#150 GIRL BANDS, KOREAN HANDAN, TOP 10 MEME (PART 1)

+ Project 356 is on hold until my new phone arrives. For the last 2 days I've been taking them with the digital camera but it's run out of batteries so I need my new phone before I can transfer my pictures onto computer. It should arrive tomorrow if we don't have post delays.

+ Battle of the Girl Groups. Can't they have more mixed groups instead of this stupid fighting for popularity contest. So is TOUCHS real now, or not? And The B - I swear they debuted nearly a month ago. None of these all female pop bands have really caught onto me. The only new groups group from last year/this year I like seems to be KARA - and they're having a member switch - I hope to hell they don't come back with the sexy look. As for Wonder Girls and SNSD... I haven't even been bothered to learn SNSD's names, I don't find their music my style so I've kept away from that fandom. I'm no good with names - it took me AGES to figure out Super Junior. It doesn't mean I hate them though. Wonder Girls (at least I know their names) has had an addictive track, Tell Me - as for their latest, So Hot, it's perfect for summer, but I'm not too into the lyrics.

+ Korean Hana Yori Dango. I had made a pact with myself, unless I hear at least 20 good reviews I will not be watching it. Yep. I just don't want to spoil what I love about Handan.

+ Meme Time! Because I got tagged to do one of these decades ago but I never got around to making graphics (I really need to update my gallery as well my coloring) and I saw the ranking and though it would be fun to finally get this up. I'll do the guys and drama lists later on in the week.

Top 10 List Meme
01. Make a graphic(s) with your Top 10 Asian Girls
02. Have a graphic(s) with an explanation why you like her/them, or why she is on that place in the ranking
03. Post it on your LJ and tag 5 people to do it too
Note: I know it says "Top 10" but I couldn't help and include two honourable mentions. When I came to picking my top ten I tried to choose those fandoms in which I've been involved/following for a long time -- so I've watched numurous videos/films, read stacks of interviews, replayed their music millions of times. The reason I felt I needed to add "honourable mentions" was because I've only started getting interested in this artist or I've not become familiar with the artist apart from their music/dramas.
Ranking:

Honourable Mention; Go Ara Ara is an actress (most famous role would be in Snow Flower alongside Kibum) and model under the infamous SM Entertainment. I don't think she sings though. Like I said, Ara is only an honourable mention because apart from her extraordinary photshoots and cuteness I really don't know much about her. Her fashion shoot in the first issue of the SM Magazine got me interested in her.

Honourable Mention; Ayaka Iida Why didn't ayaka make it to the actual list, you ask? I've never actually seen or heard from her apart from the music. She's full of endless talent (just listen to her sophomore album, and in 320kbps ~ pure beauty). I feel she's a really passionate person from her performances on stage and even if she was a horrible person in real life (I highly doubt) I would still love her music. Support her new album everyone!

10. Crystal Liu Yi Fei Yi Fei is one of those all-rounded talented girls. She started modelling at eight and has trained in singing (she's released both a Chinese and Japanese debut), dancing, playing the piano and acting (most notable role in drama The Return of the Condor Heroes 2006, and international film, Forbidden Kingdom). And yes, she has actually trained ~ not just "ended up" doing everything like models nowadays. She's actually really sweet in interviews, but even when she's daydreaming and staring into space, she still looks hauntingly beautiful.

09. Ueno Juri Who does not love this girl? First seeing her in Swing Girls, you can tell she's full of talent. But she can act her ass off - just looking at her most recent roles (naive, carefree Nodame in Nodame Cantabile and troubled, protective Ruka in Last Friends) - the difference between them makes it's hard to believe anyone but an excellent actress can play both roles such perfectly.

08. Aoi Yuu Yuu started her acting career in All About Lily Chou-Chou and Hula Girls and a drama debut in Honey and Clover. I believe Yuu can act many roles but it seems her roles tend to cross over into the simple, cute, innocent ones more - her roles do differ from one another another - but I'm looking for even more variety. I haven't actually seen Yuu offscreen, which is why she's not placed higher but I have read alot of interviews and she seems really genuine and soft spoken - she can't be far off in real life.

07. Zhang Li Yin I remember I first downloaded "Timeless" because of Junsu --- plus then it was before anyone had a clue who this "Jang Ri In" was. But then nearer the official debut she was slated as the Chinese BoA - the BoA part pissed me off. Why is every female debuting in Korea, the next BoA? But the Chinese part sparked interest - first Chinese soloist to break into the Korean charts. At first I really didn't get it. I was like WTF? I was sure the Chinese market is much bigger than Korea -- but now I understand the publicity stunt. Do you really think this many people who know who she is if she just debuted under a Chinese based company. The other options would be Hong Kong (I doubt she speaks Cantonese) and Taiwan (where you have to be involved in everything to get known). Under SM she got recognition, she got training and she got a highly anticapted debut single. I was SO disappointed when I heard her live. OK, first time must have been nerves - by the fifth of so live I was seriously cringing when she had to hit the high notes. But then it seems it's a slightly different story when performing alone. Without Junsu on stage, the pressure seemed to be lifted and even her promotions for her Chinese debut, she seems alot more natural. But can someone please get her a new stylist. And we need more constant releases - please don't let it be another year and a half before we hear more new music from her.

