EXO, fans quake Olympic arena in Seoul concert South Korean boy band EXO, the darlings of S.M. Entertainment, rocked the Olympic Gymnastics Arena in its Seoul encore concert on Sunday, with an ear-popping mass chorus by its fans. EXO's nine heartthrobs shot up the temperature of the early spring stage for "EXO PLANET #2 The EXO'luXion [dot]," an encore concert held in the gymnastics arena at Olympic Park in southeastern Seoul. The concert was an encore to the exclusive show that the band staged in Seoul in March 2015 -- herein comes the "dot."Some 1,500 EXO fans surged into the arena on the last day of the three-day encore concert series that began on Friday. The fandom created a giant wave of white glow sticks, the official color of the band, while singing along with the band's hit songs. EXO performed a total of 28 songs in the 210-minute marathon concert, exploding onto the roomy 55-meter-by-25-meter stage with its greatest hits "Growl," "Call Me Baby" and "Love Me Right." The group drew the curtains with "Overdose," the title track of its second mini album of the same name, elaborated in a blasting rock version. EXO's KaMar 21, 2016
Last episode of 'Descendants of the Sun' due April 14 By Park Si-sooThe producer of the mega-hit TV drama series “Descendants of the Sun” has decided to end the program as scheduled, despite its huge popularity in Korea, China and many other Asian countries.Jung Sung-hyo, a director of KBS, a state-run broadcaster that produced the drama, said the last of the 16 episodes would go to air on April 14. Its eighth episode aired last Thursday rated a 28.8 percent.“We want to take advantage of the popularity, but it’s impossible to add new stories because the entire series was pre-recorded,” Jung said. “Descendants of the Sun,” which features top Korean actor Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo, has sparked a craze in many Asian countries, including China where the drama is broadcast simultaneously.People’s addiction to the drama was so strong that China’s ministry of public security recently warned of the social ills of too much viewing.“Watching Korean dramas could be dangerous, and may even lead to legal troubles,” the ministry warned in a Weibo, China’s most popular sMar 20, 2016
Park Bo-gum to hold first overseas fan meeting in Taiwan Park Bo-gum / YonhapBy Bahk Eu-jiRising star Park Bo-gum, a male lead of the popular drama “Reply 1988,” will have his first overseas fan meeting in Taiwan, Blossom Entertainment said Friday.The event is slated to take place at Taipei International Convention Center (TICC) on April 23.Park, who made his debut in 2011 through the thriller film “Blind,” rose to stardom for his performance in the popular tvN drama “Reply 1988,” which wrapped in January.Park held his first fan meeting in Korea in January, for which he designed the ticket and postcards himself and gave out presents that he chose for his fans.Tickets will be available via the "ibon" ticketing machine at 7-ELEVEN convenience stores in Taiwan from 11 a.m. on March 26. Mar 19, 2016
Korean agency, Chinese singers lock horns in first pleading A South Korean entertainment management agency struck back at its Chinese K-pop hip-hop duo Tasty over a contract nullification suit Friday, claiming the artists' arguments are groundless.The first pleading between Woollim Entertainment, the defendant and subsidiary of S.M. C&C, and the two Chinese rappers, the plaintiffs, took place on Thursday. S.M. C&C is a listed music label of S.M. Entertainment, the country's second-largest talent agency by market capital.The trial opened about six months after Darong and Xiaorong, the 28-year-old Chinese twin artists of the group, left Woollim Entertainment in July 2015 and notified the South Korean agency of the upcoming legal battle in September. The two matters of legal contention are the defendant's alleged default of paying dividends and alienation of human rights. Woollim Entertainment told the local press that it has neither mistreated the Chinese artists nor inappropriately avoided payment, countering the allegations waged by Tasty's legal representatives in Thursday's opening trial."Regarding (Tasty's argument on not) payMar 18, 2016
Holograms enrich pop culture content Performers take part in the holographic show “Let’s Go” at K-live in Dongdaemun, downtown Seoul on March 11. / Courtesy of KTBy Park Jin-haiAs a computer-selected spectator among the audience stands in a corner of the concert hall, his holographic image turns up on the screen. As he motions with his limbs, the hero on the screen moves along, attacking space monsters. Audiences scream and cheer and the monsters turn to ash one by one as the decibel level of the screams increase.The nation’s first exclusive hologram theater, the K-live in Dongdaemun, downtown Seoul, recently added a new program titled “Let’s Go.”The hour-long nonverbal performance targets family audiences, depicting journeys to China, Greenland and Korea on a spaceship.Unfolding on a 270-degree wide screen, its content developer KT used hologram technology along with motion sensing, sound visualization and telepresence technologies to immerse audiences in the performance directly, as their movements and voices can be reflected in real time thanks to state-of-the-art technologieMar 18, 2016
