Asian Cute Idol

SNSD’s Jessica confirmed for KBS’s ‘Wild Romance’

2011-12-23T19:53:00.000+07:00

Earlier this week, it was reported that SNSD‘s Jessica was offered a role in KBS‘s upcoming drama, ‘Wild Romance‘.

On December 23rd, the production company for the drama confirmed Jessica’s drama debut by stating, “Jessica will be playing the role of ‘Kang Jong Hee’, Lee Dong Wook‘s first love. She’ll be appearing in about eight episodes of the drama.”

Scheduled to begin broadcasting on January 4th, Jessica will be an ex-girlfriend that reappears in Lee Dong Wook’s life, claiming that she can’t seem to forget him. The drama itself is about a love story between a judo-athlete-turned-bodyguard woman, who comes to work for a baseball player through a twist of fate.

Jessica has had acting experience through her musical, “Legally Blonde“, so fans are anticipating how she’ll fare as fellow member and actress, YoonA, is also currently starring in ‘Love Rain‘.

source: allkpop

Jessica, Go Ara, & Song Hye Kyo rank on ’100 Most Beautiful Faces’

2011-12-23T19:44:00.000+07:00

Online Entertainment review site, TC Candler recently posted their annual ‘100 Most Beautiful Faces‘ of 2011.

This was the 22nd annual independent critic list since 1990. TC Candler is known for listing the names of 100 faces on a global scale as it factors in many cultures, lifestyles, professions, and degrees of fame to compose the list. TC Candler does its best to recognize the modern ideal of beauty and uses millions of suggestions received each year in order to judge the top 100 faces. It’s not just about the popularity, but also grace, elegance, class, etc that embodies a beautiful face.

These lists have been viewed by over 25million people and over 20 countries were presented in the 2011 list. Check out TC Candler’s description of SNSD Jessica, Go Ara, and Song Hye Kyo who came at 45th, 12th, and 5th, respectively.

45. Jessica Jung

She is better known simply by her first name, Jessica. She is Korean-American singer, dancer, actress and model. The new addition to our list is a member of the fantastic South Korean nine-member girl group, Girls’ Generation, where she is one of the main vocalists.

12. Go Ara

Here is a lovely South Korean actress and model who deserves a worldwide following. The 21-year old enters the list at #12 and will assuredly be a fixture for a very long time.

5. Song Hye Kyo

The South Korean actress and model makes her second appearance, rising 13 spots from last year’s debut. She is already one of the legendary beauties of the world and we think she deserves to be celebrated as such by the entire world. Too often, it seems that Western audiences don’t get to enjoy Asian cinema and celebrity as much as they should. Look for her in the upcoming 2012 film, “The Grandmasters” with Tony Leung and Zhang Ziyi.

source: allkpop

B1A4, Dal Shabet, A Pink, & Boyfriend perform ’90s hits on ‘Music Bank’

2011-12-23T19:34:00.000+07:00

KBS‘s ‘Music Bank‘ aired their Christmas special this week, which included four awesome stages from B1A4, Dal Shabet, A Pink, and Boyfriend. On December 23rd, these four rookie groups paid homage to their legendary seniors by performing covers of their best hits. Boyfriend performed H.O.T.‘s “Candy“, Dal Shabet covered S.E.S‘s “I’m Your Girl“, A Pink sang Fin.K.L.‘s “Forever Love“, and finally, B1A4 delivered Sechskies‘ ”Couple“.

Check out their fun performances below!

source: allkpop

Special stages & collaborations from Music Bank’s Christmas special

2011-12-23T19:23:00.000+07:00

KBS‘s ‘Music Bank‘ has prepared a special episode for its viewers this week to celebrate the Christmas holiday!

Aside from the ’90s throwback stages, organizers have also produced dance battles and duets between some of K-Pop’s hottest stars.

Check out the performances below!

source: allkpop

Jaejoong reveals his kiss scene in ‘Protect the Boss’ took over 50 takes

2011-12-23T19:13:00.001+07:00

On December 25th, JYJ‘s Jaejoong guested on the Christmas broadcast of KBS radio’s ‘Choi Kang Hee’s Night Flight‘.

DJ Choi Kang Hee invited her two male co-stars from ‘Protect the Boss‘ to the show, where they shared some never-before-heard stories from the drama set.

Jaejoong brought up the famous kiss scene between himself and Wang Ji Hye, and admitted that they smooched several times to get it right. “I put a lot of effort for the kiss scene with Wang Ji Hye,” he said. “It took over 50 takes. If there ever was an NG award, it would definitely have been awarded to us.”

Jaejoong and Ji Sung were also complimented on the show by Choi Kang Hee on their similar fashion. Jaejoong replied, “Ji Sung and I give off a similar vibe. I hope we receive a ‘couple award’ as the ‘cha cha couple’ in one of the year-end awards.”

source: allkpop

IU wins K-Chart triple crown + Music Bank performances from 12/23

2011-12-23T19:13:00.000+07:00

‘Music Bank’ is back with another fun and exciting show that was chock-full of amazing performances!

The MCs for tonight’s episode were B2ST‘s Doojoon, Super Junior‘s Siwon, CN BLUE‘s Yonghwa, and anchorman Jun Hyunmoo.

Besides the usual stages on tonight’s show, ‘Music Bank’ put together a few special performances for the Christmas holiday.

Since it was a Christmas special, ‘Music Bank’ brought back some of the biggest hits of the year for this week’s episode. Fans got to see favorites like “Mr. Simple“, “Hot Summer“, “Be Mine” and more from artists who made a special comeback for KBS.

Super Junior, Wonder Girls, B2ST, T-ara, CN BLUE, SISTAR, IU, SECRET, Davichi, Kim Hyun Joong, G.NA, HyunA, miss A, f(x), INFINITE, Boyfriend, A Pink, B1A4,and Dal Shabet all performed their hit songs and even special throwback stages as well as collaborations.

Check out their performances below!

source: allkpop

After School’s UEE transforms into a real life Barbie doll for ‘Elle Korea’

2011-12-22T15:48:00.001+07:00

After School‘s UEE has literally ‘dolled up’ for her latest pictorial with fashion magazine, ‘Elle Korea‘.

UEE was perhaps the busiest After School member of the year, joining the group in all of their albums as well as their Japanese debut, while simultaneously juggling her acting career with ‘Ojakgyo Brothers‘ and ‘Birdie Buddy‘.

In the accompanying interview with the photoshoot, she talked a bit about her expanding career, and how she hopes to pursue everything possible.”

She expressed, “My weekend dramas average 20% in viewer ratings. I have the title of ‘idol’ in my name so there was pressure in that regards. The more popular my dramas get, the better I want to do. Right now, I think I’m just addicted to my work.”

She thoughtly added, “Acting, singing, and even variety shows and MCing – I don’t want to give up any one of them.”

Check out this real-life Barbie doll and her mini-me in the shots below!

source: allkpop

‘Palm News’ to reveal proof of SM Entertainment’s obstruction of JYJ’s activities?

2011-12-22T15:48:00.000+07:00

On December 22nd, journalist Lee Sang Ho revealed that he would be showing proof of SM Entertainment‘s obstruction of JYJ‘s activities for the very first time through Palm TV‘s ‘Lee Sang Ho’s Palm News‘.

Representatives of the show stated, “For the past 14 months, journalist Lee Sang Ho will be exclusively unveiling the investigations by the Fair Trade Commission. Officials of the FTC have been investigating SM Entertainment since March, and results show that there was indeed proof of the obstruction of JYJ’s activities, as well as a fine of several hundreds of thousands in penalty being processed.”

The show is expected to include an exclusive interview of Jung Hae Im, the first official figure to lead the investigations into SM’s 13 year contracts and minimize them to seven years. Jung is once again at the forefront of the recent issue with the FTC.

The chief of the FTC, Lee Tae Hwi, however, revealed through Star Today that this was not the case. He stated, “I do confirm that there are current investigations being done regarding the issue with SM and JYJ, but we have yet to lay down a fine worth the amount they claim. I also find it difficult to reveal the details of our investigations at this point, and promise to release an official statement once things begin to materialize.”

The episode will broadcast on December 22nd at 6 p.m. KST.

source: allkpop

SNSD to recreate popular fairy tales for their MBC Christmas special

2011-12-22T15:36:00.000+07:00

SNSD has prepared a special event for their fans this Christmas through a special MBC program titled ‘SNSD’s Christmas Fairy Tale‘.

Scheduled to broadcast on Christmas Eve (24th), the girls recreated popular fairy tales with the addition of performances that were previously only seen at their international concerts. Taeyeon took on the role of the ‘Ice Queen’ to sing “Oh Holy Night” on a stage which required her to be up 3 meters in the air to achieve the full effect.

Sooyoung performed her Latin ‘Cha Cha Cha’ dance for the first time on TV, a dance which attracted wide attention amongst her fans after being performed at their solo concert in 2009. Sooyoung’s partner for the show was professional dancer Kim Dae Dong. Jessica‘s stage made a stunning transformation into a forest on which she performed a jazz track titled “When You Wish Upon a Star“.

Seohyun and Yuri reportedly collaborated for a ‘Swan Lake’ themed stage where they performed “Winter Wonderland“, accompanied by Yuri’s piano performance.

Fit to the ‘black and white’ concept of their theme, the girls also took a 180 degree transformation by turning into rocker chicks for the second half of their stage.

The girls also sang their various hits such as “Genie“, “The Boys“, and a carol version of “Kissing You“. Also included in the broadcast are clips of their visit to an army training camp, surprising 500 soldiers stationed there.

Finally, the special came to a close with a performance of “After One Year” by Jessica and Onew.

Catch the show on December 24th!

source: allkpop

Lee Jang Woo becomes the ‘Man of Viewer Ratings’

2011-12-22T15:32:00.000+07:00

It’s been a busy year for actor Lee Jang Woo, who’s been juggling several dramas on top of his variety show with T-ara‘s Eunjung.

His hard work has certainly paid off, as it’s earned him a new nickname, ‘The Man of Viewer Ratings‘. He’s currently starring in KBS’s ‘Man of Honor‘, which recorded 14.6% in viewer ratings last week — the best it’s achieved all season long.

The development of his character and love line heightened the public’s interest in the drama, which is clearly being reflected in the numbers.

Lee Jang Woo possesses a history of being a power player in high viewer ratings, as his former work, ‘Smile, Donghae‘, came out to be the highest rated drama of 2011.

Opportunities are rapidly becoming abundant for him now, and he’s been expanding his activities to include variety programs and pictorials. As such, Lee Jang Woo is becoming a blue chip in both the advertising and film industries.

He was also named in the ‘Troika of New Male Actors’ by many, right alongside Song Joong Ki and Yoo Ah In.

His agency stated, “He’s grateful that he was already able to earn such a status with the little work he’s done. He’ll be greeting his fans through a more variety of roles in the future.”

source: allkpop

‘Dream High 2′ releases first set of Kang Sora’s still-cuts

2011-12-22T15:26:00.000+07:00

Anticipation for the pilot broadcast of ‘Dream High 2‘ just got kicked up a notch with the release of the drama’s first still-cuts!

Actress Kang Sora is seen busily running errands and cleaning shoes with a sign on her chest that explains she’s being punished for coming to school late.

But why is being late such a big deal? In ‘Kirin Arts High School’, the gates are zealously guarded by teacher ‘Yang Jin Man’ (J.Y. Park). He finds out that she’d been out all night at an idol group concert and punishes her by making him clean his stinky shoes and pots.

Kang Sora earned the praise of staff around her for not being afraid to scruff up her image for the sake of her role. She also showed smooth chemistry with her castmates and warmed up the film set with her lively personality.

source: allkpop

Kim Hyun Joong to start the new year with his fans

2011-12-22T15:21:00.000+07:00

Kim Hyun Joong will be spending the new year with his fans through his new fan meeting event called ‘2012 Kim Hyun Joong Fanmeeting in Seoul‘.

