iammai

Thanks to those who participated.

Hello everyone! Please help get Mamma Mia into the Top 5 Kpop songs on energyFM. ~ 1 vote on FB and 1 vote on Twitter everyday ~ voting is open from Monday to Friday, the show is on Sunday ~ international Kamilia can vote Thank you~

For the more rock-inclined, someone made a rock remix. Found it on youtube.

updated with caps detailing registration from http://onlykhjtimes.blogspot.com/

TUTORIAL FOR M&TV Talk (VOTING FOR INKIGAYO) Download Application M&TV Talk (엠앤TV톡) on Google Play Store and/or App Store Register on the application (회원가입) Click on [ 인기가요 사전투표 ] (Vote for Inkigayo) Click on the yellow Vote [투표] button for KARA's Damaged Lady Click on the button Confirm [투표하기] Finished! ~ ~ ~ ~ PS: Remember to vote on MNet Countdown and MBC Show Champion too.

According to a September 9 announcement by their agency, KARA’s fourth studio album, Full Bloom, ranked at the top of Korea’s HanTeo Chart for four consecutive days. The group’s fourth Japanese studio album Fantastic Girl, released on August 23, ranked number three on Japan’s Oricon Weekly Chart, even though the group did no promotional activity for it in Japan. An agency official explains, “Kara’s new albums ranked high on both Korean and Japanese charts at the same time. When they conducted a showcase of their new song 'Damaged Lady' broadcast online, 50,000 viewers watched simultaneously from 38 countries, including Hong Kong, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.” The female stars performed on Mnet’s M-countdown on September 5 and will start promoting the new album. Source: TV Report Translation: Korea.com

Try to make it very unique. example: KARA.TohJingHen.0329

How to Register on Melon: http://absolutemblaq.wordpress.com/tutorials/how-to-register-on-melon-vote-for-mbc-music-show-champion-and-rate-album/ How to Register on Gaon: http://onlykhjtimes.blogspot.com/2013/07/important-tips-for-sbs-inkigayo-sns.html

cr DSPmedia Six years after the group's debut, Kara shows there's still room for experimentation with new album "Full Bloom" and singles "Damaged Lady" and "Runaway." The suits Kara wear in the promo photos for new album "Full Bloom" and the music video for new single "Damaged Lady" highlight more than a sleek look. With their new record, the female K-pop singers -- who have been in the industry over six years -- illustrate that they have a style all their own. We last saw the quintet on the K-Pop Hot 100 last August with "Pandora." The sassy, top 3 single was remarkable as an explosion of '80s synths, though it was not unlike 2012 singles by INFINITE and Boyfriend. For their 2013 Korean comeback, Kara carves a sonic lane all their own, fusing those same synthesizers with an edgier rock feel: sections of zipping synths are lined up next to noisy electric guitar riffs, acting as background to the girls' cooing, belting and rapping. The music video showcases Nicole, Hara, Gyuri, Seungyeon and Jiyoung initially dressed in pretty pastel dresses as their dates check out other women. All at once, the girls leave their men and change into suit and tie-inspired get-ups, returning to tell the cheaters off and shove food in their faces. It's an appropriate visual for a track detailing an unexpectedly break-up and the accompanying frustration. Kara's rock-inspired sound will surely stand out among other acts incorporating trendy electro-pop or R&B productions. Six years into its career, Kara is proving to still have a few tricks up its sleeve. While Japan continues to be a focus for the quintet (Kara racked up two Japan Hot 100 No. 1s since "Pandora" promotions), coming back to Korea means delivering something special. Girls' Generation, who also celebrate six years this year, also showed their longevity by returning with the genre-jumping "I Got a Boy," both acts putting to rest any notion that an idol group comes with a quick expiration dates. Kara teased their new album, "Full Bloom," with pre-release single "Runaway." It sits at No. 6 on the K-Pop Hot 100. The soft rock track acts as an appropriate intro to the edgier "Damaged Lady," featuring a softer production and vocal approach. While the promoted efforts of "Full Bloom" showcase Kara's rock edge, the theme doesn't continue throughout the rest of the album. Not that it's an issue: "1+1" is a thumping bubblegum pop track while "Follow Me" is a zippy synth-pop track centered around a walking bass line. Album standout "Smoothie" is a sensual, R&B-pop track highlighted by the girls delivering a moan-like vocal approach on the chorus. While "In the Game" may jive best with the rock sounds of "Damaged Lady" and "Runaway" with lively guitar strumming, its most notable aspect lies in layering funky trumpets over the EDM production. Kara may find more success on the J-pop charts, but that doesn't mean they should neglect their K-pop home base. With "Full Bloom," the quintet shows there's still room for experimentation (and success!) in their native South Korea. Source: Billboard.com by Jeff Benjamin

