Asian Pop News

Kim Kibum changes stage name to ‘Allen’ for Japanese solo promotions

2011-09-07T06:58:00.000-07:00

Former U-KISS member Kim Kibum has revealed that he’ll be starting solo promotions in Japan under the new name, ‘Allen‘.

On September 10th, Kibum will be greeting his Japanese fans for the first time at the ‘K-Pop Music Festival 2011 in Kagoshima‘ as an MC for the concert. He’s planning to show off his
Japanese language skills, which he’s been honing for some time now.

Kibum stated, “I’m excited and looking forward to meeting my fans in Japan. I have experience MCing in Korea but it’s my first time for a K-Pop festival in Japan, so I’m determined to do well. There’s a bit of pressure since I have to speak Japanese, but I’ll be working hard to make sure I don’t make any mistakes.”

He continued, “My English name was ‘Allen Kim’ so I changed my stage name to simply show who I am. I’m using this name change as an opportunity to start anew.”

Kibum is currently spending busy days traveling back and forth between Korea and Japan for his musical, ‘Kizuna‘.

KAT-TUN’s Kamenashi Kazuya admits he was scared while performing for “Dream Boys”

2011-09-05T04:11:00.000-07:00

On September 4th, KAT-TUN’s Kamenashi Kazuya’s starring play, “Dream Boys”, held their first press event at Imperial Garden Theater in Tokyo.

Although Kamenashi has been starring in this production since 2007, he took on a bold flight stunt for the first time this year. Regarding this, he admitted, “Honestly, this is the scariest thing that has
happened to me until now. I’m going to try not to think about it.”

This year, fellow members Tanaka Koki (25) and Nakamaru Yuichi (28) participated in the production, and the three members demonstrated their perfect synchronization with their simultaneous flying. With the members backing him up, Kamenashi said, “I think this is the strongest ‘Dream Boys’ yet,” and gained courage from his fellow members.

The play started on the 3rd and will continue through the 25th.

Oguri Shun gives his thoughts on “Dokurojo no Shichinin” at his rehearsal

2011-09-05T04:09:00.000-07:00

On September 4th, Oguri Shun (28) and Moriyama Mirai (27) attended their stage rehearsal for their starring play for Gekidan☆Shinkansen’s “Dokurojo no Shichinin” at Aoyama Theatre in Tokyo.

As for this play, this was first performed in 1990 and is performed every seven years ever since as
a tradition – this will be its fourth time.

Oguri, who will be acting in a lot of fighting scenes on this stage, said, “Since stage performance progresses every day, I want to enjoy this daily evolution.” On the other hand, Moriyama said, “I want to do this with large amount of energy.”

Other than Oguri and Moriyama, the cast for this play includes Saotome Taichi, Koike Eiko, Katsuji Ryo, and Naka Riisa.

Sasaki Nozomi to sing the new ending theme song for “Beelzebub”

2011-09-05T04:07:00.000-07:00

Model/actress Sasaki Nozomi (23) will soon be releasing her 3rd single, “Papepipu ♪ Papipepu ♪ Papepipupo ♪”, which will also be used as the upcoming ending theme song for anime “Beelzebub” as well.

‘Beelzebub’ will begin airing its new theme song on October 2nd, three weeks before the song becomes available as a single. Sasaki’s choreography is still in the making, but it’s said to become a
hit routine like Ashida Mana’s and Suzuki Fuku’s “MaruMoriDance” from their song, “Maru-Maru-Mori-Mori!”.

“Papepipu ♪ Papipepu ♪ Papepipupo ♪” has been described to be a rhythmic song expressing the feelings of a girl who aims to be a cheerful and strong woman. Sasaki expressed her confidence in the catchy tune by saying, “This is my first theme song, so I am really happy. [I believe] the simplicity of ‘Papepipu ♪ Papipepu ♪ Papepipupo ♪’ makes it catchy and one might even hum to the song without knowing it.”

Representatives from the ‘Beelzebub’ anime said, “Since it’s a happy song which you can easily dance to, we plan to implement the dance choreography into the anime as well.”

Sasaki made her debut as a singer last October with “Kamu to Funyan feat. Astro”, whose dance was made popular through her CM for Lotte gum’s “Fit’s”. Like her debut song, she hopes that, “Children will dance and sing along with it when they hear it.”

This single is set for release on October 26th.

CNBLUE to make their major label debut in October!

2011-09-05T04:04:00.000-07:00

CNBLUE has announced that they will make their major label debut with the single “In My Head” this fall!

In order to build up experience, the Korean band travelled to Japan in 2009, where band culture is strongly rooted. For approximately half a year, CNBLUE held a series of street lives and live house performance before they released their indie debut mini-album “Now or Never“. After putting out six subsequent CD releases, CNBLUE held a successful Zepp tour in January 2011.

Their major label debut single “In My Head” will be released on
October 19th in two different versions: a limited (CD+DVD) version and a regular CD-only version. The limited edition comes with a DVD containing both the PV and ‘off-shot movie’ for the title track, in addition to a 52-page photo booklet.

Stay tuned for more on “In My Head”!

Kangta wants to get married in two years?

2011-09-05T03:58:00.000-07:00

On September 4th, the artists of SM Entertainment met with reporters after they successfully concluded their ’SM TOWN LIVE IN TOKYO SPECIAL EDITION‘ concerts in Tokyo, Japan.

Since Korea will soon be celebrating its Thanksgiving holiday, the artists were asked what they wished for the future. H.O.T.‘s Kangta answered, “My only wish is that I marry in
two years,” and jokingly added, “This is a problem that only I have out of all the artists in SM Entertainment.”

SNSD‘s Tiffany gave a sweet response to the question, saying, “I want my SM family to be healthy, and I hope that everyone continues to cheer on and love SNSD and all the SM artists who have albums coming out in the fall.”

BoA replied, “I have more of a personal wish. I have a movie called ‘Cobu 3D‘ being released soon. “It’s currently in the editing process, but I hope that everything, including the editing, goes smoothly and that the movie can be announced to the public soon.”

In related news, the artists of SM Entertainment will soon be shifting their world tour from Tokyo to New York City, where they plan to hold a concert at Madison Square Garden for October 23rd.

Leeteuk’s older sister to become a fixed guest on ‘Boom’s Young Street’ radio

2011-09-05T03:51:00.000-07:00

It’s been revealed that Leeteuk‘s older sister, Park In Young, will become a fixed guest on SBS FM‘s ‘Boom’s Young Street‘ radio program!

Every Monday, Park In Young will host a segment on the show called ‘Boom Heart’, where she

will introduce and discuss listeners’ stories.

Park In Young commented, “I’m so happy that I was able to become a fixed guest on a radio program that will allow me to have comfortable conversations with the listeners. I think that being able to share my feelings with the audience will feel different, compared to sharing them via a screen.”

At this time, Park In Young is currently acting as a reporter for SBS‘s ‘One Night of TV Entertainment‘ in addition to being an MC for an English program on EBS.

miss A's Jia Terrified of Ghostly Suzy

2011-09-05T03:44:00.000-07:00

JYP Entertainment successfully held their first concert "JYP Nation in Japan" a couple of weeks ago. Some of the biggest names in K-Pop were present, including
2PM, 2AM, and miss A!

It seems miss A's Jia took a picture (as seen above) during their downtime in Japan, but didn't share it on Weibo until yesterday. In the picture, Jia makes a terrified face, her eyes darting towards Suzy who has her long tresses down ala a vengeful ghost.

Jia captioned the picture, "JYP Nation in Japan is haunted... Suzy, don't come scare me at night!!"

JYJ announces concert dates for Spain and Germany

2011-09-05T03:41:00.000-07:00

C-JeS Entertainment has just announced that JYJ has confirmed concert tours in Europe!

On September 5th, representatives revealed, “JYJ will be heading over to Spain in
October and Germany in November for their first solo concerts.”

To start, JYJ will be performing at the Palau Sant Jordi in Barcelona, Spain on October 29th. The venue has seen performances from the likes of Ricky Martin and Deep Purple, so fans are looking forward to another great performance on that stage.

JYJ will also be making their way to Germany and are currently in the midst of finalizing their contract with the Tempodrom, a stadium previously used by Paul Robert Potts, the winner of ‘Britain’s Got Talent‘. That concert is currently scheduled for November 6th.

Representatives stated, “After the release of their worldwide album, they’ve received love calls from all over the world, especially Europe. This time, we’ve focused on cities centered around Spain and Germany specifically to allow fans to see JYJ.”

The concert sponsor for Spain stated, “JYJ is receiving a lot of attention amongst European fans for their outstanding artistic traits. Not only that, their album was also released in English through Warner Music, a label familiar to European fans.”

The members of JYJ expressed, “We’re moved that we’re able to prepare concerts for fans that we haven’t met yet. With global anticipation on the rise for Hallyu, we’re going to put forth the best of our performances.”

Leeteuk To Join The Army Next Year

2011-09-04T23:34:00.000-07:00

With Heechul enlisting in the army last week, ELFs are going to have to cope with another Super Junior member loss.

After the largest K-pop concert series, SM TOWN, held their concert in Tokyo, Leeteuk announced that
he would be joining the army next year. "I'm saying this so I don t get hateful comments such as Just go the the army ," he jokingly said.

Performing at the Tokyo Dome has always been a dream for Leeteuk. With his performance at SM TOWN Live in Tokyo, Leeteuk's dream has been fulfilled.

G-Dragon Announces Solo Comeback

2011-09-04T23:30:00.000-07:00

With Big Bang on hiatus, the group's members are working on their own projects. The first member to go solo is G-Dragon.

G-Dragon will be coming out with a new solo album in
October. The singer is currently working on completing the album and will be coming up with a concept for the album soon.

"Because we are still writing songs for his album, we haven t decided on his title song. When we are done, we will decide on the album concept," a YG Entertainment representative stated.

With the next couple of months saturated with big name comebacks, including KARA, SNSD, Brown Eyed Girls and now G-Dragon, many agencies are rescheduling their artists' activities so they aren't competing against Korea's most popular artists.

Rain to Face Reinvestigation for Alleged Embezzlement

2011-09-04T23:23:00.000-07:00

Korean singer-actor Rain will be reinvestigated for allegations of embezzlement, prosecutors said yesterday.

The Seoul High Prosecutors' Office said yesterday that it ordered the
Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, which conducted the original investigation and cleared Rain of the charges, to reopen the case following an appeal by the plaintiff.

In April 2010, the entertainer, along with seven other shareholders of his former company, J. Tune Entertainment, was accused of swindling investors out of 2.5 billion won ($2.3 million) and pocketing 2 billion won in the name of Rain's modeling fees. In January of this year, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office cleared the singer, whose legal name is Jung Ji-hoon, of the charges, saying the allegations turned out not to be true after tracing the company's cash flow.

After the plaintiff filed for an appeal, however, the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office ordered another investigation of the case, saying it is not clear whether Rain modeled for the company or solely for his own benefit.

In addition, prosecutors pointed out that the previous investigation was inconclusive with regard to whether the company paid rental fees for Rain's car (30 million won) and entertainment office (47 million won).

Meanwhile, Rain is at the center of plagiarism allegations. His latest single "Busan Woman," released Aug. 16, is alleged to have been copied from American singer-songwriter Raphael Saadiq's "Detroit Girl" (2004).

BoA reflects on being a leader of the Hallyu wave

2011-09-04T15:54:00.000-07:00

‘SM Town Live in Tokyo‘ was more than a family concert for BoA – it was also a celebration of her 10th debut anniversary. As one of the founders of the Hallyu wave, the star spoke up during the concert about being a leader of the K-Pop boom in Japan.

BoA began, “It’s not an easy feat to be able to perform at the Tokyo Dome in Japan, so I’m glad that
not only am I able to stand on this stage, but that I’m here with my seniors and juniors from SM Town. It’s especially meaningful for me in that I’m performing here soon to mark my 10th anniversary.”

Reflecting back to her debut, she commented, “Ten years ago, there was no Hallyu, and it was rare to see Korean artists performing on Japanese stages. I had to constantly endure things I wasn’t used to and I was really lonely. Compared to my friends who are making Japanese advancements now, I was at a disadvantage.”

She continued, “I get jealous sometimes seeing juniors advance into Japan. I think it’s great that they’re able to show exactly the type of music, performance, and personal color in just the way they want it.”

