LIFESTYLE EXPERIENCE SANDWICHED ON FRIDAY)? Noneother than SM ENTERTAINMENT's own producers, DJs, and personas BEATBURGER specially flown in from Seoul once again (after their trip for MAMA2011. They were here probably mixing the songs and enjoying themselves. Missed your MAMA 2011 Singapore news? Scroll below here and here) for just one special night to spin and rock the night at Singapore's nominated favorite nightspot and the home for all the riotous fashionable kids because owners Bobby and Ritz certainly can bring an entire artsy fartsy pupils version of Chingay parade to fill in the two rooms, THE BUTTER FACTORY's new WEEKLY Thu night, GAJA!

(Yes I cannot bloody believe it we now have a resident permanent night just to hear some K-pop blasting and to shed more calories comparing to just watch your favorite pretty boys on Youtube and press repeat for another gazillion times after that and still SCREAMING to the same moment and scene, I can feel you right about there. K-Pop fans who are night owls REEEEEJOICE)

Without further ado, it's back at the showdown between the daebak parties held last weekend, goodbye baby, goodbye normal life!

•Beatburger Greg and Gina unni of CINQSWAN•

GAJA! at Butter Factory

feat. BEATBURGERKOREA

REPORT CARD

A++++++++++

1. Performanceship

A nondescript experience comes with the package for this Gaja! debut. Like, COME ON, the name itself of SM Entertainment proudly boasts to have the highest market share from the Trinity of South Korean music industry for 2011 reports and still is going strong for their girls are throwing themselves to the USA pit, and my panjjak panjjak boys are having the best time of their lives yet in JPN.

Now, it's their sunbaes coming and making an ah-maaaaazing performance all K-pop dancers which I usually see 'em around other K-pop parties around town, dubbed as SNSD boys or something, gaped and cheered. THIS IS, LIKE, AN APPROACHABLE ONE AND ONLY (YET) SM PEOPLE IN THE SAME LEVEL AND DANCE FLOOR AS YOU ARE! AND THEY'RE DANCING TO THE SONGS YOU LIKE MOST!

For anyone who loves SM but has  no more moolah left because you bought VIP moshpit tickets for K-Pop Night, SNSD, MAMA, SS3, K-pop Heal the World and many others, this is your remedy as they're the producers and choreographers. THEY DID IT IN ONE SMOOTH MOTION. OH GOOD SLUR LOOORD.

(#OMONA, #OMONA, #OMONA, #FangirlMomentWithoutTheNosebleed, #FanboyMoment)

2. Variety

There's the special dance team (with Gina unni saengnim who teaches us those K-pop dance at KTO, yo!) , there's them spinning, there's them dancing (Jae and Greg) with you, there's him (Stephen) in a guitar, there's him (Jae) crooning his rock star vocability,  and also with a big huge bottle of booze to feed everyone in front of him like his piss. Don't get me wrong, this is the true euphoria of such rock concert. A club with a rock concert attitude as it has a party stage all can go gaga to. 

All-round experience for the debut night, 100% satisfied and entertained. Since again, they have the name to hold, and it's at Butter, so well, you do need this kind of excitement to keep 'em coming. Which I assure you they are.

(KUDOS, @beatburgerkorea!)

A

1. Crowd

They're the real dudes and riot grrlz  that parties till' they see the sunlight! K-Pop or not,  even collared ahjusshi's are seen to enjoy themselves, let alone Caucasians.

"Wait, are they in the wrong party?"

That's what I thought but well, again, this IS the crowd that knows well how to party regardless of anything in between. Ladies who are #fangirlwithshrieksandnosebleed, you've got an additional point: there were the handsome oppas around! No no, we know there are two types of Koreans. The ones you see in the street and you were dissapointed because he doesn't look like Lee Jun Ki. And the rest, you see them on TV like Noh Min woo. For this night, they were  like Soong Joong Ki's and Lee Min Ho's, I AM NOT KIDDING YOU. SINCE WHEN I LIE. Start unleashing your estrogen ladies, because boys, you could spread a lot of pheromone but I don't see as much Korean girls around as the guys. Although there is. So not to worry boys and girls who are looking for a prospectus of wearing a Hanbok for wedding, you both have equal chances. Play nice, OK! It's not rugby. It's Taekwondo. You still bow in respect before prancing on your target.


You dance K-pop or not we  don't care, we just wanna hook some oppas to tapao. Like any other Ladies night or Friday's night.
(#SafeOneNightStandWithAPrettyBoy)


[Why safe? Doh. K-pop is still a safe thing after all. Probably but not after today. ㅋㅋㅋ. I leave that imagination entirely up to you.]

