Hollywood actress Lily Collins visits Noryangjin Fish Market Hollywood actress Lily Collins visits Noryangjin Fish Market in Seoul. /Courtesy of Lily Collins’ Facebook By Lee Jin-aHollywood actress Lily Collins is soaking up Seoul’s sights as she enjoys her time in Korea.On Tuesday, she posted photographs of Noryangjin Fish Market on Facebook and Instagram after visiting Korea’s famous tourist attractions including Myeongdong, Hongdae and Dongdaemun Design Plaza.In one of the images, Collins is standing in the middle of the fish market and looking up at the glowing lights. With the photo she wrote: “Soaking in all the sights, sounds and smells.”The actress came to Korea last month to shoot the movie “Okja” by Korean director Bong Joon-ho, best known for “Snowpiercer” (2013) and “The Host” (2006).“Okja,” set for Netflix release in 2017, is a South Korean-American science-fiction horror film.Collins is a British-American actress well known in Korea for her movies “Love, Rosie” (2014) and “Mirror, Mirror” (2012).Jun 15, 2016
Woman drops criminal suit against K-pop star Park Yu-chun K-pop boy band JYJ's Park Yu-chun / Courtesy of C-JeS EntertainmentA woman dropped a complaint against Park Yu-chun, a member of popular K-pop boy band JYJ, on Wednesday, on charges of sexual assault, police said.The 20-something woman, whose identity was withheld, filed the case with the Gangnam Police Station on Friday, claiming the singer raped her at a bar in southern Seoul early in the morning on June 4.She had claimed the incident took place in a bathroom located within a room where they had been drinking together, according to police. Park and the woman, who is an employee at the bar, did not know each other previously.The woman, however, changed her statement and dropped the suit at about midnight Wednesday, according to police. She said there was no coercion.The complainant had submitted her underwear as evidence but Park's agency C-JeS Entertainment has been denying the allegations."I did not feel good as Park's party acted as if they were thinking little of me after the sex," she was quoted by the police as saying. "When I came back home, I thought Park treated me lightly Jun 15, 2016
Song Joong-ki leads top 10 hallyu stars in China Actor Song Joong-ki was placed the first on the top ten hallyu stars in China this year. /Courtesy of Blossom EntertainmentBy Lee Jin-aActor Song Joong-ki is top of the list of China’s 10 most-liked and influential hallyu stars this year.Next are Lee Min-ho, Kim Soo-hyun, EXO, Song Hye-kyo, Hwang Chi-yeul, Park Hae-jin, Jun Ji-hyun, Park Bo-gum and BigBang, a Korean market research institute said Tuesday.Customer Council said China’s People’s Daily newspaper surveyed 189,027 readers from May 26 to June 5 to compile the list.Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo made it because their TV drama “Descendants of the Sun” was a big hit in China, the institute said.Last year, actor Kim Soo-hyun of “My Love From the Star (2014)” topped the list, followed by Lee Min-ho of “Heirs (2013)” and Lee Jong-suk of “Pinocchio (2015).”Customer Council has awarded “Brand of the Year” to the top 10 hallyu celebrities in China since last year. Jun 14, 2016
K-pop star Park Yu-chun embroiled in rape scandal K-pop boy band JYJ's Park Yu-chun / Courtesy of C-JeS EntertainmentBy Kim Da-heeActor and K-pop boy band JYJ’s Park Yu-chun has been accused of sexually assaulting a female employee at a bar, police said Monday.But Park’s agency strongly denied the claim, saying the woman was maliciously trying to damage the celebrity’s reputation.The Seoul Gangnam Police Station revealed that a woman surnamed Lee, 24, filed a complaint against Park, 30, on Friday for sexual assault, which allegedly happened at a bar in Gangnam.According to the woman, Park, who is doing his military duty as a public service worker at a district office in Seoul, came to her workplace after midnight on June 3. The employee met Park and his colleagues and spent time in a room at the bar. When Park’s group was drinking around 5 a.m., Park took her to a restroom inside the room and sexually assaulted her, the woman alleged.“Lee submitted the complaint a week later after the alleged incident,” police said. “She submitted her underwear and clothing as evidence.”The evidence waJun 14, 2016
Girl band 4Minute to disband after 7 years 4MinuteBy Kim Jae-heunK-pop girl group 4Minute may break up after seven years once its contract expires this month.Reportedly, Cube Entertainment group decided to disband and only Kim Hyun-a, better known as HyunA, has renewed her contract with the entertainment company. The other four members Jeon Ji-yoon, Heo Ga-yoon, Kwon So-hyun and Nam Ji-hyun are still yet to make a decision but some may leave the record label.The main reason for the idol group’s possible breakup is said to be the members’ diverging career paths.4Minute debuted in 2009 with its first album “Hot Issue” and gained popularity with many hit songs, such as “Huh,” “Volume Up,” and “Whatcha Doin’ Today?”The looming split was unexpected as the K-pop group released its popular seventh mini-album “Hate” in February.HyunA will continue to pursue her solo career and is set to release a new album in the near future. Jun 13, 2016
