Suzy, Kim Woo-bin's new drama to air across Asia Kim Woo-bin, Suzy / Korea TimesBy Bahk Eun-ji Drama “Uncontrollably Fond,” featuring hallyu stars Kim Woo-bin and miss A’s Suzy, will air simultaneously in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, its production company said Sunday.It is about a man and a woman who were separated when they were children and later meet as a top star and documentary producer.Kim plays the actor Shin Jun-young and Suzy is producer Noh Eul.The drama will air through Youku Tudou, China’s biggest video site, and on TV channels in Taiwan and Hong Kong.Production company Samhwa Networks said the drama also has been sold to DramaFever, a video-streaming website owned by Warner Bros.“Uncontrollably Fond” will air in July on KBS.Apr 24, 2016
Steven Yeun, Lily Collins star in Bong Joon-ho's new film 'Okja' Steven Yeun, Lily Collins / Screen captures from InstagramBy Bahk Eun-ji Hollywood stars Steven Yeun and Lily Collins have been cast in director Bong Joon-ho’s new film “Okja,” reports said Sunday.The film is co-written by Bong, who is famous for “Snowpiercer,” and Jon Ronson. It is about a young girl’s friendship with an animal, Okja. The girl has to fight a powerful multinational company to stop it kidnapping Okja. Netfilx and Plan B Entertainment are producing the film.British actress Tilda Swinton, known in Korea for her role in Bong’s “Snowpiercer,” and American actor Jake Gyllenhaal also have been cast in the film with Korean actors Byun Hee-bong, Yoon Je-moon and Choi Woo-shik.Yeun, who is famous for his role in American TV drama “The Walking Dead,” recently filmed the international episode of “Late Night With Conan O’Brien” in Korea. Apr 24, 2016
New SBS drama 'Entertainer' disappoints viewers Ji Sung singlehandedly strives to salvage show By Park Jin-haiThe new SBS drama “Entertainer” drew a lot of attention from media and viewers before its premiere this week. The perfect timing of the premiere which followed on the heels of the much-hyped “Descendants of the Sun,” and the casting have been interesting enough to draw attention.Starring Ji Sung, last year’s MBC Drama Award winner for his performance in “Kill Me, Heal Me,” and Hyeri, a member of K-pop group Girl’s Day who silenced the controversy around her casting in tvN’s hit drama “Reply 1988” by helping make the show a great success, SBS’ new drama was expected to fill the viewers’ void left by the megahit drama “Descendants of the Sun.” Despite the mix of promising elements, however, when the drama finally premiered, it fell short of what viewers expected_ especially so by the raised standards of today’s viewers, who have already tasted various choices in recent TV hit series, such as “Signal” and &ldqApr 22, 2016
Sex-scandal K-pop singer removed from musical cast Lee Soo from "Mozart!" poster / Courtesy of Lee Soo's InstagramBy Kim Da-heeK-pop singer Lee Soo has been ousted from the cast of musical “Mozart!” because of his criminal record for having paid sex with a minor, the show’s producers said Friday.The vocalist, 35, from Korean rock band M.C. The Max, was convicted of buying sex from a minor in 2009.He tried to meet his fans through the musical, but faced strong opposition from musical fans, some of whom said they would boycott the show, which begins in June.“We decided to remove Lee Soo from the cast after a long discussion with his agency,” EMK Musical Company said. “We feel sorry for causing concerns and controversy.”Meanwhile, the musician expressed online his feelings about being dropped.“I appreciate all your words of encouragement, consolation and criticism,” he wrote on Instagram. “I realize I am still very flawed to start working on something new. I promise to come back as a better person.” Apr 22, 2016
Block B's fifth album off to flying start Block B / Courtesy of TwitterBy Kim Da-heeK-pop boy band Block B has continued its winning streak with fifth mini-album “Blooming Period.”The album was released on April 11 and instantly swept eight domestic charts with its lead track, “Toy.”The seven-member band won first place in the popular TV music program “Show Champion” on Wednesday thanks to the album and another top prize in Mnet’s “M Countdown,” on Thursday.“We would like to dedicate this honor to our leader, Zico, for composing and writing the song,” said band member P.O. Apr 22, 2016