B-

1. Music

Of course, the warm-up WITHOUT ANYONE at the deck which made me restless because it was more of a karaoke in a huge room (BUMP) where all fans were singing along whilst dancing (there was still space).

Because most of the songs were not upbeat or isn't upbeat enough to be danced to, and it's only played auto by iTunes, I saw at least people were on the dance floor but my friends and I only did a shrug of shoulders and held a fake microphone instead and singing along to either ballad songs of 2NE1 (can't recall) and other.

Well, sorry I am bias to 2NE1, you no mess with any Blackjacks.

It was an #awkwardmoment once again but rest assured, at least people were on the dance floor.

To the point on why music is only getting a B-, is because in what world that the crowd starts to cheer "Kay Pop Kay Pop" due to the lack of K-pop songs played? It was weird, but I did join in.

After that  I did my share of research and well, the event didn't exactly state that it was a 100% K-Pop night. "K-Pop Chart Toppers" as they say, which of course they did play, but I guess it was a dismissal. I'm writing as a view of K-pop fans, so I am with the same group who chants for more K-Pop. I was dissapointed that although MY SONG AND SONG OF THE YEAR 'I AM THE BEST' was played and hell yeah was it good to hear it every time I go to any K-pop club now, there was a significant lack of K-pop songs.

I respect the Beatburger dudes spinning the now in western tracks, mixing it well but most of them I am disconnected to, and because it is in the house of Butter Factory, and it's not the Kids party we know, guys, you gotta know that around you, there are still collared-off-from-work dudes and angmohs and ones who seem to be oblivious with K-pop somehow but in for any good music.   Albeit the  lollapalooza of the DJs presence and all, you should know too that  Koreans don't like their own tunes, remember?

Albeit it was a lack of it that I stopped and rested too, that was how much we K-pop fans yeeeeeeeeearrrrrrned for more K-pop tracks. 

D

1. Space

First, Butter Factory's decisions took me aback with holding Gaja! at BUMP, their bigger room. I was skeptical, "really? We need a space this big? Because all I know is that K-pop fans are crying girls under 18 who can't join."

When I entered, the place wasn't as deserted as I thought even when no one was exactly spinning on deck. I nodded my head in being impressed and be excited to take part on the dance floor.  It was sad that no one particularly dressed-up like a Seoulian party - or chadchad's photos are beguilling enough to look like Seoul but actually taken in London.

Once the set had a spark to start,  everyone was then CROWDING THE FRONT WITHOUT MERCY. A+ for their enthusiasm. But then, the next problem rose:

"Everyone, please make a circle!"

What, you'd want to make a circle t the sardine can dance floor, ya jeongmal mitcho? I was already gaping for air like a fish trapped out of water and we were first confused by how Greg spoke it, until the security came and put their steady hands out, out, to give space.

OoOoOoOooooooooh, make space lah what's so hard.

What's hard you tell me? WE HAVE NO MORE SPACE. By midnight, Bump was crowded from the dance floor to the VIP, but not from the entrance. Still then, it was hard to see anything because then we were pushed even further to make space for the girls to dance The Boys which erupted in madness!

Continuing on, it was going to be quite a show show show if Greg and Jae had all the space in the world of the dance floor. THEIR EPIC PERFORMANCE to hype it all up, was a bit restricted yet still a hat-tipper-topper-puller lungs deflating act in this limited space. The seniors who bash our boys and girls (seniority, fangirls and boys, don't bite them, they ought to reprimand when your biases did a mistake or cannot sing)  

I don't know how they do it, they did it. They did those hard techno broken dance moves in that teeny space.

Afterwards, the PARTY STARTED #FuckYeah.

Fakq yeah, we didn't have enough space to move or dance to it was fantastically hot.

However, this is safe to stay that it shows Gaja! will be here to stay at BUMP. 

#fistsbump

(btw, juuuust kidding chad!)

FINAL VERDICT:

1. "Excitement uncontrolled when the DJ comes down to play, hell yeah!"

2. All-the-way-from-South-Korea (read: direct import) acts. Anything else?

3. Anyone who loves K-pop, and are not considered kids, get yourself invited here THIS INSTANT.

Other than I couldn't dance much nor perspire as much as I did as DJ MASA because 95% I know all the songs. I had rests in between for most half of the time I do not know, and because there was a restricted space to dance, I only dance with 10% effort. Swinging and do a full swag movement will cause an uproar of protest of  taking over the dance floor with dancing incapabilities. HA.
This is the party to go for you kids older than 18, loves K-pop, but still in tune with the rest of world (not like me. I am only in my own Asianic bubble, judge me now). Plus, see  the category that got the score of A. Now you'll know why we'll all come back.