BoA concluded, “I’ve been promoting in Japan for 10 years, but I’m really not lonely anymore. The fact that I’m able to fill up the Tokyo Dome with the seniors and juniors I love is just happiness in itself for me.”

JYJ to make Korean comeback this month, starting with “In Heaven”

2011-09-04T15:46:00.000-07:00

The JYJ trio have announced that they’ll be making their comeback this month!

They’ll be releasing a music video teaser for their new song, “In Heaven", through the

C-JeS Entertainment homepage on September 6th.

Speaking through Star News, representatives revealed, “Preceding the release of their next album, which will hold new Korean songs, JYJ will be releasing the music video for one of their new tracks, ‘In Heaven’. We’re currently working with our distributors.”

“In Heaven” has been performed at their concerts for some time now and is a favorite amongst fans thanks to its sorrowful theme and the members’ perfect harmonization.

Member Junsu will be working with labelmate actress Song Ji Hyo for the music video.

Arashi successfully holds live concert in a storm with 70,000 fans

2011-09-03T20:41:00.000-07:00

On September 3rd, Arashi held a concert at the National Stadium in Tokyo amidst violent rain and strong winds.

For the opening performance, the members had planned to fly on wires approximately 50 meters high. However, this was inevitably cancelled out of consideration for the members’ safety. Consequently, the boys appeared from underneath the
stage in front of 70,000 fans, who were waiting in raincoats.

This was their fourth year in a row performing at the National Stadium. This year, due to typhoon number 12, their concert on September 2nd was postponed to the 4th. Sakurai Sho showed concern for their fans saying, “Not everyone could come to the postponed performance. It is very unfortunate.”

On the 3rd, a typhoon landed in the Shikoku and Chugoku regions, and strong winds even reached Tokyo. As a result of a delay in stage preparations, Arashi wasn’t able to hold a proper rehearsal, and so they hit the stage without a solid practice. There were possibilities for cancellation due to the weather, but the boys decided to fight the storm since there are only two performances in Tokyo, and this will be their last concerts of the year. Aiba Masaki even made a ‘teru teru bozu‘ (paper doll to pray for good weather), and prayed for a recovery in the weather.

The three-and-a-half hour performance concluded successfully amidst the pouring rain, with Arashi singing and dancing to a total of 39 songs (their main focus being on their latest album, “Beautiful World“). Although there were concerns, they used balloons and fireworks as planned for their performance.

During the finale, Aiba said, “I am very thankful that we were able to do the concert,” while Ohno Satoshi expressed, “I’m happy we were able to enjoy this big end-of-summer festival together.”

This concert was a part of Arashi’s nationwide tour, “ARASHI LIVE TOUR Beautiful World“, which brought together a total of 525,000 people. Keeping in mind the power shortage effect from March’s Tohoku Earthquake, they conserved energy by reducing last year’s special feature of the stage fountain. They were able to reduce power consumption by about 70% from last year. It’s said that 99% of their power consumption came from 20 car-powered generators.

Arashi featured in the new CM for “JAL”!

2011-09-03T17:00:00.000-07:00

On September 3rd, JAL (Japan Airlines) revealed their new CM featuring the members of Arashi!

The 30-second CM titled “Akitabi (Fall Trip)“, features all five members going through the various routines of the airport and flying off in their plane.

Check out this fun CM below!

SHINee performs “JULIETTE” on Music Fair!

2011-09-03T16:24:00.000-07:00

On September 3rd broadcast of Music Fair, Korean group SHINee made their first appearance on the show and performed the Japanese version of “JULIETTE” in their vibrant outfits.

Watch their performance below!

Oguri Shun and Inoue Mao’s CM for “NTT” revealed!

2011-09-03T08:58:00.001-07:00

Actors Oguri Shun and Inoue Mao’s new CM for “NTT West“ was revealed!

This CM has officially broadcasted nationwide on September 2nd and is now available for viewing!

This “Hikari Life” version of this CM features Oguri questioning the services of “NTT” to Inoue, ‘the company representative’.

Check out their interaction below!

Goo Hye Sun shares a bizarre selca

2011-09-03T08:58:00.000-07:00

Actress Goo Hye Sun showed off her bizarre side through a new selca.

On September 2nd, she tweeted “This night at 9:55 is the first broadcast of

‘The Musical‘. I’ve been working for this drama for a long time. I hope it goes well… Like this,” and attached the above photo.

In the picture, Goo Hye Sun is smiling brightly in front of the camera. However, her smile appears distorted in the picture.

Netizens responded with, “Goo Hye Sun can become broken like that“, “The best of bizarre photos“, and “Goo Hye Sun’s new image“.

Source: TV Daily via Nate

Moon Geun Young charms with her new haircut

2011-09-03T08:55:00.000-07:00

Basic House revealed the new photos to promote their F/W collection for their Chinese market. Moon Geun Young exuded a feminine charisma that still retained a slight tomboyish feel. By bringing out carefree, yet compelling expressions unique to her style, the star was able to showcase that she could take on any look with elegance.

Fans commented, “I didn’t realize how feminine short hair could be. It holds a charisma of a different kind,” and “I like the lovely charm unique to Moon Geun Young”.

Mukai Osamu makes a surprise guest appearance at ‘TOKYO GIRLS COLLECTION'

2011-09-03T07:29:00.000-07:00

On September 3rd, actor Mukai Osamu made a guest appearance at fashion festival ‘The 13th TOKYO GIRLS COLLECTION 2011 AUTUMN/WINTER’ which was held at Saitama Super Arena.

After band RAM WIRE played the theme song “Ayumi” for Mukai’s starring movie “Bokutachi wa Sekai wo Kaerukotoga Dekinai”, the four main casts from the movie (Mukai Osamu, Matsuzaka Tori, Emoto Tasuku, Kubota Masataka) made their surprise appearance at this event. As they gave their eloquent runway walk, the 30,000 women in the venue gave a huge applause for the four men.

Regarding this movie, Mukai said, “Since it is based on a true story, it is a movie full of
energy,” and put his faith on this film. Matsuzaka added, “I think I matured [in this film]. I’m glad to have been able to participate in it,” and gave his overall thoughts on this movie.

Also, speaking of the scene from the movie where Mukai had to flirt with a girl, he said, “I have never flirted before so I didn’t know what to do. It was a first time experience,” and told of his experience during filing.

In this event, he even gave a big shout to the audience and said, “As summer is ending, there will be less and less opportunities to make noise like this so let’s have fun until the end!” and enlivened the venue.

Check out his runway walk below!

Oguri Shun and Inoue Mao discuss their new CM and congratulate Tanaka Kei on his marriage

2011-09-03T02:17:00.000-07:00

On September 1st, actress Inoue Mao (24) and actor Oguri Shun appeared at a press conference in Tokyo for their new NTT West CM. The pair congratulated friend and fellow actor Tanaka Kei (27) on his marriage, which took place on August 31st. (Tanaka also appeared at the press conference for the CM.)

In their new CM, Oguri plays the role of a young man who takes on the

challenge of cooking. Inoue revealed, “Although it is Oguri-san who often plays the role of a hot-blooded man or a narcissist, his role in the CM this time is quite refreshing. Please anticipate the CM.”

Inoue, who plays the heroine in NHK Asa’s TV drama series novel “Ohisama,” sent a message of congratulations to Tanaka, who plays the role of her older brother in the series. She stated, “As your ’sister,’ I am happy for you.” Oguri, who is in the same agency as Tanaka, also expressed his happiness for Tanaka’s marriage and smiled bitterly when asked about his own wedding plans. Their new CM aired on September 2nd in west Japan.

Matsuyama Kenichi & Koyuki announce they’re expecting their first child

2011-09-02T11:10:00.000-07:00

It’s just been revealed that Matsuyama Kenichi and Koyuki, who recently got married in April, are expecting their first child!

The couple made their announcement to the media through a fax sent by their agency.

Koyuki, who is five months pregnant, wrote, “I am starting to feel the
joy and responsibility of taking care of this new, tiny life within me. I hope to take care of myself and prepare myself for that day with the help of my husband, Matsuyama Kenichi“.

Matsuyama also wrote, “Today, I’d like to inform you that my wife is pregnant. We will be the first people that our new baby will see. I don’t know how we will appear to our child, but as a father, a man, an actor, and a person, I’d like to continue growing and live a fun life with my wife and child.”

Congratulations!

Jaejoong drinks coffee like a “Boss”?

2011-09-02T08:45:00.000-07:00

Photos of JYJ’s Kim Jaejoong have been gathering attention. Recently, a photo of Jaejoong was uploaded on a blog of a cafe in Seoul. The photo was taken during the filming of SBS’s ’Protect the Boss’ that

aired on August 31st.

This scene featured a conversation between his character ‘Cha Moo Won” and ‘Noh Eun Seol’ (played by Choi Kang Hee). Jaejoong was seen naturally incorporating the cookies and coffee set out as props during the filming. His use of a straw to drink coffee made the scene look like something straight out of a coffee advertisement.

Netizens reacted with comments such as, “He looks like a boss even while drinking coffee,” “He could score a coffee CF this way,” and “There’s no better picture”.

Jang Geun Suk wants to be friends with Lee Seung Gi

2011-09-02T08:42:00.000-07:00

Popular actor and singer Jang Geun Suk recently was a guest on MBC’s “Knee-Drop Guru” and on the show he revealed his urge to be friends with Lee Seung Gi.

The “Asian Prince” filmed the episode on August 31th at MBC’s Dream Center in Ilsan, and spoke about a variety of topics including his international fame and quick rise to the top of
the Oricon music charts. However, what received the most attention was his revelation of wanting to be friends with Lee Seung Gi. Jang Geun Suk stated, “I really would like to be friends with Lee Seung Gi since we’re the same age.”

In the beginning of the recording, Jang Geun Suk was observed as being very nervous and shy, but over time he loosened up. His humorous and witty side shone through, and he was able to speak eloquently.

His appearance was filmed in a format to fit two separate episodes, the first of which will air on September 7th.

"UGLY" Becomes CM Song For Japanese Fashion Magazine

2011-09-01T09:13:00.000-07:00

2NE1 are further breaking out into Japan, with the Japanese version of "UGLY" now chosen as the CM song of fashion magazine "sweet"!

"sweet" magazine has a starry list of models, with its' features regularly plastered with the likes of Hamasaki Ayumi and Amuro Namie. 2NE1 themselves are known for their fierce fashion and designs, but with "UGLY" show a message of self-doubt that resonates with girls around the world. The CM starts airing in October.

Meanwhile, "UGLY" is taken from 2NE1's debut Japanese album "NOLZA", which is released on the 21st of September. Oricon reports that having performed successfully on "Music Station", 2NE1 now take their amazing performances Japan-wide, with their tour kicking off in Kanagawa on the 19th of this month!

T-ara's Japanese "Bo Peep Bo Peep" MV Released

2011-08-31T09:10:00.000-07:00

The seven-member Korean idol group, T-ara, has just revealed the music video for their upcoming Japanese debut track "Bo Peep Bo Peep".

A Japanese-language remake of their breakout Korean song of the same name, "Bo Peep Bo Peep" is set to be released as the group's first Japanese single on September 28th.

Check out the music video for the Japanese version of T-ara's "Bo Peep Bo Peep" below.

Super Junior Shares Emotional Stories From Their Debut

2011-08-31T08:35:00.000-07:00

A world without Super Junior. Can you imagine it? According to Leeteuk, that's the way it was supposed to be.

The August 30th episode of SBS's "Strong Heart" featured members from Super Junior who all revealed interesting facts about their debut. Leeteuk revealed that Super Junior was originally supposed to

last only 3 months as a project group. The group would serve as a launching pad for its members to do other things and the line up would constantly change. However, due to their success early on, SM Entertainment decided to keep the group the way it is.

Kyuhyun revealed his hardships when he first joined the group. After joining as the 13 member of the group 6 months after their debut, Kyuhyun felt like an outcast of the group. Kyuhyun had to sleep on the floor of the group's dorm, and was treated harshly by Leeteuk.

According to Ryewook, Leeteuk's harsh treatment even caused Kyuhyun to cry himself to sleep one night.

