K-pop girl band GFriend returns with new album GFriend will make a comeback with the new album “LOL” on Monday. /Courtesy of Source MusicBy Lee Jin-aKorean girl band GFriend will make a comeback on Monday, according to its agency.Source Music said the band’s first regular album -- “LOL” -- based on retro-style music, will be released then.The agency posted a teaser of the group’s new song “Navillera” on its official social media accounts Wednesday.GFriend debuted in 2015 with the mini-album “Seasons of Glass.” The six-member group has gained popularity with songs “Me Gustas Tu” (2015) and “Rough” (2016).Jul 6, 2016
No joke, comedian Yu Jae-seok gets a waxing Grevin Museum will produce Korean comedian Yu Jae-seok’s wax figure this year. / Courtesy of Grevin MuseumBy Lee Jin-aKorean comedian Yu Jae-seok is turning into a wax figure.Paris-based Grevin Museum said it will create the wax figure of the nation’s most famous comedian to celebrate the one-year anniversary of its Seoul opening.“We select our models based on the figure’s popularity and influence over the mass audience,” the museum said. “Our staff unanimously voted for Yu to be the nation’s first comedian as a wax figure model.”Yu’s figure will cost at least 100 million won ($86,000) and take six months to produce.Yu, nicknamed the “MC of the nation,” hosts MBC variety show “Infinite Challenge” and SBS variety show “Running Man.”Jul 6, 2016
'Uncontrollably Fond' to follow success of 'Descendants of Sun' Kim Woo-bin, left, and Bae Suzy pose during a press conference at Grand Hyatt Seoul, Monday. / YonhapBy Park Jin-hai“Uncontrollably Fond,” another ambitious project spearheaded by KBS2, the national broadcaster that aired the mega-hit drama “Descendants of the Sun,” will premiere on Wednesday at 10 p.m.The highly anticipated 20-episode romantic drama stars heartthrob Kim Woo-bin and Bae Suzy from K-pop girl group Miss A.“Uncontrollably Fond” has been penned by Lee Kyung-hee ― who wrote the heart-aching romantic drama “I’m Sorry, I Love You (2004)” ― and produced by Park Hyun-seok, whose previous projects include “The Princess’ Man (2011).”Kim, who shot to fame starring in the “The Heirs,” returns to the small screen after three years in the role of superstar Shin Joon-young. Bae plays documentary producer Noh Eul. The series tells the love story of a couple who reunite years after being split up because of an unfortunate incident.Kim said from the moment he heard Lee was consideriJul 5, 2016
'We tried our best to cover up emptiness' Beast / Courtesy of Cube EntertainmentBeast returns with ‘Highlight’ without Hyun-seungBy Kim Jae-heunPopular K-pop band Beast, of Cube Entertainment, returned with their full-length third album “Highlight” on Monday without the band’s vocalist Jang Hyun-seung, who left the group in April.The group was asked many questions by the press about its former member as it was the first album released after Jang’s departure.“It was a difference in taste of music (why Jang left),” said Son Dong-woon during the press conference at Cube Entertainment building in Seongdong-gu, eastern Seoul. “Beast members prefer lyrical music while Hyunseung liked powerful dance songs. We have talked to the agency about this for a year and came to the conclusion that Beast will run as a five-member group.”The group returned after a year after a busy concert schedule in Japan and the group members said they did not have time to contact Jang.The new album consists of 11 songs, including the main track “Ribbon” produced by Good Jul 5, 2016
T-ara's Soyeon, Click-B's Oh Jong-hyuk break up after six years Soyeon of South Korean girl group T-ARA and Oh Jong-hyuk of Click-B put an end to their six-year relationship, their management agencies confirmed on Tuesday."Oh Jong-hyuk recently broke up with Soyeon," an official of DSP Media, Oh's management, said. "The separation is a personal matter that we are not familiar with."Soyeon's agency, MBK Entertainment, also confirmed that the two celebrities' relationship "naturally dissolved due to their busy schedules.""Having been together for a long time, they agreed to support each other and stay friends," an MBK official said.Oh, 33, and Soyeon, 28, started dating in Dec. 28, 2010, after they appeared on MBC TV's entertainment show "Flower Bouquet."Soyeon had been an old fan of Oh before her debut as a member of T-ara. During their relationship, the girl group member stood by Oh during his compulsory military duty of two years. Oh also supported his girlfriend when T-ara was mired in a member-bullying scandal.Rumors about their breakup intensified after they unfollowed each other on social media networks.Oh is currently engaged in musical actJul 5, 2016