06. Inoue Mao Respect is the first thing that comes to mind when someone mentions Mao-chan. She lives between a hectic of being a model/actress and university student (and Japanese university standards are quite hard -- and no shes not the type who just drop in for a visit every blue moon, she's an actual hardworking student). The second thing I love about Mao is her beauty. She's not a typical commerical face, her beauty is simplistic and more personality based. I would have ranked Mao higher, but I don't know much about her. I've seen all Handan related clips/interviews but they're nearly always with another cast member. The few interviews I saw her alone she seems slightly shy - but the topics she chats about were actually highly interesting. And although her most notable piece of work is Makino in Handan (the one true Makino in my heart) I want to see slightly more acting variety from her.

05. Rainie Yang Her personality is what got me. The whole cute act - it isn't an act, she really is cute and sweet offscreen. Maybe because she's grown up in the business and she's had a long term hosting job - her answers are actually quite clever sometimes but she's open to her fans, even when talking about topics alot of other artists hate, and she gets on great with her friends. Her singing has improved, I was impressed with her third solo attempt - but she should refrain from dancing. As for acting, I just generally don't like the overexaggerated emotions but I love to see her onscreen chemistry with Jiro in upcoming drama.

04. Karena Lam One quarter Japanese and three quarters Chinese but born in Canada, Karena started her showbiz life as singer. People often overlook this because she only had moderate success but I think she's a great singer. She didn't take the bubblegum pop or sex-ed up pop route, and really to achieve high album sales in HK, Taiwan - you need to take that route. But I still respect her as singer as she goes more of a lounge, acoustic feel - she even got Cheer Chen to write her a song! Karena's real success comes from acting, where she was nominated for Best Actress but lost out to Zhang ZiYi. Again for her films she doesn't follow the commerical style - you know, either the unrealisticly kind heroine or beautful girl who catches the eye of every man - her film debut (which got her Best Newcomer/Performer) was in July Rhapsody where she played a student trying to seduce her mid-life crisis teacher. And she went on to challenge herself with horror roles like Home Sweet Home where she put the beauty away in the name of art by acting as an insane and frankenstein-looking kidnapper (although alot of actress do this stunt now, not many get it right, and Karena did). Plus she has a heart of gold - she's to adopt children from the Sichuan disaster who lost their parents.

03. Utada Hikaru One of the top artists of Japan, I'm sure even people who aren't fans can at least find one song they will find enjoyable. Ok, so her live singing needs work - she sounds too breath-y (if there's such word) and tends to write songs where the notes are a little to high for her to hit - but these are only small flaws. I love how she's true to music and sticks to it (alot of newbies nowadays just try everything). It's a shame Hikkie doesn't come out much unless its promoting a new release - but her personality is just the cherry on top. She's very much herself, she speaks whats on her mind and she does without thinking about it too much - and occassionally she does these small hilariously cute gesture. And she's not scared of telling the world (more than once) her love for soft teddies and all kind of plushies. Have you seen her HUGE teddy bear that's taller than her? It's a giant.

02. Miyazaki Aoi Heavenly Forest - if you haven't watched it, now would be a good time to back, type it into Google of check out your drama/film comms. Although I watched her in NANA first, this role has been my favourite to date. She also recently given the "Individual Award" for her role in Atsuhime, the first time a taiga drama lead has won that prize. Aoi is cute, cute, pretty pretty cute! Her best shoots are normally those with great colors, and/or beautiful scenary. Just looking at her smiling, makes me want to giggle.

01. Song Hye Kyo The most beautiful woman in the world. There isn't a picture where she looks bad. Most known for her roles in Full House and Autumn Tears, SHK has moved onto movies both national and international. She is more than just a pretty face, she works hard and is constantly improving. Her acting isn't epic, but it's memorable in a subtle way. I personally hated Autumn Tears (how unrealistic, how boring and how over dramatic - I just don't like stretched out romance stories like that). However sometimes at interviews she can be a bit quite and more lately (although she hasn't been doing much promo activities) I find her answers all.. well prepared. I think because she's been doing this for so long, she knows what to say, when to say it so we don't see her "being herself" in press cons and stuff.

Tagging: Anyone who has time to do this ♥

Anyone find anything surprising? I don't think so, it was really all kinda given. Maybe the only one thing that you would find out of place people is I don't have Erika Toda, Maki Horikita, Aragaki Yui or Masami Nagasawa on my list. I find them all talented but are just not in my Top 10 yet. Maybe after I watch more of them then they might climb up.