Narsha of K-pop girl band Brown Eyed Girls to tie the knot Narsha of South Korean girl group Brown Eyed Girls will tie the knot with a businessman in early October, the singer's agency said on Thursday.The 34-year-old singer-actress will be marrying an owner of a fashion business of the same age, Mystic Entertainment said in a press release. The wedding will take place in the Republic of Seychelles, an archipelagic country off the eastern coast of the African continent."The wedding ceremony will be literally 'small,' just between Narsha and her fiance," a source close to Narsha told Yonhap News Agency, adding that the couple is not planning on a secondary ceremony at their home country. "Then those two will be right off on their honeymoon."Earlier in April, Narsha had made her relationship public, hinting at marriage.The K-pop celebrity recently began her career in fashion design and brand directing by launching a brand for women's apparel. (Yonhap)Sep 29, 2016
'Train to Busan' takes Don Lee to Hollywood Don Lee in a scene from "Train to Busan"By Ko Dong-hwanKorean actor Don Lee ― from “Train to Busan” ― will likely soon star in Hollywood features.Lee, also known as Ma Dong-seok in Korea, received casting offers from “major studios in Hollywood,” according to Dong-A Ilbo, Wednesday.“We think it is a good opportunity (for Lee),” said Daydream Entertainment, the actor’s agency. “Any following process will be processed carefully.”Hollywood’s interest in Lee, 45, largely stems from his role in Korea’s first zombie blockbuster flick this year, which debuted in the Out of Competition category at the Cannes Film Festival in May. Following the screening, film studios including Fox, Sony and some in Europe tried to secure remake rights.”Train to Busan” also had two sold-out screenings at the 20th Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal in August, winning the Cheval Noir trophy for best feature.The movie opened in Korean theaters in July and has sold almost 12 million tickets.(From left) Lee Byung-hun Sep 28, 2016
Actor Lee Jong-suk serenades Japanese fans South Korean actor Lee Jong-suk has seized the hearts of thousands of local fans in a meet-and-greet event in Japan, his agency said Wednesday.The 27-year-old hero of MBC's hit romantic series "W" greeted some 8,000 Japanese fans in "Variety," a two-day fan meeting event, held in Osaka on Sunday and Tokyo on Tuesday, YG Entertainment said.The South Korean heartthrob showed up to the event in a sleek black pin-striped shirt and sang several songs to entertain the audience.In October, "W" will launch on a Japanese satellite channel.Lee is to host two more international fan meetings on Oct. 21 in Taiwan and Oct. 28 in Thailand. (Yonhap)Sep 28, 2016
Arirang TV starts 24-hour broadcast in UK Arirang TV President and CEO Moon Jae-wan speaks during a press conference at the Seoul Foreign Correspondents’ Club in SeoulBy Kim Jae-heunSouth Korea’s English-language Arirang TV has begun airing on the U.K.’s biggest satellite platforms SKY UK and Freesat at midnight, Tuesday. This is the first time for a Korean TV channel to broadcast 24 hours a day in high definition in the U.K.Arirang TV has been airing shows to promote Korea in 106 countries, but entering into a media network in globally influential countries such as the U.K. or the U.S. has been a difficult and longtime demanding task.Now the Korean English TV station provides its services in the U.K. as well as the U.S. through the global satellite platform DirecTV and the U.N.’s In-house Network. The shows providing information about Korea are expected to reach 11 million viewers on SKY UK, which occupies 60 percent of the paid TV market in the U.K., and 1.9 million on Freesat, a free-of-charge service.“As you can see from the recent Brexit case, the United Kingdom is in the middle oSep 27, 2016
K-pop singers Zico and Seolhyun confirm break-up Rapper Zico and singer Seolhyun have separated after dating for six-months. / YonhapBy Lee Jin-aBlock B’s Zico and AOA's Seolhyun have split up.The celebrities’ agencies said Tuesday the two separated after attracting more public attention than they could handle.“Zico and Seolhyun have ended their relationship due to personal reasons,” said Zico’s agency, KQ Entertainment. “It is difficult to comment further due to the personal and private nature of the break-up.”FNC Entertainment, Seolhyun’s agency, also confirmed the news and said the strong attention to her relationship with the rapper was too overwhelming for the couple. It said the two eventually drifted apart and decided to split up. Zico and Seolhyun’s relationship came to light when online media outlet Dispatch released a photo of the couple in August. The two reportedly started dating in March. Sep 27, 2016
