Absolutely Fobulous

Who says learning a new language is hard?  Koshik, an elephant in a South Korea, seems to have picked up a few words from his zoo keeper.  In the clip below, Koshik mimics his keeper, and says choah or “good” in Korean.  By sticking his trunk in his mouth and breathing out, the elephant has found a way to copy the timbre and pitch of his human friend.  Apparently, the elephant can also say the Korean words for “annoying,” “sit down,” “no,” and “lie down.”

Researchers say Koshik does this for social reasons, since he is the only elephant at the zoo.  Even elephants need to chat with a friend!

(Thanks, Hubie!)

Nevermind how they came up with the idea in the first place — this video is amazing.  The guys on the Korean TV show start by curiously placing the innocuous first rubber band round the watermelon.  As they add more elastic, the melon’s shell starts buckling to the pressure.  Water from the fruit starts seeping from the shell.  Then, finally, after about 1,000 rubber bands, the unfortunate watermelon implodes in all its anticipated glory.  Ka-boom!  Don’t you just love the random humor of Asian TV shows?

If you really know women, you’ll know that donuts are a girl’s best friend…not diamonds. So if you’re thinking about popping the question, consider this pink glazed donut ring by Tammy Young Eun Kim, an LA-based artist. The way to a woman’s heart is through her stomach.

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The K-pop boyband craze seems unstoppable in Asia, and now it looks like even America is trying to emulate the the Asian pop revolution by transforming its own boy bands to mirror K-pop stars.

Heart2Heart, a boy band formed by N’sync’s Lance Bass, recently released a music video which I almost mistook for a Korean band. If you watch carefully, the guys even try to do “cutesy” faces!

(Thanks, Thai!)

These gals supersized and lovin’ it. I’m totally digging this video by Piggy Dolls, a Korean girl group whose three members are heavier than your typical Asian popstars. The beginning is kinda corny though, with the girls sitting around pigging out on pizza and bread rolls watching interviews of girls who are really upset about their weight. Galvanized by the interviewees, the trio turns into some superstar pop group that tries to show how sexy they can be even if they don’t fit the model-thin mold. I gotta admit, the song is definitely bumpin’.

Who wants to place bets on the members being the face of some weight loss program ala Jennifer Hudson sometime in the future?

(Thanks, Lu!)

I’m not quite sure why this Korean man in an electric wheelchair was in such a hurry, but I’m sure he learned his lesson. After he decided not to wait for the elevator, he chose to smash his wheelchair into the elevator door, only to plummet to the floors below.  I hope he’s okay, but this goes to show that patience really is a virtue.

(Thanks, Danny!)

Everyone knows that moving to a new apartment or house can be a pain in the butt, but try moving all your belongings to your new place by subway! Well, that’s exactly what a young Korean man named Min did.  With the help of his friends (who ditched him after the first day of moving), Min managed to move his “air conditioner, collapsible double-rod closet, dishes (including serving platters and utensils), laptop, linen, quilts, books, clothes, and assorted framed pictures, a soup cauldron, Korean medicine, condiments, and a 40-pound bag of rice” from Flushing to the Upper West Side of New York City using only the subway.  I must say, it can’t get much fobbier than having to move a 40-pound bag of rice through the streets of New York City.  I wonder if he’s ever heard of a U-Haul?

(Thanks, Crystal!)

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Thanks to the magic of YouTube, another superstar has emerged. Remember Kim Yeo Hui, also known as Apple Girl, whom we featured in a post in March? Things are looking good for her–she signed a contract with a Korean label called Dream High Entertainment.

It’s amazing how quickly one’s life can change. She uploaded her first video on March 15 and look at her now! On the other hand, the YouTube video I have of my dog Peanut is getting me nowhere. I need to revise my marketing strategy.

Check out the teaser for her upcoming single. She sounds a lot better than in her homemade videos and she looks freakin’ gorgeous!

This girl is pretty damn good at belting out Beyonce’s ‘Irreplaceable’. Kudos to Kim Yeo Hui, or Apple Girl, for coming up with a creative way (using three iPhones no less!) to make the background track to Beyonce’s hit single.

If you’ve fallen in love and if you can read Korean, check out her twitter. Also, take a look at her Lady Gaga video!

(Thanks, Lu!)

KTF, a Korean mobile provider, has this strange commercial that encourages people to do the “bubi bubi” dance. Does watching this video make you want to “bubi” or does it creep you out too?

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(Thanks, DTP!)