CARMEN NG IS ONE of the hosts of Metro Showbiz's morning programmes Early Bird and United Fan Club, which feature the latest Japanese pop music and gossip. Ng developed her interest in J-pop when she joined an exchange programme during her university days.
'I lived for a year in Japan and during that time I learned a lot about J-pop,' she says. 'I find J-pop more upbeat and cheerful compared to Canto-pop. Most of the Canto-pop stuff is very sobby and it makes you feel even worse if you listen to it when you are sad. I prefer happy tunes.'
Ng says she likes pop and mainstream J-pop. Boy band Smap is one of her favourites. 'Though they are not great singers, they are all-round artists. Each of them has his own style and their songs are pop and touching,' says Ng.
'I also like [girl band] Morning Musume. They are not the best singers, but they are very professional artists. They are young, cute and fresh. Each of their songs is like a musical.'
Carmen Ng's Top 10 (not in order)
1. Yozora no mukou (The Sky Out There), Smap