Wonder Girls celebrate 10th anniversary with 'Why So Lonely' By Kim Jae-heunK-pop girl group Wonder Girls of JYP Entertainment Tuesday released their new single “Why So Lonely,” the title track of their new album, the first produced by members on their own, rather than by their chief producer Park Jin-young.Park wrote the hit songs, “Tell Me,” “So Hot” and “Nobody” for the group since its debut in 2007. When Wonder Girls decided to take on a new genre last August, Park also wrote the main song.However, the chief producer agreed that the Wonder Girls were ready to come up with their own tracks this time.“When we were working on our latest album, Park told us that he won’t have to write songs for us anymore,” said Yeeun during an interview at STUDIO J in Gangnam, southern Seoul, June 23. “We all have different tastes in music, so we worked in groups of two. Sunmi and Hyerim wrote the songs and Yubin worked on rap.”The title track adopts the reggae-pop dance genre with addictive guitar riffs and changes of various rhythms. Yeeun said the group referred to British singerJul 4, 2016
K-pop boy band BEAST sweeps domestic charts BEAST has made a chart-topping comeback. /Courtesy of Cube EntertainmentBy Lee Jin-aK-pop boy band BEAST has swept local music charts with its song “Ribbon” released on Monday.The song has topped Korea’s eight real-time music charts, including MelON, Genie Music and Olleh Music, as of 9 a.m.“Ribbon,” the lead track on the “HIGHLIGHT” album, was composed by Good Life, with words by Yong Jun-hyung.The five-member group debuted in 2009 and gained popularity with songs “Shock (2010)” and “Good Luck (2014).” Jul 4, 2016
Se7en returns with a single Se7en is on the comeback trail. / Courtesy of Eleven9 EntertainmentBy Yeo Ye-rimK-pop star Se7en is making a comeback after three years, with a music video to be released on July 7.“Se7en will finally be presenting the music video for his new single titled ‘It’s Okay’ to his Korean fans,” said his agency, Eleven9 Entertainment.Se7en, 33, whose real name is Choi Dong-wook, uploaded a teaser poster and a photo on his SNS on Monday.“It’s Okay,” which he wrote, is an R&B song with a calm and groovy rhythm. The music video is expected to reflect the song’s sentimental mood.“The song is a gift to all my fans, who have always stayed beside me,” the star said, according to online daily outlet Xports.Se7en will also release his tenth single, “Rainbow,” on the same date in Japan.Jul 4, 2016
Singer out of tune in bar brawl Kim Yong-junBy Ko Dong-hwanKim Yong-jun from K-pop band SG Wannabe has been to prosecutors after a bar brawl in Seoul.Seoul Gangnam police sent Kim, 31, to prosecutors on Friday after closed-circuit TVs allegedly showed him trying to kick another man.CJ E&M, Kim’s agency, said the star had been forced to defend himself.The incident happened on May 8, when Kim was drinking with two friends at a bar near Gangnam-gu Office Subway Station.When two other men began to fight inside the bar, one of them, aged in his 30s, unintentionally pushed Kim, knocking his wallet and mobile phone to the floor.When Kim remonstrated, the man allegedly threatened the star with a liquor bottle, according to media reports.Police have also sent other six men to the prosecutors.Jul 3, 2016
Jeon Do-yeon returns with “Good Wife” Actress Jeon Do-yeon poses for a photo at a press conference of “The Good Wife,” a Korean remake of the hit CBS series, at Amoris Hall in Seoul on June 29. / YonhapBy Park Jin-hai Jeon Do-yeon, one of the A-list Korean actresses who grabbed the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress in 2007, aims to take over the small screen this time with tvN’s new drama “The Good Wife,” premiering on July 8.Leaving the 2005 SBS drama “Lovers in Prague” as her last role on TV, Jeon has built up her cinematic career for the last 11 years. In “The Good Wife,” the Korean remake of the popular CBS series of the same name, Jeon will take the role of Kim Hye-kyung, a lawyer-turned-housewife forced to return to her job as a lawyer after her husband is mired in a scandal and put behind bars. As the original American series has won numerous awards, including five Emmys, there are high expectations for what the seasoned actress can bring to the Korean adaptation.“When choosing a new project, I usually focus on the emotions Jul 3, 2016