Song Joong-ki to visit China for fan meetings Song Joong-ki, the star of the South Korean TV sensation "Descendants of the Sun," will make a tour of eight Chinese cities to meet his international fans, his agency said Friday.Song shot to Asianwide fame for his role as Army Capt. Yoo Si-jin, who falls for a female surgeon, Kang Mo-yeon (Song Hye-kyo), in a fictional war-torn country where he is part of South Korea's peacekeeping force.The tour will begin in Beijing on May 14 and take him to Wuhan on May 21, Guangzhou and Shenzhen on May 27-28, according to Blossom Entertainment.Song will head north to Shanghai on June 5 and then travel back to the south to visit Hong Kong on June 11. It would be his second visit to Hong Kong since the promotional tour with actress Song on April 4.He will also meet fans in Chengdu on June 17 and end the pan-China trip in Taipei on June 25.On Sunday, Song's "fan meeting" event drew some 4,000 fans to Seoul's Kyunghee University. He is scheduled to hold a similar event in Bangkok on May 7. (Yonhap)Apr 22, 2016
Gong Yoo to star in Kim Eun-sook fantasy drama Gong Yoo / Korea TimesBy Bahk Eun-ji Actor Gong Yoo will star in popular writer Kim Eun-sook’s new drama, “Goblin,”about a goblin and an angel of death who accidently end up living together.Kim, who wrote the mega-hit“Descendants of the Sun,” said she had been working on “Goblin”for three years, even before “Descendants of the Sun.”“After talking with Gong, I am sure he will be perfect in the male lead.”“Goblin”will air on tvN in November. Apr 21, 2016
Hwang Chi-yeol to release new single next week Hwang Chi-yeol / Screen capture from Facebook By Bahk Eun-ji Singer Hwang Chi-yeol, who stars in the Chinese version of “I Am Singer Season 4” will release a single next week, HOW Entertainment said Thursday.It is Hwang’s first song in nine years.“I Am Singer” is broadcast on Hunan TV. Hwang made his debut in 2007 with two albums, but rose to stardom in the Chinese show this year.His new song is called “Can’t Live without You.”Apr 21, 2016
Gain, Joo Ji-hoon declare war on sex video rumors Joo Ji-hoon, Gain / Korea Times By Bahk Eun-ji K-pop diva Gain, a member of Brown Eyed Girls, and her actor boyfriend Joo Ji-hoon say they will take legal action against anyone spreading rumors about a sex video allegedly featuring the couple.“The rumors are totally groundless,” Joo’s agency said in a statement. “We will be merciless in punishing those who spread the rumors.”Gain’s agency issued a similar statement, warning those who spread such malicious rumors, and a media outlet that reported them without checking first would “pay the price.”The rumors started Wednesday evening with short clips from a sex video that instantly went viral online. The clips show a couple having sex, but do not reveal their faces. But rumors have spread claiming the clips are of Gain and Joo. Apr 21, 2016
S. Korea to put on series of K-pop concerts for foreign residents South Korea will hold a series of concerts showcasing traditional and contemporary Korean music for foreign residents for the second year in a row, organizers said Thursday.Four "Hello, Mr. K" concerts are scheduled for this year in the capital area starting Thursday, the Korean Culture and Information Service affiliated with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said.The first concert will take place at the U.S. Eighth Army headquarters in Yongsan, central Seoul, featuring Jinusean, Babylon, 4TEN and other K-pop artists, as well as LED, B-boy and taekwondo dances, and "samulnori," a traditional Korean percussion music.The same event will be held at the Yonsei University Korean Language Institute in Seoul on July 21; KINTEX in Goyang, just northwest of Seoul, on Aug. 30 at the opening ceremony of the 2016 World Print and Communication Forum; and Kyunghee University in eastern Seoul on Oct. 5.The government began the free concert series last year to enhance foreigners' understanding of Korean culture and promote it globally. (Yonhap)Apr 21, 2016
