mishmash*Julie Watai Featured on TiVo

June 2, 2013 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

We are very happy and proud to announce that Tokyo's eclectic chiptunes unit known as mishmash*Julie Watai and their short form music video entitled "Go Furby Go" are now featured on TiVo within our Asian Music TV broadcast channel. This marks the first major media push promotion of an associated musical group by our network. "Go Furby Go" is also now playing on our all-new RobPongi.com website and also right here:



mishmash*Julie Watai is Cornelius' long time music programmer Toyoaki Mishima, contemporary artist Julie Watai and producer Masu Hiroshi Masuyama.

Related:

Julie Watai's Furby Toy Video

The All New RobPongi.com Site is Up!

Asian Music TV Now Playing on TiVo

2013 Top Video Sharing Sites List

The All New RobPongi.com Site is Up!

XXX Large Size

May 31, 2013 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

We are very happy and proud to announce that the all-new RobPongi.com site is now up and running hot! It's all HTML5 valid and CSS3 valid as well. The interface is fully optimized for video render and playback on the iPhone and Android cell phones as well as the iPad and some recent video game machines! It features a super user friendly design based on the "Right Now WP Full Video, Image with Audio" template by elite designer Renkli Beyaz. It also supports mp3 playback as well as youtube, vimeo and playback from many other video sharing websites. Viewers can navigate by "drawing" on the screen! In the footer is a nice thumbnail photo scroll bar from which one can navigate very easily. It also has some other optional functions including a screen color picker and a google map contact verification form which we hope to soon enable. So come on down!



Related:

Asian Music TV Now Playing on TiVo

2013 Top Video Sharing Sites List

Harlem Globetrotters vs DPRK Practice Game

The Harlem Globetrotters shake hands with the North Koreans.

Just released earlier today by KCNA and URI Tours, here is exclusive footage of a recent scrimmage game between some members of the Harlem Globetrotters and a North Korean professional team. This took place when Dennis Rodman visited BFF Kim Jong Un back in March. This one hour and twenty minute plus game starts out somewhat tense but as play goes on the players relax more and just play a friendly practice game. The Harlem Globetrotters' players were Bull Bullard, Buckets Blakes and rookie sensation Moose Weekes. The Globetrotters were split amongst the North Korean players. So get some popcorn, sit back and enjoy the game which starts around 9:30:



If they game starts to drag on somewhat, check out this recently released short Korean TV News video of Dennis Rodman and Harlem Globetrotters Sightseeing in North Korea:



Related:

NKBA Kim Jong Un & Dennis Rodman Video Game

People's Daily: Kim Jong Un "Sexiest Man Alive"

North Korean Harlem Shake Video

CNN: Homeless Kids in DPRK Documentary

Via CNN May 13, 2013

In a long overdue change of format, CNN recently released a short documentary on homeless children in the DPRK entitled "Orphaned and Homeless in North Korea". This very short but powerful docudrama features two students who were abandoned by their parents many years ago in "The Hermit Kingdom". The first is Yoon Hee a 19-year-old escapee who found a foster home in South Korea. The other is an anonymous young man who feels fortunate to receive the South Korean government's support and education. Both are students at the Hangyeore School a special school for children and teenagers from North Korea.

Principal Gwok Jong Moon summarized the situation for many young escapees: "Although freedom was given to them in South Korea, severe [academic] competition, delayed development, educational disparity and discrimination makes it extremely difficult for them to adjust properly. So we provide those students education through special programs, emotional and psychological treatments, and social and cultural adaptation skills."



This documentary is only four and a half minutes in duration, but it is one of the first, or possibly the first feature released by CNN on this very important subject. Hopefully, there will be more like this released by more mass media entities in the near future. "Orphaned and Homeless in North Korea" was produced by Nick Scott and narrated by Jonathan Binder. It was translated by Jin Kang, Sindy Kang, Sarah Kim, Annie Sunin Lee and InHee Yoo.