He’ll be performing songs from his “Break Down” and “Lucky” mini-albums, as well as hold discussion sessions to talk about what 2012 will be like for him and his fans. Since the event is open to fans from all over the world, the diverse turnout is expected to cement his status as a Hallyu superstar.

Reservations for tickets opened up on December 21st, and in moments, the pages were flooded with 10,000 fans, claiming every last seat in just under 30 minutes. Fans that weren’t so lucky are still scrounging on boards and hoping that more dates will be added to the fan meet.

A representative of Key East expressed, “He’s counting down the days to meeting his fans. Even amidst busy preparations for year-end shows, he’s working hard to come up with ways to make the event memorable for his fans.”

After his fan meet, he will be preparing for the release of his Japanese single and promotions.

source: allkpop

SHINee to release a photobook of their ‘SHINee World’ Asia tour

2011-12-22T15:10:00.001+07:00

SHINee will be releasing a new concert photobook on December 26th!

The photobook will contain pictures from their Asia tour concert, ‘SHINee The 1st Concert – SHINee World‘, along with behind-the-scenes, rehearsal, and waiting room photos, all amounting to a total of 192 pages.

In addition, the photobooks will come with booklets full of stories, Q&A sessions, and handwritten messages and autographs from their Nagoya concert in October.

Fans who weren’t able to attend the concerts definitely won’t want to miss out on this!

In related news, SHINee will be holding their ‘SHINee Japan 1st Album The First Showcase Live‘ at the Tokyo International Forum A Hall on Christmas Eve, in addition to participating in the live event, ‘Music For All, All For Music‘, on Christmas Day.

source: allkpop

KARA to teach Korean through their new smartphone app

2011-12-22T15:10:00.000+07:00

KARA will be putting their multi-language skills to use by becoming Korean language teachers for their new smartphone application!

On December 22nd, DSP Media will release “KARA’s Korean Vacation“, an app that features over 400 different lessons on vocabulary and phrases fans will need when visiting Korea. Topics cover everything from greetings, transportation, shopping, eating, and finding a place to stay.

By utilizing fun pictures of the members and voice recordings to help with pronunciation, the app wil be far from boring. For those that need a little encouragement, KARA’s cheers are just a click away. The app also includes quizzes and bookmarks to personalize your lesson style.

An auto translator will be included with the app, as well as a penpal service that connects fans to Korean speakers for more practice.

The app is only available for iPhone users, but will be made available on the Android market in January with additional themes on Hallyu dramas and movies.

source: allkpop

IU to talk about her dream date + Lee Seung Gi’s gift on ‘Strong Heart’

2011-12-20T20:23:00.000+07:00

IU intrigued fans when she revealed that she got a gift from actor Lee Seung Gi. During the latest recording of SBS’s ‘Strong Heart‘, IU stated, “I recently received a surprise gift from Lee Seung Gi,”,to which Lee Seung Gi replied, “I’m not sure if you liked it. I picked it myself.”

While on the show, the young star also shared her feelings about becoming an adult in Korea. “Now that I’ll be turning 20, there’s a date that I really want to have.”
Details on Lee Seung Gi’s gift and IU’s dream date will be revealed in full on December 20th’s broadcast of ‘Strong Heart – Christmas Special.’

source: allkpop

Seo In Young reveals how to prevent a puffy face after eating ramen

2011-12-20T20:20:00.000+07:00

Singer Seo In Young has revealed that she’s obsessed with ramen, and even figured out a trick to keep the puffy after-effects at bay.

On December 19th’s episode of KBS 2TV‘s ‘Star Life Theater‘, the singer showed off her Singapore dormitory, which was held a solid stock of midnight snacks.

She displayed all the snacks she brought with her from Korea and remarked, “This is my source of strength when I go overseas. I can’t live without ramen.”

“After you eat ramen, you must drink milk before going to bed. I heard that some people even put milk in their ramen, but drinking milk helps prevent a puffy face in the morning,” she said.

When the staff asked if she diets regularly, Seo In Young replied, “Only when I need to. I don’t like being on diets.”

The singer also revealed, “I want to study properly to become a legitimate designer. I want to maybe collaborate with other designers first, and then create designs of my own.”

source: allkpop

What were the most watched TV shows of 2011?

2011-12-20T20:05:00.000+07:00

On December 19th, AGB Nielsen Media released the rankings for the most watched dramas and variety shows of 2011!

The #1 most watched drama of the year went to ‘Smile, Donghae‘, which exceeded 50% in viewer ratings by recording 50.5% on its April 4th broadcast. KBS also showed strong viewership, dominating most of the rankings in both the drama and variety show categories.

Check out the full list below!

- All TV programs

1. KBS Sports, ‘(Korea:Japan)’ – 37.7%

2. KBS, ‘Smile, Donghae’ – 36.4%

3. SBS, ‘Secret Garden’ – 30.2%

4. KBS, ‘Ojakgyo Brothers’ – 25%

5. KBS Sports, ‘(Korea:Australia)’ – 24.7%

6. MBC Sports, ‘(Korea:Indonesia)’ – 24%

7. KBS, ‘I Believe In Love’ – 23.6%

8. KBS, ‘Women of Our Home’ – 20.3%

9. KBS, ‘Happy Sunday’ – 19.7%

10. KBS, ‘Only You’ – 19.5%

- Drama only

1. KBS, ‘Smile, Donghae’ – 36.4%

2. SBS, ‘Secret Garden’ – 30.2%

3. KBS, ‘Ojakgyo Brothers’ – 25%

4. KBS, ‘I Believe In Love’ – 23.6%

5. KBS, ‘Women of Our Home’ – 20.3%

6. KBS, ‘Only You’ – 19.5%

7. KBS ‘Princess’ Man’ – 19.3%

8. MBC, ‘Flames of Ambition’ – 19.1%

9. SBS, ‘Deep-Rooted Tree’ – 19%

10. SBS, ‘Sign’ – 18.7%

- Variety programs

1. KBS, ‘Happy Sunday’ – 19.7%

2. KBS, ‘Gag Concert’ – 18.1%

3. MBC, ‘Birth of a Great Star’ – 18%

4. MBC, Infinity Challenge’ – 16.7%

5. MBC, ‘Quiz That Changes the World’ – 15.7%

- Best viewer rating by episode

1. KBS, ‘Smile, Donghae’ – 50.5% (11/4/4)

2. KBS, Sports ‘Korea:Japan’ – 48.4% (11/1/25)

3. SBS Sports, ‘(ISU)’ – 46.9% (11/4/30)

4. KBS, ‘Happy Sunday’ – 40.7% (11/1/23)

5. KBS, ‘Ojakgyo Brothers’ – 40.1% (11/12/18)

6. SBS, ‘Secret Garden’ – 40% (11/1/16)

7. KBS, ‘I Believe In Love’ – 38.6% (11/7/10)

8. SBS, ‘Gisaeng’ – 34.8% (11/7/17)

9. KBS ‘Gag Concert’ – 34.1% (11/12/18)

10. KBS Sports, ‘(Korea:Australia)’ – 34.1% (11/1/14)

source: allkpop

SNSD releases maxi single, “The Boys”

2011-12-20T19:58:00.001+07:00

After a delay of more than a month, SNSD has finally released their maxi single, ‘The Boys‘.

Comprised of eight tracks, the single holds the English version of “The Boys“, as well as an instrumental and an a cappella. There are five remixes, as well, one of which includes a creation by Teddy Riley. Sample their tracks below, and remember to support the girls by purchasing their music!

source: allkpop

G.NA reveals her grandfather has passed away

2011-12-20T19:58:00.000+07:00

On December 20th, G.NA revealed that her grandfather had passed away. Through her Twitter, she wrote, “On December 20th, my grandfather left the world. He was like my father ever since I was little. Because he lived in Canada, I wasn’t able to see him before he left, and I’m in disbelief with what is going on. This can’t be true. I’m so sorry I couldn’t even tell you that I loved you.” She added, “I think it will be hard for me to attend to my schedules right now. But I will do my best for what I can do. Let’s not fall, G.NA!”

Cube Entertainment stated, “G.NA is currently filming for MBC‘s ‘Lulu Lala‘. She found out about her grandfather this morning. Although she tried to go to him, she wasn’t able to. G.NA tried to go to Canada once she was notified, but her family has decided not to hold a funeral there. Since he was a soldier, he will be laid to rest at the Seoul National Memorial Cemetary. Her family in Canada will be coming to hold the funeral. G.NA will be attending.”

Netizens commented, “Rest in peace,” and “He will have gone to a better place. Please don’t be too sad.”

source: allkpop

Mothers of Super Junior’s Sungmin, Kyuhyun, and Leeteuk to open a cafe

2011-12-20T19:47:00.000+07:00

The mothers of Super Junior‘s Sungmin, Kyuhyun, and Leeteuk have revealed that they will be opening a cafe together!

On December 20th, Leeteuk wrote on his Twitter, “On the 22nd, my mother, Sungmin’s mother, and Kyuhyun’s mother will be opening a coffee shop. I was the only one left in the dark. They said it’s going to be in Apgujung.”

He continued, “Mom, you’ve been lonely for a while now, so I hope that you enjoy your time running it and have a lot of fun ^^ I’ll try to help as much as I can!”

Netizens commented, “Wow, oppa I’ll drop by often and try to help!”, “I’ll bring my friends there!” and “If we go, will Leeteuk oppa make us coffee?”

source: allkpop

Alexander kicks off his solo showcase tour in Japan and Malaysia

2011-12-20T19:43:00.000+07:00

U-KISS‘s former member Alexander has kicked off his solo showcase tour to a successful start in Japan and Malaysia! On December 9th, he held his ‘Alexander Showcase Live 2011‘ in Japan and was greeted by a crowd of 700 fans and 100 industry officials.

A director of his Japanese concert promotions stated, “Alexander showed dancing and singing skills that exceeded the expectations of officials from music labels, so they took a lot of interest in him. He’s also someone that the Japanese people take very well to character-wise, so we’re looking forward to seeing what he can show on dramas or variety shows.”

On the 17th, he headed for Malaysia to perform at NTV7‘s ‘Star Live Concert‘, where he sang “Bad Girl” and “That Man” as a special guest. On the 18th, he held his second showcase with 1,500 fans, and performed his title track, “I Just“, along with other songs like “Oh! Baby“, “Bad Girl”. He also did a special shuffle dance.

Fans commented, “It’s nice to see him so confident even while standing alone“, and “It was worth waiting for him.”

Representatives of his Malaysia showcase stated, “His numerous charms makes him stand out as a singer. He’s also capable of several languages, so we’re absolutely sure that he’ll be well-loved by not only Malaysia, but all of Asia.”

source: allkpop

SBS’s ‘Running Man’ will avoid shooting outside Korea for the time being

2011-12-20T19:42:00.000+07:00

SBS‘s Sunday variety program ‘Running Man’ has become one of the most popular programs both domestically and abroad, reaching a stunning 20% in ratings with its latest Hong Kong excursion.

However, the producers behind the hide-and-seek program have denied any plans of going abroad to other foreign countries, despite love calls from several Asian nations.

“There are no more foreign projects for the time being,” stated ‘Running Man’ PD Jo Hyo Jin. “Instead of expanding carelessly, this is the time to strengthen our core,” he said.

“Compared with long-running variety shows such as ‘Infinity Challenge’ and ‘1 Night 2 Days’, ‘Running Man’ is still taking its baby steps,” he said. “The two programs give off a vibe of well-aged grace, but ‘Running Man’ has such a short history that we still worry about how long it will last.”

The program has just returned from a two-part episode which took place in the beautiful city of Hong Kong, and was greeted by thousands of supportive fans who professed their love for the variety show. The episodes were also remarkable for guest-starring Jackie Chan as the mission-giver, along with guests Jung Yonghwa and Lee Min Jung, who both showed off their running skills.