However, in case you missed next week...

Don't worry, it is here to stay as a Thursday permanent.

Watch out for this week's boy comin' to town, DJ BURGER KANG! (No the name doesn't have to do anything. Why do Koreans obsess over 'burger'? That's to you too 'Burger' Kim, kkk~)
Here's how to bring in your friends to join you to party on a Thursday night and forget what Friday is (a working day) by sharing this WDFIV Showdown review for your SNS needs,

This is the review In 10 words or less...

An Asian night Thursday regular, more opportunities to eye-candy baby!

The next showdown: ULTIMATE PARTY WITH DJ MASA!

This commentary is written to no-offence to anyone or to bash. Solely based on opinion, experience and knowledge, this is to make your life easier to choose where to spend your precious hours at rather than hiding in that mouse hole and do shake your tummy (read: LAUGH, don't be uptight! Enjoy the words). Apologies if it were to tick you at any way or form. Now get your latest Hallyu affairs and entertainment feeds here and here.

Realm.

As most of you Singaporeans K-poppers should know (or you are still underaged thus you don't know what's going on) we had a serious K-popfied week with TWO club events just to celebrate K-Pop!

I was friggin' to death frigcited. I mean, can I celebrate that I'm in the right time and right place once again this week? WHUTderrFAKQizVAT now brings you the continuing talk.

As for my best pal Carlos aka DJ MASA whom we first officially met back in the days (May 2011) hung out and he did a party and I went undercover as his video person behind his Singapore trip, and now as chingus are also the most crucial person to say the truth. And also for everyone's information for all Hallyu wavers out there, here is the breakdown of the event as the showdown continues on with Saturday's JigAsia Entertainment (17 Dec 2011) ULTIMATE K-POP PARTY WITH DJ MASA!

Yep, he sure looks better and better with his new haircut and after being and breathing in the same air as the CUBE kids from their CUBE Concert in Brazil... You'd have to read more in his special interview here!

I'm not going to tell you anymore general details - it's time for the points given.

ULTIMATE K-POP PARTY WITH DJ MASA

REPORT CARD

Score: A+++++++++++++++++++++++++

1. Music

I know that I have been to the greatest party (#FuckYeahDanceTillTheWorldEnds) when I am contented to know I have perspired and headbanged  much to burn enough calories to eat a 5 slices of pizza today for the first meal (the very morning after). As MASA has promised from where we met during the party at Gaja!,  "Don't worry, it'll be 100% K-Pop."

Well, I shouldn't say 100% K-Pop , it's  about 95% of it. But that didn't matter nor I didn't complain or there wasn't a crowd cheering for "Kay pop kay pop!" However so, he has chosen the correct English tracks for the majority to know the song.  For those of you who have joined me since the humble beginnings here and knows me back from middle school, I have ditched western pop and I don't know anyone except the ones that are repetitively played at public places that I can groove into.

And so if most of you had spotted me around the front side of the deck, and sometimes I don't dance, it's because it's not the DJ's problem to not play K-pop songs. It's  MY problem that I don't know the latest K-pop songs.

Yes believe it or not, for the latest new rookie whatever mushrooming bands, I don't give 'em my eye just yet  (I've been darn busy and Music Bank has just been so ever boring, or K-Pop is seriously getting its toll on me now?!) and even Masa asked me, " Did you recognized that new mashup?" I had to meekly answer,

"Is it that one? No? Then  it's the mashup with the tunes I don't know , not because I don't know your stuff, but I don't even know the actual song or artist."

(me: #epicfail. masa: #winftw)

PURE BLISS. PURE, HEAVENLY, K-POP BLISS.

2. Passion

What else can I say? This dude's got the skills, wanted more perfection to improve and  chose to stuck waht he believed in which until today I still assume he got called off his day job because he was late to return to his office on Tuesday (arrival day) from his first trip to Singapore. Carlos, correct me if I'm wrong.

This time, by the demand of his fans, and of our input that we wanted a live mix, he did went out to get his own set (did you read my interview yet?! You betcha. Scroll up again and click on that link.) and studied it all out to give out his best latest performance yet and giving the first dibs on his new mashups, "I did 6 in 2 days!"