See also:

Shocking Undercover North Korean News Video

Premiere of "Camp 14 - Total Control Zone"

Canadian DPRK Documentary "The Defector"

"Psy"-Borg Pretender Sighted at Cannes

Via Gawker May 22, 2013

In a funny scene that could have been an outtake from Steven Spielberg's "Catch Me If You Can" film, a clever "Psy"-Borg pretender was recently spotted at the Cannes Film Festival. Somehow this unidentified man fooled everyone at the world's largest movie grand prix into believing that he was the world famous Psy (a.k.a. Park Jae-sang) the singer/songwriter from South Korea. The Hollywood Reporter wrote that the look alike imposter had been spotted at parties and with celebrities who all wanted to take pictures with the web's 'horse-dance guy' all over the seaside resort town.

"Me and [Psy] at the @Chopard party in #Cannes!!" tweeted a starstruck Naomie Harris (28 Days Later, Pirates of the Caribbean, Skyfall).

But then the real Psy had this to say: "Seems like there's another ME at cannes," the singer tweeted from Singapore. "Say Hi to him."

Related:

Two Japanese Films at Cannes Film Festival

mishmash*Julie Watai "Electromotive romances"

Just released earlier today by mishmash*Julie Watai here is their fifth single "Electromotive romances":



mishmash*Julie Watai is Cornelius' long time music programmer Mr. T. Mishima, contemporary artist Julie Watai and producer Masu Hiroshi Masuyama. "Electromotive romances" was composed by Benkei with video by TDKKKM and illustrations by Hiroyuki Takahashi. This song will be available on iTunes and Amazon on May 27th.

Related:

mishmash＊Julie Watai Release "Go Furby Go"

mishmash＊Julie Watai 1st Album Release

Julie Watai & Toyoaki Mishima Photo

Kraftwerk Live in Tokyo May 13, 2013

Photo courtesy of Udo Artists News.

Last night Germany's legendary electronic music group Kraftwerk performed their sixth of eight shows at Tokyo's Akasaka Blitz. Their setlist included their eighth studio album "Computer World" which was first released in May 1981. Many believe this to be Kraftwerk's peak period. Kraftwerk is one of the first groups to popularize electronic music and are considered pioneers in the field. Below is a video from last night's performance of their 1974 worldwide hit "Autobahn":


Video courtesy of Peter Jacobs.

Related:

Kraftwerk Live in Tokyo @ NO NUKES

Asian Music TV Now Playing on TiVo

May 8, 2013 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Our new Asian Music TV Online AMTVO video cast is now playing on TiVo, the home of the TiVo Digital Video Recorder.

This union of high quality video production accompanied by worldwide state of the art broadcast technology will work together in an effort to bridge the gap between internet and television broadcasts. The TiVo service is available in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada (except Québec), Mexico, Australia, Spain and Taiwan at present. TiVo Series1 and Series2 DVRs have also been modified by end users to work in Australia, Brazil, Canada, New Zealand, the Netherlands, and South Africa. The Series4 TiVo Premiere was released to the public on March 28, 2010.

First launched in December of 2001, RobPongi.com began as a local Japanese videos website which gained a great amount of popularity in a very short time. Through the years many videos from it have been featured on several television networks throughout the world including G4 TV in the US, ITV in the United Kingdom and The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). Indeed, since the initial launch, RobPongi.com has grown to become a well-known Asian TV Videos online portal with many new plans for further expansion in the near future.

UPDATE: Asian Music TV Online AMTVO is now also playing on iTunes.

UPDATE: AMTVO is now playing on Channels.com - The Best Shows On The Web.

See also:

2013 Top Video Sharing Sites List

New Hardware Girls Photos by Julie Watai

Here are two new Hardware Girls photos published very recently. The first is the electrifying Yun*Chi glowing in hot pink neon light. The next is a beautiful photo of Shikako all caught up in colorful cables. Lingerie by Neon Opera Tokyo. The first photo was taken in the Team Lab and the second one was taken in the CSSL in Osaka, Japan. Both photographs were done by Japanese photographer Julie Watai.