Returning to the Korean stage, Kara will be performing at both Mnet’s M COUNTDOWN and the 2013 Seoul Drama Awards. On September 5, Kara will be performing its new song, Damaged Lady on M COUNTDOWN. On the same day, the group will be performing a congratulatory stage at the 2013 Seoul Drama Awards, held at the National Theater, making two comeback stages in one day. As both events will be broadcast on television and streamed online globally, Kara will be having an ‘international’ comeback stage. M COUNTDOWN will broadcast the program to 13 countries, including USA, Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and more. Not only that, the Seoul Drama Awards will begin airing at 5:10 PM (KST) through MBC, Youtube, and Ustream, reaching out to 120 countries all at the same time. Therefore, Kara will be reaching out to K-Pop fans in 13 countries and hallyu drama fans in 120 countries, making its comeback stages that much more meaningful. With the news of a global comeback performance of a group representing Korea in hallyu, fans are already anticipating Kara’s first performances of Damaged Lady. Meanwhile, Kara released its fourth album Full Bloom on September 2. The title song, Damaged Lady ranked within the Top 10 in music charts, deeming it a successful comeback. Kara will officially begin promotions with the September 5 broadcast of M COUNTDOWN. Photo Credit: DSP Media News Source: CJ E&M enewsWorld Jeon Su Mi Translation Credit : Grace Danbi Hong . . . Seoul Drama Awards UStream link: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/sda2013

SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- Popular K-pop girl group KARA released a new album Monday that features the group's attempt at new music, as well as a video showcasing members' unusually boyish stage costumes. The album titled "Full Bloom" was the first full-length album to be released by the group since 2011. Their fifth mini-album titled "Pandora" was released last August. The album was composed by Han Chae-ho, Kim Seung-soo and Lee Chang-hyeon, key members of the domestic group Sweetune. They had also composed the group's earlier hit songs, such as "Pretty Girl," "Honey" and "Mr." The latest album's title piece "Damaged Lady" brings to mind French pop with sounds of rock music. The song expresses a girl's queasy feelings toward parting with her boyfriend. The group said they very much tried to show their musical maturity in the new album, as its title indicates. "We wondered how it would be if we went more sexy, because Ji-young is now an adult. But eventually we came to challenge a mannish concept in our attempt to find something new," the band leader Park Gyu-ri said during a media showcase in Seoul of the group's fourth full-length album. She referred to the team's youngest member, Kang Ji-young who turned 19 this year. "We also made many efforts and practiced a lot since it was our first challenge in this genre of music. I enjoyed the process," Park said. The group said they put on black suits and neckties in the song's music video in order to better deliver the girl's feelings, which they have never tried on stage, The video was directed by Cho Soo-hyun, known for directing videos for Psy's two global hits "Gangnam Style" and "Gentleman." Kara is to hold a fan meeting event at 7 p.m. which will be broadcast live through South Korea's Internet portal Naver. About 700 randomly selected fans will attend the event, the group's management agency said. sshim@yna.co.kr Source: Yonhap News

This is how I feel. And I love that Hara said it. KARA's Japanese releases didn't stray much from the pre-Japan debut KARA (cute and innocent and fun). The singles are cute, of course, to appeal to the market more. They tried to see if Japan was ready for a sexier KARA with Speed Up, but Girls Power was more popular. But the other tracks in their Japanese albums provide other sounds that are Japanese yet distinctly KARA. There's a mature/sexy KARA in their Japanese songs too. Korean releases are more geared toward Korean music tastes. Their title tracks almost always have a rap part, as most KPOP songs are. If you listen to the other songs in their albums, they always try new music styles while still singing it with that KARA style. There's cute KARA in their Korean songs too. To say KARA in Japan is cute while KARA in Korea is sexy, is just looking at their title tracks and singles. And since I listen to songs depending on my mood, I don't mind whichever language they sing. But I'm interested to discover where KARA will go in music, as Jiyoung said that their tastes used to be a bit divided but now they agree more.

i think we ought to lock this thread.

