'Ms Temper and Nam Jung-gi' sets ratings record “Ms. Temper and Nam Jung-gi” / Screen captures from JTBCBy Bahk Eun-ji JTBC’s new drama “Ms. Temper and Nam Jung-gi” has set a ratings record.The Friday/Saturday show registered a national ratings average of 2.9 percent for the eighth episode on April 9, up 0.3 percent from the previous episode on April 2, according to Nielsen Korea and reports. The show, starring Lee Yo-won and Nam Sang-hyun, attracted the most viewers among cable channel competitors in the timeslot.In the eighth episode, Ok Da-jung (Lee) punishes her colleague who sexually harassed a female employee at her company. Apr 10, 2016
'Descendants' sets viewership record of 40.4% /Courtesy of KBS2By Kim Da-heeKBS TV's mega-hit drama "Descendants of the Sun" set a record-high viewership of 40.4 percent for its 14th episode Thursday.The result came during a romantic scene in which Yoo Si-jin (Song Joong-ki) asked Kang Mo-yeon (Song Hye-kyo) to watch a movie with him while in hospital. Yoo was taken to hospital after an unidentified gunman shot him.The episode’s average rating was 33 percent, according to Nielsen Korea.Meanwhile, rumors spread Friday morning that a film version of the drama will be released at the Cannes Film Market. But the drama’s production company, NEW, said no decision had been made. Apr 8, 2016
Seo Kang-joon plans solo fan meetings in Japan, China /Courtesy of TwitterBy Lee Han-soo Seo Kang-joon, the popular star of TV shows “Cheese in the Trap” and “Law of the Jungle,” will hold his first solo fan meetings in Japan and China, his agency said Friday.The meeting titled “Welcome to My Place, Seo Kang-joon in Osaka” will be held at the E.K. Hall in Osaka, Japan, Sunday.“We only planned one event in Osaka, but after vigorous requests from fans after the tickets sold out, we decided to add another one in the evening,” the agency said. Seo also will host a fan meeting in Tokyo in June.His first solo fan meeting in China is planned for Shanghai on April 23. The event, “2016 Seo Kang-joon Fan Meeting in Shanghai, Your Vitamin,” will be filled with surprise events, video clips and activities, the agency said. Apr 8, 2016
Psy to appear at China Music Awards South Korean pop star Psy has been invited to China's major music awards show that celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, an entertainment source said Friday.Psy, 39, is on the 2016 China Music Awards roster, along with K-pop idol bands that include VIXX, iKON and KNK, and Chinese pop stars Wang Lihong and Lin Junjie, the source said on the condition of anonymity.Launched in 1994, the awards program recognizes talented singers throughout Asia.2015 was a fruitful year for Psy, who actively engaged in concerts and entertainment programs in China. In June, the South Korean rapper will appear on the Chinese electronic dance and hip-hop survival show "The Remix" on Jiangsu Satellite TV as a music mentor.VIXX, a six-member K-pop boy group, was among the most beloved Korean artists in mainland China and Taiwan in 2015. The group's second full-length album "Chained Up," released in November 2015, topped the weekly Korea-Japan album section of Taiwan's largest music sales tracker "Five Music."KNK debuted with the single EP "KNOCK" on March 3, 2016. The five-member boy group's upcoming appApr 8, 2016
Actress Ku Hye-sun to marry in May Actress and film director Ku Hye-sun will marry her actor fiance Ahn Jae-hyeon in May, Ahn's agency confirmed Friday.The top actress and her soon-to-be husband Ahn will tie the knot on May 21 in a closed wedding, where only a handful of family members and closest friends are invited, HB Entertainment said."We are the most pure and peaceful company to one another, and so we've decided to stand by each other for the rest of our lives starting on May 21," the entertainment agency said in a press release."Through the time we've been together, we have been learning how valuable a life devoted to another being can be, and we intend to respect each other's set of values for the rest of our lives."The couple will keep the wedding modest, with plans to set aside the leftover budget for charity donations, according to the agency.Ku and Ahn have been in a romantic relationship for about a year, shortly after they co-starred in KBS 2TV's fantasy-medical series "Blood" in 2015.Ku, 32, debuted in 2002 in a television commercial and became a star actress through a number of hit shows, including MBCApr 8, 2016
