Counting down to 2019!

Hello, Axcels far and wide! 😊

We all hope you are enjoying the holidays as we begin to countdown with this final week of 2018. Knowing MADKID, the year always begins with something huge and special and ending the year the same way. That’s how MADKID rolls and that’s how we AXCELS should roll too.

There are a lot of things that is to come for 2019… and I mean A LOT. Let’s get started, shall we?

“We never going back!”

Why would you want to “go back” when you’re already “moving forward”?

On January 31, 2019, we will be celebrating the first anniversary of MADKID’s major debut with their first major single, Never going back.

For the time being, it’s only an announcement. We don’t know what’s going to happen on that day, but for sure there will be a gathering of some sort with MADKID and the Axcels. Who knows, maybe it’ll be livestreamed on LINE LIVE too…

“MADKID RISING HOPE” – New Radio Show

If you have been following AXCEL STYLE since the site was first opened, you’ll certainly remember that MADKID had a trial run with a temporary radio show called MADKID FROM TOKYO. Not only that, we all are required to download the Japanese radio streaming app JFN PARK. Like the livestream app Shin used for his livestreams in the past, Pococha, JFN PARK is another Japan-only app that you (as a non-Japan/foreign fan) would have to do some workaround to get that app installed.

If you were one of the test listeners of MADKID FROM TOKYO, AXCEL STYLE has a guide on how to install JFN PARK in English. The page may have outdated screenshots for the demo MADKID FROM TOKYO, but as far as I know, the steps and the registration instructions remain the same. I’ll be updating the guide with the new radio show title MADKID RISING HOPE to avoid any confusion.

If you still have JFN PARK installed in your mobile device, just search for the title: MADKID RISING HOPE. The radio show will begin airing on January 2, 2019 at 10:00 am JST. ¹ The format is (probably) the same as their MADKID FROM TOKYO demo show, where the show will be archived should you miss it on the actual date. But, the format of the show itself will be a little different.

The radio show will run for 3 months starting on Jan. 2nd, then every Wednesdays from then on. The members will have an MC to host their projects this time and will also be challenging the MC with different events and projects. Listeners who get to catch them at the live time (10:00 a.m. JST) will also have the chance to leave messages and requests at the TALK ROOM section of the app.

MADKID + A’GEM/9 Fashion Collab

2018 introduced us to high-end retro-style fashion brand Hysteric Glamour, which graced MADKID with 1960s-80s media-inspired fashion, starting from their debut single Never going back to their summery blue Summer Time and Forever young to the stylishly cool RISE. 2019 now introduces us to a new fashion collaboration with fashion brand A’GEM/9. Because I don’t have a lot of info regarding this fashion line, ² this may be a surprise.

However, they do have a Twitter account. From reading the description (and consulting with a fellow global Axcel who wears a lot of similar Korean streetwear), A’GEM/9 is a select streetwear fashion distribution shop specializing in Korean streetwear brands. ³ If you are a SHIN or a YUKI bias, the two of them are already strutting their Korean street/K-Pop style fashion for the longest time, and now we get to see all of MADKID donning this street but sweet style through this fashion collaboration. ⁴

Let’s wait and see, Axcels, once 2019 arrives. MADKID is still a J-Pop boy group, regardless of the fashion they wear. ⁵

MAD MUSIC New Year’s Special Episode

Let’s not forget! We still have MAD MUSIC on LINE LIVE!

There will be a New Year’s Special Episode next Friday, January 4, 2019, at 6:00 p.m. JST ⁶ on the LINE messenger app or (recommended) the LINE LIVE mobile livestream app. All you have to do is scan the MADKID Official Line account QR code located at the site’s home page and scroll to the bottom and you should be good.

If you want to install the LINE LIVE app, you will have to follow the installation instructions as Pococha and JFN PARK. But, everything is self-explanatory once you install the app in your phone or tablet. The LINE LIVE interface is completely in English. ⁷

MADKID LIVE TOUR Spring 2019: “CIRCUS”

Yesterday was the final day of the first live tour, MADKID LIVE TOUR: “GIANT KILLING.” If you have been an Axcel long enough, you’ll notice a pattern with MADKID and all the new events coming up. I’ve been expecting that brand-new surprises were going to be announced at the end of the final show, and they did.

Aside from the ones mentioned above, the boys already announced their second series of one-man live tours under the guise of “CIRCUS.” There’s still more information about this at a later date, but we finally got a schedule:

• 5/18/19 – Fukuoka DRUM SON ⁸
• 5/19/19 – Osaka RUIDO
• 5/25/19 – Nagoya LIVEHALL M.I.D.
• 5/29/19 – Tokyo Ebisu Liquid Hall

If you do plan on flying over to Japan to attend one (or more) of the one-man live tours, keep an eye out for more info by following the MADKID Official Twitter account… or follow us if you don’t know how to read Japanese. ⁹

“RISE” CD Cover Jackets

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The design of the RISE CD cover jackets are here! Information about the CD single and its contents are already mentioned on this post. In that way, this will help you decide which type you plan on getting. ¹⁰

SOURCES: MADKID Official Twitter, JFN PARK News, AGEM Official Twitter, OMigseu Twitter, ¹¹ MADKID @ Nippon Columbia

AXCEL STYLE Fan Stories

It’s coming very soon! We’re finally going to open a new section of blog posts straight from the hearts and words of fellow (global) Axcels! We call them Fan Stories. I’ve already touched based a bit on this on the previous post, but I want to make a separate post about the fan stories project in full detail, so it doesn’t get mixed up with this very long What’s Happening? post.

I decided to make this project as guest blogger based, instead of going through interview-style or me writing everything for that said fan. I think it’s a lot more raw and authentic if the fan him/herself writes his/her stories. Again, more to come in detail about this project in another post.

I will also be joining the project as well, as I’ve got a lot of stories to share.

Keep an eye out on the Twitter account for more tidbits of info and when submissions are open.

Whew, what a long post! But there will be more posts coming as we count down to the end of 2018, which will include a recap post.

Till next time, Axcels!

1. 5:00 p.m. PST – anyone living on the other side of the world will be able to catch the show live!
2. No official site came out from searching through Google…
3. Definitely inspired by the massive K-Pop popularity in Japan…
4. Follow SHIN’s and YUKI’s Instagram accounts (pay attention to SHIN’s more though) and you’ll see what I mean.
5. Watch the clip on the BIRTHDAY ALERT: KAZUKI entry. It’s an inside joke…
6. 1:00 a.m. PST
7. … which doesn’t make sense to me, as LINE LIVE is a Japan-only app…
8. Fukuoka is the new location addition to the one-man live tours.
9. Using Google Translate is NOT recommended. Trust me on this one.
10. … and although this is tempting and difficult at the same time, I’d buy both of them.
11. Our fellow global Axcel Eric has extensive knowledge on Korean street fashion and gave me some insight regarding the brands being imported and sold by A’GEM/9. Please follow him!