^ Things I think to consider: (1) UMJ contract most likely include a clause for releasing 1 full album per year. (2) KARA stated that they will perform the new songs on their tour, so they need it released before the start of the tour. (3) KARA's Japanese albums hardly ever have any massive promotion to worry about it being released closely to the Korean release (in terms of KARA's schedule). But... (4) Kamilia budget is limited: per member cover for TYSL, DVD releases, events where KARA is slated, KARASIA ticket purchase, Korean comeback (some JKamilia flies to Korea for this). And still: (5) Although the sales are not as high as before, UMJ is not in the red with KARA. They are profiting, to them it is not a loss even with the strategy they are employing.

Although there is no magnificent surprises in Fantastic Girls, I like the songs. For one, I don't find any song that I don't want to listen to (I admit, I never liked Electric Boy except when KARA's performing it). They used different composers from Japanese to Korean, giving different sounds to the album. Even Isogai's two songs Bye Bye Happy Days and Ichiban ni Watashio Dakishimete do not sound alike. Rescue Me was composed by a JYP composer; Pop Star was composed by SME composers. Promise was composed by a Japanese-Korean composer and a Swedish composer, both of whom are top composers in Japan.

iTunes (SG link; may not work in some countries) https://itunes.apple.com/sg/album/fantastic-girls/id685953849

Unfortunately, I haven't seen a tutorial that explains how we can buy the mp3/flac off of the Korean sites. Daum, Monkey3 and Bugs need a Korean social number. So digital sales, we can only affect it if the streaming part (from us) really adds to it. So mostly, digital sales = Koreans buying. That said, we can affect the physical sales without much trouble (just make sure the site adds up to Hanteo/Gaon like YesAsia).

For those interested: English transcript by RedSpinach hamada: KARA's "my child is the best! pets are the best healing" hamada: we, KARA members, each has pets, everyone loves her own child too much, so everyone thinks her pet is the cutest. the other members' pets are not cute at all. matsumoto: they say and go that far hamada: today, we are introducing our pets that are in korea, so you all compare and decide whose child is the cutest. kendo kobayashi: oh, i see. see the rest there

iTunes downloads count financially to the sales, but not to the Digital Sales charts that the music shows use.

