Park Hae-jin to grace Chinese postage stamp Park Hae-jin / YonhapActor Park Hae-jin will become the first Korean star to feature on a Chinese postage stamp next month, Yonhap News Agency reported Monday.The stamp is part of a Dream China project jointly organized by China's Ministry of Communications and China Post to recognize the 100 most influential figures in Chinese culture.The stamp with the star of popular tvN drama “Cheese in the Trap” will be issued in May, with the first 100 copies to be sold as limited editions.Each set of the limited editions will cost 698 yuan ($107), with the price of the regular edition set at 0.80 yuan. Prepaid phone cards featuring the Korean will also be available for 120 yuan.Although Park is not the first Korean to grace a Chinese stamp, he is the first Korean subject on a regular Chinese stamp.Park gained prominence in China after starring in “Duo Duo's Marriage” on Hunan TV in 2011. He also played a supporting role in the mega-hit drama “My Love from the Star.” His most recent work, “Cheese in the Trap,” generated much hype on Weibo, the ChiApr 18, 2016
Legendary K-pop boy band reunited after 16 years Former K-pop boy band Sechs Kies / Korea Times fileBy Kim Da-heeSix members of former K-pop boy band Sechs Kies have been reunited for the first time in 16 years in a surprising concert for fans. The event was organized by MBC TV’s popular entertainment show “Infinite Challenge.” In the latest episode of the program aired Saturday, the members were put together and prepared for their “guerilla concert” at Seoul World Cup Stadium on April 7. /Screen capture from YouTubeThe episode showed them making efforts to regain their powerful voices and jaw-dropping dance moves before the event. Their on-stage performance will be shown in the next episode on Saturday.The band debuted in 1997 and instantly shot to stardom with a cult-like fandom among teenagers and those in their early 20s. But the group disbanded in 2000 and its members have pursued careers in other fields, including entertainment and business. Apr 17, 2016
Song Joong-ki interview: 'I will try to stay true to myself' Song Joong-ki, left, and Song Hye-kyo in a scene from “Descendants of the Sun” / Courtesy of KBSSong Joong-ki speaks at a media meeting, Friday. / Courtesy of Blossom EntertainmentBy Park Jin-haiThe megahit drama “Descendants of the Sun” that has swept Asia, creating a new fandom for the past two months, hit its grand finale Thursday.Song Joong-ki, featured as Yoo Si-jin, the captain of a South Korean special forces unit in the military romance drama, has been at the center of attention all along. He said that he is pretty much satisfied with his performance despite controversies over excessive nationalism and product placement in the drama. “I’ve heard diverse opinions and criticisms. But, I would like to say that I am satisfied with playing the role,” said Song during an interview at the Grand Hyatt Seoul, Friday. “Many of the controversies are beyond my control and if I comment on them it would bring more misunderstandings to the drama. Since drama belongs to the viewers and I think whatever their thoughts are iApr 17, 2016
Super Junior's Yesung to release first solo album Yesung / Courtesy of SM EntertainmentBy Kim Da-heeK-pop boy band Super Junior’s vocalist, Yesung, will release his first solo album, made with EXO’s Chanyeol, Tuesday.The album, “Here I Am,” has seven tracks, including “Confession” that features Chanyeol, said SM Entertainment, the musicians’ management agency.The album’s lead track, “Here I Am,” is a slow love song based on the story of a man missing his ex-girlfriend and wishing for a reunion.Yesung debuted in 2005 as a member of Super Junior and has proven his musical ability through a variety of shows and albums. Apr 17, 2016
Song Joong-ki meets 4,000 fans in Seoul Song Joong-ki / Korea Times FileBy Kim Da-heeActor Song Joong-ki will meet 4,000 fans in Seoul Sunday. The event will begin at 2 p.m. at the Grand Peace Palace, Kyung Hee University.This is his first fan meeting since his discharge from the military in May. Song, 30, shot to stardom after starring in KBS TV’s 16-episode drama “Descendants of the Sun,” which ended last week.The fan meeting will include Song singing one of the tracks from the drama, the actor’s management agency, Blossom Entertainment, said. There also will be a special guest, it said.Song plans to hold an event for his overseas fans. The first event of this kind will be held in Bangkok, Thailand, on May 7.Meanwhile, the actor was selected as the best entertainer for Presidential candidate in a recent survey of international students here by Kyung Hee University and Yonhap News Agency. Apr 17, 2016
