Stars reveal private life 'secrets' From left, Sojin, Noh Hong-chul and Seo Ye-jiWhat celebrities appear to be in TV dramas, movies and variety shows often bears little resemblance to their private lives.Here are some stars with eye-catching personal backgrounds that will change your view of them.Actress Seo Ye-ji from TV drama “Moolim School” that aired on KBS is a licensed sex-education instructor. Appearing on a TV talk show, she said she had been dreaming of having many children and decided to get the license so she could teach them about sex.From left, Park Si-hoo, Lee Honey and Park Sang-chulSinger Sojin from band Girl’s Day is the only female K-pop idol who has majored in an engineering program ― mechanical engineering at Yeungnam University. She grew up watching her father running a factory that makes car parts and became fond of the mechanics, she revealed.TV funny man Noh Hong-chul excels in English, boasting on SNS that he once topped the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC).Actor Park Si-hoo was an underwear model for BYC, and singer Park Sang-chul isFeb 24, 2016
Lee Kwang-soo gets key role in historical drama Lee Kwang-soo / Screen capture from InstagramHallyu actor Lee Kwang-soo, 30, will make a special appearance in new KBS TV drama “Hwarang: The beginning,” Daily Sports reported Wednesday.The entertainment news outlet cited a source close to the drama’s production company as saying Lee will play a key role in the beginning. The source did not reveal details.The drama is about Hwarang, an elite group of young males in an ancient kingdom, Silla (57-935).Go A-ra, Park Hyung-sik, Park Seo-joon and Choi Min-ho will also star in the drama.It will air in the second half of this year.Feb 24, 2016
Where are they? Top actors missing in action Actor Bae Yong-joon /Korea Times filesBy Kwon Ji-younSome of the country’s top actors and actresses have disappeared from the small screen and theaters, prompting concern among fans about whether they intend to return, and when.Among them are Bae Yong-joon, who appeared alongside Choi Ji-woo in “Winter Sonata”; Ko So-young, wife of actor Jang Dong-gun; and Won Bin, who recently married actress Lee Na-young. Bae and Ko have been missing in action for the past nine years and Won Bin for the past six.Bae’s last dramatic appearance was in 2007 with MBC’s “The Legend.” In 2011, he made a brief appearance in KBS’s “Dream High,” which starred miss A member Suzy and Kim Soo-hyun, but that was it.Actress Ko So-youngKo, in 2006, attempted a return to the big screen with “Project Makeover,” and in 2007, followed with a dramatic appearance in SBS’s “Blue Fish.” But when both failed to turn heads, she stopped acting.Bae and Ko were more familiar to viewers for TV commercial gigs, but even advertisers are nowFeb 24, 2016
Believe it or not, it's up to you (2) To give foreign fans a hand accessing the darker side of Korea’s increasingly complicated showbiz industry, The Korea Times runs “Believe It or Not,” a column reporting unconfirmed celeb stories currently making the rounds on social media. We have removed all the names to avoid defamation. One thing you need to know is that the following stories are brought to you without fact-checking. So, believe it or not, it's up to you. ― ED.Punch-outA prolific actor, known for his convincing action scenes in films, is said to have engaged in a fist fight with his bodyguards at a recent film festival. The veteran actor is said to have gotten himself into a scuffle with his bodyguards regarding his security detail. But before his guards could say a word, he threw a punch at one of them, knocking him out cold.Those who witnessed the scene said it was as though the actor had mistaken the film festival for a movie shoot.Agency troublesA self-proclaimed top actress, whose tumultuous acting career has been filled with ups and downs, is known for her obstinacy and disregard for oFeb 24, 2016
'Cheese in the Trap' attracts 1.9 billion views on Weibo The South Korean TV series "Cheese in the Trap" continues to be one of the most viewed foreign soap operas on Weibo, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter, the program's publicist said Wednesday.The Ytree Co. said in a statement that the series based on a popular webtoon in South Korea has attracted a total of 1.93 billion views on Weibo as of Tuesday, despite it lacking formal contracts and a management team in China.The tvN series is set to be streamed on Youku and Tudou, two of China's largest video-streaming websites, this summer, but Chinese fans have viewed pirated versions through the black market or by illegally downloading them.A Ytree official said that "Cheese in the Trap" starring popular actor Park Hae-jin is set to become the next record breaker with viewer rates climbing to levels unseen.Actor Park plans to attend Youku's 2016 brand strategic show on March 10 for the promotion of the TV series. (Yonhap)Feb 24, 2016