See also:

Fairy Tale Antenna x Julie Watai

Yun*Chi Releases Shake You Mini Album

Meet Chinese "Godfather" Zhou Yongkang

Via China Uncensored May 3, 2013

Most likely you have heard at least some of Kim Jong Un's recent political sabre rattling and his plans to destroy the US, South Korea and Japan blah blah blah ad nauseum. However, very recently it has become more and more quiet up North as with each day that passes, no "enemy states" of "The Dear Leader" have yet to spontaneously burst into flames or just surrender. Oh wait a minute! Actually France did surrender to North Korea last month. So that makes the score North Korea 1 vs. The Rest of The World 0. So it appears as though North Korea is "winning". OK, fine.

Now back to the main theme here. Which is, most likely, you've heard of the legendary movie "The Godfather". Well, there is a very dark, shadowy figure who is, among other thugs things, Kim Jong Un's "Chinese Godfather". And today is our lucky day as we all get to meet the man with a sinister plan, the man who enjoys throwing political dissidents into Masanjia Labor Death Camp and other illegal prisons. The man who was the former head of the CCP's Super Secret Police who once commanded an annual budget that was larger than China's military! The man who once controlled the entire nations' oil industry! The man - as Chris Chappell so hilariously describes him - as a "people person. That is, he is a person who spends a lot of his time torturing - people." And, finally, the man who has enough political and economic power to start a nuclear World War Three (or at least another Korean war), ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the one, the only Zhou Yongkang:



Oh No! THAT GUY! O_O

See also:

North Korea's Ex-Super Spy Kim Hyon Hui

DPRK's Moranbong Band Destroys The World

Vice on Silicone Sex Dolls in China

In the past we have seen The Vice Guide to Travel go to North Korea where founder Shane Smith sang "Anarchy in the DPRK" in a hilarious parody of the Sex Pistols' "Anarchy in the UK".

Then, on a more serious note, Vice Media Japan traveled to Fukushima to meet two farmers. One is still living and working his farm inside the evacuation zone in Tomioka. The other farmer lives just outside the zone in temporary housing. While there they made a chilling documentary "Alone in the Zone."

Now Vice Extended pulled out all of the stops and recently visited the "Doll Sweet Factory" in Dalian, China. And Vice Correspondent Thomas Morton basically said it all with this gem:

"Here in Dalian though it's a factory town so they've created the ultimate girl. She's, uuhh, made of silicone. And, uuhh, you fuck her."

Check out this short and NSFW documentary:



See also:

New Japanese Bukkake Doll Aya Aya

China Sex Toy Factory NSFW Photos

Japanese Virtual Web Sex Technology

North Korean Death Camp Escapee's New Single

Via The Sun April 30, 2013

Born and raised in hell on earth - Camp 14 Total Control Zone - escapee Shin Dong-hyuk has just released a new dance pop tune entitled "Vanish The Night". Working with England's well-known pop unit Ooberfuse, they wrote a song together that protests against Kim Jong Il. With this new release they hope to illuminate the North Korean government's infamous human rights violations and tell the world more about the murder and abuse that Shin witnessed first hand prior to his escape in 2005.

He said: “Our song is a message of hope for the ordinary people of North Korea whose suffering often goes unnoticed and whose cries are largely unheard.

“Don’t forget us.”

Well it is not quite as engaging as Psy's mega monster-sized worldwide hit Gangnam Style. But it is close and a damn good song with a great beat that you can dance to:

NOTE: This music video includes some grim footage. Viewer discretion is advised:



See also:

North Korean Concentration Camp Drawings

Shocking Undercover North Korean News Video

The Making of "Nothing To Envy" Film

Yun*Chi Releases "Shake You" Mini Album

Via Natalie Tv 4-16-2013

This past week we've had a fairly uneventful letdown in Asian news overall as The Great Eater failed to destroy the United States, Japan and Korea all in one big giant blowhard! I mean come on Kim what's up dude?!?! Oh yeah, we all know you're just so ronery! But don't worry, Ambassador Rodman is "coming again to save the motherf#cking day YEAH!!!"