I'm opening this discussion for us to have a guide to help KARA for this comeback: : 카라 : KARA : 숙녀가 못 돼 : Can't Be A Lady (Damaged Lady) : 둘 중에 하나 : Runaway First two are no brainers: #1 - Buy the album (!!!) If you plan to buy via YesAsia, please use Karaholic's link. It would also be nice if you refrain from sharing download links for the whole album. Check to see if the sales will add to Hanteo (YesAsia and GMarket does). That's quite important. Physical sales may not have a big bearing on the Music Shows, but it does earn more for KARA and DSP. #2 - Watch the MV on Youtube - create a playlist (F5, Replay, Youtuberepeaters DO NOT WORK). Refresh your browser cache after about 50 repeats. Clear/Remove from your YT Watch History. Also watch it thru iMBC and Gaon. If you have a blog, add this to the top. It will autoplay the video for every visitor. It might be annoying so don't hide it so that visitors can pause the vid. <iframe width="480" height="360" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/_vHw17-zFa4?autoplay=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> #3 - Vote! - I know, we're one of the laziest fandom in terms of voting. But if they lose because of the lack of votes, we have no one to blame but ourselves and we don't want that, do we? Let's make our votes count on the charts that matter. SMS Voting is counted per phone number, so it really doesn't cost much for that one SMS to M!Countdown (text "카라" to +82-2-2566) and one SMS to MuCore (text "KARA" to +82-2-0505) and one SMS to Inkigayo (text "카라" to +82-2-1245). #4 - Build the hype by searching on Search portals - by having them trend on Search portals, ordinary Koreans will be curious and might download the song adding to the Digital sales. It will also help if we unanimously search at certain times (i.e. after a music show performance, after a tv guesting, every 12noon lolz). Check the shoutbox for the term that's trending for the day/event. ~ Naver | Daum | Nate | Melon ~ If you want to be lazy, use this site and have it cycle for 301-400 secs (That's roughly every 5 mins, but it's nice to not set it too exact lest you be tagged as spam). #5 - Build the hype on SNS (Twitter, FB, me2day, IG) - use the tags #KARA #카라 #숙녀가못돼 Twitter: Do not use a tag after another (ie I like #KARA #숙녀가못돼) because it'll be considered a spam. Instead write words in between (ie I love #KARA and their latest song #숙녀가못돼 is the best). Gaon Social Chart: Sign up to Gaon and add points to KARA's Social Chart (tutorial and tips from another site). me2day: Make sure to click the me2 for all KARA official me2day post. Let it make it to the top stories. FB: Follow KARA's official FB page. Like their posts. FB now has hashtags, use it. But after this, what else can we do? Please add what you know we can do to help. (Unsure - if anyone can verify please do) Streaming Music Online (the 1 minute sample) every hour for Digital Streaming points - some say it adds to the digital streaming, some say it doesn't. It doesn't take much of your time, so it wouldn't hurt to do this. Clear cache before/after doing this for the hour. Bugs | Melon | Olleh Music | MNet | Soribada | Daum | Monkey3 Korean proxy sites: list 1 list 2 - some say to use a Korean proxy to make the streaming count. I've read somewhere that if you stream on Naver with a foreign IP, it'll be a deduction instead of adding to the points. This Streaming on Bugs using Facebook acct tutorial shows you need to change your IP. And if you do it this way, the streaming will definitely count. But it's 1 FB account for a 1-day pass, so use it wisely. I'd say use it for CBAL than Runaway. Notes on Ranking Systems KBS Music Bank[/indent] 65% - Digital sales 20% - Broadcast time (it does not include radio) 10% - Viewer’s choice 5% - Physical sales SBS Inkigayo Digital Sales - 60% SNS - 35% (Gaon Social Chart tips from another site) Pre-voting - 5% Live voting - 10% MBC Music Core 60% - Digital sales 10% - Physical sales 10% - Youtube views* 10% - Board of viewers' vote / Pre-voting 10% - SMS vote *Note on Youtube views: Only views on youtube via MBC official website will be counted 1. Go to http://www.imbc.com/broad/tv/ent/musiccore/musiclist/index.html 2. Find KARA. Click on the pink tv icon on the right and get the view counted. 1 view per IP Mnet MCountdown 50% - Digital sales 20% - Age preference 10% - Physical sales 10% - Live show preference on Mnet 5% - Global fan votes 5% - SMS voting (Only for top 3) MBC Show Champion 45% Digital sales (Melon) 10% Physical sales (Hanteo) 15% Broadcast Points 15% Ranking from professionals in music industry 15% Points on MBC music broadcast

fabulous & special

not a very good edit, but Hammie x Hammie

I don't know why you're all so worried. Last year wasn't KARA's top year in sales (2011 was a bigger year in sales) and yet UMJ/DSP/KARA rolled in money. This year's sales are good; first week sales from EB to BBHD to TYSL has been increasing. As a JKamilia tweeted, they are not worried about daily ranking, people look at the weekly. Don't be too worried about their sales needing to be great for their future. (1) Enjoy the music and what KARA brings on stage (2) Support how much you can by buying what you can (without sending yourself to the poorhouse) (3) Trust in KARA and trust in Kamilia Also, they don't do any intensive promotion for their album releases. Usually these are pre-recorded interviews. Last year, it was mostly the Christmas tree project they had with the various Regional TV Stations throughout Japan.