“For ‘Running Man’ to grow even more, we feel that the problem of balance needs to be worked out,” he said, referring to the balance between the members and their teams. “There is still room for improvement for the members’ characters, as well as the relationships between them,” he stated.

source: allkpop

High ratings for ‘SNSD and the Dangerous Boys’ show hope for new cable channels

2011-12-19T16:59:00.000+07:00

Much buzz was generated when it was revealed that all nine members of SNSD would be featuring in JTBC‘s new TV show, ‘SNSD and the Dangerous Boys‘.

While some speculated that it’d be difficult for idols to pull off a reality show on a cable channel, the girls did just that, and even helped the show score the highest viewer ratings out of all four sub-channels for its time slot.

On December 19th, AGB Nielsen Media revealed that the show recorded 1.299% in viewer ratings, a significant lead ahead of not just variety shows, but other dramas and informational programs.

The ‘Joint Organization Channel‘ (Channel A, TV Chosun, JTBC, MBN) is now three weeks into its launch and has been struggling with dismal ratings, barely managing to reach the 1% mark with most of its shows. JTBC has been on the higher end, with ‘Queen Insoo‘ recording a consistent 1.105%.

The two music shows, however, have been recording as low as 0.28%, proving that the four sub-channels still need a bigger push to be competitive enough for the public broadcast networks.

source: allkpop

KARA gets named as 2011′s most popular Korean star on Japan’s ‘Orista’

2011-12-19T16:56:00.000+07:00

Oricon‘s weekly entertainment magazine, ‘Onlystar Oricon‘, recently held a survey asking Japanese fans to pick the most popular star of 2011.

It comes as no surprise that KARA topped the list of Korean acts, with SNSD following closely in 2nd place. Jang Geun Suk, TVXQ, and 2PM drew up in 3rd, 4th, and 5th place respectively.

Representatives of Orista explained, “KARA’s second album, ‘Super Girl‘, topped the Oricon chart and showed remarkable sales numbers. They’ve also been in several CFs, giving stable rise to their popularity in Japan.”

Commenting on SNSD, the representatives stated, “SNSD achieved big goals this year by entering the worldwide market with the English version of ‘The Boys‘. Their first album, ‘Girl’s Generation‘, exceeded 630,000 units in sales. ”

They also pointed out how Jang Geun Suk was also the only solo singer in the top 5. “He began earning popularity through his drama, ‘You’re Handsome‘, and topped the Oricon with his debut single, ‘Let Me Cry‘. He also held a live concert at the Tokyo Dome in November.”

source: allkpop

Lee Ji Ah’s prestigious family background unveiled

2011-12-19T16:50:00.000+07:00

Ever since Lee Ji Ah was discovered to have been in a secret relationship with Seo Taiji, her identity became the stuff of mystery. Netizens endeavouring to find out more about Lee Ji Ah’s past weren’t able to do so, until a family friend of 40 years disclosed some insider information on her family through an interview.

On December 19th, Jung Dae Chul revealed that Lee Ji Ah’s grandfather was a prominent citizen of Seoul.

“Lee Ji Ah’s grandfather is the late Kim Soon Heung, a prominent figure in the education business. During his time, there were only two homes the size of 180-pyeong within Seoul. One belonged to the late former president Yoon Bo Sun, and the other belonged to the late Kim Soon Heung,” he said.

He continued, “Lee Ji Ah’s grandfather was passionate about education and set up the Seoul Arts High School out of his own expense.”

For a while now, Lee Ji Ah has been nicknamed as ‘Alien‘ because her family background was kept hidden from the public. She’s been making an effort to get closer with her fans ever since her lawsuit with Seo Taiji, sharing childhood photos on her official homepage and interacting more through SNS services.

source: allkpop

SNSD provides fans with warm drinks and hot packs outside ‘Inkigayo’

2011-12-19T16:49:00.000+07:00

On December 18th, SNSD warmed fans with their thoughtfulness, as they provided a meaningful present to those who came to support them at SBS‘s ‘Inkigayo‘.

The girls performed their follow-up track, “Mr. Taxi“, and later came out with coffee, hot packs, milk, and other beverages to warm up their fans and thank them for making the effort to support them. The fans had been waiting outside in the cold for some hours and were touched to hear that the girls had delivered snacks through their managers.

Fans commented, “Definitely SNSD“, and “We’re truly touched!”

source: allkpop

KBS announces its MCs for the ’2011 KBS Entertainment Awards’

2011-12-19T16:40:00.000+07:00

On December 19th, KBS announced their three hosts for the ‘2011 KBS Entertainment Awards‘.

The MCs this year are Shin Dong Yeob, SNSD‘s YoonA, and anchorwoman Lee Ji Ae. The trio will be hosting the 170-minute long event on December 24th, which will be broadcast live through KBS.

Lee Ji Ae has been hosting the ‘KBS Entertainment Awards’ since 2008, making this her fourth consecutive year. Each year, she caught the attention of the media for her elaborate dresses, and so much of the focus this year is already on what she’ll be wearing to impress this time.

YoonA made her hosting debut at the ’2009 KBS Entertainment Awards’, so this will be her return as an MC after two years. This will also be Shin Dong Yeob’s second consecutive year, having hosted the event in 2010.

Producers revealed that they also have some special guests lined up for surprise stages.

source :allkpop

Still cuts from YoonA and Jang Geun Suk’s first meeting on ‘Love Rain’

2011-12-19T16:33:00.000+07:00

On December 19th, upcoming drama ‘Love Rain‘ released two romantic still cuts from the scene where Jang Geun Suk and SNSD‘s YoonA first meet. Jang Geun Suk plays the dual role of a handsome ’70s art student named ‘Seo In Ha’, and his son in the year 2012, a free-spirited photographer named ‘Seo Jun’. YoonA, on the other hand, plays the innocent ’70s campus goddess ‘Kim Yoon Hee’, as well as her daughter, ‘Hana’.

Their first meeting looks like something out of a watercolor painting, bringing together elements of the campus and its scenery into their blossoming love. After picking up YoonA’s book, Jang Geun Suk is seen handing it back to her without being able to take his eyes off of her, capturing their moment of love at first sight.

Director Yoon Suk Ho stated, “In the ’70s, love was about innocent, warm romance. I hope bring out these analog emotions, so please look forward to how their shy love begins to blossom in the drama.” In related news, the drama was exported for $9 million USD to Japan.

source: allkpop

HyunA and Hyunseung get festive for ‘High Cut’

2011-12-19T16:23:00.000+07:00

Troublemaker‘s HyunA and Hyunseung have unveiled their photoshoot with ‘High Cut‘ magazine!

Combining the luxurious colors of gold and red, the two played up the festive atmosphere of Christmas for their first couple photoshoot together. As if performing a routine straight out of their choreography, the two impressed staff members by easily pulling off some sexy poses without any hesitation.

HyunA showed off her lean legs in a golden spangle dress while Hyunseung channeled a beastlier look in an Yves Saint Laurent pants, a Sung Jin fur vest, and Dior Homme high tops.

HyunA’s golden jacket is from Balmain, and under it, she wears a black jersey jump suit from Elie Tahari. Hyunseung matched her in Prada pants and a metallic shirt.

In their warmer red and white look, HyunA’s wearing a 96 New York red muffler as a dress while Hyunseungs decked from head to toe in white pieces from Neil Barrett.

Their full photoshoot can be seen through the 67th edition of the magazine.

source: allkpop

Murderer of Iris’s Lee Eun Mi sentenced to 17 years of prison

2011-12-19T16:16:00.000+07:00

Back in June, it was reported that Lee Eun Mi, the lead vocalist of female group Iris, was murdered by her ex-boyfriend by being stabbed 65 times on the head and abdomen while on her way home.

Her case finally came to a close today, with her ex-boyfriend being sentenced to 17 years of jail. The court originally ruled for a 20 year sentence, but cut back three years after deciding that the man had demonstrated his remorse.

The court stated, “After being told that their relationship was over, ‘Cho’ attempted to meet with her again to fix the relationship. What he heard in return were words of shame and hurt, leading him to murder her in a gruesome manner. A heavy sentence is inevitable.”

They continued, “Taking into account the fact that he is showing remorse over his actions and that he has deposited $10,000 USD to the family of the deceased in an effort to recover their loss, we will be sentencing him to 17 years of prison.”

source: dailymail

Lee Hyori to hold a fan signing event to promote her 2012 charity calendar

2011-12-19T16:15:00.000+07:00

On December 22nd, Lee Hyori will be holding a fan signing event for her 2012 calendar to spend a warm year end with her fans.

Hyori will be personally there with her sleeves up to aid and promote the sale of her calendars, as all proceeds from its sales will be donated directly to charities. The calendars are already a hit online, with phones ringing off the hook with fans inquiring about pre-orders.

On her Twitter, she wrote, “It’s not just a portion that will be donated, but everything. I’m going to keep my eyes open to make sure that none of it leaks into another pocket.”

The project was a personal idea that Hyori came up with to help people easily contribute their part to helping the cause of abandoned animals, especially for those that don’t know where to start or where to donate.

source: allkpop

Jiyeon impresses with her popping skills on ‘T-ara’s Flower Boys’

2011-12-18T16:55:00.001+07:00

A few days ago, T-ara revealed that they would be running their own reality show, ‘T-ara’s Flower Boys‘, on SBS E!TV.

On December 17th, the pilot episode finally aired, and it kicked off with a talent show. Jiyeon impressed many with dance skills never-before-seen on stage.

Collaborating with one of the pretty boy contestants hoping to land a business deal with the girls, Jiyeon showed off her popping skills, followed by a sexy dance and a puppet routine. Her groupmates couldn’t help but drop their jaws in awe.

Check it out below!

source: allkpop

Hyoyeon admits to feeling upset over her stage outfits

2011-12-18T16:55:00.000+07:00

SNSD‘s Hyoyeon recently opened up about how she felt upset whenever she was dressed in a style she hadn’t hoped for her by her stylists. On Mnet‘s ‘Beatle’s Code‘, she explained, “I never brought this up with the members before, but I did get a bit jealous when it came to our stage outfits.”

She continued, “Whenever I see pretty clothes, I naturally wanted to wear it, but it always went to another member. I was really upset over that and often thought to myself, ‘Why aren’t I allowed to wear those things?’”

“Lately, however, I place my trust in the stylist unnis and tell myself, ‘They must be dressing me this way because it fits my look the best.’”

This had actually been a concern amongst fans for some time now, and netizens were quick to point out through a series of photos posted on a community board that stylists were indeed negligent of her. Reference photos pointed out concepts where her clothes were either poorly fitting in size or bizarre in style.

Netizens commented, “It’s true that Hyoyeon could’ve been better dressed in the past“, “I still love her because she’s beautiful and confident“, and “We love her no matter what“.

source: allkpop

Super Junior’s Eunhyuk wants ELFs to stay warm

2011-12-18T16:39:00.000+07:00

Super Junior‘s dancing machine, Eunhyuk, has expressed sincere concern for the well-being of ELFs through his Twitter.

On December 18th, the idol tweeted, “Finished the dry rehearsal. ELFs who are already standing outside, beware of the cold. If you get sick, oppa gets sad.”

In the photo, Eunhyuk is seen bundled up in a big scarf while his fans a double dose of encouragement with his peace sign.

Netizens commented, “Aww, you’re so kind“, “ELFs are amazing to be standing in the freezing weather to see their SUJU oppas“, and “Thank you, you stay warm too!”

source: allkpop

IU wins Inkigayo mutizen + Performances from December 18th

2011-12-18T16:27:00.000+07:00

SBS‘s “Inkigayo” is back once again, and this week’s show was full of amazing performances from the top participating K-Pop artists!

MCs Nicole and Goo Hara continued to hold it down with regular MC IU, showcasing smooth coordination and direction of the show. This week, the girls dressed up in chic Victorian-inspired outfits.

Viewers got to see Park Hyun Bin make his comeback this week, while Super Junior‘s Donghae & Eunhyuk made their unit debut.