However, there was one big huge explosion of musical happiness and stunning beauty that went off big time in Japan when our favorite Asobi System singer/songwriter Yun*Chi released her new mini album entitled "Shake You" just the other day. Here she is performing the title track on Nihon TV's new music variety show called Music Dragon ミュージックドラゴン. And, don't worry guys, you don't need to understand Japanese to fall in love with her forever:



See also:

Hardware Girls Idol & Singer Yun*Chi

mishmash＊Julie Watai 1st Album Release

North Korea's Ex-Super Spy Kim Hyon Hui

Via ABC News (Australia) April 10, 2013

While the Korean peninsula remains in a state of high alert, one of the DPRK's former top spies recently revealed many secrets about how the Hermit Kingdom operates and also about its 1987 bombing of Korean Air Flight 858. In this fascinating interview with ABC News, former femme fatale and super spy for North Korea, Kim Hyon Hui, who now lives in top-secret exile, tells about her past life as a killer secret agent for the DPRK.

It all started when she was recognized as a very intelligent and very beautiful high school student who spoke flawless Japanese. She was then chosen by the central party to attend North Korea's elite spy training school up in the remote mountains. She was forced to leave her family and friends with very short notice. Then they gave her a new identity and advanced training in martial arts, military weaponry and foreign languages. And then...



See also:

North Korean Anti-Nuclear Postcard 1989

North Korea vs South Korea = Worst Korea

Breaking News on China's Masanjia Breaks Rules

Via NTDonChina April 9, 2013

A first ever domestic news expose on the notorious Chinese labor camp known as Masanjia was recently published by Lens Magazine. The article is entitled "Walking Out of Masanjia." It's based on a detailed handwritten diary by former inmate Liu Hua.



Previously foreign media often reported on this labor camp and revealed many human rights violations and atrocities committed against prisoners since 2000. However, this latest uncovering marks the very first time that a Chinese media organization has dared to publish a news story about this controversial issue.

The following news video about this recent event includes some disturbing photos of many torture victims of the Masanjia Labor Camp. Viewer discretion is strongly advised.



Below is another recent news video on this breaking news story from ChinaForbiddenNews:



See also:

Shocking Undercover North Korean News Video

Premiere of "Camp 14 - Total Control Zone"

North Korean Concentration Camp Drawings

Jailed: A Foreigner in a Chinese Prison

A Cool North Korean Named "Danny"

Cute Japanese Girl Screaming Racism & Hatred

Is Japan a racist country?

Is this typical behavior among Japanese girls nowadays?

What is the difference between this video and Medama Sensei's "Racism in Japan" videos?



This very unusual and shocking video was filmed just the other day in front of Tsuruhashi 鶴橋 station in Osaka, Japan. In this we see a young and cute (?) Japanese girl destroying all the myths about her by shouting explicit racism and hatred against Korean people living in that area. She actually yells "We will start the Tsuruhashi Massacre like the Nanking Massacre!" Believe it or not, this kind of protest is legal and not uncommon in Japan, but seeing this done by a young middle school girl is quite rare, indeed. It makes us wonder if her parents are aware of this or not. OK, one last question:

Could this legally happen in the USA? Discuss.

Related:

Is Japan a Racist Country?

Update on "Racism in Japan" Video by Medama Sensei

News Documentary on Food Safety in Japan

Two years after the March 11, 2011 nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Japan The New York Times has published a short news documentary entitled "In Japan, a Portrait of Mistrust" by Itai Keshet. In this he reports on some cases of public mistrust, fear and suspicion about the levels of radiation in food. Since the exact amount of radiation that was leaked from the Fukushima power plants has not yet been fully disclosed, various Japanese people express concern about the safety of food and where they live. In Japanese with English subtitles.