'Gangnam Style' returns as a landmark bronze sculpture / Yonhap “Gangnam Style,” a mega-hit song by K-pop star Psy, returned to Seoul on Friday in the form of a giant landmark sculpture.The sculpture was unveiled to the public in an opening ceremony at 7 p.m. on the eastern patio of COEX, a multi-cultural complex in the Gangnam Ward of southeastern Seoul. The event was hosted and organized by the city’s Gangnam Ward Office.The bronze sculpture, five meters high and eight meters wide, is modeled after the signature reins-holding horse-riding hand motion of the Gangnam Style dance. Looked at from above, the giant hands appear to cover a globe. When sensors around the statue detect human motion, the landmark automatically turns on flashing lights and plays the Gangnam Style song. The construction of the Gangnam Style sculpture came as a result of the district’s increasing calls for a landmark with indigenous culture and history on par with the Charging Bull of Wall Street in New York City and Piccadilly Circus in London.Gangnam Ward plans to have cultural celebrations every July in commemoration of Gangnam Apr 16, 2016
'Descendants' marred by unrealistic storyline, PPL Song Joong-ki(top) and Song Hye-kyo from “Descendants of the Sun”By Ko Dong-hwanThe curtain has fallen on the mega-hit TV drama “Descendants of the Sun,” which aired its finale Thursday, saddening fans who are already missing stars Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo.But while it may have become the latest hallyu (Korean wave) blockbuster, it has also drawn criticism for its unconvincing plot and scenes with excessive product placement (PPL) advertisements.The lead characters were depicted as superhumans who could stand up as if nothing had happened, even after being shot several times.Elements of the far-fetched plot were seen in the last episode, when Korean special forces captain Yoo Si-jin (Song Joong-ki), the male lead, and Sergeant Major Seo Dae-young (Jin Goo) returned to their romantic partners, who thought their lovers were killed in action a year ago.Jin Goo(left) and Kim Ji-won from the dramaNetizens lampooned the rendezvous, citing the drama’s unrealistic storyline and dubbing the male lead’s return a “Phoenix’s resurreApr 15, 2016
Top TV host gives most for comfort women's home Yoo Jae-seokBy Ko Dong-hwanTop TV show host Yoo Jae-seok heads a list of donors who have helped women forced to serve as sex slaves to Japanese soldiers during World War II.The comedian, 43, has donated 110 million won ($95,000) to the House of Sharing, the home of the so-called “comfort women.” The amount includes 50 million won ($43,000) donated Thursday, which he wants used to support the group’s plans to build a human rights center for the comfort women and improve their welfare.The philanthropist first donated 20 million won ($17,000) to the House of Sharing in July 2014. In June the following year, he donated 40 million won ($35,000).Statues of the late "comfort women" victims who were forced to serve as sex slaves to Japanese soldiers during World War II. / Korea TimesYoo has appeared in TV programs including MBC variety show “Infinite Challenge” and SBS’s “Running Man.”The show business veteran is the individual who has donated the most to the war victims’ home, according to the Chosun Ilbo, quoting the home’s manageApr 15, 2016
Actress' campaign puts spotlight on Japanese colonialism Song Hye-kyo, right, and Prof. Seo Kyoung-duk / Courtesy of FacebookBy Ko Dong-hwanActress Song Hye-kyo, the female lead in TV drama “Descendants of the Sun” that ended Thursday, has continued highlighting overseas Korea’s history under Japanese colonial rule during World War II.Prof. Seo Kyoung-duk from Sungshin Women's University, well known for promoting Korean interests abroad, said on Facebook Friday he and Song had donated brochures about Korea’s independence movement campaign during the period to the museum at the site of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea in the Chinese city of Changsha. The donation commemorated the anniversary of the government-in-exile’s establishment on April 13. Prof. Seo Kyoung-duk planned and made the brochures, above, and Song funded the campaign.“I planned and made the brochures and Song sponsored them,” Prof. Seo said on Facebook. “We have been the best double team working together on promoting our country’s history for years, providing brochures to the Museum of ModernApr 15, 2016
K-pop's Victoria dates Chinese actor /The Korea Times File By Lee-Han SooVictoria from K-pop girl group f(x) and star Chinese actor Yang Yang are dating, according to Chinese entertainment media.The Chinese singer and actor met while filming Chinese TV drama “Cocoon Town Legend.” They are rumored to have started dating last summer.SM Entertainment, the band’s agency, denied the report, saying the couple are just “good friends.” But it said it would look further into the report.Yang, 24, starred in hit Chinese TV dramas “Tornado Girl” and “Flowers of Pinellia Ternata.” Apr 15, 2016
