Song Joong-ki to appear on prime time news Song Joong-ki / Courtesy of Blossom EntertainmentBy Kim Da-heeActor Song Joong-ki, who plays lead character Yoo Si-jin in KBS 2 TV’s hugely popular drama "Descendants of the Sun," will appear on the channel’s 9 p.m. news, “News 9,” Wednesday.He is the first actor to be invited to the nationwide live prime-time news show.This reflects his tremendous popularity and that of the drama, which is set to be the next hallyu (Korean wave) success.According to KBS, the program’s main host will ask Song some questions the program has collected from its official website, Facebook and Twitter.The drama’s latest episode on March 24 recorded a 31.6 percent viewer rating, the first mini-series drama to exceed 30 percent in four years.The Wednesday/Thursday drama, which airs simultaneously in Korea and China, has garnered some 1.5 billion hits on iQiyi, a Chinese online video platform.Mar 30, 2016
Park Jin-young to return in April Park Jin-young / Courtesy of JYP EntertainmentBy Kim Da-hee Park Jin-young, head of JYP Entertainment, will return as a singer in April. Details have not been revealed but the singer, 44, is in the final stages of preparing his comeback album, according to music industry sources Wednesday. Park, while managing one of Korea's top-three entertainment agencies, has continued to make albums. His latest song, “Who’s Your Mama” from digital single album “24/34,” was released last year and swept domestic music charts, demonstrating his popularity. Park is a judge on SBS competition show "K-pop Star: Season 5."Mar 30, 2016
SHINee named Asia's Best Group by Chinese TV station South Korean boy band SHINee has been named Asia's Best Group by the Chinese satellite TV station Dragon TV, the group's agency said Wednesday.The group was honored at the 23rd DongFang Music Awards ceremony held at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai on Monday, S.M. Entertainment said.Founded in 1994, the awards show is one of China's reputable honors for musicians.Other noteworthy guests this year included Chinese singer Zhou Bichang, Hong Kong's G.E.M. and Chinese girl group SNH48."It's an honor to have been invited to the ceremony and we're grateful for this meaningful award," SHINee, the only South Korean group there, was quoted as saying by the agency.Member Taemin showcased his solo track "Press Your Number" for the first time in China, with the five-member act concluding the event with "View." (Yonhap)Mar 30, 2016
Secret member resumes her solo career Jun Hyo-seong sings during a press conference to present her new album “Colored,” Monday. / Courtesy of TS EntertainmentJun Hyo-seong releases ‘Colored’By Kim Jae-heunLeader of K-pop girl group Secret Jun Hyo-seong released her second solo mini-album “Colored” in 10 months at YES24 Muv Hall in the Hongdae area of western Seoul on Monday. Jun said she hopes her new six-song album brings happiness to audiences.“These days I think about happiness often,” said Jun during a press meeting. “I decided to make my second solo album in pursuit of happiness and I talked to the producers a lot. But I realized that I will never be happy if becoming successful is the standard of my happiness.“I can lose many small things such as eating a delicious breakfast or basking in the warm sunshine in the morning. All these stories are contained in my music,” she said.The lead track “Find Me” is a house-beat dance song arranged with acoustic piano. Singer-songwriter Startrack composed the music and Jun wrote the lyrics. Rapper D.AMar 29, 2016
'Descendants of the Sun' scenes changed for China The scene of a fight between South Korean and North Korean soldiers in the first episode / Courtesy of KBS2 TVBy Kim Da-heeKBS2 TV’s mega-hit drama “Descendants of the Sun,” the first Korean series being aired simultaneously in Korea and China, offers subtly different scenes in the Chinese version.The 16-episode drama, starring Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo, was completed before broadcast began, partly with a Chinese company’s investment. The drama airs on the Korean broadcaster and Chinese online video platform iQiyi.During the review process in China, which has strict rules on broadcasting foreign dramas, some scenes, including a military confrontation between South Korean and North Korean soldiers, were deleted or altered.A fight between South Korean and North Korean soldiers in the first episode and the scene where Song, a doctor from Doctors Without Borders, treats a Chinese soldier, are not in the Chinese version.“Some scenes, including a military confrontation between the South and North Korean soldiers, were changed by censorship,” an offiMar 29, 2016