As for the ‘Take 7‘ nominees this week, ‘Inkigayo’ revealed that they were A Pink, T-ara, Trouble Maker, SNSD, Electroboyz, INFINITE, and IU.

In the end, IU clinched the #1 song of the week with “You & I”. Congratulations!

source: allkpop

SuJu’s Donghae & Eunhyuk say “Oppa Has Arrived” on ‘Inkigayo’

2011-12-18T16:18:00.000+07:00

Although Super Junior has ended their promotions, members Donghae and Eunhyuk made a special comeback to perform their first project song, “Oppa Has Arrived” , on December 18th’s episode of ‘Inkigayo‘!

The duo dropped their digital single on the 16th, which features “Oppa Has Arrived” as well as a ballad called “First Love”.

Their main track carries a disco feel with a lively rhythm and cheerful lyrics. This upbeat dance track sings about how K-Pop is spreading internationally, and that no matter where they go on their private jet, the boys are greeted by fans who scream “Oppa!”

Check out the performance below!

source: allkpop

‘Invincible Youth 2′ struggles with declining ratings

2011-12-18T16:04:00.001+07:00

Launched several weeks ago amidst heavy fanfare, KBS‘s ‘Invincible Youth 2‘ has so far turned out to be all sizzle, no steak with its continual decline in ratings.

The idol variety program aired a new episode last Saturday, which garnered a dismal 5.4% rating nationwide, according to AGB Nielsen. This is a .5% percent drop from the previous week’s episode, which drew 5.9%.

What’s even worse is that its main competitor, MBC‘s ‘Quiz to Change the World‘, is trouncing ‘Invincible Youth 2′ in the ratings department. ‘Quiz to Change the World’ maintained its oppressive lead with 14.3%.

The continued ratings decline is bad news for the show’s producers, especially since the ratings have fallen from a comparatively steady 7% in its first week.

‘Invincible Youth 2′ is the second season for KBS’s acclaimed farm-variety program, which managed to gain a strong audience in its first incarnation. Members include SNSD‘s Sunny and Hyoyeon, KARA‘s Jiyoung, Miss A‘s Suzy, Jewelry‘s Yewon, SISTAR‘s Bora, Rainbow‘s Woori, and f(x)‘s Amber.

source: allkpop

Tablo ranks #5 on MTV Iggy’s top 20 debut albums

2011-12-18T16:04:00.000+07:00

2011 definitely seems to be Tablo‘s year. It’s no secret that Tablo’s ‘Fever’s End’ has been praised highly by legendary Korean musicians as well as fans within Korea and overseas. As a result, his albums (both Part 1 and Part 2) have swept domestic as well as international charts such as iTunes and Billboard’s World Album Chart.

Tablo snagged another achievement recently after MTV Iggy crowned his album in 5th place on their ‘Best Beginnings: 2011 in 20 Debut Albums’ chart, which ranks the top 20 albums released this year all over the world.

YG Entertainment stated, “Tablo’s sincerity in his music seems to have touched not only those within Korea, but fans overseas as well… Tablo will try even harder to produce music that even more people can identify with in the future.”

source: allkpop

Boyfriend returns with “I’ll Be There” on ‘Music Core’

2011-12-17T16:21:00.000+07:00

After making an impressive debut with “Boyfriend” back in May and continuing their success with “Don’t Touch My Girl“, Boyfriend is back with a romantic new song called “I’ll Be There“.

The boys wanted to leave a strong impression on the industry for the remaining days of 2011, and put a lot of effort into this single. They once again collaborated with hit producer SWEETUNE to bring a dance track with sweet lyrics that reflect Boyfriend’s pure image.

Choreography team DQ (who’s worked with MBLAQ and SISTAR in the past) has put together a charming choreography for Boyfriend that matches well with the song’s emotional context, which you can check out for yourself in their ‘Music Core‘ performance below.

source: allkpop

Performances from December 17th’s ‘Music Core’

2011-12-17T16:12:00.001+07:00

MBC’s ‘Music Core‘ is back once again with another fun and exciting show!

This week, Trouble Maker‘s HyunA and Hyunseung filled in as temporary MCs for Yuri and Tiffany. The mischievous duo brought a playful energy to the set, while simultaneously introducing each artist.

Dynamic Duo and Park Hyun Bin made their comebacks, while Boyfriend and Chocolat returned with their follow-up songs.

Other performances from today’s show include Wonder Girls, Trouble Maker, Bang & Zelo, RaNia, M.I.B., TRAX, A Pink, C-Real, Tim, M Signal, Plain Note, X-Cross, F1RST, LEDApple, Crispi Crunch and Beige.

Check them out below!

source: allkpop

IU hand-feeds a male fan on MBC Radio’s ‘Shim Shim Tapa’

2011-12-17T16:12:00.000+07:00

Previously, we reported that singer IU made some delicious Korean rice balls while guesting on MBC Radio‘s ‘Shim Shim Tapa‘. As it turns out, the rice balls were part of a special fan event, where IU would hand-feed a homemade rice ball to a lucky fan.

Once fans found out about the event, a flood of calls began to rain down on the radio station. Although it was midnight, the winner made his way over to the station to be fed by his beloved idol, who was dressed adorably in a chicken costume.

Netizens expressed their envy as they wrote, “I am so jealous of that guy right now…“, “This is the best Christmas present a man could ask for“, and “I would cherish that rice ball and never eat it.”

source: allkpop

SNSD’s Yoona amazes again with side profile shots

2011-12-17T15:29:00.000+07:00

On December 16th, a netizen uploaded a set of profile shots of SNSD‘s Yoona titled ‘Yoona at work‘, which showcased her pure and innocent charm.

In the photos, Yoona appears to be on set, wearing a yellow barrette to hold her hair back, unveiling her naturally beautiful face.

She garnered attention for her perfect features and captured the hearts of her fans with her angelic countenance.

Netizens who saw the photos left comments such as, “What does she eat? How is she so beautiful?”, “Daebak. I gasped when I saw these“, “The word ‘pretty’ doesn’t do her justice“, “It’s just a candid, but she looks so surprisingly good“, and more.

Meanwhile, Yoona and the rest of the SNSD members are preparing for their “Mr. Taxi” promotions and will be heading to Japan to attend the 62nd annual NHK Red & White Song Festival on December 31st.

source: allkpop

Sooyoung’s mom thinks her daughter has weird taste in men

2011-12-17T15:24:00.001+07:00

SNSD member Sooyoung revealed her unique taste in men.

On the December 15th episode of Mnet‘s ‘Beatles Code‘, the girls of SNSD revealed their ideal types. Sooyoung admitted that she is attracted to down-to-earth guys who are friendly and approachable, and also that her mother can never seem to understand her attraction to the guys she likes.

“There was one time I went to go eat, and there was a guy who was actively grilling meat for all the Japanese tourists, speaking to them in his broken Japanese. I told my mom that I thought he was attractive, and my mom told me she couldn’t seem to understand,” Sooyoung said.

“There was another time where I saw a policeman directing traffic across the street, and he was working really hard. I told my mom that I thought he was attractive too.”

The MCs who listened to Sooyoung describe her ideal type remarked, “I guess you need a guy who can grill meat while directing traffic,” which caused the set to explode in laughter.

source: allkpop

Big Bang to release a new album in March 2012!

2011-12-17T15:24:00.000+07:00

Big Bang has announced that they’ll be releasing a new album in March!

On December 16th, representatives of YG Entertainment confirmed, “Big Bang has decided to hold their ‘Big Show‘ concert in March of 2012. Ahead of the concert, they’ll be releasing a new album. They had halted their activities this year because of unpredicted accidents, but they’ll be returning to their official activities for the first time in nearly a year through their ‘Big Show’ next year.”

Big Bang will also be performing at the YG Family concerts next month in Osaka and Saitama.

According to representatives, G-Dragon is currently concentrating on the production of the songs for the new album. Without rest, he is at the company recording studio every day to ensure it’s prompt release.

source: allkpop

Wonder Girls reveal their true height and weight on ‘Weekly Idol’

2011-12-15T18:52:00.000+07:00

Wonder Girls‘ Yubin and Hyerim have decided to reveal the true stats of their heights and weights.

On December 17th, the girls will guest on MBC Everyone‘s ‘Weekly Idol‘ for the show’s Christmas special.

MC Jung Hyung Don remarked to Yubin, “[From the old profile], you probably grew.” To which Yubin replied, “I shrank a little. In my profile, it states I’m 163 cm (64.2 in.), but I’m actually 161 cm. (63.4 in.). As I grew older, it seems my spine shrank.”

Sunye confessed, “I’m a little shorter than what’s stated on my profile“, while Hyerim also revealed, “My height and weight are both different. I’m a littler taller than what’s stated in my profile as I am 165 cm (65 in.), and I am actually 50 kg. (110 lbs.)”

MCs Jung Hyung Dong and Defconn are rumored to have been caught off guard by the confessions as they were surprised by the girls’ honesty.

source: allkpop

YouTube officially lists ‘K-Pop’ as a music genre

2011-12-15T18:49:00.000+07:00

On December 15th, YouTube officially added the ‘K-Pop’ genre to its Music category.

‘K-Pop’ is now joining the likes of other popular musical genres such as Pop, Rock, R&B, Rap, Folk, Latin, and more. Furthermore, it is the first country-specific musical genre to be added to the list. You can visit the page here.

This addition to YouTube is part of a special project with Google, titled ‘Korea Go Global‘, which was discussed with Eric Schmidt, the executive chairman of Google, while visiting Korea back on November 7th.

As a result, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism and Google Korea came together to sign a business agreement stating that through YouTube, many activities will occur in order to promote Korean culture to the fullest.

Google Korea CEO Yum Dong Hoon revealed, “It’s exciting to see YouTube teaming up to promote K-pop, and spreading the genre to the rest of the world. K-pop’s popularity is extremely strong that it is now added as its own musical genre on YouTube. We are continuing to plan various activities and events to further spread the Korean culture, including K-pop, to the rest of the world via ‘Korea Go Global‘”.

source: allkpop

U-KISS places 3rd on the Oricon Daily Single Chart

2011-12-15T18:41:00.000+07:00

U-KISS placed 3rd on the Oricon Daily Singles Chart with the release of their album.

The boys released their first single in Japan, ‘Tick Tack‘, selling 17,207 albums on the first day.

U-KISS’s agency, NH Media, revealed, “On the first day of the release, hundreds of fans gathered at the opening sales event at Tokyo Shibuya Tower Records. We are planning promotional events throughout Japan until the end of the year. We are expecting that the pre-orders for their other debut singles will gain momentum.”

U-KISS will be releasing their 2nd Japanese single next February, and embark on a Japan tour in March with the 45,000 seats already sold out.

source: allkpop

T-ara’s Eunjung visits ‘We Got Married’ husband on his drama set

2011-12-15T18:37:00.000+07:00

T-ara‘s Eunjung paid a surprise visit to the film set of ‘Man of Honor‘ for her ‘We Got Married‘ husband, Lee Jang Woo. Lee Jang Woo is currently starring in the drama as ‘Seo In Woo’, a cynical chaebol [heir to a rich company] who’s both arrogant and rude. Eunjung decided to show her support for her husband, much to the envy of his co-stars, Chun Jung Myung and Kim Yoon Sung.

Lee Jang Woo immediately greeted her with a wide smile and couldn’t hide his joy at seeing her on set. Reportedly, he fretted about her health because of the cold weather, and made sure to keep her warm.

Producers stated, “The atmosphere on set was lifted by Eunjung’s visit for Lee Jang Woo. We’re sure that it provided a great source of strength for him. Please continue to look forward to Lee Jang Woo’s role in the drama.”

source: allkpop

T-ara to run a new reality show, ‘T-ara’s Flower Boys’

2011-12-15T18:33:00.000+07:00

The girls of T-ara will personally be picking out “flower boys” in a new reality show.