Related:

Forever Alone in The Nuke Zone of Fukushima 2013

Fukushima Housewife's Story of Nuclear Meltdown

1991 GE Tokyo Electric Power TV Commercial

Japan's Chim↑Pom‬ 'Super Rats' Attack Tokyo

Jimcarrey.com on The Fukushima Nuclear Disaster

Shocking Undercover North Korean News Video

Here is a very shocking undercover video of the DPRK filmed by some freelance North Korean journalists working for Asiapress in December 2012 for Japanese TV. Below the video, we have provided an accurate English translation of the narrative. Viewer discretion is very strongly advised.



00:00 Close to the border with China, in Hyesan, Ryanggang province in this video filmed just last month there a lot of people waiting at a bus stop. Then a very crowded bus stops and the people try to get on it but they cannot as it is too jammed packed. Then the bus took off in order to shake off the people hanging onto the outside.

00:37 Then we see the market place of Hyesan. Here rice, meat and colorful shoes are being sold. It is said that there is a food shortage even though there is so much in the market. It appears to be a rich market supporting the residents' lifestyles. This is the way of living for these people in the countryside. These are the first favorable scenes that we have seen since Kim Jong Un became the leader of the DPRK.

01:17 However, looking closely we also see many homeless children or "Kochebi" with vacant looks sitting or walking around the market. And then we see a very young child lying on the ground in front of a white wall. It looks like the child has fallen. But the people walk by without looking and showing no surprise. Then the photographer says that this child has been dead for the past three days.

02:04 Then we go inside to meet some of the people from Hyesan. One young girl says that the number of homeless children in the market and at the train station is increasing. She also says that there are many people dying. So many that she can't count them.

02:19 Then we see an elementary school in Sinuiju, North Pyeongan province. The sign at the entrance to the school building says "Thank you beloved Dear Leader Kim Jong Un." And then on a sign in the central square of the city we see this slogan "Let's unconditionally carry out Comrade Kim Jong Un's orders very thoroughly." Here the aim is to increase the authority of the First Secretary Kim Jong Un.

02:58 And then in the square there are some older women selling food. "Grandmother what do you have?"
"Some vegetables and bread."

03:13 Then we took a brief look at some of the town's other activities. "For the wealthy who have been living a good lifestyle from long ago, things have become better. But for common people like us, things have gotten much worse."

03:33 "In the current trading system, clampdowns have increased in all aspects. Further government tightening is also restraining the movement of people. The flow of goods gets stopped on the road and that hurts business."

03:49 And here at Sinuiju train station many people are importing goods from China to Pyongyang. People are walking one after another towards the station but these policemen are controlling the movement of the people and the goods. 04:05 "HEY YOU! GET OUT OF HERE! GET OUT OF HERE!" yelled a station employee wearing a red arm band. These officials are controlling the traffic of citizens and supplies.

04:35 In North Korea there is not enough electricity so often the schedule of the railways gets disrupted. Because of that problem the government has ordered that the movement of people and goods to be strictly controlled.

04:51 Here is news video journalist Ishimaru Jiro who has obtained a series of videos of the DPRK. "The majority of people in North Korea now are involved in trading activities so that they can keep eating. With all of these strict regulations, business gets slowed down and, in short, cash decreases. There is a lot of rice and other goods available in the markets, but without money, no one can buy them."

"In summary, people who do not have access to food cannot continue living."

05:19 In the current system there is a gap widening between the people who don't have and the people that have government power. 05:29 Here is a look at one day on the outskirts of Sinuiju. "What are you throwing away?" asks the photographer. "Grains of rice are falling," the old woman says. In the rice fields, there are some other people looking for grains of rice. This is another look at the widening gap between the residents. In the end, another old woman complains of not finding anything.