BTOB sings about spring in 'Remember That' Boy band Born To Beat (BTOB) / Courtesy of Cube EntertainmentBy Kim Jae-heunBoy band Born To Beat (BtoB) has released its eighth mini-album “Remember That,” which includes seven tracks about spring.“The songs go well with spring,” said BtoB member Ilhoon during an interview at a cafe in Gangnam, Seoul, Monday. “The song is about memories of an ex-lover during spring. Our vocals and rap harmonize well together.”Rappers Minhyuk, Peniel and Ilhoon wrote a rap for the album’s title song. Singer-songwriters Cho Sung-ho and Ferdy composed the song based on acoustic guitar and string music.It is notable that the rappers wrote all their parts for the songs, with BtoB members Hyunsik and Ilhoon composing tunes and writing lyrics for more than half of the album.“I personally think we are musically improving. We get inspiration in various ways when we write songs _ from art pieces at exhibitions to surfing around social media,” said Ilhoon. “Sometimes we get ideas from random things too. It is just sad that we don’t have enMar 28, 2016
'Glamorous Temptation' couple dating for real Joo Sang-wook, left, and Cha Ye-ryun from MBC's "Glamorous Temptation"By Ko Dong-hwanA couple from the MBC TV drama “Glamorous Temptation” are dating for real, media reports said on Monday.Male lead Joo Sang-wook, 37, and Cha Ye-ryun, 32, who portrayed his married partner, were seen playing golf outside Seoul after the 50-episode series finished, Joo is known for his love of golf.“They are beyond being friends for certain,” an associate from Joo’s agency said. “Acquaintances already knew about their relationship but have kept it quiet until now. But Joo himself hasn’t confirmed his relationship with Cha yet.”Joo debuted as actor in 1988 and won awards for his small screen performances in 2014.Cha debuted in a movie in 2005, and played her first leading role in the 2014 romantic comedy “The actress is too much.”Mar 28, 2016
Lesbian romance in Internet drama slammed Scenes from "Lily Fever" / Courtesy of Naver TV CastBy Ko Dong-hwanThe media content watchdog has warned the distributor of an online drama series about lesbian love.The Korea Communications Standards Commission warned the nation’s No.1 portal website Naver to use“voluntary restraint” after it posted video links to the drama entitled “Lily Fever,” according to Hankook Ilbo, Monday.The mandate came after netizens reported the drama’s bold portrayal of homosexuality. The watchdog was cited as saying homosexual love scenes in the drama “incited sexual curiosity and tempted viewers to imitate the acts in practice” thus “violating social orders in terms of ethical values.”It is the first time the governmental watchdog has issued a discretionary note to an Internet-based drama series, also known as a web drama.The drama, made by web content developer Dingo Studio, is about an aspiring female K-pop singer, 20, who has a romantic fling with a former K-pop idol girl star. Comprising eight episodes with each running from tMar 28, 2016
신조어 '백합' 고강도 동성애..칼든 방심위 / 네이버 TV캐스트방송통신심의위원회가 동성 간 키스장면 등 선정성이 짙은 웹드라마를 유통시킨 인터넷 업체에 “자율규제” 권고를 내렸다. 방심위가 웹드라마를 심의한 것은 처음이다. 방심위는 지난 22일 웹드라마 “대세는 백합”과 관련, 이를 제공한 네이버에 자율규제 권고를 의결했다. 동성애 간의 키스 장면 등은 성적 호기심과 모방 심리를 부추길 수 있고 “선량한 풍속 기타 사회질서를 위반했다”는 게 이유인 것으로 알려졌다.컴퓨터나 스마트폰 등 인터넷에 연결된 기기를 통해 시청하는 웹드라마는 성격상 방송 프로그램이지만 네이버, 카카오, 구글 같은 인터넷 서비스 업체를 통해 유통된다. 때문에 심의의 법적 근거를 방송 또는 통신에 둘 지를 놓고 의견이 분분, 그 동안 심의가 이뤄지지 못했다. 그러나 해당 콘텐츠에 대한 이용자들의 신고가 잇따르자 일단 통신 심의 기준에 따라 의결이 이뤄진 것으로 알려져 있다.방심위의 권고와 관련 일각에선 심의의 기준과 결정 내용이 너무 모호한 것 아니냐고 지적하고 있다. 동성애 콘텐츠를 문제 삼은 것 자체가 표현의 자유를 침해한 것이란 비판도 적잖다.한 인터넷 업체 관계자는 “동영상 서비스 업체 대부분이 자체 가이드라인을 두고 있지만 자율적 잣대로 콘텐츠를 판단하는 것은 매우 조심스러운 부분”이라며 “웹 콘텐츠가 급증하고 있는 만큼 이에 대한 분명한 기준을 마련하는 등 제도권 수용이 시급하다”고 말했다. 디지털뉴스부@ Mar 28, 2016
Miss Korea winners to promote military service Kim Ye-rin, Lee Min-ji and Kim Jeong-jin / Courtesy of Military Manpower Administration /Courtesy of Military Manpower Administration /Courtesy of Military Manpower AdministrationBy Lee Han-sooThree winners of the 2015 Miss Korea pageant were named promotional ambassadors for the Military Manpower Administration (MMA), the country’s conscription agency said Monday.They are first-place winner Lee Min-ji, 25, and runner-ups Kim Jeong-jin, 21, and Kim Ye-rin, 20. They will participate in various events to promote the importance of military duty.“Miss Korea has a duty to actively contribute to society,” said Lee. “I will try my best to promote the MMA and make a society where military service will be viewed as a proud accomplishment.”Mar 28, 2016
