Korean Media News

On April 19th, ASTA TV was with EXO-K, SM’s global project, for their splendid performance on M!Countdown. A lot of fans were already at the broadcast station at Sandamdong CJ E&M Center, 2nd floor’s studio. In harmony with the fans, it made the stage even hotter for EXO-K who were passionately singing their title song ‘MAMA’. They’re planning to become the next generation of Hallyu idols with perfect charisma that is unexpected from rookies, angled choreography and poweful singing skills.

“WE ARE ONE, Hello, we are EXO-K.” When they are on stage, the members change by 180 degrees, starting from the look in their eyes. When you look at EXO-K’s interview, they’re still full of this rookie-like freshness and shyness. As soon as they hear the staff’s “Standby”, they immediately stand still and their shy image disappears in a second. When then music starts, all we can see on stage are prepared rookies full of charisma. Even after finishing their performance, they give a 90 degrees bow. The members come down from stage while saying “Thank you, we will work hard.”

MAMA:

This mini-album’s title song ‘MAMA’ is the work of the hit song composer Yoo Youngjin, the Gregorian chant and the imposing orchestra sound double EXO-K and EXO-M’s mysterious atmosphere, the sharp synth of the dance break with its guitar riff as well as the strong shouting’s powerful feeling overwhelm the ear. The quality of the song is even higher with lyrics that talk about the conflicts modern men feel between the reality and the digital world and the lack of communication, it’s full of sensibility as they’re hoping to find back the closeness and an innocent love. 

EXO comes from the word EXOPLANET which is a planet out of the solar system, it means that they’re new stars coming from an unknown world. As it’s implied, EXO shows an original music with a powerful performance, the fans’ expectations are upgrading by a level with this new syndrom they’re raising to the global KPOP wave with their trendy fashion!

EXO is divided into EXO-K and EXO-K who have KOREA’s K and MANDARIN’S M. EXO-K who’s promoting in Korea is composed of Suho, Kai, Chanyeol, Sehun, Baekhyun and D.O. EXO-M who’s promoting in China is composed of Kris, Luhan, Tao, Lay, Xiumin and Chen. They made their debut with a groundbreaking theory of each releasing the same day, at the same time, the same song in Korean and Chinese, one in Korea and the other in China, they were already gathering hot reactions before their debut. 

✩ The splendid soar of the global new stars EXO ✩

EXO-K and EXO-M’s splendid debut strategy was aimed at fans from all over the world and used global medias such as Youtube and SNS to do a real time promotion at the same time. During a 100 days online promotion they released various teaser videos, images and music videos, and even though they’re rookies the total views of their videos gather to over 30,000,000. It was anouncing the next generation of global stars’ birth. After that, they had successful big scale showcases in Korea on March 31st and China on April 1st and began their promotions in Korea and China; all this kept on raising the fans’ expectations for this mini-album too.

On April 9th, EXO-K and EXO-M’s mini-album ‘MAMA’ was released in 2 versions, EXO-K recorded in Korean while EXO-M recorded in Chinese. The best composers such as Yoo Youngjin, Teddy Riley, Thomas Troelsen and Shinhyuk participated in the album that has 6 songs, they completed EXO-K and EXO-M ‘s differentiating music color.

From EXO-K

The letters the members sent to the fans arrived on EXO-K’s homepage.

Starting from April 14th with leader Suho, they all posted an online letter each until the 19th, ending with maknae Sehun. What did EXO-K’s six members say to the fans? ASTA TV took a peep at it.

SUHO: It hasn’t been long since we started promoting but seeing so much fans interested in us and loving us…From the audience, making our performance shine even more„ thanks for cheering for us. Getting strength from everyone’s support, we will repay everyone’s love by making better music and better performances.

BAEK HYUN: I’m very thankful to the Korean fans and the foreign fans who waited for us during EXO’s 100 days of promotions and supported us ! During the promotion I really wanted to see all of the fansㅠㅠ ! I miss you ! 

CHAN YEOL: Because I’m so happy and thankful we’re already receiving so much attention and love I don’t know what to do with myself! We got to meet the fans through the 100 days promotion. Finally we get to see everyone for real through a music show and since we could communicate with you up close through the fanmeeting and the birthday party I was really happy and delighted! Even while writing this post I want to see you all, I miss you everyone!