Crayon Pop returns sans helmets Five-member girl band Crayon Pop performs “Doo Doom Chit” from their latest album “Evolution Pop — Vol.1” during a showcase at YES24 MUV Hall in western Seoul, Friday. / YonhapBy Park Jae-hyukK-pop girl group Crayon Pop released their new double-CD album “Evolution pop ― Vol.1,” Monday, after a year and a half on hiatus. It is the first full-length release for the fivesome, who’ve only released mini-albums and singles since their 2012 debut.The first CD of the album introduces eight new songs and the second CD has seven of their old hits, including the group’s breakthrough single, “Bar Bar Bar.”The new album was created on a “do-it-yourself” basis, as each member was charged with one task in making the album.Way helped compose the first track “Vroom Vroom” and Soyul designed the logo and liner notes. Other members also participated in promoting, marketing and designing the costumes.The main track “Doo Doom Chit” is a retro disco number that blends ‘90s melodies and currentSep 26, 2016By Park Jae-hyuk
Secret's Han Sun-hwa quits team Secret member Han Sun-hwa has decided to leave the girl group after seven years, the K-pop singer's agency said Monday.The 24-year-old chose to put behind her girl group career to fully engage herself in acting, the K-pop quartet's agency TS Entertainment said. The singer-actress will enter the free agency market after her existing contract expires on Oct. 13.Han is undecided about her next move, TS Entertainment added.After Han's departure, TS Entertainment will keep Secret as a trio with existing members Jun Hyo-seong, Jung Ha-na and Song Ji-eun. The agency is not planning to add new members.Since Secret's debut in 2009 with the EP "I Want You Back," Han has been prolific in both singing and acting. She appeared on the television shows "Ad Genius Lee Tae-baek," "God's Gift - 14 Days," "Marriage, Not Dating" and "Rosy Lovers." (Yonhap)Sep 26, 2016
Choi Ji-woo returns with legal-romance drama Actress Choi Ji-woo, second from right, stands with other cast members of the MBC’s new legal romance drama “Woman with a Suitcase,” during a press conference at MBC headquarters, western Seoul, Thursday.By Park Jin-hai Actress Choi Ji-woo, the iconic “Winter Sonata” heroine who stirred the first K-drama craze in Asia in the early 2000s, has returned to the small screen in a legal romance drama on MBC.In “Woman with a Suitcase,” which will premiere tonight and airs Monday and Tuesday, Choi plays a successful career woman Cha Geum-joo, a manager at an attorney’s office, whose life goes into free-fall after she is framed and serves time in prison.Written by Kwon Eum-mi, who previously wrote the romance drama “Royal Family” (2011) and crime thriller “Gap-dong” (2014), the new drama tells the story of Cha rising again to realize her dreams.“I really wanted to play a bright but tough character,” said the actress during a press conference at MBC headquarters, western Seoul, Thursday. “There&Sep 25, 2016
K-pop diva Bada in romance with businessman Bada / Courtesy of Bada's InstagramBy Park Si-sooK-pop diva Bada is dating a businessman nine years her junior.Her agency on Sunday confirmed following a news report that she was in a romantic relationship with a franchise business operator, who she met early this year on a blind date. “They are in a full-blown romance, but it’s still too early to say they are going to marry,” said her agency representative.Bada, 36, whose real name is Choi Sung-hee, started her singing career in 1997 as a member of K-pop girl band SES.She turned to musical theater when the band broke up in 2002.She has had leading roles in several musicals, including “Legally Blonde,” “Notre-Dame de Paris,” “200 Pounds Beauty” and “Gone with the Wind.”Sep 25, 2016
'Airport' hit for dubious relationship Kim Ha-neul, left, and Lee Sang-yoon in “On the Way to the Airport” / Courtesy of KBSBy Park Jae-hyuk“On the Way to the Airport,” a KBS drama that premiered Wednesday and looks to be the romance series of the fall, is being criticized by some viewers for justifying adultery.Actors Lee Sang-yoon and Kim Ha-neul star as a married man and woman who are in rocky relationships with their spouses, who start to console each other.Kim, returning to the small screen after four years, plays veteran flight attendant Choi Soo-ah and Lee plays part-time university lecturer in architecture Seo Do-woo.In the first episode, Choi and Seo meet because their daughters were roommates in Malaysia. When Seo’s daughter abruptly dies in a car accident, Choi comforts him on the way from Malaysia to Korea.The teaser for the next episode implies the two will become closer, spending more time together.“This drama basically depicts a subtle relationship between two people, which is hard to define with specific words,” said director Kim Cheol-kyu during a pressSep 23, 2016By Park Jae-hyuk