AOA, TWICE, 2PM to headline KCON 2016 Japan South Korean bands AOA, TWICE and 2PM will headline KCON Japan, that country's edition of the world's largest convention on all things "hallyu," or the worldwide popularity of Korean culture, organizers said Friday.This year's KCON Japan will consist of a convention displaying merchandise related to Korean culture, a meet-and-greet with select stars, a red carpet event and a concert that night, CJ E&M said.The lineup for Saturday's "KCON 2016 Japan X M Countdown" concert includes AOA, INFINITE's Kim Sung-gyu and MONSTA X.On Sunday, 2PM, Block B, BOYFRIEND, TWICE and four other K-pop artists will come on stage to wrap up the two-day event.KCON 2016 Japan is the second of its kind in the country. CJ E&M, South Korea's content and entertainment giant, said it had chosen Japan as the first KCON location in Asia because it's the world's second-largest entertainment market and South Korea's largest patron in that industry.The convention side of the event will host 53 small and medium-sized businesses from South Korea to help them attract international buyers.KCON was started in IrvApr 8, 2016
Uni's use of stars' photos for butts sparks row Life-size photos of Suzy and Seolhyun used for collecting cigarette butts at Yonsei University campus, Seoul. / Screen capture from onlie communityBy Bahk Eun-jiYonsei University is under fire for using life-size photos of female K-pop stars over bins that collect cigarette butts.The singers are Miss A’s Suzy and AOA’s Seolhyun.Text on the bins reads, “I like Suzy♥” and “I like Seolhyun♥.”Student criticism flared soon after the photo boards were installed. Some in the school’s web community said: “Why do those female stars have to become sexualized just for collecting cigarette butts?” Others said it was just for fun.A student identified as Hwang, who insisted he set up the boards, said he did it as part of project for a subject he is taking.“I used the stars’ photo boards for attracting smokers to smoke in the smoking area,” he said on the university’s official Facebook page Thursday. “It is a short-term project, so I need to attract students’ attention quickly.” Apr 7, 2016
Sex-scandal singer's 'Mozart!' role angers fans Lee Soo from "Mozart!" posterBy Ko Dong-hwanSinger Lee Soo, who was involved in a sex scandal in 2009, faces an online signature campaign against his lead role in a coming musical.Lee is scheduled to appear in EMK Musical Company’s production of “Mozart!” that opens in June.The “Signature campaign demanding singer Lee Soo step down from the musical Mozart!” was posted on Twitter Tuesday.“Lee Soo, whose charge of indulging in underage prostitution was suspended by the court, has been cast as the musical’s male lead,” the campaign said. “As to the matter, we welcome all who agree with our initiative and will request the company cancel his role.”The vocalist from rock band MC the Max admitted that in December 2009, while doing mandatory military service, he had sex with a girl, 17, who ran away from home. He paid her 400,000 won ($346) each of the three times they had sex. During an investigation, he told police he did not know that she was underage.In May 2010, the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office suspendeApr 7, 2016
Foul-mouthed comedian mocks divorced family Jang Dong-min, right, from tvN’s “Comedy Big League” on Sunday / Courtesy of tvNBy Ko Dong-hwanCriticism of foul-mouthed comedian Jang Dong-min, known for frequent misogynistic comments, is rising after he made fun of children from divorced families in a TV comedy skit.In the controversial segment on tvN’s “Comedy Big League” on Sunday, Jang, 36, played a preschool boy. He sees one of his friends from a divorced family boasting about his new toy and asks: “Did your separated father send you money?” He went on with the joke, saying: “Fancy you. You receive birthday presents from two families. That’s a good financial move.”Jang’s joke did not end there, as he portrayed a child exposing his penis to his grandmother. It drew criticism that he had made fun of sexual molestation of children.Jang, right, and Navi from MBC's "Radio Star" / Courtesy of MBCJang’s provocative jokes go back to 2013 when on an internet radio show he called women “stupid” for lying to their partners that they were virginApr 7, 2016
'Descendants of PPL' "Descendents of the Sun" / Screen captures from KBSBy Bahk Eun-jiKissing your girlfriend while behind the wheel?It sounds like mission impossible. But not for the heroes of “Descendants of the Sun.”The megahit KBS drama is drawing criticism from netizens for excessive product placement (PPL) advertisements after airing its 13th episode Wednesday.In the latest episode, lead character Seo Dae-young (Jin Goo), while driving his Yoon Myung-joo (Kim Ji-won) home in a Hyundai Motor luxury Genesis sedan, takes his hands off the steering wheel completely to embrace and kiss her.In the scene that ran several minutes, the sedan was driving autonomously while the two were kissing each other.The kissing scene was supposed to be romantic, but it looked quite dangerous in the eyes of most viewers.Many netizens are posting on various websites against what they say are excessive product placement ads in the show.They say they felt uncomfortable with the scene that seemed too dangerous.“Considering the production cost of the drama was 13 billion won, the drama has to put some advertApr 7, 2016