T-ara will be choosing the best contestant to run a “flower boy” street shop with them on SBS E!‘s ‘T-ara’s Flower Boys’. The contestants will be judged by the members, who will be working as “donation staff” in the shop.

Reportedly, the members are determined to choose the best guy since the show will be running under their name. To be determined as the best, the contestants will have to go through games and missions; there will also be hidden cameras around the boys.

The first episode of ‘T-ara’s Flower Boys’ will be broadcast on December 17th at 11PM KST.

source: allkpop

After School reveals Japanese MV preview for “Rambling Girls”

2011-12-15T18:32:00.000+07:00

After School is on a roll, as they’re priming to release their 3rd single, “Rambling Girls/Because of You“. To boost anticipation for the double-A release, the girl group unveiled a PV preview for “Rambling Girls”.

In the video, the girls showed off the ‘S-line dance’ against a sleek disco setting.

After School’s new single will hit stores on January 18th, but until then, check out their PV preview below:

source: allkpop

B2ST’s Yoseob voted as most “huggable” in recent poll

2011-12-13T18:21:00.000+07:00

B2ST‘s Yoseob was voted as the star that fans wanted to hug most in a recent poll.

To celebrate the unofficial ‘Hug Day’ in Korea, SNS site UFO Town recently held a poll asking “The star I want most to give me a warm hug during the cold winter.”

Yoseob received 25% of the votes, with B1A4‘s Jinyoung and Baro coming in at 2nd and 3rd respectively. Meanwhile, INFINITE‘s L got 4th. As for the runner-ups, TEEN TOP‘s L. Joe, F.T. Island‘s Hongki, Boyfriend‘s Young Min, and T-ara‘s Hyomin also received a lot of votes.

The poll ran from November 17th to December 11th, earning a total of 1200 votes through text messages.

source: allkpop

IU opens up about her family and her past

2011-12-13T18:19:00.000+07:00

Last week, IU revealed that she would be speaking frankly about her family and her past for the first time through KBS‘s ‘Win Win‘.

On December 13th, IU finally shared some stories about her past, which was impacted by poverty. According to producers, IU said, “When I was younger, I had no choice but to live separately from my parents because we were so impoverished. I lived with my grandmother, a cousin, and my younger brother for a year and a half in a studio room.”

She continued, “The room was always cold and there was never enough food to eat. We were barely able to live by on money my grandmother made from selling small hair accessories at the market. I rarely met with or spoke to my parents and consoled myself whenever I felt lonely that I still had my grandmother.”

Because of the poor conditions of her home, IU confessed that she liked spending time at the rehearsal room than her own home. “Instead of my lonely and cold home, I liked my rehearsal studio better. More than anything, I was glad to be able to eat as much as I could and sleep in a warm bed at night.”

A year before her debut, IU revealed that she had been dropped from 20 different auditions and had even been involved in fraud.

The full episode airs at 11:15 p.m. KST on December 13th.

source: allkpop

Siwon, Minho, & Sohee spotted filming for ‘Running Man’

2011-12-13T18:09:00.000+07:00

On December 13th, various SNS accounts and online community boards bombarded the Internet with teaser photos of Super Junior‘s Siwon, SHINee‘s Minho, and Wonder Girls‘ Sohee as the new surprise guests for SBS‘s ‘Running Man‘.

Taken directly from the show’s recording by fans who happened to be there (or for some other reasons), the three idol stars are seen mingling with the cast members and staff. According to accounts, the pictures were taken during the opening filming at Gimpo Airport.

Netizens commented, “The three are a fresh new combination, totally watching it live!” “Looking forward to Minho show is competitive side”, “The visuals of each respective team have gathered together”, and “I think Sohee will be better at varieties than we think”.

Apart from the trio, f(x)’s Sulli will also be appearing on the episode.

source: allkpop

Jang Geun Suk & YoonA’s drama ‘Love Rain’ holds press conference

2011-12-13T18:03:00.000+07:00

On December 13th, co-stars Jang Geun Suk and SNSD‘s YoonA attended the press conference for their upcoming drama, ‘Love Rain‘, and discussed its production with PD Yoon Suk Ho.

PD Yoon is best known for his hit seasonal melodramas like ‘Autumn Tale‘, ‘Winter Sonata’, ‘Summer’s Scent’, and ‘Spring Waltz’, all of which created the Hallyu boom in Japan.

‘Love Rain’ marks his first return after a five year hiatus, and the PD revealed that he “couldn’t ignore the influence of Hallyu when casting actors.” He stated, “The term ‘Hallyu’ follows me wherever I go; it was impossible to ignore. I hemmed and hawed over how to create a new drama that could be popular all over the world, and I think this played a factor in my decision to cast Jang Geun Suk and YoonA.”

YoonA was asked what it was like to get back into acting after her two year break. She replied, “I’ve been overcome with a desire to act again over these past two years. When I saw ‘Love Rain’, I knew that I had to do it, so I’m grateful that I’m able to join the cast. Honestly, there is some pressure — although I could find a connection to the modern character, but I worried over ‘Yoon Hee’, who comes from the ’70s. Still, the director leads all of us very well, so I’m able to film in a comfortable environment.”

She continued, “We’re currently filming the final scenes of the ’70s, and I think I did better than I thought. I’m looking forward to the final product myself.”

Commenting on working with her co-star, Jang Geun Suk, YoonA said, “I was surprised to see the way he conversed with fans that visited the set. I’m shy, so it’s hard for me to approach them but he treated them so comfortably. It was fun to watch.”

Jang Geun Suk responded by revealing that he was a fan of SNSD. “I’m YoonA’s personal fan. I’m a Sone. In order to improve her condition, I’ll always secretly leave a cup of coffee on the hood of her car every morning. I think I’m diligently doing my part as a Sone.”

On his actual role, he stated, “In the drama, I play the role of an art student from the ’70s. I think it’s ironic how a lot of the roles I’ve been in require that I sing.”

source: allkpop

SHINee celebrates the release of their Barcelona travel book

2011-12-13T17:54:00.000+07:00

On December 13th, SHINee‘s Onew, Key, and Taemin held a book release conference for their Barcelona travel book, ‘Children of the Sun‘.

The book is a photo essay documenting the trio’s experience during their week-long stay in Barcelona, Spain. It features journal-like entries from the members as they delve into personal stories and thoughts. As of the 13th, the book ranked in the top 10 bestsellers list.

At the press conference, the boys began, “We wrote down what we felt and experienced together in a diary format that we think many people will be able to connect to. We experienced a lot of things and felt a lot of passion as we learned about the culture of another country; it was also an opportunity for us to see a reflection of ourselves off stage.”

When asked why they chose Barcelona, they replied, “It was our first break in a while, and we wanted to choose a location far away. All three of us were immediately attracted to Barcelona. We ate and hung out in the streets as much as we could, and we hope that more people visit Barcelona. For those that can’t, we hope that they’ll indirectly experience the joy through our book.”

Key revealed, “Ever since our debut, I wanted to show this particular side of us. I think it’s a book that aptly captures our natural side off stage. My mom bought about 40 copies for herself to share with her friends. I think it is a fun book, and I hope that people will take an interest in it.”

The boys also touched on some habits they discovered about one another. Onew began, “Key has always liked shopping, so while on vacation, he was walking around everywhere, without even a minute of rest. Although we’ve promoted together for such a long time, the three of us had different things we wanted to do. For example, I had a hard time understanding why Taemin was so adamant about buying a soccer uniform.”

He continued, “We had some free time in the middle of our vacation, and Key went shopping while Taemin went to swim. All three of us have very different hobbies.”

Key added, “I saw Onew hyung cooking and felt like I discovered a new side to him. I was surprised to see him cook, but even more surprised with the taste. Why? Because I chewed on raw rice when I tasted his dish.”

source: allkpop

SMTOWN releases MV for Super Junior’s “Santa U Are the One”

2011-12-13T17:49:00.000+07:00

SM Entertainment has finally unveiled the title track music video from their 2011 SMTOWN winter album, “The Warmest Gift“!

Sung by Super Junior, “Santa U Are the One“ features fun scenes from the label’s “The Warmest Gift” album jacket photoshoot. Fans will get to see their favorite artists looking natural and in their element as they snap photos and record songs in the studio.

As previously reported, the album contains 11 tracks all sung in English to cater to SM’s growing global brand.

Check it out below!

source: allkpop

Performances from 2NE1′s MTV live concert in New York

2011-12-13T17:36:00.001+07:00

On December 12th, 2NE1 rocked Times Square with a mini-concert at MTV’s recording studio. The group was invited to New York City to perform a celebratory live honoring their achievement as ‘2011 Best New Band in the World‘.

The girls had the house jumping with their performances of “Fire“, “Can’t Nobody“, “Lonely“, and “I Am The Best“. Thanks to the unceasing fan chants and loud screams, the VJs looked blown away by 2NE1′s international star power.

Check out their mini-concert below!

source: allkpop

What are the top 10 romance movies of all time?

2011-12-13T17:36:00.000+07:00

South Korea is known for the popularity of its romantic dramas, but how are its movies faring?

Movie Week recently put together a list of the top 10 all-time most popular romantic movies. They noted that the genre has fallen in popularity lately to give way to more thrilling genres like action and fantasy.

Did your favorite movie make the cut? Check out the list below!

1. My Sassy Girl

2001, Directed by Kwak Jae Yong

Starring: Jun Ji Hyun, Cha Tae Hyun

1,735,692 theatergoers

2. My Tutor Friend

2003, Directed by Kim Kyung Hyung

Starring: Kim Ha Neul, Kwon Sang Woo

1,587,975 theatergoers

3. A Frozen Flower

2008, Directed by Yoo Ha

Starring: Jo In Sung, Joo Jin Mo, Song Ji Hyo

1,160,538 theatergoers

5. You Are My Sunshine

2008, Directed by Park Jin Pyo

Starring: Hwang Jung Min, Jun Do Yeon

1,063,480 theatergoers

6. Maundy Thursday

2006, Directed by Song Hae Sung

Starring: Kang Dong Won, Lee Na Young

980,772 theatergoers

7. The Servant

2010, Directed by Kim Dae Woo

Starring: Kim Joo Hyuk, Ryu Seung Bum, Jo Yeo Jung

977,012 theatergoers

8. Cyrano Agency

2010, Directed by Kim Hyun Suk

Starring: Um Tae Woong, Lee Min Jung, Choi Daniel, Park Shin Hye

914,121 theatergoers

9. All For Love

2005, Directed by Min Kyu Dong

Starring: Um Jung Hwa, Hwang Jung Min

902,189 theatergoers

10. My Little Bride

2004, Directed by Kim Ho Joon

Starring: Kim Rae Won, Moon Geun Young

876,600 theatergoers

source: allkpop

Dal Shabet holds press conference for latest pictorial in Cebu

2011-12-12T18:30:00.000+07:00

On December 12th, Dal Shabet held a production conference at Cafe Bene for their latest ‘Star Pictorial‘ photoshoot, dressed in stylish outfits as sweet as the pictorial itself.

The girls recently took off for Cebu, Philippines to use the lush natural scenery as the backdrop to their pictorial. From cute and fresh to lovely and sexy, the six members put on a wide array of looks that brought out new charms, different from their restricted stage concepts.

While Subin, Viki, and Ga Eun emphasized their natural beauty, Serri donned a red bikini for a mysterious look while Jiyul and Ahyoung transformed into sexy cat girls.

Producers stated, “Despite the photoshoot taking place outside in the sweltering heat, the members maintained their positive, upbeat energy throughout the shoot.”

Check out photos from both the pictorial and the production conference below!

source: allkpop

Super Junior’s Sungmin makes a glamorous transformation as Marilyn Monroe

2011-12-12T18:13:00.000+07:00

Super Junior‘s Sungmin recently made a glamorous transformation into Marilyn Monroe for ‘Super Show 4‘!