05:54 Arrests are severe and everyone's lifestyle is agonizing. What can this youngster in his 20s do? The only thing they (the government) are good at is making people suffer.

06:12 There is a common question of who are these "Kochebi" wandering the streets?

06:15 In the morning we saw another homeless child. He was wearing an adult-sized jacket and dragging a bag. He stood still and stared into the camera when next to the photographer. The photographer then gave him an ice candy and told him not to say anything about his camera. Then the photographer asked him "At your house, are both your father and mother gone?" He answered "Yes".

06:52 The widening gap between people in North Korea. Where will all of this end up going to?

UPDATE: 3-20-13 The situation in the DPRK is now being reported by independent and underground news networks as very critical and at least one food riot was averted in one major city. Watch for updates in the comments section.

See also:

North Korean Comic Jugglers Live Show (filmed in the DPRK)

The Making of "Nothing To Envy" Film

'The Defector' Film Premieres at IDFA

Premiere of "Camp 14 - Total Control Zone"

North Korean Concentration Camp Drawings

Pirate Bay Moved To Pyongyang Best Korea?!?!

Within this past week, we have seen former NBA star Dennis Rodman visit North Korea and then afterwards gush over Kim Jong Un with this: "I love him. The guy is awesome. He was so honest." About that former Assistant Secretary of State Stephen Ganyard said "There is nobody at the CIA who could tell you more personally about Kim Jong Un than Dennis Rodman, and that in itself is scary."

And now we have another ironic twist as seen in a recent blog post/press release by "Kim Jung-Bay" it appears as though The Pirate Bay has moved it's infamous website to Pyongyang, Best Korea North Korea!



While we cannot confirm the below photo as official it does clearly appear as though The Dear Leader did in fact meet with Mr. Sunde and Mr. Svartholm and has saved The Pirate Bay, saved freedom and saved freedom of speech for our glorious worldwide internets! Manse! Manse!*



See also:

Kim Jong Il Invented Photoshop!

Kim Jong Il & Om Yun Chol Win Olympic Gold!

People's Daily: Kim Jong Un "Sexiest Man Alive"

Update on "Racism in Japan" Video by Medama Sensei

Today Medama Sensei aka. "Miki Dezaki" released a follow up video to his controversial "Racism in Japan" clip of his classroom lesson about Japanese discrimination. After that class, his students were enlightened, there were no complaints from anyone and the vice principal of his school even said that he wished more students could have attended Dezaki's lesson.

“The reaction was so positive,” he said. "These kids have heard the stories of their parents being discriminated against by the mainland Japanese. They know this stuff. But the funny thing is that they weren’t making the connection that that was discrimination.”

But when he uploaded that lesson as a video to Youtube last week, it turned more than a few heads and generated a very negative backlash from some right-wing, racist Japanese netizens known as the "netouyu" or "nettouyoku" (ネット右翼) who even sent him death threats:

“I recently made a video about Racism in Japan, and am currently getting bombarded with some pretty harsh, irrational comments from Japanese people who think I am purposefully attacking Japan,” [snip]

"If I should have anticipated something, I should have anticipated the netouyu,” said Dezaki.

Here is Dezaki's original "Racism in Japan" video:



And here is today's release "Racism in Japan Part 2":



The netouyu created quite a stir by hacking into Dezaki's social networks and then by contacting his previous employers, local politicians and Okinawa’s board of education and complained about Dezaki's video through numerous telephone calls. This reaction also earned him a write up featured in the Washington Post. Dezaki is an American English teacher in Okinawa who previously gained some notoriety with his other videos entitled “What Americans think of Japan”, "Sh*t Japanese Girls Say", "Hitchhiking Okinawa" and "Being Gay in Japan".

Be sure to see more of Mike Dezaki's interesting videos here.

Related:

Is Japan a Racist Country?

Is China A Racist Country?

WTF KFC Japan Sells Chicken w/ Watermelon?