Who will be Korea's new G.I. Jane? Cast of MBC's “Real Men: Women’s Army Special Season 4" / Courtesy of MBCTV military reality show “Real Men: Women’s Army Special” began its fourth season Sunday, with viewers waiting to see which of the eight female celebrities has what it takes to become a competent combat soldier.The cast of the MBC show includes singers ― Chinese Cao Lu from girl band Fiestar, Jun Hyo-seong from girl band Secret, Dahyun from multinational girl band Twice ― and actresses, including Lee Chae-young and Kim Sung-eun.They will undergo physically demanding training to qualify to become a petty officer in the Armed Forces Medical Command.Since August 2014, each season has uncovered outstanding trainees.While many trainees broke down in tears and showed signs of mental collapse, the “alpha dog” stars were braver, more charismatic and more willing to tough it out. Ra Mi-ran (Season 1)A veteran actress and a mother, Ra became the spiritual leader of the seven trainees. From time to time she cried thinking of her family back home, but throughout a monFeb 22, 2016
Korean producers take talent to China The production crew and cast of "The Greatest Love," producer Kim Young-hee's entertainment show on China’s Hunan TV, pose at a press event. /Korea Times fileBy Kwon Ji-younMore producers of Korean entertainment shows are taking their talent to China.According to several MBC staff on Monday, producers Shin Jung-soo, Kang Gung and Moon Kyung-tae will leave MBC to join former MBC producer Kim Young-hee in China. Kim is spearheading production of an entertainment show on China’s Hunan TV.There are concerns about the outflow of talent to China, although the move may also give entertainment hallyu (Korean wave) a boost.The three producers have produced some of MBC’s most successful entertainment shows.Shin directed “Come to Play” and “I’m a Singer,” Kang produced “We Got Married” and “Dad! Where Are We Going?” and Moon Kyung-tae directed “I Live Alone” and “Real Men.”An entertainment show produced by Kim and the other three producers will premiere in China this year.Two other producers -- one fFeb 22, 2016
Behind-the-stories of K-pop girl bands For foreign K-Pop fans who may want to know about K-pop bands’ pre-debut stories, The Korea Times reveals the stories behind several girl bands’ debuts.Idols have to go through a training period before making a debut. And some members of different girl groups are closely intertwined because they trained together.Some trainees who practiced under the same agency made their debuts in different bands in unexpected ways.Are you curious? Well, read on. Hyorin of Sistar (left), Song Ji-eun of Secret, Hani of EXID, and Uji of BestieSistar's HyorinHyorin was initially supposed to be a band with Secret’s Song Ji-eun, EXID’s Hani and Bestie’s Uji under JYP Entertainment.Before 2011, JYP Entertainment was preparing to introduce a four member girl group, which consisted of Song Ji-eun, Uji, Hyorin and Hani. However, the debut was canceled just before debut for unknown reasons, and all of them left the company.Hyorin was later picked up by Starship Entertainment and debuted in June 2010 as four-member girl group Sistar.Meanwhile, Ji-eun joined TS MedFeb 22, 2016
EXO fans to open “Do Kyung-soo Theater" Fans of Do Kyung-soo from K-pop band EXO will open a temporary movie theater named in his honor in CGV Yeouido this week.The “Do Kyung-soo Theater” will be open for a month from Feb. 23.The singer’s fan club said the theater was part of celebrations for his first film “Unforgettable.”Do plays Beom-sil, a shy boy who falls in love with Soo-ok who dreams of becoming a radio DJ.Fans and moviegoers will be able to watch the film in the “Do Kyung-soo Theater,” with the number of screenings depending on ticket sales.The film will premiere on Wednesday.Feb 22, 2016
Byun Yo-han takes on musical role Byun Yo-han / Courtesy of ShownoteByun Yo-han is about to make his musical stage debut, starring as Hedwig in “Hedwig and the Angry Inch: New Make-up,” his first such role since he made his acting debut in 2011.“Hedwig” is about a rock band headed by a transgender singer named Hedwig, formerly Hansel, who has a female persona after a botched sex-change operation.Top actors Jo Seung-woo, Jo Jung-suk, and rocker Yoon Do-hyun from YB will also star in the show.Byun, 29, debuted in a short film “Working on Saturday” in 2011, and rose to stardom in the popular tvN drama “Misaeng” in 2014.He has been starring in the SBS TV drama “Six Flying Dragons.”The musical will open on at Hongik University Art Center in Daehak-ro, Seoul, on March 1. Feb 22, 2016