It wasn't until the group won their 1st award that Kyuhyun finally felt like part of the group. While the rest of his bandmates cried tears of joy over the win, Kyuhyun held back his tears, feeling like he didn't deserve to celebrate with the rest of the group. When Leeteuk saw him standing awkwardly, he came up to Kyuhyun and hugged him, telling him, "You worked hard too.". These words of encouragement allowed him to celebrate the win fully and feel like he was finally accepted into the group.

Leeteuk responded to Kyuhyun's revelation by saying, "It's because we have a strong foundation of faith and trust in each other that we are able to share stories like these. I think that s how comfortable we feel around each other now."

Heechul was also present for the show. This was his last public appearance before enlisting into the army. He and the other members present cried as they realized this would be the last they would see each other for next couple of years.

JYJ Named Ambassador for "UNAIDS"

2011-08-31T08:22:00.000-07:00

The three members of JYJ have recently been honored as the new Goodwill Ambassadors for UNAIDS, making them the first Korean citizens to be honored with the title for the Asia-Pacific branch of the organization.

The idol group was officially appointed at the 10th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific held at the BEXCO center in Busan, Korea this past Monday, which is pictured above. During the event, JYJ delivered messages to promote the prevention of AIDS and raise awareness of the disease, which was attended by upwards of 4,000 people from over 70 countries.

Meanwhile, the band will also be making an appearance at the closing ceremony of the IAAF World Athletic Championships in Daegu this coming Sunday as a representative of K-pop.

U-Kiss Unveils MV for "Neverland"

2011-08-30T09:05:00.000-07:00

U-Kiss has finally unveiled the music video to their title track, "Neverland"! The music video features the boys' darker, and more mature side, as well as shows off their dancing skills. Check it out!

2NE1's Park Bom Dazzles in a Wedding Dress

2011-08-30T09:01:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder how 2NE1's Park Bom would look in a wedding gown? Like a goddess, is the answer.

Check out the stunning picture as she strikes a statuesque pose for the camera in a wedding gown.

The picture was recently posted on an online community, complete with the title "Park Bom wedding dress fitting photo."

Lucky fans get to witness Park Bom in the wedding dress as it is just one of her stage costumes at 2NE1's first solo concert.

SM Entertainment Confirms SM Town New York City

2011-08-30T08:32:00.000-07:00

Its official that New York City will experience one of the biggest K-pop concert events in the world: SM TOWN.

SM Entertainment has officially confirmed that SM TOWN will be coming to New York City on

October 23rd. SM artists will be performing in the famous Madison Square Garden where only the world's biggest star perform.

Madison Square Garden can hold 15,000 people. Every seat is expected to be sold out as fans rush to see their favorite K-pop performs live.

Oguri Shun becomes an “adult” for Suntory Whiskey CM?

2011-08-29T02:45:00.000-07:00

Recently, actor Oguri Shun participated in a Suntory Whiskey CM with actor Hagiwara Kenichi!

In this 30-second CM, the two talk about how “adult” is to drink a whiskey.

Check out their interaction in this CM below!

TVXQ shocks Japan’s ‘a-nation’ fans with ending performance

2011-08-29T02:17:00.000-07:00

TVXQ put on the ending performance for Avex’s A-Nation concert in Tokyo, which shocked both the media and concert goers.

For the past 8 years, Avex’s Queen pop artist, Hamasaki Ayumi closed the concerts by putting on the ending performance, but this year TVXQ was chosen. Being chosen as Avex A-Nation’s ACE is a huge

deal, and the media went abuzz about how it was the climax of TVXQ’s career.

The concert took place on the 27th and although it was originally announced that Hamasaki Ayumi would be ending the show, since it was A-Nation’s 10th year celebratory concert, they wanted to shock the fans, hence TVXQ took the honor of closing the show.

Jang Geun Suk drops $6,500 USD in one shopping session

2011-08-29T02:15:00.000-07:00

Actor Jang Geun Suk’s rising popularity in Japan has increased the amount of exposure he gets in the media, as there are now even reports on his shopping activities!

On August 28th, Japan’s News Port Seven reported on the actor’s trip to the mall with an interesting discovery. After arriving in Japan on the 19th, he’s spent busy days recording for TV programs and broadcasts before finally finding time for himself on the 28th.

Around 3 PM, he was spotted visiting a mall in Shinjuku and heading straight for a male clothing shop that

handles designer brands both domestic and international. At once, he dropped 500,000 YEN (about $6,500 USD on a long coat, jacket, sneakers, and other items. Considering the fact that the shopping activities of Korean artists aren’t as transparent as Hollywood stars, this comes off as interesting information to fans.

Fans began to swarm around the area, but the five body guards with him kept them at bay. One Japanese fan said, “They didn’t allow us to get close or take pictures. Still, I’m satisfied because I got to see him up close.”

After shopping for an hour, he was reported to have eaten at a restaurant on the seventh floor before making his exit.

Big Bang’s Daesung receives a verdict of ‘Not Guilty’

2011-08-29T02:13:00.000-07:00

Big Bang’s Daesung has finally concluded his court case regarding his car accident on May 31st with a verdict of ‘not guilty’.

After reviewing the case, prosecutors decided that there wasn’t enough hard evidence to determine whether or not the motorcyclist Hyun had been alive or deceased before Daesung ran him over with his vehicle. Also, they did not rule out the possibility that the motorcyclist, who was under the influence upon the

time of his death, could’ve died from the initial collision with a streetlight.

“Although it should be recognized that Daesung drove without maintaining a safe distance and ignoring his surroundings, it is hard to make the connection between this fact and the death of the victim,”stated a representative for the police. “We made a judgment of not guilty based on the principle of ‘innocent until proven guilty’.”

Based on the above information, they rendered a verdict of ‘not guilty’ for the beleaguered Daesung.“Since Daesung reached a civil settlement with the victim’s party on July 19th, you can say that this case is now closed,” said the police.

SNSD and Super Junior reveal new ‘SPAO’ couple CF

2011-08-29T02:05:00.000-07:00

SNSD and Super Junior have teamed up once again to bring you a killer endorsement for clothing brand, ‘SPAO‘!

This time, their concept is called ‘Couple Check’, which refers to the checkered shirts that the stars were outfitted in. SPAO is lauding these shirts as this season’s must-have piece, and couples who like to dress up together are already eyeing the idols’ style points.

Check out the 30-second CF below!

Wonder Girls’ Sohee wanted to become an actress

2011-08-29T01:58:00.000-07:00

In Cube Entertainment CEO Hong Seung Sung’s new book, “There Will be No Spotlight If You Stop Now“, he revealed that the Wonder Girls‘ Sohee had actually expressed a desire in halting her activities as a singer and becoming an actress in 2008.

Hong was the co-founder of JYP Entertainment before he went on to launch his own

label, Cube, so the book delves into some of the inner-workings and stories of the label and its artists.

Hong revealed, “After Sohee starred in the movie ‘I Like It Hot’, she expressed that she wanted to focus on her acting career instead of her singing career. Because of that, we had to persuade her to change her mind for two to three months. Even if it wasn’t Sohee but another member, at the time, we had no choice but to help change her heart.”

He continued, “As opposed to worrying about one member leaving a five member group, I was worried that her decision wouldn’t be a safe one, especially since she’s been training for years specifically to become a singer. Fortunately, Sohee agreed with the company on still trying new things as a singer and to spend more time thinking about it.”

In actuality, rumors of Sohee’s departure began circulating amongst fans after the movie hit theaters in 2008. Although they were left as rumors then, the book confirms that they could’ve become true had it not been for the company persuading her.

Check out Leah Dizon’s CM for “Shounan Biyou Geka Clinic”!

2011-08-28T08:13:00.000-07:00

Previously, it is reported that American talento Leah Dizon will be starring in the new CM for “Shounan Biyou Geka Clinic“. Now, the CM has been revealed!

In the CM, Leah can be seen sporting different outfits in Manhattan, New York. This is her first CM since her divorce last year.

Check out the CM below!

Park Yoo-chun & Moon Geun-young, Most Popular Asian Actor/Actress

2011-08-27T03:03:00.000-07:00

Star of "Sunggyunkwan Scandal", Park Yoo-chun, and starlet of "Mary Stayed Out All Night", Moon Geun-young, were chosen as Asia's most popular actor and actress.

According to Yahoo! Korea's survey conducted from July 18-August 16 --ahead of the Seoul Drama Awards 2011 --in Korean, English, and Japanese, Park and Moon were each number one for their
own gender acting category.

Park was chosen out of 115 total contenders, winning over 480,000 votes. Following Park were Jang Geun-seok ("Mary Stayed Out All Night") and then Kim Jae-won ("Can You Hear My Heart?").

As for the females, Moon was trailed by Park Min-young in 2nd place ("Sunggyunkwan Scandal") and Ha Ji-won in third ("Secret Garden").

The Seoul Drama Awards 2011 will be held on August 31st at the Seoul KBS Hall.

Kim Tae-hee to Star in Romantic Comedy in Japan

2011-08-27T02:58:00.000-07:00

Actress Kim Tae-hee (31) will take the lead role in Fuji TV's new romantic comedy, tentatively titled
"Me and My Star's 99 Days," her agency said Thursday.

The storyline centers on the love affair between a Korean actress who is pursuing a career in Japan and a quiet 40-year-old Japanese man.

Japanese actor Nishijima Hidetoshi (40), who was named Best Supporting Actor at the 2008 Yokohama Film Festival, will play the male lead.

Kwon Sang-Woo heads West to Hollywood

2011-08-27T02:55:00.000-07:00

Actor Kwon Sang-woo is headed to Hollywood, according to his agency, Bel Actors Entertainment.

The agency said that Kwon was cast as the lead in an action film to be produced and distributed by a major production company. Shooting is to begin early next
year in Malaysia, the agency said.

The film adds to the actor’s already hectic schedule.

The pan-Asian actor is currently busy promoting his new film “Pain,” which will be released early next month in Korea. After that, he heads to China to shoot the Chinese film “12 Chinese Zodiac Heads” with Jackie Chan.

Kwon also has a role in the Chinese film to be released between October and November in China. In “Repeat I Love You,” Kwon is paired with Chinese actress Cecilia Cheung.

Kwon made his debut in 2001 with romantic roles in television dramas and garnered rave reviews for his role as a troubled teenager who adores Bruce Lee in the hit 2004 film “Once Upon a Time in High School.”

Super Junior's Shindong admits to plastic surgery

2011-08-27T02:44:00.000-07:00

SEOUL : Unlike most Korean stars, Shindong of popular boy band Super Junior isn't afraid to admit he has had some work done.

In fact, the 25-year-old singer seemed thrilled with the results of his double eyelid surgery, writing about it on Twitter on Monday.

Responding to comments to an article titled 'Shindong, double eyelid surgery? Or diet effects? His changed face grabs attention', Shindong tweeted, "Such heated responses! Thank you everyone. Looks like I
did the right thing!

"It's been a while [since he had gone under the knife], but thank you for showing so much interest. I'm hearing I look better on stage and funnier on variety shows, so I feel more motivated about my diet and it feels good!! Everyone, thank you!"

However before the double eyelid surgery, Shindong had another surgery on his mind.

The singer revealed on Korean talk show "Strong Heart" on Tuesday that he was a victim of yoyo dieting and had contemplated having liposuction.

He had even attended a liposuction consultation at a hospital but decided to embark on an intensive diet plan instead. He started a weight loss journal on social networking site me2day early this month to share his weight loss progress with his fans.

"I lost 33 pounds (13 kg) in three weeks," said Shindong on "Strong Heart".

"Even now, I eat one proper meal a day, and salad the rest of the time."

Last year, Shin Yong Ho, a popular Korean cosmetic surgeon, revealed that as many as 95 per cent of the country's celebrities have undergone procedures to enhance their looks at some point in their careers.

And it seems more are coming clean about it.

In June, popular Korean singer-actor Kim Hyun Joong admitted during an appearance on a Korean comedy talk show that he had undergone rhinoplasty when he injured his nose after he was hit by rock.

While seeking treatment, the "Boys Over Flowers" star took the opportunity to "raise it a little".

"49 Days" actress Nam Gyu Ri also confessed that she had underwent a few facial surgeries.

Takei Emi reveals her ideal type at “J SPORTS” event

2011-08-26T05:44:00.000-07:00

On August 25th, actress Takei Emi attended a special release event in Tokyo as the image character for the upcoming sports television channel “J SPORTS“, which begins broadcasting on October 1st.