Thai PM calls on people to watch 'Descendants of the Sun' “Descendants of the Sun” / Courtesy of Blossom EntertainmentBy Bahk Eun-ji Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha / Ap-YonhapThai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha has urged his citizens to watch the mega-hit Korean drama “Descendants of the Sun,” which is about a gun-toting soldier saving lives in a faraway land, according to local news reports on Thursday.Prayut, who seized power in 2014 in a coup, has urged Thais to tune in to the drama, which has been a sensation in Asia. He says the Korean drama has a sense of patriotism and sacrifice for one’s country, Yonhap News Agency reports.“What I have seen is that they have included a sense of patriotism, sacrifice, obeying orders and being a dutiful citizen,” he told delegates at a government function Thursday morning.“So please watch it and if anyone wants to make such a drama I will financially sponsor it to make people love uncorrupt government officials and make the Thai people love each other.”The former army chief-turned-prime minister has often portrayed himself aMar 18, 2016
Actor couple makes 'double headlines' Lee Byung-hun won the “Best Actor” category for his role in the Korean crime thriller“Inside Men” (2015) at the 10th Asian Film Awards in Macau on Thursday. / AP-YonhapBy Ko Dong-hwanMarried actors Lee Byung-hun and Lee Min-jung generated separate headlines Friday as each star’s screen performance has been recognized inside and outside the nation.Byung-hun, 45, won the “Best Actor” category for his role in the Korean crime thriller“Inside Men” (2015) at the 10th Asian Film Awards in Macau on Thursday. Popular Chinese stars like Donnie Yen from “Ip Man 3” and Feng Xiaogang from “Mr. Six” were also nominated in the category.Lee Min-jung from SBS's “Please Come Back, Mister" / Courtesy of SBSMeanwhile, Min-jung, 34, has won positive reviews for her performance in the SBS TV comedy drama “Please Come Back, Mister.” She plays a mother who gets reconnected with her dead husband via a man possessed by her husband’s spirit. Scenes from Thursday’s episode showed her emotional Mar 18, 2016
Song Joong-ki overtakes Lee Min-ho in China popularity “Descendants of the Sun” / Courtesy of Blossom Entertainment By Bahk Eun-ji Actor Song Joong-ki, a male lead in the romance drama “Descendants of the Sun,” has become the most popular hallyu star in China, report said Friday.Local entertainment news outlet Xports News cited reports from Sina.com as saying Song has become more popular than actor Lee Min-ho, thanks to the drama’s popularity.It also said Song was expected to earn about 5.4 million yuan (1 billion won) for a year, with more than 10 advertisers interested in him.The actor is following in the China footsteps of Kim Soo-hyun in “My Love from the Star” and Lee Min-ho in “Following The Heirs.”“Descendants of the Sun” / Courtesy of Blossom Entertainment“Descendants of the Sun” registered a 28.8 percent national rating average, according to Nielsen Korea.In the eighth episode on Thursday, Kang Mo-yeon (Song Hye-kyo) confesses her feelings for Yoo Si-jin (Song Joong-ki). Mar 18, 2016
Politicians seek help from the stars (From left) Kim Jang-hoon, Kim Han-gil and Choi Myung-gil / Korea TimesBy Ko Dong-hwan Several candidates in the general election on Apr. 13 have embraced well-known entertainers and celebrities to harness their popularity and image and attract public attention.The stars appear with the candidates in public. The candidates also borrow songs, twist the lyrics and sing them on the streets while wooing voters, or use the music on their ringback tone for their contact number.Early this month, Rep. Baek Seung-joo of the ruling Saenuri Party, a former vice defense minister who is seeking reelection in Gumi A district in North Gyeongsang Province, launched his election campaign office in a star-studded event that included actress Park Hae-mi, pop-opera singer Lim Hyung-joo and actor Lee Jung-gil.Singer Kim Jang-hoon attended Rep. Kim Chan-young’s campaign office opening ceremony on Feb. 23. The musician emphasized his long-time friendship with the candidate, who is standing for Gumi B district and “daringly guaranteed” the candidate’s quality as aMar 17, 2016
Ousted K-pop diva returns to small screen Jessica, a former member of Girls' Generation, returned to the Korean small screen to emcee a beauty and fashion show, a local television broadcaster said on Thursday.The singer-turned-designer will host "Beauty Bible 2016 S/S" on the KBS Drama cable channel, slated to launch April 2."Beauty Bible" marks Jessica's first television appearance since she was allegedly ousted from Girls' Generation in September 2014.At the time, Jessica was reportedly forced out without justifiable reason from S.M. Entertainment, citing internal conflict and the management's disapproval of her plans to launch a fashion business.Amid rumors over her marriage to Korean-American businessman Tyler Kwon, the singer has carried on her career as a fashion eyewear designer for "Blanc & Eclare," a fashion and cosmetics business that she and Kwon co-founded."Jessica will be the muse of 'Beauty Bible," said the KBS Drama in a press release, calling the 27-year-old fashion designer as "a wannabe in fashion and beauty at home and overseas who deserves to host the show.” (Yonhap)Mar 17, 2016