Beatles to make Korean streaming debut The Beatles /Korea Times file By Kwon Ji-younStarting Feb. 29, local Beatles fans will be able to stream the legendary English rock band’s music digitally. “The music will go on sale in a legal digital format,” Universal Music Korea, the Korean arm of the worldwide music corporation Universal Music Group, said Monday.“Seventeen albums, which include 13 studio albums, albums that are comprised of the band’s greatest hits as well as original sound tracks, will be available,” the statement said.The list includes the Beatles’ debut album “Please Please Me” and their final album “Let It Be.”Universal Music Korea said online and mobile digital audio streaming and downloading of the band’s tracks will be provided through 10 online and mobile music servicers. These include MelOn, Naver Music, Genie, Bugs Music, Mnet, Soribada and Kakao Music.The Beatles’ music was not available online legally until their exclusive deal with Apple in late 2010 made the music available from iTunes only.On Dec. 24 last year,Feb 22, 2016
MBC makes shocking subtitles mistake Captured image from an episode of MBC's "Real Men: Female Soldier Special 4" /Courtesy of MBCBy Kwon Ji-younBroadcaster MBC made a shocking subtitles mistake on Sunday, saying that TWICE member Da-hyun, 19, had died.While introducing Da-hyun as the youngest female star to appear in the female soldier special of “Real Men,” the subtitles read: “Born 1998! Hyangnyeon 19 years old.”“Hangnyeon 19 years old” means “died at age 19.”“The subtitling blunder was a clear mistake on our part,” the producers said. “We apologize for the mistake and promise to be more careful.”It is believed the person responsible may have mistaken the word “bangnyeon” for “hyangnyeon.” “Bangnyeon” refers to women aged around 20.Feb 22, 2016
Five S. Korean producers take careers to China Five entertainment TV producers have left top South Korean networks to realize their "Chinese dreams," the producer who instigated their defections said Monday.Kim Young-hee, who announced his departure from the terrestrial network MBC last year, said three of his former coworkers and one producer each from SBS and S.M. C&C have joined him in his endeavors to make it big in the Chinese entertainment scene.The three MBC producers are Shin Jung-soo, who directed "Come to Play" and "I'm a Singer," Kang Gung of "We Got Married" and "Dad! Where Are We Going?," and Moon Kyung-tae who produced "I Live Alone" and "Real Men." All of these shows have been major hits in South Korea.Nam Kyu-hong of SBS was behind the dating reality show "Jjak" and Lim Jeong-gyu from S.M. C&C, the TV production arm of S.M. Entertainment, directed shows on the cable network tvN and the Chinese version of KBS 2TV's "Our Neighborhood Arts and Physical Education."Since leaving MBC, Kim has produced an entertainment program on China's Hunan TV. He said the five will soon be signing a contract, presumablyFeb 22, 2016
Chinese travelers rare bright spot for Korean department stores Chinese travelers have emerged as one of the few bright spots for Korean department stores suffering from dull domestic consumption, prompting an all-out fight to attract deep-pocketed clients, industry officials said Monday.Sales at department stores inched down 0.4 percent on-year to 29.22 trillion won ($23.69 billion) in 2015, Statistics Korea showed, mostly attributable to the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) outbreak and rapidly rising online market places.While consumption among locals has steadily slowed over the past years, major department stores in downtown Seoul saw growing sales among Chinese nationals. At Lotte Department Store in the famous shopping district of Myeongdong, sales by Chinese customers accounted for 18.1 percent of the total, rising 6.8 percent from a year ago. At the nearby Shinsegae Department Store, sales by Chinese customers rose 21.8 percent in 2015 from a year ago, though the pace slowed from 131 percent in 2014 and 87 percent in 2013 in the wake of the MERS outbreak. The store did not release exact sales figures.Foreign luxury watch and jewelFeb 22, 2016
Conan O' Brien to make cameo appearance in JYP video Talk show host Conan O'Brien with JYP Entertainment chief Park Jin-young, members of TWICE and actor Steve Yeun /Screen capture from Instagram By Kwon Ji-younAmerican late-night talk show host Conan O’Brien on Sunday posted an Instagram photograph of himself with JYP Entertainment chief Park Jin-young, members of TWICE and actor Steve Yeun after working on a project with them.“@SteveYeun and I got to sing on a brand new track by K-pop King @Asiansoul_JYP,” he wrote. “Get ready, #Korea!”O’Brien, who landed in Seoul to a boisterous welcome last Sunday and left on Friday, made a brief appearance in Park’s new music video, the shooting for which took place on Thursday with the Wonder Girls and TWICE, both JYP artists.Speculation is growing about whether the shoot will feature on O’Brien’s show “Conan.”JYP Entertainment, one of Korea’s top three entertainment agencies, is home to such bands as 2PM and miss A. Feb 21, 2016