At the event, the young actress cheekily revealed what kind of guy she likes. “(Guys who are) macho in the athletic way are fine,” said Takei, clarifying what she had said about liking “wild guys” at an earlier event. “I look at their upper arms and stuff.”

Since the new channel is centered around sports, Takei also shared her own thoughts on some of her favorites. “Lately, I haven’t been able to play basketball easily, so I’d like to play some sports,” said the actress, who played basketball and football during her elementary school days. “I also like baseball. Since soccer gets me excited too, I’ve been interested in women’s soccer.”

Takei also confessed to being a huge fan of the professional baseball team Chunichi Dragons. “I liked Gomez,” she said of her past crush with a smile. “I’d like to meet the members of the Chunichi Dragons! I’d like to see Doara again too.” When asked about her more recent fandom, Takei excitedly replied, “Asao Takuya’s been on my mind. Wada Kazuhiro too.”

“It’s amazing to be able to relate through the joy of sports,” she said cheerfully to the crowd. “Even if he isn’t a Chunichi fan, it’s okay… he can be my rival (a friend I can talk to about sports).”

Check out photos from the event below!

After School’s tap performance gains praise from international tap dancers

2011-05-14T04:09:00.000-07:00

After School gained worldwide recognition with their powerful tap dance performance.

The idol group recently performed a tap dance version of
‘Let’s Step Up‘ for their comeback. The videos of the performance as well as their music video were revealed on YouTube, gaining attention from netizens around the world as well as from professional tappers.

World famous tap dancer Joseph Wiggan even commented, “I saw After School’s tap dance performance on YouTube and they seem to have many charms. I think they will do well in the world, not only in Korea.”

Fans commented, “I’m so proud of After School”, “I want to see more tap dance performances”, “You guys even do well worldwide.”

The multi-talented group is actively promoting their title song, ‘Shampoo‘.

KARA’s Goo Hara fools around in class for “City Hunter”

2011-05-14T04:08:00.000-07:00

SBS’s upcoming drama, “City Hunter“, recently unveiled a new set of adorable photos featuring KARA’s Goo Hara at work on the drama’s film set.

Hara plays the role of a bright and bubbly girl, who’s also the youngest
daughter of the president. Maybe it’s because of her high status background, but she’s immature when it comes to the real world, so she feels no pressure about applying for college – in fact, she’s already failed once.

In the pictures revealed today, Hara can be seen fooling around during class by eating candy and tuning out the lecture with her headphones. Actress Park Min Young plays the role of her bodyguard, ‘Nana’.

Fans can expect a sweet love confession from Hara, since she falls in love with Lee Min Ho’s character later in the plot. Reportedly, Hara is much-loved on set and was even nicknamed by castmates and staff as ‘cutie Hara Goo‘.

Producers said, “Hara’s image fits so well with her character, ‘Dahye’, and she’s very sincere when it comes to her acting. People can definitely look forward to seeing how Hara will fare as an actress.”

Pledis denies rumors of new sub-unit, ‘Banana Caramel’

2011-05-10T16:03:00.000-07:00

Rumors of a new After School sub-unit called ‘Banana Caramel‘ recently began circulating when fans
noticed Nana and Jungah hanging out more exclusively lately.

Because Pledis revealed that they had another unit in the works, the rumor spread like wildfire after a picture of the two eating bananas surfaced on the ‘net.

Pledis replied to the speculation by asserting that Nana and Jungah are not a unit; furthermore, they firmly stated that they don’t have plans for another unit yet.

The members of After School stated, “All of us are very close to one another so we’re always hanging out together off camera, which is why we think the rumor came about.”

Netizens commented, “Banana Caramel would have been adorable”, “Please debut Banana Caramel too!”, and “They always look so close together.”

Jonghyun, Junsu, Yonghwa, and Hong Ki confirmed for “Immortal Song 2″

2011-05-07T20:56:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week, KBS’s “Immortal Song 2” finalized a six-member line-up for their upcoming variety show. They’ve just added four new names to the list today, which include SHINee’s Jonghyun, 2PM’s Junsu, CNBLUE’s Yonghwa, and F.T. Island’s Hong Ki.

PD Kwon Jae Young spoke through 10asia and stated, “Due to their schedules, they
won’t be with us for the first episode, but they will be joining the show.”

He continued, “The show is a contest amongst six singers. Currently, SHINee’s Jonghyun and 2PM’s Junsu are scheduled to join in the 3rd and 5th episodes respectively, but because there are no eliminations in this show, their appearances aren’t finalized. They’ll be joining when the original six must leave due to conflicting schedules or if they no longer want to be a part of the show.”

In short, Jonghyun, Junsu, Yonghwa, and Hong Ki are included in the line-up, but it’ll be some time before fans can see them competing in the show. “We’re currently discussing a system where singers can leave the show honorably once they won three times,” he added.

K.Will chooses SNSD’s Yuri over IU

2011-05-07T20:53:00.000-07:00

On May 4th, singer v guested on MBC’s “Radio Star” and was asked to choose between IU, the star of his “My Heart Is Beating” music video, and SNSD’s Yuri, the star of his “Tear Drops” music video.

The MCs asked, “Let’s see who is the current ‘trend.’ Pick between the
two of them.”

Seeing K.Will contemplate his decision, fellow guest Wheesung advised him to be careful with his decision, as “the minute you open your mouth, you’re caught.”

After much deliberating, K.Will revealed, “Since IU was in two of my music videos, I’ll go with Yuri. I’d like for her to be in my next music video again.”

Super Junior’s Heechul joked by adding, “Cool’s Yuri“, which led K.Will to burst out in laughter.

BUBKA’s rankings of the most-loved and most-despised women of 2011

2011-05-07T20:48:00.000-07:00

It’s that time of the year again when the monthly magazine and tabloid “BUBKA” releases the results of their infamous questionnaires, where their readers are able to pick the female talents of 2011 they like and hate the most. In addition to those two main rankings, the magazine also asked which woman had the biggest breakthrough in 2011.

Check out the various rankings below!

The Most-Loved Women of 2011

01 – 319 votes – Ayase Haruka
02 – 286 votes – Sasaki Nozomi
03 – 261 votes – Maeda Atsuko (AKB48)
04 – 245 votes – Itano Tomomi (AKB48)
05 – 238 votes – Shinoda Mariko (AKB48)
06 – 197 votes – Hara Mikie
07 – 165 votes – Kitagawa Keiko
08 – 136 votes – Horikita Maki
09 – 124 votes – Oshima Yuko (AKB48)
10 – 113 votes – Aragaki Yui
11 – 104 votes – Takei Emi
12 – 96 votes – Fukada Kyoko
13 – 88 votes – Ueto Aya
14 – 76 votes – Yamamoto Azusa
15 – 62 votes – Yuuka
16 – 60 votes – Watanabe Mayu (AKB48)
17 – 53 votes – Naka Riisa
18 – 46 votes – Kichise Michiko
19 – 41 votes – Kashiwagi Yuki (AKB48)
20 – 34 votes – Suzuki Airi (°C-ute)

Many people who voted for Ayase Haruka this year commented the same things as usual: “I love her round eyes as well as the gentle and soothing feeling she is giving off”, “It’s rare to see someone with such an untainted nature among her peers. We have to protect her” and “She has such a kind personality.”

Runner-up Sasaki Nozomi manged to improve by one rank compared to last year. Thanks to her great looks and style, she is the role-model for many young woman and girls. AKB48’s Maeda Atsuko came in third, ranking the highest among the countless of AKB48 girls that invaded the ranking this year again.

Last year’s third place, Ueto Aya, unfortunately dropped down the 13th place – the effect of her harmonious relationship with EXILE’s HIRO? Another big loser this year was actress Nagasawa Masami. While she was able to win the crown in three consecutive years from 2007 till 2009, she only managed to come in fifth last year and even failed to enter the top 20 at all this time. The fact that she didn’t even appear in “most-despised” ranking, that you can check out below, might indicate that people simply don’t care about her anymore.

The Most-Despised Women of 2011

01 – 612 votes – Sawajiri Erika
02 – 189 votes – Saeko
03 – 166 votes – Komukai Minako
04 – 145 votes – Ueno Juri
05 – 142 votes – Becky
06 – 113 votes – Okamoto Mari
07 – 92 votes – Itano Tomomi (AKB48)
08 – 90 votes – Ueto Aya
09 – 82 votes – Ogura Yuko
10 – 77 votes – Toda Erika
11 – 72 votes – Yoshitaka Yuriko
12 – 61 votes – Hoshino Aki
13 – 53 votes – Kinoshita Yukina
14 – 45 votes – Michishige Sayumi (Morning Musume)
15 – 41 votes – Hirosue Ryoko

It is Sawajiri Erika’s third year in a row to win in this category.

The Women with the Biggest Breakthrough in 2011

01 – 588 votes – Takei Emi
02 – 125 votes – Ohno Ito
03 – 95 votes – Omasa Aya
04 – 76 votes – Yoshiki Risa
05 – 64 votes – Itano Tomomi (AKB48)
06 – 55 votes – Koike Yui (Tomato n’Pine)
07 – 49 votes – Yokoyama Yui (AKB48)
08 – 43 votes – Kawaguchi Haruna
09 – 41 votes – Matsui Jurina (SKE48)
10 – 38 votes – Sakuraba Nanami
11 – 32 votes – Takimoto Miori
12 – 30 votes – Matsui Rena (SKE48)
13 – 28 votes – Fukuhara Haruka
14 – 22 votes – Kikkawa Yuu
15 – 21 votes – Morita Suzuka

Shirota Yu wants to collaborate with Utada Hikaru

2011-05-07T20:44:00.000-07:00

On May 7th, actor Shirota Yu, who recently debuted as a singer under the artist name U, performed at a release event for his debut single “U” in Kawasaki city.

The actor/singer commented, “I’ve wanted to sing since I was 13, and my dream came true after
12 years.”

He performed 3 tracks to an audience of 5000, including the single’s title track and a Spanish song called “Cuando se ama“.

“U” is being used as the theme song for Shirota’s starring drama “Yotsuba Jinja Ura Kagyo Shitsuren Hoken~Kokuraseya“, but he said “I don’t want people think lightly that I sang the theme song because I’m the starring actor.”

When asked who he respected as an artist, Shirota named Utada Hikaru, and stated “I’ve always liked (her). Her outstanding vocal ability and the world view of her lyrics. It’s inappropriate for me to say she’s like me, but I like her lyrics, and I like her melody and arrangement as well.” He added, “I want to collaborate with her one day.”

SCANDAL graces AM2 with their presence!

2011-05-07T20:43:00.000-07:00

Although Anime Expo has just unleashed Kalafina as their musical guest of honor, AM2 has revealed another musical guest of honor. Japanese girl pop rock band SCANDAL is coming back to the states to play for
the American fans.

The girls hail from Osaka, Japan and are from the vocal and dance school Caless, the same school that Shimizu Shota graduated from. They met at the school and formed the band in 2006. In 2008, they made their debut in the indies scene, then later did their first international tour in the U.S., “Japan Nite US Tour 2008“, followed by a performance at Sakura Con that same year.

This performance will be the girls’ third time performing in America, but this time in Anaheim, California. SCANDAL has previously done theme songs to anime shows BLEACH and FULL METAL ALCHEMIST, so they are already somewhat known to American audiences.

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Fans will be able to see the band up close and personal if they get their “passports”, which is good for all three days. Although entrance to the entire convention is free, people who have “passports” can avoid the long lines and even get premier seating at the main events and concert events, as well as major discounts at the surrounding theme parks, retailers, and local restaurants.

Source: AM2

Girls’ Generation Grabs First Place on Billboard Japan Hot 100！

2011-05-05T06:41:00.000-07:00

Girls’ Generation has once again proven their dominance in Japan. The Billboard Japan Hot 100, a chart which tracks sales of music singles each week in Japan, named Girls’ Generation’s new Japanese single ‘MR. TAXI’ as the top single for this week, jumping up from number 46 last week. The Billboard Japan Hot 100 determines chart placement through CD package sales and radio audience level data. Girls’ Generation is the second Korean artist to ever attain first place on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, following fellow

SM Entertainment group TVXQ.

Han Ye Seul involved in a hit and run accident

2011-05-05T06:35:00.000-07:00

Han Ye Seul was recently involved in a hit and run accident. A representative for the actress cleared up any rumors of wrongdoing, saying “The other driver filed a one-sided report.”

