Kan Mi Youn & the K-Pop anthem of 2011

Korean pop music is on fire in 2011 with amazing acts like LPG and INY delivering some of the classiest anthems of the year. Well, you can add another name to that list of international superstars. Kan Mi Youn's "Paparazzi" is an absolute gem. This 80s flavoured floorfiller takes catchy to a whole new level with its insane chorus and cute vocal hooks. So who is this stunning diva? Well, she first came to fame in 1997 as part of Baby V.O.X - one of Korea's first all girl groups. The glamorous 29-year-old stuck around for 7 albums but went solo in 2006. In true pop trash style her ballad heavy debut was a massive flop, so for her second bite of the cherry, Kan Mi Youn embraced dance music and scored a top 10 hit called "Crazy". She's enjoying even more success with "Paparazzi" and it's easy to see why. This is ten kinds of fabulous and boasts equally an adorable video in which the diva stalks a soap star. As with most Korean film clips, the choreography is flawless and the proceedings are infused with bright colours and good humour. Why are no Australian pop tarts churning out stuff like this? Drop the guitars, girls. No one cares. Now put on a dress and hop to it!

Introducing INY - Korea's Hood Girlband!

It's official - Korea is the new home of popular music. Don't worry Mexico, you'll re-claim your crown when Lorena Herrera comes out of retirement! K Pop is seriously on fire at the moment. In the past couple of days the poptastic nation has blessed us with amazing anthems from Girl's Day, LPG and now INY. That's like the Spice Girls, Sugababes and Vanilla all debuting new material in the same week! I don't know how they do it. Where do they find all these stunningly talented girls? I'm starting to think they are genetically engineered in a lab. Take INY, for example. These angels are too lovely to be true. They have it all - looks, vocal ability and a disturbing rape fetish. Think of them as the Asian t.A.T.u! Here are ten reasons why INY is your new favourite girlband:

1. Their debut single "Shake It, Shake It" is a shameless rip off massive improvement on Ciara's "Love Sex Magic".
2. INY's gimmick is their street image - basically, they are presented as hoodlums who roam the streets of Korea stealing iPods from school girls. Bitches are HARD.
3. The video for "Shake It, Shake It" is as offensive as it is fabulous.
4. Highlights include muggings, attempted rape and even a murder!
5. The lead singer's red wig is everything that Riri's wishes it could be.
6. They wouldn't be an edgy girlband without some lesbian tension, which is duly provided in the video.
7. My fave (the stunning redhead) prevents her bandmate from being gang-raped and then takes her to a karaoke bar to celebrate. As you do.
8. Unfortunately, Korean rapists are persistent and the girls are pursued through the back streets of a slum and finally captured in a scene straight out of "Old Boy".
9. Happily, they are saved when their would be rapists accidentally murder another girl by mistake. Thug life!
10. The third band member appears in the tasteful video for ONE SECOND exactly.

Watch what is surely the most gripping video of 2011 below.

We Speak No Americano - Korean Style!

The battle for Korea's girlband crown is over. Give up, Wonder Girls. Go back to hooking, 2NE1. Your cheap rayon wigs have been snatched by LPG! Just when I thought K Pop couldn't get any better (I've been listening to "Twinkle Twinkle" on repeat for days), these five angels have raised the genre to previously unimagined heights by covering Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP's 2010 smash "We Speak No Americano". That song was pretty much the soundtrack to my European jaunt, so it has a very special place in my heart and I love what the girls have done with it. There are new lyrics, a catchy chorus and even a stunning dance routine. I can't understand a word but I'm sure it's deep and meaningful given that they've changed the title to "Angry"!

So who are these artistic giants? Well, if my research is correct, they are Korea's trashiest act since my idol Mina. It seems the band is comprised of failed beauty queens, their name is an abbreviation of Long Pretty Girls and they have a penchant for releasing novelty songs - including a misguided attempt to revive the Can Can and a winter themed flop called "The Road To Ski Hill". I love them so much it hurts! And surely Korea will now embrace these stunning divas too. "Angry" is undeniably amazing and the video (below) is extremely cute. Before you experience the wonder of LPG, I need some advice. Where can I order a copy of this masterpiece? It must be mine!

Korean Diva Copies Kylie

Poor Ami Suzuki must be shaking in her stilettos. And, no. Avex hasn't kicked her to the curb - yet- for having more flops fan releases than Dannii. Rather, her cherished reputation as Asia's biggest Kylie copycat is under fire. The culprit that dares to fuck with the legendary Miss Suzuki? A newcomer from Korea called NS Yoon Ji (or NS 윤지 if you want to be fancy). As much as I want to hate this hot bitch for cutting Ami's grass, I can't. Stealing from Kylie is a sure sign of exquisite taste and her song is genuinely amazing. But before I get on to that - let's get the Minogue thievery out of the way. "X" must have left a lasting impression in Asia because the video concepts for "Wow" and "In My Arms" keep on getting recycled. NS Yoon Ji clearly believes that more is more and rips off both. The neon glow sticks and white wig (at approximately 35 seconds) are more than a little familiar, while the boxes that appear around the 1:10 minute mark will have you asking yourself - how do you describe a feeling?

Ok, so the video is less authentic than the Louis Vuitton purse you bought your least favourite aunt in China Town for $15 but that doesn't mean it's bad. Unlike the handbag. For starters, Ms Ji actually looks hot in that damn wig and dances up a storm with moves not seen since BoA's "Eat You Up" video. Extra points for paying homage to Dannii by re-enacting the telephone scene from "All I Wanna Do". You just know Ami is kicking herself for not ripping that off first! The song itself is a revelation. I haven't been this taken with a K-pop anthem since Mina released her last flop. "Dance" is a vocodered explosion of pop perfection. I love the catchy chorus and fierce production. However, the rap almost steals the show. "Shake it like a tambourine" is my new favourite saying! So where can you get NS Yoon Ji's modern classic? It's on her album (looks more like an EP to me) called "Time To Fly High". I'm not sure where to order a physical copy - I plan to ask random Koreans on the street - but it's pretty easy to find online. I think I have a new obsession...