Song Joong-ki greeted in Hong Kong Korean actor Song Joong-ki from the runaway hit television series "Descendants of the Sun" enjoyed his first fan meeting in Hong Kong over the weekend as he thanked fans for their avid support, his Seoul-based agency said Sunday.Blossom Entertainment said around 8,000 fans flocked to the Asia World Expo Arena in Hong Kong on Saturday to meet the 30-year-old star. This was the first time that Song has a fan meeting in Hong Kong, though he has visited the city in the past to promote "Descendants of the Sun" and as a tourist."Hong Kong is a special place for me because this was the first tourism spot that I visited after becoming an adult," Song said. "Whenever I feel tired, I think about fans' support and passion which gives me a big energy. I will deliver with better performance in the future."Hong Kong was the seventh destination of the "2016 Song Joong-ki Asia Tour Fan Meeting" that started in May. In Hong Kong, Son was joined by his friend and fellow actor Lee Kwang-soo, who is best known for his appearance on the popular TV variety show "Running Man." They sang together and perforJun 12, 2016
Justin Bieber in punch-up outside hotel By Lee Han-sooPop star Justin Bieber was involved in a street brawl outside a hotel in Cleveland, Ohio, on Wednesday, according to TMZ, a U.S. celebrity news website.TMZ revealed footage of Bieber and a much bigger man fighting outside a hotel.The footage begins with Bieber and the man arguing.As Bieber grabs the man’s collar, the man fights back and slaps Bieber on the forehead. Bieber responds with a right fist to the man’s face.Bieber is known to have been in Cleveland to watch the NBA finals between Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors.There is speculation the fight erupted over an autograph.“Yo, check. The fool ran up on me. I was with the girls - we just asked for an autograph,” Lamont Richard, who claims he is the man in the video, told TMZ. But the claim has not been verified. Jun 10, 2016
Actress spills beans on romance with actor Ko Won-hee from "Happy Together" on KBS, Thursday / Courtesy of KBSBy Ko Dong-hwanFew people would have known until Thursday evening that actress Ko Won-hee and actor Lee Ha-yul, a TV drama couple, have been dating.The truth was revealed on TV talk show “Happy Together” on KBS, where Ko, 21, was one of five guests.“I have been waiting for this moment to spill the beans in public for the first time,” said Ko, drawing keen attention from other guests and the show’s three hosts as she was about to confess. She mentioned a blogger who knew about her relationship with Lee divulged the news online.Lee Ha-yul(left) and Ko Won-hee from "The Stars Are Shining" on KBS / Courtesy of KBS“Even my agency’s boss doesn’t know that my boyfriend is Lee because, if I had told him before the show, he would have stopped me from coming here,” Ko said. The revelation of her eight-month romance was largely encouraged by her sympathetic father.Ko and Lee appeared in “The Stars Are Shining” that ran from August 2015 to last February on KBS.Jun 10, 2016
Chinese fans ship tons of rice to hallyu star for needy kids Chinese fans of singer Hwang Chi-yeol sent him over three tons of rice as a donation to Korean charities. / Courtesy of Daum blogBy Ko Dong-hwanHwang Chi-yeolChinese fans of hot hallyu singer Hwang Chi-yeol have sent him over three tons of rice as a donation to Korean charities.On June 3, the grounds outside Olympic Hall at Seoul Olympic Park were filled with tens of decorative floral stands, each with a stack of rice bags. The 3.76 tons of rice were sent by Chinese fans to the star, who was holding a fan meeting, “Hwang Chi-yeol in Star Avenue,” in the hall.Hwang had asked fans to donate the rice for needy children. The rice will feed almost 50,000 children, according to reports.Other floral stands were also lined up outside the hall, sent to Hwang from fans in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Australia, Singapore and North America.Hwang’s Chinese fans also had reportedly donated money under the star’s name to a non-profit organization in China that provides free lunches.Hwang, one of the top hallyu stars in China, is scheduled to appear on the nation’s populaJun 10, 2016
Court drama heroine serves as judge The Seoul Central District Court appointed Park Jin-hee (fourth from left) and five others as honorary judges on Thursday. / YonhapBy Ko Dong-hwanThree months ago, actress Park Jin-hee portrayed an attractive, divorced judge ― whose former husband has Alzheimer’s disease ― in TV court drama “Memory” on tvN. On Thursday, the actress realized her fictional job title in real life.The Seoul Central District Court appointed Park, 38, as an honorary judge for the day, Elefun Entertainment, her agency, said Friday. The court saw the star’s cultivated image of modesty shown on and off the screen as deserving of the honor, according to media reports.Wearing a judge’s black gown, Park sat next to judges and monitored them during a case.“I realized that judges put a lot of effort and time into preparing each court case,” said Park, whose husband is a judge at the Suncheon branch of the Gwangju District Court. “The experience got me to respect my husband more. I have got to feed him better with more tasty dishes.”Park Jin-hee from "Memory" onJun 10, 2016