He, transported us to a serious K-Pop realm dimension in a night.

If you're still wondering now how much effort exactly did he put into his  performance tonight?

Yoogeun will tell you how much as much he loves my girl.

He's a total #WIN.

Score: B+

1. Crowd

 Right on, compared to the one at Butter Factory, I'd have to say the crowd is different and it goes back to the label  that's been around and I've acknowledged it as well that a "K-pop party is for kids". It starts early from 7, and ends by midnight like Cinderella. But I don't mind. I'm a good kid so I never complain, I'm only after the song and because I love it, nothing more. I enjoy kids party more than the usual roudy parties. Dear friends who are reading this knows how I'm  the wrong person to ask to go out clubbing except a K-Pop party.

ANYWAY, the crowd, small but the regular, devoted and the 'cult' members (This one's for you Ms Chia. We enjoy K-pop morning, day and now at night. Can you live our lives?).

I felt terrible for Yoo Jaesuk look-a-like warmup DJ for no one danced to the song.  But again, I did note about this at Gaja!, that even though no one was particularly playing in the set, it was empty at the dance floor but eople are still around as it is a strictly given dimension of a dance floor, which invites people at least, to stand up inside the zone without a choice if you don't have a table.

•One agrees with me. Situation at the warm up, reported by D. Tan from the party's event Facebook. Yes, he saved the day!•

Nonetheless, as said, the crowd in comparison to Gaja! are the ones who truly in for the K-pop scene. The ones in front of the deck (read: ME being 미친) are the ones who truly enjoy and KNOW all the K-Pop dance by heart. There wasn't many as most chose to stay behind still. A smaller, more  centric crowd to enjoy it together - which I prefer! ;p

If Gaja! was literally being pushed like sardine in a factory can, this was jalapeno pickles in preservative water. Still could see spaces behind me as there's only another person and not another 5 layer more.
Again, not everyone's problem though.


As long as you enjoy the night, Hell YEAH.

Score: C

1. Warm-up Atmosphere (Interior)

At this venue,  there were tables crowding the way so as humans, as I would to, we  would be drawn to just sit and awkwardly dance within just the tables which I DID because yeah, the awkwardness of the empty dance floor... But I do like this much more spacious club.  But it doesn't help the event...

Obviously. We were anticipating for MASA to spin which was slated to start around 9-9.30PM. By the time then, the people gathered around, but still, which I kind of liked and be thankful was I HAD SPACE TO DANCE. Kkkkkkkkkkk~

At Gaja!, because of the hefty performanceship and the regular goers of Butter  they weren't afraid to dance becuase,  IT ISN'T CATEGORIZED AS A KIDS PARTY. (Goodness syntax grammar error there but whatever). It was seriously packed with  people crowding and wanting to be part of the dance and space was tiny to move.

On the other hand, back at DBL'O, DJ MASA's first performance, it was pretty much full house on the dance floor BECAUSE THERE AREN'T TABLES! I have to say that the fever euphoria is much at a higher octane during the first, but the music is SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO SO  GHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD.

This time round, I have to say that the crowd was pretty mblgmblmbmglm because the chairs are comfy, riiiiiiiight whoever was sitting behind there ? At least they were there to enjoy to be inside a serious K-pop realm.

FINAL VERDICT:

1. "Brought K-Pop party to an entirely new whole level by knowing what K-pop fans like and wants"

2. Real K-Pop fans will have space to dance!

3. Although most of you guys are shy!

LOL never mind on the third, I did give it a miss for the warm-up because literally NO ONE was at the dance floor, and it is another suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuper #awkwardmoment situation when it is. 

For the 2nd, big shoutout to Lydia of (x)clusive - a true SONE and she KNOWS  her K-Pop moves dayyyuuuum well, took over our zone to dance the entire K-pop mashups  like mad! Now this is how K-pop party is done. As long as one of your pals in the dance floor knows  all the dance steps, you've got your K-pop night covered of F U N.

If you'd like to share this WDFIV Showdown review for your SNS needs,

This is the review In 10 words or less...

You're jinjja baboya total K-pop fangirl/boy if you miss this.


MISSED the first showdown? 가자! AT BUTTERFACT

This commentary is written to no-offence to anyone or to bash. Solely based on opinion, experience and knowledge, this is to make your life easier to choose where to spend your precious hours at rather than hiding in that mouse hole and do shake your tummy (read: LAUGH, don't be uptight! Enjoy the words). Apologies if it were to tick you at any way or form. Now get your latest Hallyu affairs and entertainment feeds here and here.