D.O: It has only been a week since our first live performance I am really thankful for all the concern you’ve shown. We were really nervous when we came on stage for the first time so we made a lot of mistakes and I am sorry we couldn’t show you a cool performance. From now on, I promise we will show you a greater image. KAI: Today, a lot of fans came and worked hard to cheer for us so I was really thankful ! We really really gain a lot of strength thanks to the fans’ cheers! You’re going to like us more from now right?

SE HUN: I really like meeting with everyone on stage!! When I think of it…. I think it’s because we can have fun and communicate with each other~ hehe Moreover there is always a lot of people who come to the prerecordings T.T ….. I am really really thankful!! It is written at the back of my MAMA photocard but you have! to! go! with! us! un! til! the! end!!!

EXO-K PROFILE

- D.O
Real name: Do Kyungsoo
Date of Birth: January 21st (T/N: I’m not the one who made a mistake, I think they wanted to write 12th), 1993 (Just 21 years old) 

Height: 176cm
Speciality: Singing, beatboxing
Position: Main Vocal
Other: He’s the most 4-dimensional among the members, when he calls to order food he says “Once again in South Korea, Seoul-si”, it’s a famous comment among the fans. Because his eyes are all round and he has a lot of white in his eyes, he attained the nickname ‘White Rich’.

- Kai
Real name: Kim Jongin
Date of Birth: January 14th, 1994 (Just 20 years old)
Height: 182cm
Speciality: Dance
Position: Main Dancer
Other: As we call him Dancing Machine, his dancing skills are awesome, he’s tried out all sort of dances ever since he was young such as ballet, jazz, etc. He appeared in half of EXO-K’s 23 teasers so he gets called ‘Teaser Rich’. He’s close friend with SHINee’s Taemin.

- Suho
Real name: Kim Junmyeon
Date of Birth: May 22st, 1991 (21 years old) (T/N: Once again, I’m not the one who made a mistake, I think they wanted to write 22 instead)
Height: 177cm
Speciality: Golf, acting
Position: Leader, sub-vocal
Other: He joined SM in 2006, he had the longest training period. His name also appeared often in other SM artists’ ‘Thanks to’ so he’s quite close with them. A rumor says that he’s the wealthiest EXO-K member, so his nickname is ‘Rich’.

- Chanyeol
Real name: Park Chanyeol
Date of Birth: November 27th, 1992 (21 years old)
Height: 184cm
Speciality: Rap, guitar, drum, bass, djembe, acting
Position: Main Rapper
Other: He’s the tallest among EXO-K members, his charm is his baby face that contrasts with his manly voice, he was famous as an ulzzang during high school, also his sister is an aspiring announcer so they show off a selfish gene.

- Sehun
Real name: Oh Sehun
Date of Birth: April 12th, 1994 (19 years old)
Height: 181cm
Speciality: Dancing, acting
Position: Lead dancer, EXO-K’s maknae
Other: When watching the interview’s video he shows a lot his shy and embarrassed image but he is actually the moodmaker of the team. He is a typical maknae who likes joking.

- Baekhyun
Real name: Byun Baekhyun
Date of Birth: May 6th, 1992 (21 years old)
Height: 177cm
Speciality: Hapkido, piano
Position: Main Vocal
Other: There’s a rumor saying he trained for not even a year but his singing skills are fantastic. He is a lucky boy who got casted in SM while passing his Music College practical test. As opposed to his charismatic image, he is the moodmaker in the team with ‘kkap’. 

“Thank you, we will work hard”.

After finishing their song, polite-dols EXO-K give a 90 degrees bow and go off stage, it’s been more than 2 weeks since they had their debut and the rookie singers can now realize it as they see their seniors “We really debuted”. During the ‘backstage interview’, EXO-K’s members revealed “We especially remember about Super Junior seniors telling us ‘You have to unite’”. Also the leader, Suho, told us about how he felt when going up on stage “When we go up on stage, our dance moves makes us turn back but the cheerings we hear as we turn our backs are really touching and we’re thankful, I still feel like crying”

EXO-K standing up on stage side by side with their singer seniors after completing a long training period. As they announce the #1 singer, they congratulate sincerely their singer seniors. The charisma from when they sing ‘MAMA’ disappears and they show a shy smile while doing their best to applaud. “We will always work harder to show a better stage” said with passion the united six young boys, the day where EXO-K too will receive the #1 trophy is near.


source: lovely exo
translation cr; emilie @ exok-trans