Wednesday, December 26, 2012

UPDATE: INFINITE up to 2013



          Hello Inspirits! I bet all of you are suffering from Infinite withdrawals since the end of their summer "Infinitize" promotions. No worries, I'm here to give an end-of-the-year present for those who haven't been keeping track. Below are a list (including links) of Infinite-related activities during the month of December. Woollim Entertainment announced that the boys are embarking on sub-unit and individual activities until the end of 2012. Even though they're not promoting as a group, they sure know how to remain active in the K-Pop media!

GROUP ACTIVITIES:
  • December 8th: Infinite appeared on variety show 'Star King,' as each member takes turn trying to break a balloon by card-throwing. They compete against a master card-thrower as he simultaneously tries to break open an aluminum can. Woohyun, Hoya, L and Sungjong made attempts, while Sungyeol seemed to have the most promising skill, but Infinite still lost to the master. 

  • December 14th: Infinite came in 8th as one of the Top 10 bands in the 2012 Melon Music Awards. They also performed an exceptionally good live version of "The Chaser." 

  • December 21st: Infinite performed "The Chaser" at KBS Music Bank's Year End Special dressed in sexy, brooding black.

  • December 22nd: Infinite performed "The Chaser" at Hope Road Concert. 

  • December 24th: Infinite announced a Christmas Event come midnight as it turned the 25th, but the servers crashed when over 160,000 Inspirits (I didn't even know about this!) logged on. According to allkpop, "Woollim Entertainment ranked #1 on  real-time search engines. Infinite's official homepage achieved #1 on real-time search engines." Woollim issued an apology, while Infinite members tweeted greasy messages to their fans and wished them a merry Christmas. 

  • December 24th: Infinite released two Christmas-themed CF songs called "A Person Like Me" and "Follow Me" as CF tracks for their pachinko machine endorsement.


  • December 22nd: Billboard.com and Korea Billboard staff chose Infinite's "The Chaser" as the top song on Billboard's '20 Best K-Pop songs of 2012.' The music magazine declared the following, "The group's masterpiece single takes listeners on a ride that starts the second the track starts. With an introduction packed with forceful singing, dynamic guitar licks, and dramatic violins, it almost sounds like the song will never find a true direction. But at just 50 seconds, it quickly evolves into a waterfall of 80's synthesizers (courtesy of super producer Sweetune), vocal energy and an explosive, trumpet-driven chorus. The track puts INFINITE and Sweetune at the forefront of the genre's best in 2012, proving risk and innovation in K-Pop can trump all."

  • December 28th: Infinite performed a remixed version of "The Chaser" live at SBS Gayo Daejun. Sunggyu turns back into a brunette and the group's stage outfits get some intricate bead detailing!


  • December 29th: Infinite performs an orchestra version of "The Chaser" live at SBS Gayo Daejun.


  • December 31st: Infinite H performs "Without You," while Infinite as a group performs "60 Seconds" and an exciting club remix version of "The Chaser" on MBC. Sunggyu was asked to relay a countdown message at the end of the show. Even now, leader keeps us laughing by being increasingly awkward and quickly running away after his message. Ha!
 

Sunggyu Countdown Message (Raw) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xep1AyW-ZzU



SUB-UNIT/SOLO ACTIVITIES:
  • December 5th: L's sitcom "What is Mom" is abruptly canceled by its network MBC just two months after its first broadcast on October 9th. Instead of being a hundred episodes, the sitcom will wrap up in its last three episodes, finishing with 27 episodes. Two other MBC shows were cut as well. Thank goodness we still get Infinite's energetic OST "She's a Fantasy" from the show.


  • December 13th: Leader Sunggyu continues his solo promotions with live performances of "I Need You" from mini-album "Another Me."






  • December 17th: Sunggyu releases an MV for "I Need You." A very grown-up Gyu Guy appears in the mostly black and white music video.

  • December 18th: Sunggyu participated in several interviews, one in which he hilariously interviews himself for LOEN TV. 



  • December 20th: Infinite H performed a special dance stage on M! Countdown with T-Pain's track, "Look at Her Go," before MC-ing the rest of the show. 

  • December 21st: Infinite H rapped alongside Ailee as she performed "Heaven." Though the pacing sounded a bit unnatural and the execution breathy, it's nice to know they wrote their own rap.


  • December 25th: Hoya starred in a SK Telecom CF with actress Lee Yoo Bi. In the commercial, Hoya is visited by Yoo Bi on his birthday with a cake and song. He gives her a quick peck on the cheek in gratitude. 


  • January 2013: Infinite H will kick off their sub-unit album promotions while other artists such as SNSD, Baek Ji Young, CN Blue, and Phantom simultaneously make their comebacks.

  • December 31st/January 1st KST: Infinite H releases the first teaser image for their single, "Fly High" on Infinite's official website. 




SPECIAL APPEARANCES/STAGES:

  • December 22nd: Main vocals Sunggyu and Woohyun made a guest appearance on Immortal Song 2, performing "The Day the Sun Rises." 


  • December 29th: SBS Gayo Daejun performances are special collaboration stages at the end of the year. For 2012, there will be four groups, each comprised of five idols. Each group is given a different color name, have a song produced by different major producers and different dance choreography: Mystic White (Female), Dazzling Red (Female), Dramatic Blue (Male), and Dynamic Black (Male). Member Woohyun will be performing in Dramatic Blue, while Hoya will be performing in Dynamic Black. All song profits will be donated to charity. Satisfying two birds with one song (each) is daebak!!! 

"Tearfully Beautiful" by Sweetune http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFl2oiRmjKw


"Yesterday" by Shinsadong Tiger http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=586BhunM2oc


  • December 26th: Sunggyu made a guest appearance on a special episode of Weekly Idol along with BtoB's Ilhoon and 4Minute's Sohyun. The episode is meant to thank the idols that have made the show especially memorable. Sunggyu received an extremely appreciative double-kiss on the cheeks from MC's Dony (Jung Hyung Don) and Cony (Defconn) for being the idol that appeared most on Weekly Idol in 2012. (It's basically Weekly Idol 'Royalty Edition,' and Sunggyu is MVP).


  • December 28th: Visual L will be performing in an 'Idol Super Band' for 2012 KBS Music Festival along with 2PM's Changmin and Jinwoon, B2ST's Yoseob, Shinee's Jonghyun and Taemin, CN Blue's Minhyuk, and B1A4's Jinyoung. The idols will be performing a medley as a rock band with hits songs from the 90's.
Myungsoo practices for KBS Music Festival




Year-end holidays are the busiest time of year for idols, as they embark on special stages, collaborations, and surprise appearances on a variety of music programs. Check back for updates and more English subbed videos as soon as I can get my (frozen) hands on them! 

 In the meantime, warm your hearts with this lovely Infinite MV for track "Lately (White Confession)," released last winter season!



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