Culture Line

AOA targets Japanese fan

K-pop girl band AOA released second single album “Like a Cat” in Japan, the group’s management company FNC Entertainment said Wednesday.

The company said the band’s single album contains three songs including “Like a Cat,” “Just the Two of Us” and “Elvis.”

The eight-member girl band rose to stardom with a song “Miniskirt” in January of last year. The song was included in the band’s fifth single album released in Korea and recorded 17 million hits on YouTube. It was also introduced in their first Japanese single album released last October and ranked first on Japan’s Tower Records Japan on the day it was released.

Comprised of Choa, Jimin, Yuna, Hyejeong, Seolhyun, Chanmi, Youkyung and Mina, the band made a debut in 2012. The band’s title AOA stands for “Ace of Angles.”

Kumho Asiana to help budding artists

Kumho Asiana Group Chairman Park Sam-koo, 70, has been appointed as a ninth president of Korea Mecenat Association on Wednesday.

The decision was made at a regular general meeting of the nonprofit association on Wednesday. Park will serve as a president until Feb. 2018.

“The corporations not only pursue for economic profit, but also have social responsibilities for adding various benefits to our society,” Park said in his inaugural speech at a hotel in Seoul, Wednesday. “As the mecenat activities are the foundation for the country’s cultural prosperity, I will urge as many companies as possible to join the mecenat activities.”

Named after ancient Roman politician Gaius Clinius Maecenas, known for his support of young artists, the Korea Mecenat Association was established in 1994 in a bid to support artistic and sporting activities.