On December 12th, fellow member Donghae shared on his Twitter, “I’m finally sleeping now. ELF, you were so beautiful and lovely today, thank you so, so much. Let’s do Tokyo next, hosted by Teukie hyung. I leave you with a picture of Sungmin hyung, Eunhyuk, and Donghae.”

Taken backstage, the picture features Sungmin playing the role of Marilyn Monroe, and Eunhyuk and Donghae standing meekly by his side, looking much like his body guards. Seeing a shapely chest on Sungmin right next to his masculine arms is quite a hilarious sight.

Fans commented, “Prettier than a girl,” “Totally expressing his sexiness,” “A real Marilyn Monroe,” and “Bea~tiful~”.

source: allkpop

Super Junior’s Donghae thanks f(x) for coming to Osaka

2011-12-12T18:12:00.000+07:00

Super Junior‘s Donghae and look-a-like hoobae Amber recently posed for a photo together.

On December 12th, Donghae sent a shoutout to f(x), thanking them for their participation in Super Junior’s ‘Super Show 4‘ concerts. He wrote, “f(x), Thank you. Me and Amber together.”

Fans immediately commented on how the ‘twins’ have reunited, since Donghae and Amber look quite similar to each other. Adorably, Donghae yanked on Amber’s hat to draw her in, giving the photos a sibling-like quality.

Netizens wrote, “We need to check their genes”, “Are we sure they’re not related?”, “They’re so cute”.

source: allkpop

Boyfriend’s consistent success makes them a group to watch in 2012

2011-12-12T17:39:00.000+07:00

2011 could veritably be called the ‘year of the idol group debuts’. Over 30 idol groups launched their career this year, and that’s not including the numerous sub-units from already-established groups.

So, what does it take to rise above this swollen sea of talent? While a rookie group has to possess a distinctive image or ‘concept’, they must also have great musicality, consistency, and promising statistics. Boyfriend seems to possess all that in spades, which is why they’re quickly becoming one of the best male rookie groups of the year.

This six-member pop group debuted with “Boyfriend” back in May, and earned a wide fanbase from the get-go (especially with the ladies, whose ages ranged from young tweens to older nuna and even ahjumma fans).
But the definitive moment for Boyfriend came in October, when they returned with ‘Don’t Touch My Girl‘. This single gave the boys a skyrocketing level of popularity that resulted in louder fan chants during their lives and an immediate recognition of their name.
While the single itself is catchy, Boyfriend’s success is also credited to the consistency in their brand — “Don’t Touch My Girl” had a more aggressive sound, but its visuals stayed true to Boyfriend’s pure image. This pleasing contradiction is also found in the song’s lyrics, which deals with the subject of an abandoned love expressed in an assertive, if not slightly brash manner.

“There’s one thing I can’t stand — It’s you. You know it. Don’t touch my girl who is pure,” the boys shout to a faceless adversary. That bold attitude mixed with their prince-like looks offers a combination that’s particularly irresistible to female K-Pop fans.

Going back to Boyfriend’s first single, “Boyfriend“, their music video accumulated over 6 million viewcounts on YouTube. Admittedly, it’s been a few months since it was launched, but the fact remains that this video’s stats are among some of the highest for 2011′s rookie idol groups, whose videos usually hover in the several hundred thousand mark.
YouTube alone isn’t a sufficient barometer for Boyfriend’s success rate. A rivalry helps to gain perspective on the level of one’s popularity, and Boyfriend can find some serious competition in B1A4.

Recently, SBS MTV conducted online polls from November 28th to December 11th, asking K-Pop fans to vote on several awards ranging from ‘Best New Artist’ to ‘Artist of the Year’. One of the categories Boyfriend was nominated for was ‘Best New Star’, alongside other male groups like B1A4 and Block B.
Many expected B1A4 to dominate because of news regarding their draft by Japanese agency Pony Canyon, who will help them debut in Japan next year. But Boyfriend proved that they were no pushovers; they secured a stalemate with B1A4 for hours, striding neck-in-neck with them to move beyond the 35 percentile. When the polls closed on the 11th, Boyfriend emerged on top with 36.36% to B1A4′s 36.13%.

Boyfriend’s concept consistency, their strong talent, and promising figures all cement their status as one of this year’s most successful rookie groups. Though there’s no word yet on whether they’ll expand to Japan, the boys have been receiving large amounts of attention from the international community here on allkpop. With the way they’re running now, they’ve definitely become an idol group from whom we’re expecting great things in 2012.

source: allkpop

X-5 releases MV for “Dangerous”

2011-12-12T17:34:00.000+07:00

Boy group X-5 has finally unveiled the music video for their comeback track, “Dangerous“!

To match the trendy feel of their new song, the MV utilized a lot of flash effects in the dark to bring that ‘urban bad boy’ look. It’s a straightforward video that focuses mainly on their choreography, so if you’re looking to copy of their dance moves, this would be a good place to start.

Check out their MV below:

source: allkpop

Trouble Maker’s HyunA and Hyunseung guest on ‘Gag Concert’

2011-12-12T17:33:00.000+07:00

On December 11th, Troublemaker‘s HyunA and Hyunseung guested on KBS‘s ‘Gag Concert‘, where they played on their ‘sexy’ image.

HyunA emerged as a princess in a tight fitting red dress, immediately captivating the attention of the men on stage. Gagman Kim Junho braved up enough to ask, “So I heard that you cause a lot of trouble…”, before following up with a parody of the duo’s debut track, “Troublemaker”.

Kim Young Min then stepped forward and attempted to ‘capture’ HyunA from behind under the orders of Kim Jun Ho, causing Hyunseung to step up as her knight by exclaiming, “What do you think you’re doing to HyunA!”

Kim Young Min immediately cowered back, meekly stating, “Do you think I’m even capable of anything?!”

In the midst of protecting HyunA once again, Hyunseung accidentally injures his arm, to which HyunA responds by ripping off a piece of her dress to compress the wound. When he injures his leg, all eyes were on HyunA as she tried to sexily rip the bottom half of her dress, exposing a bit of her leg.

Upon being called out for staring, Kim Jun Ho complained, “But why are you only calling me out! He looked too!” He then pointed to a staff member that had poked his head out from under the stage to get a better view of HyunA’s dress ripping.

Check out the clip below!

source: allkpop

Super Junior’s ‘Super Show 4′ in Osaka sold out to 80,000

2011-12-12T17:23:00.000+07:00

It’s been reported that Super Junior has drawn a whopping 80,000 fans for their two-day ‘Super Show 4‘ concerts in Osaka, Japan!

On December 10th and 11th, Super Junior performed at the Kyocera Dome, which is a major accomplishment considering the fact that they’ve yet to make a formal debut in Japan. Only the top artists are allowed to perform at this stadium, and yet the boys have managed to sell out both days of their concerts without making any formal promotions beforehand.

Super Junior performed their hit tracks, “Sorry Sorry“, “Bonamana“, and many fan favorites. They even brought on junior labelmates f(x) as special guests for “Oops!” A total of 38 songs were sung live, including Japanese versions of “Mr. Simple” and Super Junior-M‘s “Too Perfect“.

The concert was large and dramatic, in that the boys used wires, lasers, fountains, and cranes to create a truly spectacular experience for their fans. From powerful performances to ballads and special individual stages, the audience was described to have been enraptured from start to finish.

Concluding the concert, the members said, “It’s an honor for Super Junior to be able to hold a solo concert at such a big concert dome. Thank you for allowing us to create such memories together. As this is just the beginning, we’d love for you to continue to anticipate our world tour.”

The ‘Super Show 4′ will be taking its stop in Taipei in February.

source: allkpop

Performances from December 10th’s ‘Music Core’

2011-12-10T20:54:00.000+07:00

MBC’s ‘Music Core‘ is back once again with another fun and exciting show!

MCs Yuri and Tiffany brightened the set with their cheerful banter and cute aegyo while they guided the program.

Additionally, ‘Music Core’ interviewed a few artists on what they thought ‘Sharing’ meant as part of their promotions for the upcoming ‘Sharing Concert’:

Bang & Zelo and Trouble Maker made their debuts, and M-Signal made their comeback. Meanwhile, Happy Pledis delivered a special stage.

Other performances from today’s show include Wonder Girls, T-ara, SNSD, RaNia, A Pink, M.I.B., Norazo, Lee Ji Hye, X-Cross, LEDApple, A-ble, Wink and J-Cera.

Check them out below!

source: allkpop

December 10th performances from MBN’s ‘Show! K Music’

2011-12-10T20:48:00.000+07:00

MBN, one of Korea’s newer cable channels, aired its first episode of ‘Show! K Music’ tonight.

Wonder Girls’ Sunye acted as the special guest MC alongside MC Sungjoon; together, they introduced performances from popular artists like Wonder Girls, IU, T-ara, 4Men, Norazo, Kim Jo Han, M.I.B, Lee Ji Hye, INFINITE, and more.

‘Show! K Music’ will air every Saturday (KST) with performances from 20 teams of idols.

The show has set out to distinguish itself from the other music programs by utilizing SNS like Twitter to bridge the gap between the audience and the artists. The big screens installed in the waiting room backstage and near the MCs allow the artists to converse and answer questions from fans in real time.

Wonder Girls’ Yubin will guest as the MC on next week’s episode.

Check out some of the performances from tonight below!

source: allkpop

Former U-KISS member Alexander holds a Japanese showcase

2011-12-10T20:45:00.000+07:00

Former U-KISS member Alexander met his fans for the first time in a year through a showcase in Japan.

At the showcase, Alexander performed Hyun Bin‘s “That Man” (from the ‘Secret Garden‘ soundtrack) as well as his new Japanese tracks like “Oh Baby” and “I’m JUST“.

“I studied Japanese in college, and I have a lot of interest in Japanese culture,” Alexander said. “I want to increase my Japanese skills even more and spread my Japanese activities ever farther.”

He continued, “Although I’m very nervous without my U-KISS members, I’m happy that I got to meet with my fans after such a long time.”

source: allkpop

Trailer released for ‘Koala Kid’ feat. SHINee’s Taemin & SNSD’s Sunny

2011-12-10T20:41:00.001+07:00

SHINee‘s Taemin and SNSD‘s Sunny have lent their voices for the upcoming animated film, ‘Koala Kid: Birth of a Hero‘. Taemin will voice-act as the main character, ‘Johnny’, a circus koala who’s suddenly thrown into the role of an unexpected hero. Though he was once an outcast, he makes friends with the beautiful and courageous ‘Miranda’ (Sunny), along with other animal friends in their quest to save the natural habitats of Australia.

The movie will be released in January of next year. In the meantime, check out its trailer below!

source: allkpop

B1A4 draws 1,000 fans to their first Japanese showcase

2011-12-10T20:41:00.000+07:00

Rookie group B1A4 is preparing for their Japanese debut and began off-shore promotions on a successful note by drawing over 1,000 fans to their first showcase.

The boys performed nine of their tracks to a rapt audience, including their debut song, “O.K“, as well “Beautiful Target“.

At the press conference, leader Jinyoung talked about their Japanese promotions. “We want to show our skills in Japan as well,” he said. Fellow member Gongchan agreed, “We will work hard in Japan to win the rookie award here, as well.”

Contracted with famous talent company Pony Canyon, B1A4 is scheduled to officially debut in Japan in summer next year. Prior to their debut, however, they will release a compilation album of their first two Korean releases, “Let’s Fly” and “It B1A4“, on January 25th.

source: allkpop

Trouble Maker performs on ‘Music Bank’ with new choreography

2011-12-09T21:58:00.000+07:00

On December 9th, Cube Entertainment‘s new project duo finally made their debut on KBS‘s ‘Music Bank‘!
4minute‘s HyunA and B2ST‘s Hyunseung teamed up to create ‘Trouble Maker‘, and they’ve certainly lived up to their name with their racy choreography. Unfortunately, Trouble Maker was forced to change up their choreography after receiving numerous complaints.