On May 2nd, the actress was called to the police station for hitting the car of
Mr. Do in her apartment parking lot without filing an accident report. Mr. Do claimed that he could not move for the next two weeks because of the injuries he sustained from this ‘hit-and-run’.

SidusHQ stated, “The accident took place in Han Ye Seul’s apartment parking lot and the driver of the other car is the chaffeur of another resident. We’re sorry the accident happened but it wasn’t serious. It was a minor situation that involved hitting the other’s driver’s rear end with a rearview mirror. The report was filed one-sidedly, and we’re now working to reach an agreement.”

A representative for Han Ye Seul stated, “She is going to the police on May 6th to give an eyewitness account of what happened. There are some questionable parts of the other person’s report so we’re going to provide CCTV videos as well as call histories. We’re sorry for causing a controversy.”

She added,”Han Ye Seul is preparing to film for KBS’s ‘Spy’s Full Moon‘ as planned.”

Jung Yonghwa, lead role in “You’ve Fallen for Me” news made fans very excited

2011-05-05T06:28:00.000-07:00

The news of Jung Yonghwa as a lead role in a new drama has made the Asia fans extremely excited.

Jung Yonghwa, who grabbed every girls’ hearts with his role as ‘Kang Shinwoo’, the ‘towel boy’ who had a one sided love with the female lead role, Park Shinhye, in his debut drama SBS “You’re Beautiful” last September 2009, landed the lead role in the new MBC Wednesday-Thursday drama, “You’ve Fallen for Me” that is scheduled to air air after
“The Greatest Love” drama (currently airing).

“You’re Beautiful” not only air in Korea, but also exported all over Asia, receiving huge responses and became a nation craze everywhere.

After ‘You’re Beautiful’, Jung Yonghwa has been busy with his activities with his band, CNBLUE, and it has been hard to show his side as an actor. Upon hearing the news, there has been a huge response from fans who have been waiting for Jung Yonghwa to act again, commenting: “We have waited for Jung Yonghwa”, “I wish the drama to be broadcasted soon”.

A representative from Jung Yonghwa’s agency, FNC Music, stated, “Since Jung Yonghwa debuted first as an actor in “You’re Beautiful”, there have been a lot of fans who are waiting to see him as an actor again. After hearing that Asia fans are looking forward to the drama, Jung Yonghwa is more committed (to this drama).”

Meanwhile, CNBLUE is currently promoting their follow up song ‘Love Girl’.

Tohoshinki (TVXQ) to release a new song, “I Don’t Know”!

2011-05-05T06:17:00.000-07:00

Pop duo Tohoshinki (TVXQ) has announced that they will be distributing a new song over Recochoku and mu-mo!

The song is titled “I Don’t Know” and will begin distribution on
May 11th. For a limited time, Recochoku will be offering eight versions of the download featuring an exclusive photo of the boys as a gift for purchasing the song.

Stay tuned for more on a potential single release by Tohoshinki!

SNSD's Korean Comeback in September

2011-04-13T20:01:00.000-07:00

Girls' Generation will be doing their korean comeback this September!

According to information revealed by industry representatives on April 13th, the girls are
currently recording for their next Korean album, which is rumored for release this September. This will mark almost a year since SNSD unleashed “Hoot” back in October of 2010.

Representatives of SM Entertainment confirmed, “There is a high chance that SNSD will be making a Korean comeback in the second half of 2011. Whether it’s for this September has yet to be confirmed.”

SNSD will be focusing on their Japanese promotions from May through July.

TRAX’s Jay cast as male lead in a new drama

2011-04-13T04:43:00.000-07:00

TRAX’s Jay (a.k.a Typhoon) has been working on his acting chops lately by taking on supporting roles. He was the half brother of fellow SM labelmate Sungmin in the drama,“President”, and took part in the musical, “The Three Musketeers“. The young star will now be making his lead-role debut in the upcoming
KBS1TV daily drama, “Our Girls“. He’ll be co-starring alongside actress Jung Eun Chae, who most recently appeared in Wheesung’s MV for “Words that Freeze My Heart“.

KBS confirmed that they had recently cast the duo, and said, “Please expect their charming and passionate acting.”

Jay will be playing the role of ‘Lee Sae In’, a spoiled and immature heir, while Jung Eun Chae will be playing ‘Go Eun Nim’, a poor girl who faces difficult situations with a positive attitude.

The two will be joined by former After School member-turned-actress Yoo Sooyoung and actress Kang Sora.

Sounds like your typical K-drama fare, but we’ll be keeping you updated with more information as it becomes available!

Source: OSEN

U-KISS’s Dongho reveals that he ran away from home

2011-04-13T02:43:00.000-07:00

On April 12th, U-KISS’s Dongho guested on SBS’s “Strong Heart” and shared a story of when he ran away from home.

During a particularly tumultuous time in his life, Dongho revealed that he had packed everything he
owned into a big bag and left his home for… the bank. Despite his young age, Dongho explained, “I asked and found out that I had quite a lot under my name. I sold all of my stocks and ELS and withdrew everything I had in my account.”

At the mention of ELS, the studio began murmuring amongst themselves, clearly confused over what it was. Even Lee Seung Gi, known to be the smarter of the MCs, claimed to have heard it for the first time through Dongho.

To the amusement of the studio, Shindong asked, “Is it like an ARS?”

Dongho continued, “It’s not anything important. Anyway, I withdrew all of the cash and felt like I finally had the world back in my hands. I really regret not leaving home earlier.”

He revealed that he had chosen to go to Busan in order to see the ocean and had reserved a room at one of the top hotels in the city.

Moon Hee Jun cut him off and asked, “You know what an ELS is, but you don’t know that you can also see the ocean in Incheon as well?”

After much laughter, Dongho eventually concluded his story by stating that he had given up his plans of running away to Busan and left instead for his grandfather’s, who was also celebrating his 80th birthday.

Suddenly tearing up, he showed regret over his actions by stating, “What still gets me is that in all of the pictures from my grandfather’s 80th birthday, I’m not in any of them. It was such a joyful celebration for everyone, but my parents can be seen with their faces white with fear and forcing a smile for the camera. That really broke my heart.”

4minute beats Big Bang on online charts with ‘Mirror, Mirror’, experiences a huge increase in popularity

2011-04-13T02:41:00.000-07:00

4minute’s ‘Mirror, Mirror’ ranked first on various online music charts.

In the afternoon of April 12th, 4minute beat Big Bang’s ‘Love Song’ on various online music charts such as Mnet, Dosirak, Soribada, Cyworld, Monkey3. They swept the first spot and are now seen
dominating the charts.

At first, 4minute, who released ‘Mirror, Mirror’ and ‘Heart to Heart’ previously, kind of struggled on online music charts. However, through their fancy performances and stage mannerism, they have captivated music fans and hence skyrocketed up online music charts.

They demonstrated the power of a typical girl group that relies on performances. The performances of their two title tracks, in which the dynamics are evenly distributed, entertained the music fans. They have been praised for their overwhelming performances : not only the cute dance routine that matches the mood of the songs but also the “mirror dance” and the “sweeping floor dance”, their movements and their facial expressions when acting on stage have been enjoyed by the fans.

After School to make their comeback in late April with the help of Daishi Dance

2011-04-13T02:39:00.000-07:00

Good news, the girls will be making their comeback this month with their newest
member Yiyoung, through a full-length album.

Their comeback is drawing lots of attention from the industry, thanks to the big names participating in the album. Their new song was composed by Japanese producer Daishi Dance (who also composed Big Bang’s “Haru Haru“) and was written by Won Tae Yeon (who wrote Hyun Bin’s “That Man“).

A representative from Pledis Entertainment said,

“As this album will be a way to get them one step closer to the public, they are ardently preparing with their ‘hidden card’ that will show off After School’s colors. Please anticipate it.“

After School plans to make their comeback in late April. Stay tuned to allkpop for more info!

Jay Park releases photo teaser for new mini-album, “Take A Deeper Look”

2011-04-13T02:35:00.001-07:00

As he gears up for his official comeback this month, singer Jay Park has released a teaser poster for his new
mini-album, “Take A Deeper Look“!

Jay Park is seen with his back turned to the camera, as his head angles slightly to provide a masculine profile. His impressive physique and tattoo completed what his fans called his “Sexy back“.

His mini-album will contain a total of seven tracks, including “Abandoned”, “오늘 밤 (Tonight)”, and “It Has to Be You”. The significance behind his title is said to be an expression of both his personal growth, and his determination to keep pushing forward with his career.

Jay Park has quite the year ahead of him, as he was also recently cast for an upcoming idol movie, “Mr. Idol”, which is scheduled to hit theaters by the second half of 2011.

“Take A Deeper Look” will be released on April 27th.

Barbie Hsu obeys her mother-in-law

2011-04-13T02:31:00.001-07:00

Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu is just like any other woman when facing her
mother-in-law.

The couple was recently embroiled in a quarrel with Zhang Chao Yang, the CEO of Chinese website Sohu.com, after he streamed their entire wedding ceremony 'live' on the site.

To keep their wedding a secret, the pair even went all out to ban any recording devices from the event. When the live stream was uploaded, it caused Barbie to bear the brunt of the Taiwanese media's criticisms.

The actress insisted that she was going to sue Zhang while Xiaofei wrote on his blog that he "regretted inviting him to the wedding".

However, Zhang Lan, Barbie's mother-in-law, spoke up for Zhang, saying that reporting on the wedding was his responsibility. The older woman explained that Barbie wanted to sue because she felt aggrieved.

Zhang Lan added that there is no right or wrong in this matter and that it is more important for both parties understand each other.

To let matters rest, the blog entry on Xiaofei's blog was taken down and the war of words between the couple and Zhang ended.

Source: XinMSN

JYJ’s Jaejoong dishes on loneliness, Twitter, and the change in JYJ’s music

2011-04-12T22:24:00.000-07:00

JYJ’s Kim Jae Joong recently sat down with Hankooki for an lengthy interview, where he opened up to talk about a variety of personal matters such as dating, his Twitter account, and his
music career.

Jaejoong had just finished another interview with a different newspaper company at a cafe in Seoul when he met with Hankooki, and at the time, he looked bright and happy as he had “drunk a few glasses of wine.”

While on their way to a pub in Samsong-dong for the interview, Jaejoong began to share his thoughts on the recent Japanese earthquake and radioactive problem as a way to ‘break the ice’ in the car. Surprised by his considerably profound opinions on the matter, the interviewer asked, “Do you read a lot of books?”, to which the singer answered, “Rather than books, I learn a lot from other people.”

After arriving at the pub, Jaejoong put down a total of six cellphones on the aluminum table, one of which include the phone he uses in Japan. He explained that each phone is for business-related use, and doesn’t own a particular phone just for family. Jaejoong also revealed that there was a time when he deleted over 1,000 contacts, saying, “As I kept plowing through my troubles with my own strength, I realized that I had become distant with a few people. I didn’t keep in contact out of my gloom, which is why I think I have a smaller number of people around me for support now… But with that being said, I still have my members and fans.”

Within Jaejoong’s words also contained a deeper level of complications and hardships. The biography on his personal Twitter reads ‘JYJ from TVXQ‘, however on interview days, Jaejoong changes it to just ‘JYJ.‘. The singer explained, “The fact that TVXQ was my first is definite, and that will never change. There’s no other reason behind it. It’s the same as for my ‘JYJ.’; when I woke up in the morning, I felt that my whole life was about ‘JYJ’, which is why I changed it. The period, or full stop? Well, that really has no meaning behind it… haha.”

During his other interviews on the same day, Jaejoong openly confessed that he’s dated a total of four times. He also revealed a few complicated stories regarding his family, but emphasized that he wanted to focus on talking about ‘music’.

“I learned a lot after being given the role of executive director for a stage performance in Thailand. When I was given that role, I had a lot of worries. If it goes well, it’s thanks to the staff, if it turns out bad, it would’ve been my fault. I wanted to take full responsibility for everything. Before the concert began, I went early to carefully check everything from the arrangement to the stage timings. It was a relief that it finished well, but to be honest, it was thanks to the huge help of Junsu and Yoochun, haha.”