Kim Jae-won celebrates birthday with Japanese fans Kim Jae-won / Courtesy of Will EntertainmentActor Kim Jae-won, 35, had a birthday party with his fans in Japan, Will Entertainment said Wednesday.At the event in the Hilton Tokyo Odaiba Hotel on Saturday, the actor met fans and had heart-to-heart conversations, Kim’s management company said.The actor’s birthday is Feb. 18.Kim made his debut in SBS TV drama “Honey Honey” in 2001 and rose to stardom with popular MBC TV drama “Romance” in 2002. Feb 24, 2016
Lee Byung-hun heads for Oscars Lee Byung-hun / Screen capture from TwitterTop actor Lee Byung-hun has left for Hollywood to present an Academy Award at the ceremony on Feb. 28.After attending the awards, he will have his first Japanese fan meetings - in Osaka, Tokyo and Sendai - next month. About 20,000 fans are expected to attend.Lee is the first Korean actor to appear on stage at the Oscars. He made his debut in Hollywood in “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra,” in 2009. Since then he has appeared in several films, including “Terminator Genisys” with Arnold Schwarzenegger last year.Feb 24, 2016
Kim Soo-hyun, BigBang named winners of 2015 Soompi Awards South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun and boy band BigBang have been name Best Actor and Best Boy Group, respectively, in a recent vote of 40 million hallyu fans around the world, an online news site said Wednesday.U.S.-based site Soompi, which covers the Korean Wave or hallyu, announced the winners of the Soompi Awards 2015. The awards were voted on by fans from 139 countries. Soompi said the vote was conducted online, through its official LINE Soompi accounts, and on Twitter from Dec. 21 last year to Jan. 7.Kim Soo-hyun won Best Actor in a Drama out of 15 final candidates, with his outstanding role in "Producers," a workplace TV drama set in the entertainment department of a fictional KBS broadcasting company. Kim rose to stardom in 2014 by appearing in the fantasy-romance TV drama "My Love from the Star," which tells the story of an alien from outer space who falls in love with a top actress.Actress Song Ji-hyo won Best Actress in TV for her role in SBS variety show "Running Man," defeating actress Hwang Jeong-eum, who had an impressive performance in MBC drama "Pretty Woman." The dramaFeb 24, 2016
Actress Jeon Do-yeon returns to soap opera scene with 'The Good Wife' South Korean actress Jeon Do-yeon will make a TV comeback as the leading woman in "The Good Wife," her agency said Wednesday.The upcoming tvN drama will be her first soap opera role in 11 years, Management Soop said.In the South Korean remake of the popular American series of the same name, Jeon will play Hyekyeong, a housewife who resumes her career as a defense attorney after her husband lands in prison on corruption charges."I'd been wanting to get out of my comfort zone when they asked me to be on it," Jeon was quoted as saying. "I'm both excited and worried about being in a soap opera after more than 10 years. I'm going to have to work hard."Jeon will portray the emotional turmoil experienced by a woman after her husband betrays and publicly humiliates her, the agency said.The Korean series premieres at the end of June. (Yonhap)Feb 24, 2016
Middle East K-pop fans get to meet BTS, Taeyeon Big-name K-pop stars will flock to Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the United Arab Emirates, next month to perform in front of excited Arab fans.The first lineup of K-pop event KCON, which was announced today, features popular acts including Taeyeon of Girls' Generation, Kyuhyun of Super Junior and rising boy band Bangtan Boys (BTS) that will be joining thousands of screaming fans to heat up the already sizzling country. The five-year-old annual K-pop convention, organized by South Korea's CJ E&M, the entertainment arm of conglomerate CJ, will be held in the Du Arena, the city's biggest outdoor concert hall, on March 25. It will be the first KCON in the region. Besides the artists' performances, K-pop fans can get a rare chance to meet and greet their stars in special sessions and soak up the Korean cultural vibe. Launched in 2012 in the United States, the K-pop festival was designed to give the growing number of K-pop fans in America a rare chance to attend a concert by their beloved K-pop idols and meet them.Over the years, KCON has grown into a pilgrimage for K-pop faFeb 23, 2016