Check out their modified dance routine below!

source: allkpop

‘I’m a Flower Too!’ to end with 15 episodes

2011-12-09T21:45:00.001+07:00

On December 9th, MBC announced that its Wednesday-Thurday prime time miniseries, ‘I’m a Flower Too!‘ will end with just 15 episodes instead of the usual 16.

A representative from MBC revealed that because of scheduling conflicts with year-end award ceremonies, they had to cut the drama by one episode. This will mean that instead of December 29th, ‘I’m a Flower Too!’ will conclude on the 28th.

Despite MBC’s explanation, many have protested the decision through the drama’s official website, claiming that it was disrespectful to everyone working on the drama to cut it so short. Fans felt that the real reason was because of its consistently weak ratings.

“I’m a Flower Too!” has had its fair share of problems, starting with Kim Jae Won‘s sudden switch-out due to an injury (he was later replaced by Yoon Shi Yoon). The drama was also affected by KBS’s ‘Man of Honor‘ and SBS’s ‘Deep-Rooted Tree‘, resulting in ratings hovering between 5 – 6%.

Fantasy drama, ‘The Moon That Embraces the Sun‘ will replace ‘I’m a Flower Too!’. It’s scheduled to begin airing on January 4th, 2012, and will star Han Ga In, Kim Soo Hyun and Jung Il Woo.

source: allkpop

IU wins Music Bank K-Chart + Performances from December 9th

2011-12-09T21:45:00.000+07:00

‘Music Bank’ is back with another fun and exciting show that was chock-full of amazing performances!

The MCs for tonight’s episode were SHINee‘s Minho, and Wonder Girls‘ Sunye and Sohee.

Besides the usual stages on tonight’s show, Boyfriend, Chocolat, Yurisangja, Park Ki Young, and X-5 made their comebacks while Trouble Maker made their debut.

As for the winners, IUfaced off against SNSD(currently in Singapore for concert) for this week’s K-Chart, but in the end, it was IU who clinched the ‘K-Chart’ win.

Congratulations, IU!

Others who performed tonight included Wonder Girls, T-ara, IU, Dynamic Duo, Yurisangja, New.F.O, A Pink, Lee Ji Hye, M-Signal, RaNia, MYNAME, TRAX, Electroboyz, Seo In Young, Norazo, Noel, Wink, Crispi Crunch, and BoM.

Check out their performances below!

source: allkpop

KARA’s Gyuri, Hara and Jiyoung attend Nature Republic’s fan meet

2011-12-09T21:34:00.000+07:00

KARA‘s Gyuri, Hara and Jiyoung, the current models for Korean cosmetic brand Nature Republic, attended a fan meet in Japan at the Shibuya AX Hall on December 8th.

The fan meet was organized by the brand to thank their fans for supporting their products. Thousands showed up for this rare opportunity to get close with the KARA trio.

During the event, the trio gave demos of the products they were using and also answered questions from fans. The crowd applauded every cute and honest reply that Gyuri, Hara and Jiyoung gave during the Q&A session, and at one point, the trio even showed off their famous “butt dance” from their song “Mister“.

Gyuri, Hara and Jiyoung also autographed memorabila and products for lucky fans and took photos with them, before ending with a handshake session for everyone.

source: allkpop

Simon D & Lady Jane enjoy a quiet date backstage

2011-12-09T21:30:00.001+07:00

Lady Jane has become the envy of female netizens, as recent photos of her date with Supreme Team‘s Simon D surfaced on the web.

The photos were shared by the staff of Mnet‘s ‘M! Countdown‘, who wrote, “Photos taken backstage of Simon D, who came to see Lady Jane for her comeback.”

The couple was snapped spending a quiet moment together with their tablet; in the second shot, they looked up and struck a cheerful pose. Simon D is said to be the perfect boyfriend, as he’s unafraid to make romantic gestures to express his feelings, such as sending flowers to the set of her MV.

Netizens commented, “Simon D is an awesome boyfriend to come cheer on his girlfriend for her comeback“, “It’s so good to see that they have a good relationship“, and “So jealous.”

Lady Jane is currently promoting her new song, “Janie“, and Simon D recently released his first solo album.

source: allkpop

Wonder Girls’ Sohee wants to study at an American college

2011-12-09T21:30:00.000+07:00

Wonder Girls‘s Sohee recently expressed her desire to attend college in the States.

During a recent recording for an episode of KBS 2TV‘s ‘Do Dream‘, the topic of discussion was ‘Challenges give birth to new dreams‘.

Sohee talked about how her struggles to learn English made her want to study in America. “The culture in America was so different that it made it hard for me to adjust, but now I would like to attend college there because of the fact that it’s so culturally diverse,” she said.

When the MCs asked what she wanted to study, Sohee responded, “Rather than theater, I would like to study movie production.”

This episode of KBS 2TV’s ‘Do Dream’ will air at 10:05 p.m. (KST) on December 10th.

source: allkpop

T-ara wins #1 + Performances from December 8th’s ‘M! Countdown’

2011-12-08T19:39:00.000+07:00

Mnet’s “M! Countdown” is back with another episode of great performances!Competing for the #1 spot, it was a hot battle between T-ara, IU, and the Wonder Girls, but in the end, it was T-ara who clinched their 2nd consecutive win with “Cry Cry“!

Congratulations to T-ara for their second consecutive ‘M! Countdown’ trophy!

Performers tonight included Wonder Girls, T-ara, Seo In Young, Son Ho Young, Dynamic Duo, M.I.B, Trouble Maker, A Pink, Boyfriend, F1RST, and Super Junior.

Check out the performances below:

source: allkpop

IU reveals making-of film from “You & I” MV

2011-12-08T19:34:00.000+07:00

IU‘s agency Loen Entertainment has just shared the making-of clip from the music video for “You & I“.

Fans will get to see shots of IU practicing her choreography, posing for her jacket photos, and even chasing down the beloved goose from her MV.

Check out her making-of video below:

source: allkpop

Trouble Maker performs a hot debut stage on ‘M! Countdown’

2011-12-08T19:24:00.000+07:00

Project group Trouble Maker — comprised of 4minute‘s powerful dancer, HyunA and B2ST‘s talented vocalist, Jang Hyunseung — finally came together to perform their first debut stage!

After releasing their long-awaited music video for “Trouble Maker” on December 2nd (which has already garnered over 1.8 million views on YouTube), fans have become anxious for a live stage.

On today’s episode of Mnet‘s ‘M! Countdown‘, HyunA and Hyunseung finally delivered with a hot debut stage that had the house screaming. Check it out below!

source: allkpop

JYJ shows off their matching sneakers

2011-12-08T19:04:00.000+07:00

JYJ‘s Junsu has shared an endearing group photo, taken at the top of a mountain.

On December 7th, the idol tweeted, “At the summit of the mountain.. Good job, guys. It’s been awhile.”

The three members of JYJ – Park Yoochun, Kim Junsu, and Kim Jaejoong — are seen sitting side-by-side with evident satisfaction upon successfully climbing the mountain. Hilariously, the trio seen to be wearing matching hiking outfits, as they’re all dressed in black and have matching orange sneakers.

Netizen commented, “Going hiking in the winter is the best“, “Yoochun and Junsu are cute, striking the same pose“, and “You must feel refreshed~ Fighting 2012!”

In related news, the boys recently completed a successful concert tour in Europe and are working with several organizations to assist underprivileged all over the world. They began a new project to help sponsor children in Africa, and they are also working with Naver‘s Happy Bean Campaign.

source: allkpop

After School’s UEE proudly shows off her one-of-a-kind Barbie trophy

2011-12-08T19:01:00.000+07:00

After School‘s UEE couldn’t hold back her excitement after receiving a one-of-a-kind Barbie trophy from the ‘2011 Barbie & Ken Awards‘.

On December 7th, UEE wrote through her me2day, “I got a doll! ^^ I was chosen for 2011 Barbie & Ken!! ^^ It’s been a day since, but I want to share this happiness with you guys! Thank you! ^^♥”

UEE beamed happily with her Barbie trophy in the car, and fans were quick to notice that both the doll and the idol wore identical feathery dresses.

Netizens commented, “Nuna’s face is prettier than the doll’s. Truth”, “So pretty. Who is the doll and who is the human? kekeke”, and “Congratulations! You know you shine more than the doll, right?”

UEE and actor Song Joong Ki were recently honored at the yearly event for their status as trendsetters.

source: allkpop

T-ara’s Soyeon talks about her new role as leader

2011-12-08T18:47:00.001+07:00

Recently, we reported that Soyeon had replaced Hyomin as the leader of T-ara. Since it’s her first time taking charge in the group, Soyeon was understandably worried about her new role.

“Honestly, I feel stressed and I have a lot of heavy thoughts,” she confessed. “Hyomin, who came before me, did such a good job boosting T-ara’s popularity; I feel a responsibility to continue developing the team since I’m older than her.”

“T-ara’s leader doesn’t just look down from on high, but works at the lowest level, doing the menial jobs,” Soyeon said. “I will always perform my duties as one of the members.”

Soyeon revealed that this isn’t the first time she’s found herself in a position of power. “When I was in elementary school, I was the class president for five years,” she noted. “Since I don’t have any siblings, I like socializing with other people. I’ll use this skill to act as the intermediary.”

In her role as T-ara’s leader, she will place her members ahead of everyone else, she said. “We’re going to have a very busy end of the year, so I will take the lead to make sure all of our members are safe and healthy,” she promised.

She also expressed her gratitude to former leader Hyomin, as well as to the others who had preceded her. “Following in Eunjung, Boram, and Hyomin unnie’s footsteps, I’d like to thank them for working so hard, and promise to work even harder,” she said.

Soyeon will step into the leader’s position for T-ara’s “Lovey-Dovey” promotions, scheduled to begin in January of next year.

source: allkpop

Taecyeon reminisces over his kiss with Suzy in ‘Dream High’

2011-12-08T18:47:00.000+07:00

2PM‘s Taecyeon was in Nagoya, Japan recently where he reminisced over his kiss scene with miss A‘s Suzy.

On December 7th, Taecyeon tweeted, “It’s the ferris wheel where I filmed the ‘Dream High’ kiss scene. I came across it again while on the arena tour~ A year has passed by really quickly > <”

In the photo, Taecyeon gives a wistful smile as he poses in front of the memorable monument.

Netizens commented, “I want to ride that with you, too”, “Time does fly by fast, right? Dream High was really good. Are you going to be in another drama?”, and “Did you ride that alone? Haha”

source: allkpop

After School’s Kahi gets cast for ‘Dream High 2′

2011-12-07T18:59:00.000+07:00

It’s just been reported that After School’s Kahi will be joining the cast of ‘Dream High 2′ as one of the instructors of Kirin Arts High School!

A source revealed to Star News, “Kahi will show you her transformation into an actress for the first time through this drama… She will try her hardest to show you the best that she has to offer.”

Kahi will be acting alongside J.Y. Park, Choi Yeo Jin, and Kwon Hae Hyo as the school’s staff members. She (and the other teachers) will be in charge of guiding the students, T-ara’s Jiyeon, 2AM’s Jinwoon, Kang Sora, and SISTAR’s Hyorin.

Stay tuned for more updates about this exciting development!

source: allkpop

Jun Ji Hyun channels Audrey Hepburn for ‘Cafe Droptop’

2011-12-07T18:53:00.000+07:00

Coffee brand ‘Cafe Droptop‘ has unveiled a stunning picture of Jun Ji Hyun from their endorsement photoshoot.

The actress delivered a flawless interpretation of Audrey Hepburn‘s iconic character, Holly, from ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s‘. Since the concept of the shoot was ‘Elegant & Cute‘, the directors decided that there was no better figure to emulate than the naive, yet pretty New York socialite.

Jun Ji Hyun not only carried Holly’s signature black dress, pearls, long gloves, and coffee cup, but she also managed to channel the character’s cool charisma.