JYJ held their ‘World Tour 2011′ in Thailand last February and March at Bangkok’s Impact Arena for over 2,200 fans. With the help of other staff members, Jaejoong created of the lighting, traffic flow and outfits for the concert from scratch. He even used stop watches in order to directly check the perfect timing of how long they have backstage to get ready for their next stage.

“Since I am a singer, there are a lot of times when I think, ‘Ah, I wonder what it’d be like if we had something like this’. If I get to become the director more frequently, don’t you reckon I’ll soon be able to create an even more complete stage?”

Jaejoong also expressed, “The fans would’ve felt it too, but I think our music have changed very slightly. We never used to have a song like ‘Fallen Leaves’ before. It’s true that we were hesitant on whether we could pull off a song without a beat. We’re thinking of learning more about harmonics in order to keep pursuing change. After producing songs by ourselves, we felt the need to learn more about musical theory as our background.”

As time went on, the soju bottle began to empty, and Jaejoong’s words became more genuine than light-hearted. He began to express his inner thoughts on the situation with his former agency, colleagues, and the juniors who are changing, and talked about the wall that is slowly forming due to his sufferings and scars. Jaejoong consistently expressed that he wishes to participate in a variety of activities and promotions like the other members.

Jaejoong hoped that once the controversy with his former agency died down a bit, he would be able to meet his fans frequently via TV broadcast. However, his hopes have yet to be fulfilled. When asked if he was lonely, he laughed and answered, “Where and how can I meet with my fans? To be honest, most of my worries are based on just that. I believe that it’ll turn out ok. I’m planning to sing for the rest of my life, so it’s not like I can get tired of it, haha.”

Source: Hankooki

Toda Erika to become a police dog handler for new movie, “DOG x POLICE”

2011-04-12T14:36:00.000-07:00

Actress Toda Erika is going to team up with police dogs for a new movie called
“DOG x POLICE“, starring actor Ichihara Hayato.

The movie is going to focus on police dogs and their trainers as they have to hunt down a serial bomber. Police dogs are used to detect dangerous substances, oppress criminals and for rescue operations after calamities such as the Great Tohoku Kanto Earthquake. “We want to convey a story about police dogs whose mission it is to save people’s lives,” the producer explained.

Toda is going to play a policewoman who is training dogs in order to become versatile police dogs. Those people are also known as dog handlers.

Prior to the filming Toda had to go through some thorough training and started to fall in love with the amazing police dogs. She commented, “I knew that they are really helpful when it comes to detecting things like drugs or rescue operations in destroyed areas, but thanks to the training I learned that those dogs are actually also able to prevent crimes.”

Five of the dogs that participated in the filming were dispatched to North-East Japan after the great earthquake that struck the country on March 11th. Just thinking about the fact the dogs she worked with during the filming are now saving lives caused Toda to put even more effort into this movie. She said, “I want to convey – No, it feels like it’s my duty now to convey the great effort and the passion of police dogs and their handlers and all the troubles they have to deal with every day. This is what I can do right now. This is how I’m feeling about this movie now.”

Ichihara, Tokita Saburo, and others were filming in Kawagoe, Saitama when the earthquake struck Japan. Fortunately nobody was hurt, but since it was impossible to resume filming at this location the production had come to a halt for more than two weeks. They were able to continue filming thanks to the cooperation of the Kobe Film Office that already had to deal with the Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995.

The producer added, “We want to create some wonderful entertainment that is able to get people all over the country excited, touched, give them courage, and also make them smile again.”

“DOG x POLICE” is scheduled to open in Japan on October 1st.

KARA sets another record for foreign female artists in Japan!

2011-04-11T22:04:00.000-07:00

KARA has done it! Even with the contract dispute with its three members – Kang Ji Young, Han Seung Yeon, and Nicole, the girls of KARA managed to become the first Korean girl group to take the
no. 1 spot on the Oricon weekly charts.

Their album Jet Coaster Love was originally planned to be released on March 23rd but was pushed back to April 6th because of the recent Japanese disaster. The album managed to sell over 123,000 copies within its first week. This is the first time in the 43 year history of the Oricon charts (est. January 1968) that a foreign group has ranked the top spot within such a short period of its release. In November 17, 1980, Irish group Nolans took the no. 1 spot with Dancing Sister but that was after 16 weeks of its release.

KARA follows in the footsteps of BoA and DBSK in topping off the Oricon charts. KARA members commented, “Jet Coaster Love has been named no. 1. We’ll work harder so that our songs will help people get through tough periods.” Unfortunately, it wasn’t the thank you message fans were expecting.

2011 Dream Concert Lineup Revealed

2011-04-11T21:31:00.000-07:00

It has been officially announced by 2011 Dream Concert's official twitter that there'll be several high profile kpop groups attending the event. Find out who'll be performing!

2011드림콘서트가.올해 가장 빛났던 별들과 함께 감미롭고 파워풀하게 때론 아름답게 반짝거리는. 많은 기대 부탁드립니다!^^
2011 Dream Concert. Together with super shining stars, this year’s stages will be lovely, powerful and at times, beautifully lit up. Please look forward to it!^^

Here is the confirmed list of idols at the event:

T-ara
TVXQ
Jay Park
Super Junior
SNSD
SHINee
After School
Secret
C.N. Blue
U-Kiss
4Minute
Big Bang
2NE1
Beast
F(x)
MBLAQ
G.NA
IU
2AM

The venue will be held at Seoul World Cup Stadium on 28th of May, 2011 @ 6:30pm

The big event is expected to be a blast this year.

f(x) unveils group comeback teaser photo

2011-04-11T21:28:00.000-07:00

Having completed their teaser photo cycle for the individual members, the ladies of f(x) unveiled a group shot, delighting the fans who are eagerly waiting for their return.

On April 12th, fans got to see a shot from their
“Pinocchio” album, which exudes a chic, yet bright image.

If that’s not enough, SM Entertainment has announced that they’ll release an official teaser video through their YouTube channel on April 15th. Fans will be able to better grasp f(x)’s mysterious theme through the teaser. Their album will be released officially on the 20th.

Stay tuned to allkpop for further updates on f(x)’s comeback!

Aaron Yan Spends 2nd Week On Top

2011-04-11T21:22:00.000-07:00

Aaron Yan's debut solo album "The Next Me" spends its 2nd week at number one on the G-Music charts.

Aaron Yan, a member of the boyband Fahrenheit, continues to top the charts. His solo debut album "The Next Me" debuted at number 1 last week and holds onto this position for the 2nd week in a row. While his sales aren't as dominating as last week, Aaron still managed to
account for over 15% of all album sales.

New to the charts this week are Jeremy Ji with his 2nd album "Yu Ren". Korean band C.N. Blue also debuted on the chart with their new album "First Step".

The top 10 abums for the week of 04/01/2011 - 04/07/2011 were:
1. Aaron Yan - The Next Me, 15.24%
2. Show Luo - Only For You, 9.92%
3. Jeremy Ji - Yu Ren, 5.97%
4. Yang Pei An - The Seeds Of Hope, 2.41%
5. Avril Lavigne - Goodbye Lullaby, 1.9%
6. Mark Chang - Open Heart, 1.73%
7. Wang Cai Hua - You Chang You Bao Bi, 1.52%
8. Stefanie Sun - It's Time, 1.33%
9. JJ Lin - She Says, 1.16%
10. C.N. Blue - First Step, 0.99%

Shoujo Jidai Releases “Run Devil Run” PV!

2011-04-10T22:28:00.000-07:00

Having teased SOnes all over the world yesterday, the full PV for Shoujo Jidai’s ”Run Devil Run” has finally been revealed through SPACE SHOWER TV on April 9th.

Just like in the original Korean PV, this new version has the girls decked out in familar
black and white outfits, but with more elaborate and powerful dance moves. They’ve also improved the overall quality of the video with better scenes and new haircuts for some girls.

Stay tuned for more on the girls with their “Mr. Taxi” single, set to be released later this month on the 27th. All proceeds will go towards helping victims of the recent natural disasters.

Watch the video below!

Yakusho Koji, Oguri Shun team up for “Kitsutsuki to Ame”

2011-04-10T04:41:00.000-07:00

In February, Kadokawa Pictures announced a movie called “Kitsutsuki to Ame” as part of its 2011-2012 lineup. Details about the project were released, revealing that Yakusho Koji (55) and Oguri Shun (28) will be playing the lead roles. This is their first time
appearing on-screen together.

Directed by Okita Shuichi (“Nankyoku Ryourinin”), the movie is an original comedy that Okita wrote in collaboration with Moriya Fumio. Oguri plays a faint-hearted rookie movie director named Koichi who takes his film crew to a mountain village for a shoot. The villagers wind up getting involved, and in particular, Koichi meets a lumberjack named Katsuhiko (Yakusho) and forces him to help out with the movie.

Other cast members include Kora Kengo, Usuda Asami, Ibu Masato, and Yamazaki Tsutomu.

Filming is expected to finish in late April, with theatrical release planned for later this year.

Rainbow reigns with success on various music charts

2011-04-10T04:27:00.001-07:00

Girl group Rainbow recently unleashed their mini-album “SO女“, and since the release, the girls have been doing well on various music charts.

Rainbow has just started to promote their album, but ‘To Me‘ has been entering the top 5 on
many digital music websites already. On the Mnet music chart, Rainbow is placed 4th, and on Melon, Soribada, and Daum, ‘To Me’ is placed in 2nd, proving the song’s great popularity.

UEE’s CF for ‘Le Coq Sportif’ released

2011-04-10T04:18:00.000-07:00

Last month, After School’s UEE transformed into a beautiful golfer‘Le Coq Sportif’, playing off her role in the defunct golf drama Birdie Buddy.

Now, a full CF featuring the honey thigh beauty has been released, I’m sure the boys of CNBLUE are quite pleased.

Check out the CF below!

SS501's Heo Young Saeng to Release Debut Album

2011-04-10T04:09:00.000-07:00

Heo Young Saeng (SS501) has announced the release of his debut album, the album is set for release on
April 28th.

No further details regarding the single has been revealed, like how many tracks it will have etc. What has been revealed is that it won't be a slow ballad, but an upbeat dance track. He will also collaborate with KARA's song writer Sweetunes to create this album, the album is titled 'Let It Go' and will be out on April 28th.

Heo Youn Saeng is the last member of SS501 that is releasing a debut album/single, not surprising considering his fellow band mates success.

CNBLUE chose After School’s UEE over IU

2011-04-09T16:28:00.000-07:00

On April 7th, CNBLUE guested on SBS Power FM’s “Choi Ha Jung’s Power Time” and put their teamwork to the test by answering a series of questions that asked them to choose ‘A’ or ‘B’. Should they choose the same answer, they’d pass the round.

Hilariously, the boys failed to get it right when asked to choose between a ‘kiss and
back hugs’ and ‘intellectual charm and ingenuous beauty’, but came to a concensus when asked to choose between ‘IU and After School’s UEE‘.

All four members had exclaimed, “UEE!”

The group immediately expressed their surprise and stared at one another in awe while listeners enviously commented, “UEE must be happy.” When asked to choose between abs or a cute behind, the members all chose abs, rounding out their teamwork points to two.

Their interview transitioned onto the topic of their ideal women, to which Jonghyun replied, “Someone who’s fun to be with.” Jungshin added, “I’d like an older woman that has a higher mental age,” while Yonghwa stated, “A girl with clear eyes and long, straight hair.”

Minhyuk surprised the rest by replying, “I want to meet a variety of different women, but my ideal woman is gagwoman Song Euni.”

Lee Hyori for Chinese clothing brand sCAT

2011-04-09T16:11:00.000-07:00

Lee Hyori, even at the (relatively) ripe old age 32, is still proving why she’s Korea’s sexiest diva.

On a internet message board, pictures of Lee Hyori modeling for Chinese clothing brand, sCAT has attracted the admiration and praise of netizens. In one picture, the gorgeous Lee Hyori is posing in
front of a background of swirling letters. She shows off her S-line body, chest and slender waistline creating a sexy image for picture.

In another picture, Lee Hyori shows her ”sporty” appeal, looking sexy, but cute with a 1960’s hairdo and vintage mic in hand.

For both pictures, the reaction from netizens has been nothing but adulatory. “I can’t believe that’s the body of a 30 year old“, “Looks as if she’s returning to her top position“, and “Face, body, everything is the best and she’s perfect like a sexy star.”

In addition to photoshoots, Lee Hyori is prepping for her upcoming comeback in June and working as an animal rights activist.

Rainbow unveils their music video “To Me…”!

2011-04-09T04:18:00.000-07:00

Back on April 5th, Rainbow released the teaser for their comeback track, “To Me…“, and just moments ago, their music video was unveiled!

In contrast to the ‘blooming flower girl’ concept the members exhibited earlier, Rainbow transformed into sleek and confident women out to take revenge against
the man who betrayed them.

As previously reported, their title track was produced by none other than Japan’s Daishi Dance, and since parts of the choreography were reportedly adapted from the international box office hit, “Black Swan“, anticipation is high.

Check out the music video below.

Aya Hirano has been prohibited from acting in an Anime

2011-04-08T03:48:00.000-07:00

Aya Hirano has announced that she has been prohibited from acting in any new anime series.

Well known voice actress Aya Hirano made a shocking announcement today on her twitter account. The 23 year old voice actress tweeted that she has been prohibited from acting in any
new anime series. This ban had actually been made last year. Aya did not give a reason for the ban or said who was responsible for it, leaving netizens wondering what is going on.

Despite the setback in her voice acting career, Aya will still be working on the anime series she is currently still a part of: Maria Holic, Fairy Tail and Jewelpet. She stated that she is thankful to still be working on these series.

Aya Hirano is a well known Japanese voice actor who has worked on popular series such as "The Meloncholy of Haruhi Suzumiya and Death Note. Will you miss her voice acting work?

Shoujo Jidai confirms release date for “Mr. Taxi”

2011-04-07T08:19:00.000-07:00

Shoujo Jidai has announced that they will be releasing their third single, “Mr. Taxi“, on April 27th!

“Mr. Taxi” was originally scheduled to drop on April 13th, but due to the great natural disasters that struck Japan earlier in March, music distributors delayed the release of new singles and albums to the next month.

On April 6th, representatives from SM Entertainment stated, “Shoujo Jidai has been
working extremely hard on their new Japanese single, so we’re glad that they will be able to greet their Japanese fans once more with a new image.”

Akanishi Jin calls for support through video message

2011-04-07T08:08:00.000-07:00

The results of the first day of the “Marching J” fundraiser held by talent agency Johnny & Associates on April 1st. Today marked the second day of the event.

On April 2nd, popular group SMAP participated in the charity event held outside of Yoyogi Gym 1 in Tokyo. The event is raising money to support disaster relief in Japan. A total of 127,000 people visited the event on its second day, exceeding the 101,000 visitors of the first day. SMAP’s Katori Shingo (34) commented, “I was reminded of how amazing Johnny’s is”. Kimura Takuya (38) was moved by
the event, saying, “I’m happy that everyone came, and that they are smiling”.

Currently staying in the United States to prepare for his American debut, Akanishi Jin (26) delivered a video message projected on a giant screen on the stage. “I’m disappointed that I can’t be there with you guys. My family lives in Tokyo, and I hate that I can’t be with them right now”, he said, frowning. Then he issued a call to the crowd, saying, “Let’s come together to support our own”.

Akanishi also mentioned the event on his Twitter: “By the way thank u 2 all the ppl who attended Johnny’s charity event n japan.My apologies for only being able to be there as a video message“.

Also in Tokyo April 2 for the first day of a theater production was V6’s Inohara Yoshihiko (34), who rushed to the event before the performance to voice his support.

Big Bang tires netizens and industry representatives with their refusal to appear on “Music Bank?

2011-04-07T00:49:00.001-07:00

Although they apparently came to a compromise last month, KBS and Big Bang are at it again, as Big Bang was recently reported to have rejected an appearance on “Music Bank“.

A representative of a broadcast company shared with Newsen, “A day before their recording for ‘Music Bank,’ Big Bang told producers that they would not be appearing on the show because they were not
a nominee for the ‘K-Chart‘.”

He continued, “Two weeks ago, Big Bang was promised a two-track stage, but after finding out that the ‘K-Chart’ nominees were TVXQ and K.Will, they suddenly changed their decision and said they would not be attending.”

As it turns out, representatives of YG Entertainment had indeed put up a notice for fans asking them to attend the pre-recording for Big Bang, but “Music Bank” later put up a notice saying that plans were canceled due to a personal reason from the artists’ end.

According to a majority of music and broadcast representatives, “Music Bank” had prepared a ’spring special’ with a bigger time slot. In order to make up for past controversies, “Music Bank” offered Big Bang a two-track stage, which YG had accepted. Unfortunately, a day before the recording was to be held, Big Bang called in saying that they would not be appearing, which representatives have interpreted to mean, “Aren’t they basically saying that they refuse to appear if they’re not a nominee for the ‘K-Chart’?”

YG Entertainment had tried to clarify that there “was a misunderstanding“, but the damage had already been done.

A representative of “Music Bank” replied, “We have nothing else left to say on matters regarding Big Bang’s ‘Music Bank’ appearance.’”

It’s not only KBS who’s frustrated by the turn of events, but industry and broadcast representatives as well. They reportedly lost their trust in YG and Big Bang because of this arrogant attitude, and many have concluded that it will be Big Bang who will lose ground should they “refuse to appear if they are not the best.”

One broadcast PD added, “Without any special reasons, the fact that they canceled a day before the recording was undeniably discourteous. KBS had given them a two-track stage, what does that make the producers then? After this, it’s going to be hard for them to be invited again, because nothing will ensure that this won’t happen again.”

Another industry representative stated, “YG Entertainment is too focused on winning. What fans want is the performance, not the win. There are fans who have been waiting for Big Bang’s comeback, but they haven’t been able to see as much of the group as they can because of the continued discord between YG Entertainment and broadcast companies. Both parties need to figure out the reason for the discord and reflect on what’s best, because there’s a big possibility that the fans will get tired of it and turn their backs.”

AKB48 and Weekly Playboy send out a message of support

2011-04-06T20:34:00.000-07:00

This week’s edition of the Weekly Playboy contains a special pictorial featuring the girls of AKB48 along with a great encouraging message to everyone in Japan, “We don’t give up! Ganbarou Nippon!”

Unlike the typical pictorials with fancy outfits and locations, this pictorial was a simple yet powerful set of pictures showing the girls with a great fighting spirit in order to show everyone that no matter how big the catastrophe, Japan has the strength to overcome it.

You can also check out a video message below:

AKB48’s Chicken Tattzters release more CMs + making of video

2011-04-06T08:56:00.000-07:00

AKB48’s Sashihara Rino, Takahashi Minami, Minegishi Minami, and Kitahara Rie would be turning into Chicken Tattzters for Hotto Motto.

The group has just released more CMs, as well as a cute and funny making of video.

Check them out below!

Big Bang releases lyrics for “Stupid Liar”

2011-04-06T08:54:00.000-07:00

There’s only two days left until Big Bang drops their re-packaged mini-album, and the teasers just keep rolling in.

After unveiling individual cuts of the members over the past five days, YG Entertainment decided to release a group shot this time around. Big Bang’s style got toned down to something more
simplistic – the boys are seen rocking different outfits of black and white, adjusted accordingly to their personal tastes. The overall look evokes an air of maturity and thoughtfulness.

The YG-life blog attached a second component to its “D-2″ teaser, found in the form of full lyrics for Big Bang’s “Stupid Liar“. The lyrics read as follows:

oo hoo ooh-ooh ooh-ooh
Welcome back (How you doin ladies)
yoo hoo y’all already know what it is
ooh-ooh (you can’t touch this
YG and another big bang
I’m so stupid, I’m so stupid, I’m so stupid in love x2

(Seungri) How could you be so, how could you be so
I can’t believe you (I hate all girls)
You’re the one that threw me away, but if you come back, I’ll crumble

(GD) You said you were sick, you said you were busy with homework
You said it’ll only be a moment, so you can enjoy a cup of tea with your friends
But pitiful me, I try to act like a man
I acted like I didn’t know, but why is it always the same pattern
Every time you open your mouth, you spit out a lie
Your nose is growing, just like Pinocchio

(Daesung) What’s your truth? What am I to you?
I won’t just let it go this time

(Taeyang) Monday to Sunday, am I just a choice?
Baby don’t lie to me oh

(GD) Hey, I’m going crazy, I’m going crazy
Look at you acting like you don’t know anything
But now I’m getting tired of it, I’m getting tired
Let’s stop meeting now, because I know what’s going on
Baby I don’t hate you
I like you the way you are
I’m going crazy, I’m getting tired
Liar liar stupid liar liar liar liar x2

(Daesung) In your covered smile is a hidden gaze, who are you looking at?
Every time you do that, I get so scared
I get all nervous, wondering if my friends saw

(TOP) If only we could go back, back, back
If I’m so broken
But it’s too late
Fatigued over something that’s burdened you
Whatever the case, love is a sin against each other
We’re all like children, blaming others for our pain

(GD) Hey, I’m going crazy, I’m going crazy
Look at you acting like you don’t know anything
But now I’m getting tired of it, I’m getting tired
Let’s stop meeting now, because I know what’s going on
Baby I don’t hate you
I like you the way you are
I’m going crazy, I’m getting tired
Liar liar stupid liar liar liar liar x2

(Taeyang) Behind that pretty face lies someone else who I hate
Can’t we just turn back to when we first met?
I’m so stupid, I’m so stupid, I’m so stupid
I am stupid, I’m so stupid, stupid
I’m so stupid, I’m so stupid, I’m so stupid (oh no)

(GD) Hey, I’m going crazy, I’m going crazy
Look at you acting like you don’t know anything
But now I’m getting tired of it, I’m getting tired
Let’s stop meeting now, because I know what’s going on
Baby I don’t hate you
I like you the way you are
I’m going crazy, I’m getting tired
Liar liar stupid liar liar liar liar

Though many VIPs are agonizing over the week’s slow crawl, these numerous teasers are providing them with a little relief until the full mini-album drops on Friday.

Morning Musume appears on PON! to promote new single

2011-04-06T08:40:00.000-07:00

Morning Musume members Michishige Sayumi, Mitsui Aika, and Sayashi Riho appeared on”PON!” today in order to promote their new single, “Maji desu ka Ska“, slated for release on April 6th.

The three members chatted with the hosts about their childhoods, and showed rare pictures of the members before they joined Morning Musume, including a picture of Sayashi performing in second grade, and Michishige’s aerobics performance at age 9. Sayashi, who is just beginning middle
school this month, talked about how she looked up to Morning Musume since she was in kindergarten, and pointed out that she wasn’t born yet when their first single, “Morning Coffee” was released.

The hosts also mentioned that Sayashi’s last name is quite rare. The name comes from a family of katana scabbard makers who lived near Himeji Castle, and Sayashi’s uncle Sayashi Tomoya is a former outfielder for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp. Sayashi stated that there are only about 12 Sayashi families in all of Japan, and she already knows that 5 or 6 are related to her, so she’d like to meet the remaining few.

With Mitsui talking about her beloved dog, and Michishige talking about her “Most Hated” ranking, it’s a must-watch! Watch the video below.

B2ST’s Junhyung and Dongwoon to host A Pink’s “A Pink News” next

2011-04-06T08:38:00.000-07:00

B2ST’s Junhyung and Dongwoon will be appearing as special anchors for the April 8th episode of “A Pink News“, a reality show from TrendE that focuses exclusively on A Pink. The show captures A Pink’s daily life as they prepare to make their debut. It was revealed that the B2ST members wrapped up filming very
quickly with their remarkable ad-libs and MCing skills.

The upcoming episode will capture the girls going on a ‘MT’, known as membership training. Hilariously, the girls disrupted their teamwork mentality after they blurted each other’s secrets less than two hours after leaving for the MT. The show hints that their true personalities will also be revealed as the group gets divided over food.

This week, a special corner called ‘Accusation at the Scene’ will be shown, where only the truth about A Pink members will be revealed. The filming staff gave a small spoiler, stating, “An object that shouldn’t belong to any girl group will be revealed [in the corner].”

Another corner, called ‘This Week’s Hot Person’, will discuss the ‘rumors’ surrounding the youngest member, Ha Young. The maknae is already piquing interest due to her unusually mature appearance, her inquisitive mind, as well as her champion-like appetite.

A Pink is composed of seven members, who have all previously appeared in B2ST’s ‘Beautiful‘ MV, as well as in their Japanese ‘Shock‘ MV.