In related news, Jun Ji Hyun has been busily filming for her big-screen comeback work, ‘The Thieves‘.

source: allkpop

Big Bang’s T.O.P to make a special appearance on ‘I Am A Singer’

2011-12-07T18:49:00.000+07:00

Big Bang‘s charismatic rapper, T.O.P, will be making an appearance on ‘I Am A Singer’. On December 5th, T.O.P was seen on the recording of the legendary SanUllim special to cheer on fellow labelmate, Gummy.

According to those who observed the recording, T.O.P made a special featuring on Gummy’s cover of SanUllim’s “Rascal”.

A source revealed to Star News, “While showcasing her distinct style during her rendition of ‘Rascal’, T.O.P made a surprise appearance – heating up the atmosphere of the show… The lively rhythm and the cooperation between the two gained much cheer and applause from the audience.”

Gummy had performed “Rascal” earlier in the mid-examination in front of Kim Chang Wan (SanUllim’s vocalist), and earned praises from him such as “You have completely understood the original song. It felt more free than the SanUllim’s original.”

source: allkpop

Soyeon to become T-ara’s new leader after Hyomin

2011-12-07T18:41:00.000+07:00

It’s been announced that T-ara‘s new leader will be Soyeon, who will carry the torch after Hyomin.

Soyeon will be acting as leader of the group through promotions for their new repackaged album single “Lovey Dovey.” Core Contents Media stated, “Soyeon is the team’s main vocal as well someone with a strong sense of responsibility. This is why she is now leader following Eunjung, Boram, and Hyomin.”

The leader of T-ara acts as the intermediary between the group and producers as well as stylists for six to eight months to make a decision on the style the team will take on.

Soyeon is currently consulting with the members to showcase a completely different side from “Cry Cry” when promoting “Lovey Dovey.” T-ara will be promoting with “Lovey Dovey” starting on January 1st, 2012.

source: allkpop

U-KISS unveils full Japanese MV for “Tick Tack”

2011-12-07T18:35:00.000+07:00

Back in November, U-KISS shared a short PV (‘promotional video’) for their debut Japanese single, “Tick Tack“. Since short PVs usually reveal only 2/3 of the content, fans have been waiting patiently for the full release.

On December 6th, U-KISS’s Korean agency finally unveiled the full PV through their official YouTube channel.

source: allkpop

2NE1 departs for New York City

2011-12-07T18:28:00.001+07:00

Girl group 2NE1 has departed for New York City on December 7th.

While the departure was low-profile, the members couldn’t resist sending excited tweets about their trip to the States. Park Bom shared a quick selca along with the message, “Pre-flight!!! One-take photo~~~ Go go to the States!“.

Maknae Minzy wrote in English, “What’s up~ What’s up~ NYC!! Let’s rock with 2NE1♥ I’m looking forward to it. See ya!!!“, to which fellow labelmate Sean replied, “Go show’em what 2NE1 is all about! Go Minzy!“

Reportedly, 2NE1 is scheduled to touch down at New York’s JFK airport around 10:00 AM local time on the 7th. The girls will be performing a concert to celebrate their achievement as MTV Iggy’s “Best Band in the World” on the 12th.

source: allkpop

SHINee’s Minho to act in a sitcom next year

2011-12-07T18:28:00.000+07:00

SHINee‘s Minho will be taking on a comedic acting role in SBS‘s new sitcom, ‘Salamander Guru’s Inside Story’, which will air early next year.

Minho will be playing the role of Minhyuk, a genius hacker, alongside actors Im Won Hee and Oh Dal Soo.

A source revealed, “Minho has begun acting preparations by enrolling in the staff cafe and such… He will help lead the story along as a hacker who manipulates the two robbers, played by Im Won Hee and Oh Dal Soo.”

Minho has ventured into acting before with the KBS drama special ‘Pianist’. He played the role of a 20 year old piano genius who became involved in a romantic relationship with Han Ji Hye‘s character, earning much praise for his stable acting ability.

The source added, “Since Minho has shown much wit and sense on variety programs, we are looking forward to his role in the sitcom. Although this is his first comedic role, we believe that he will definitely pull his own weight.”

‘Salamander Guru’s Inside Story’ is SBS’s first sitcom in 5 years and revolves around two robbers who impersonate a guru. The sitcom will air in January of 2012.

source: allkpop

Heo Yun Mi Red Brings Summer Back

2011-12-06T20:57:00.000+07:00

Heo Yun Mi heats things up with a set by the pool She wears a side-tie bikini bottom and a white tank top for the first few pictures before removing the top and showing off her great figure in a halter bikini top and the same bottom. If only there were more pictures, enjoy~

source: reallycuteasians

Boyfriend’s 3rd single ‘I’ll Be There’ MV to feature former Five Girls’ Yang Ji Won

2011-12-06T20:40:00.000+07:00

After their successful promotions with their debut song ‘Boyfriend‘ and their recent hit ‘Don’t Touch My Girl‘, it was revealed that boy group Boyfriend is now underway in shooting the music video for their new song ‘I’ll Be There‘, which features the last member of Five Girls, Yang Ji Won.

Starship Entertainment left a couple pictures on their official Twitter page with the tweet, “Release of Boyfriend’s 3rd single! Who do you think is the star of ‘I’ll Be There’? We are revealing paparazzi shots of original Five Girls member ‘Yang Ji Won’ while on set.”

In the picture, Yang Ji Won is showing off her clear skin and her doll-like beauty, with her wavy hair, giving off a ‘goddess-like’ aura. Netizens commented, “Like a true ‘Five Girls’, legendary beauty”, “Looks like a goddess even in paparazzi shots’, and ‘I think all the female stars of Boyfriend’s music videos become hugely successful.’

Former girl group, Five Girls, was a 5-member girl group that included Wonder Girls‘ Yubin, After School‘s UEE, SECRET‘s Hyosung, singer G.NA, and Yang Ji Won. Yang Ji Won was also previously a member of T-ara in 2009. It was revealed that Yang Ji Won is currently preparing to debut in a new 5-member girl group under Lee Hyori‘s agency.

Boyfriend’s title track for their 3rd single album, ‘I’ll Be There’, is another collaboration with composer duo SWEETUNE, who has worked on several mega-hit releases this year with KARA and INFINITE . Boyfriend has worked with SWEETUNE in the past for their 2nd single album, ‘Don’t Touch My Girl’, which secured their spot as a new icon for SWEETUNE. Because of this, many are anticipating that Boyfriend will catch two birds with one stone this time around with their popularity and musicality.

Starship Entertainment revealed, “We think that SWEETUNE’s project this time totally exceeds expectations. You will be able to see the significant growth of Boyfriend. We ask that you show lots of interest and expectations.”

Meanwhile, Boyfriend has started their countdown for the release of their 3rd single album, which is scheduled for December 8th. Be sure to check it out!

source: allkpop

Boyfriend unveils MV teaser for “I’ll Be There”

2011-12-06T20:35:00.000+07:00

Rising idol group Boyfriend has just unveiled the MV teaser for their 3rd single, “I’ll Be There“!

As promised, the concept this time aims to swap out their sweet prince image with a more melancholic one. Since “I’ll Be There” is a special winter release, the MV made sure to include all the picturesque aspects of love in the wintertime.

Check out the MV teaser below, and stay tuned for the full release on December 8th!

source: allkpop

After School’s UEE & Song Joong Ki attend ’2011 Barbie & Ken Awards’

2011-12-06T20:00:00.000+07:00

On December 6th, After School‘s UEE and actor Song Joong Ki attended the 2011 Barbie & Ken Awards at the Beyond Museum in Seoul.

On this night, the two stars were awarded one-of-a-kind Barbie & Ken Collection dolls for young fashion icons that are ahead of their time, and for also making positive influences through culture.

Held in honor of Barbie’s 52nd anniversary and boyfriend Ken’s 50th anniversary, the 2011 Barbie & Ken Awards focuses on the current generation and culture. Last year, actress Hwang Jung Eum and actor Kim Bum claimed the same award.

source: allkpop

‘Dream High 2′ reveals finalized main cast list

2011-12-06T19:54:00.001+07:00

KBS 2TV‘s ‘Dream High 2‘ has finally released its confirmed list of main cast members!

Actress Kang Sora, SISTAR‘s Hyorin, T-ara‘s Jiyeon, and 2AM‘s Jung Jinwoon have all confirmed that they’ll be taking part in the sequel series to the popular teenage drama.

On December 6th, the producers of ‘Dream High 2′ and CJ Media announced that Kang Sora would be taking on the role of ‘Shin Hye Sung‘, an awkward and somewhat weird idol aspirant who learned music solely through effort.

Kang Sora, who plans on showcasing her strong acting abilities through this new role, commented, “I’ve only acted until now, so having to perform on stage as well is honestly a burden. However, I’m both nervous and excited because this will be a new challenge for me.”

Hyorin will play the role of ‘Nana‘, a student with amazing talent and natural abilities. Hyorin mused, ”Nana has a broad-minded personality that is similar to mine, so I have an attraction towards her character. I’m looking forward to it.”

Jiyeon will play the role of ‘Lian‘, a member of the popular girl group, Hush, who aspires to one day be the “Queen of the Cannes Film Festival”, but lacks the acting ability to do so. Jiyeon revealed, “I’m receiving a lot of pointers from Eunjung, who participated in the first season. I already have a warm blanket prepared to withstand the cold at Kirin High School.”

Lastly, Jung Jinwoon has plans to showcase his cute charms through his role of ‘Jin Yoo Jin‘, a bragging troublemaker who aspires to be a rockstar. He stated, “I felt an attraction to the role of Jin Yoo Jin as soon as I read the script. I like the character more because of the fact that he likes rock, just like me. I will try my best to bring out the character’s charm.”

source: allkpop

IU releases performance version of “You & I” MV

2011-12-06T19:54:00.000+07:00

After impressing fans with her cinematic-like MV for “You & I“, IU has returned with a performance version on December 6th.

This second MV focuses on IU’s choreography in both close and long shots, giving the viewer a chance to appreciate the hard work thrown into creating her dance moves.

Check out her MV below!

source: allkpop

Kim Ha Yul, Short Hair

2011-12-05T19:34:00.000+07:00

Kim Ha Yul latest set, just taken yesterday.

source: cutekorean

Han Ji Eun, School Girl

2011-12-05T19:33:00.000+07:00

Lovely Han Ji Eun in winter school girl outfit.

source: cutekorean

Boyfriend to release new winter single

2011-12-05T19:19:00.000+07:00

In a surprise announcement, Boyfriend has revealed that they’ll be releasing their 3rd single!

After making their debut earlier this year with “Boyfriend“, the group continued to draw strong interest with their second single, “Don’t Touch My Girl“. Wishing to thank fans for their strong support all year, Boyfriend recorded a special winter single as a year-end gift.

Starship Entertainment‘s official Twitter shared two images from the boys’ photoshoot, one being a group picture while the other is a compilation of profile shots. Dressed in dark warm knits and fashionable layers, the effect transformed Boyfriend’s image from ‘sweet prince’ to ‘urban gentlemen’.

source: allkpop

YG’s Yang Hyun Suk & Lee Eun Joo are expecting a second child

2011-12-05T19:15:00.000+07:00

Soon after YG Entertainment wrapped up their jubilant ‘YG Family Concert‘ this past weekend, the company’s CEO Yang Hyun Suk revealed that he and his wife, Lee Eun Joo, are expecting a new addition to their family!

“My wife is pregnant with our second child. I’m so happy,” said Yang during a phone interview.”We need to be careful since it’s still early, but I wanted to share the good news immediately.”

Though known to be intimidating in the professional realm, it’s been reported that Yang Hyun Suk is a devoted family man, looking closely after his daughter despite his busy schedule.

In March of last year, Yang Hyun Suk revealed to the public that he had been in a 9-year relationship with Lee Eun Joo, a member of the former girl group Swi.T. The couple welcomed their first child, Yoo Jin, to the world on August 5th, 2010.

source: allkpop