KARA releases dance version and making-of PV for “Jet Coaster Love”

2011-04-06T08:27:00.000-07:00

Girl group KARA has just unveiled another version of their MV for their latest track, “Jet Coaster Love”!

From start to finish, this version of their colorful music video focuses mainly on their dance choreography. This new MV release will coincide with the offline release of their single, which was delayed due to the unfortunate tragedy that struck Japan last month.

The girls have also released a ‘making-of’ video for the MV, so be sure to check out both below:

MV:

Head choreographers choose the best female and male idol dancer

2011-04-06T08:22:00.000-07:00

Sports Hankooki recently surveyed the leaders of five famous dance teams, asking them to choose an idol group member who they felt best excelled in dancing. Three out of the five chose Big Bang’s Taeyang, placing him at first; incidentally, these three choreographers are from Korea’s “Big 3? companies – YG Entertainment, JYP Entertainment, and
SM Entertainment.

YG Entertainment’s head choreographer, High Tech’s Lee Jae Wook, commented, “There’s no other idol who could follow the strength, skill, and facial expressions Taeyang uses in his dance.”

JYP Entertainment’s head choreographer, Park Nam Yong, added, “His moves are clean and he’s exceptional at expressing his emotions.”

SM Entertainment’s head choreographer, Beat Burger’s Hwang Sang Hoon, praised, “His skill is exceptional.”

On the other hand, Play Dance’s Park Sang Hyun, who choreographed SECRET’s “Magic” and “Madonna“, chose Jay Park. He reasoned, “Jay Park is able to take on dances from both the old school and new school. …Maybe it’s because Jay Park grew up in the States, but he doesn’t follow the trends and creates his own style.”

Prepix’s Ha Woo Sin, the head choreographer for B2ST, chose members Junhyung and Hyunseung. ”Yong Junhyung professionally pursued dance and dreamt of becoming a dancer before he became a B2ST member. Because of that, every single one of his gestures set him apart from the other idol members. Jang Hyunseung is your traditional practice mania.”

Although they were able to come up with a majority consensus on male dancers, opinions on female dancers were divided; 2NE1’s Minzy and BoA were joint first with two votes each.

Lee Jae Wook reasoned, “Minzy has the ability of turning any dance into her own style,” while Park Sang Hun added, “Minzy is eye-catching. She has great technique when it comes to expressing a dance.”

Hwang Sang Hoon chose BoA, explaining, “She has the power of dominating a stage. I’d love to be able to see BoA and Taeyang on stage together.”

Ha Woo Sin gave a big thumbs up to miss A’s Min. “Min has great power and is also understanding of local dances, most likely because she grew up in the States. I think she has a great understanding of dances, and is a great dancer overall.”

f(x), SHINee, and more attend tvN’s first recording for “Opera Star 2011?

2011-04-05T08:14:00.000-07:00

Before the live broadcast of tvN’s “Opera Star 2011“, tvN held a photo wall event at the Sang Myung Art Center in Seoul. This star-studded event saw a list of stars turning up to support their mates and included the likes of f(x)’s Victoria, Krystal, and Luna; SHINee’s Onew, Taemin, Minho,
and Key; CSJH’s Dana; Jewelry’s Ye Won, Joo Yeon and Se Mi; 2AM’s Jo Kwon and Jinwoon; 8eight’s Baekchan, Lee Hyun and Joo Hee; Clazziquai’s Horan; Handsome People; songwriter Bang Shi Hyuk; and Byul.

On this day, 8 top singers – including Kim Chang Ryul, Shin Hae Chul, Im Jung Hee, Moon Hee Ok, Tae, JK Kim Dong Wook, Jewelry’s Kim Eun Jung, and CSJH’s Sunday – participated in a survival opera competition, singing in front of a 1,200-person audience.

Kim Chang Ryul sang Donizetti’s “Una Furtive Lagrima (A furtive tear)” from L’Elisir d’amore (The Elixir of Love), Shin Hae Chul performed “Granada” from the same opera, Im Jung Hee sang Bizet’s “Habanera” from Carmen, and Moon Hee Ok sang Bellini’s “Casta Diva” from Norma.

Also, Tei performed “La donna e mobile (Woman is fickle)” from Verdi’s Rigoletto, JK Kim Dong Wook sang “Toreador’s Song” from Bizet’s Carmen, Kim Eun Jung did ”O mio babbino caro (Oh My Dear Papa)” from Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, and Sunday sang Handel’s “Lascia ch’io Pianga (Let Me Weep)” from the opera Rinaldo.

After the viewers select 2 members through a real-time text message vote, the 4 judges – made up of mentors Suh Jung Hak and Kim Soo Yeon as well as professionals Suh Hee Tae and Kang Il Bum – will evaluate the performances and eliminate a member.

T-ara Jiyeon’s “Collarbone-Shoulder Line” is Revealed, declared as “Mature Goddess”

2011-04-05T08:08:00.000-07:00

On April 2nd, Jiyeon posted on her Twitter account, “룰루랄라~ 쿵쿵?(sound effects)!” along with pictures.The Jiyeon in the picture showed her with dark eyeliner and make up gave off an atmosphere similarly to a “Spring Goddess”.In particular, her flawless skin and exposed collarbone showed off her
beauty, leading to the attention of the public.Photo netizens commented in various reactions, such as “Jiyeon is a collarbone beauty”, “Bold exposed skin”, and “Jiyeon is completely pretty.”

Seo Woo, “I took extra care over my skin to act with Yoo Seung Ho.”

2011-04-04T08:18:00.000-07:00

Seoul, Korea – actress Seo Woo revealed the behind story of ‘mozzie skin.’

During an interview with a media, Seo Woo confessed thank to the fact that she acted with
Yoo Seung Ho, the ‘mozzie skin’ could happen.

Yoo Seung Ho and Seo Woo appeared on MBC TV’s drama the Flame of Desire, each playing the role of a top star Beak In Gi and the third heir of a chaebol, Kim Min Jae, who are deeply in love.

Especially, even before the drama stared the couple’s eight year difference was a hot issue. So, Seo Woo felt much burdened for the role.

Seo Woo said, “it is true that I felt burdensome at first. So I took extra care for skin. There has been many articles about my skin and they are all results of much effort.”

In the beginning, Seo Woo’s skin made a hot issue and earned the title, ‘mozzie skin’ for her skin reminds of the white and clear mozzie-rice cake.

During the interview, she also expressed her gratitude towards Yoo Seung Ho. Seo Woo said, “the looks was not the only concern I had, I was worried if we’d be able to talk. But he was very mature and many times he led the scene.”

Also she said, “I was happy and comforted when I was with Seung Ho. I think that was smeared to the scene naturally. I think because Seong Ho played Min Jae, my part to become kind and pure was easiler.”

Netizens envious of Kim Tae Hee’s trainer

2011-04-03T08:11:00.000-07:00

Fans have been expressing their anger over Kim Tae Hee’s trainer, who appeared in MBC’s Celebrity Biography, ‘Tae Hee’s Rediscovery‘ on April 1st.

On the broadcast, Kim Tae Hee’s trainer helped the star stretch her body as well as
straighten her posture by touching her legs and waist directly.

Although helping a client with exercising is a natural duty for any trainer, certain fans have been angered at the fact that he got to touch Kim Tae Hee’s body without any restrictions.

Fans angrily commented, “How could you touch our Tae Hee goddess?“, and “You’re officially our public number one enemy starting today“.

While other male fans showed their envy at the trainer, stating, “I want to be Kim Tae Hee’s trainer“, “He’s a true winner“, “I’m losing if I’m envious“.

Official website for Miura Haruma’s upcoming movie “Tokyo Koen” launched

2011-04-02T17:42:00.000-07:00

Miura Haruma will star in the upcoming movie “Tokyo Koen” and the official website has launched!

In the movie, Miura Haruma co-stars with three well-known
actresses, Eikura Nana, Konishi Manami, and Igawa Haruka.

“Tokyo Koen” will be in the theaters starting on June 18th and advance tickets will go on sale today for 1300yen (approximately 16.00 USD). For a limited time, while supplies last, a special post-card of the movie will come with the purchase of advance tickets at one of the following theaters:

Sapporo Theater Kino
Tokyo, Shinjuku Wald 9
Kanagawa, Yokohama Burg 13
Chiba, T.Joy Soga
Osaka, Umeda Burg 7
Kyoto, T.Joy Kyoto
Hiroshima Wald 11
Fukuoka, T.Joy Hakata

Source / Official website: http://tokyo-park.jp/

Shirota Yu reveals PV (short version) for “Heart of Glass”

2011-04-02T14:31:00.000-07:00

Avex Network uploaded Shirota Yu’s PV (short version) for “Heart of Glass” on the Avex Networks’s official YouTube channel.

“Heart of Glass” is one of the tracks from his upcoming debut single titled “U” which will be released on May 4th.

Check out the video below!

SHINee’s Jonghyun & Shin Se Kyung still happily dating

2011-04-02T13:19:00.000-07:00

Ever since news broke out in October 2010 about SHINee’s Jonghyun and Shin Se Kyung being an item, the Korean media would occasionally report on rumors that the two have broken up.

Indeed, some websites suggested that Shin Se Kyung was too busy filming her new
movie, ‘Blue Salt‘, and that she naturally grew apart from Jonghyun.

But according to Shin’s agency, Namoo Actors, those statements couldn’t be farther from the truth.

They stated, “We get a lot of questions regarding Shin Se Kyung and Jonghyun’s relationship. [However], they’re still seeing each other. Please view them in a positive light.”

Shin Se Kyung and Jonghyun met at a private meeting last August. They started seeing each other in October as they bonded over talking about their hobbies and lives. The couple recently celebrated their six-month anniversary as well.

Jonghyun is currently preparing for SHINee’s new album, while Shin Se Kyung has just completed filming ‘Blue Salt’.

Four SNSD members spotted with chic outfits at various fashion shows

2011-04-02T12:36:00.000-07:00

The ladies of SNSD have been popping into numerous fashion events for Seoul Fashion Week, and as always, they were toasted as utterly
chic and stylish.

Sooyoung was spotted at the SETEC center yesterday for the 2011-2012 F/W Seoul Fashion Walk. She was personally invited by designer Song JahEen.

Fashionistas noticed that she opted for a casual look by wearing a khaki sundress over a sheer top. Her canvas shoes and hobo bag also lent an air of relaxed fashion.

Meanwhile, Yoona, Seohyun, and Hyoyeon were seen at the MCM 2011 S/S fashion show at the Lotte Hotel. Seohyun donned an outfit that focused on textures and patterns, while giving off a youthful exuberance. Yoona played it simple and clean, but the full zipper in the front gave an air of subtle sexiness. As for Hyoyeon, she wore an ultra-mini dress that played with sleek cuts at the back.

Arashi brings “Lotus”, “Happiness”, and “Kansha Kangeki Ame Arashi” to MUSIC STATION!

2011-04-02T09:19:00.000-07:00

Arashi stopped by MUSIC STATION today with a special medley of “Lotus“, “Happiness“, and “Kansha Kangeki Ame Arashi“!

The trio of songs gave them just north of six minutes on stage, so check out the performance below!

KAT-TUN are “Perfect” on MUSIC STATION!

2011-04-02T09:17:00.000-07:00

KAT-TUN brought their “Perfect” perfection to the April Fools’ Day broadcasting of MUSIC STATION today, and the boys gave an exciting performance for the special episode!

Check it out below!

Jiyeon’s honest confession, “Thanks to my brother, my parents didn’t find out”!

2011-04-02T09:07:00.000-07:00

Jiyeon from the popular girl group T-ara made a surprise ‘runaway’ confession.On MBC’s “Bouquet” recent episode aimed toward family, there was a question asked ‘if you’ve ever ran away from home during school,’ in which Jiyeon’s response shocked the
audience. But only Jiyeon knew she had ran away, not even her family knew.

Jiyeon explained during her middle school years, she decided to quietly run away from her home. However, 30 minutes after leaving home she received a call from her parents about her brother. Her brother tried to run away at the same time.

Jiyeon, surprised and unaware her brother was going to run away from home, joined with her parents immediately to help find her brother.Thanks to her runaway brother, her “runaway attempt event” was quietly buried.

The full story can be heard on Sunday, April 3 on the MBC Family variety, “Bouquet”.