MelOn to broadcast K-pop awards ceremony live MelOn, a music streaming service run by LOEN Entertainment, will provide live coverage of the Gaon Chart K-Pop Awards ceremony. /Courtesy of LOEN By Kwon Ji-younMelOn, a music streaming service run by LOEN Entertainment, will provide live coverage of the Gaon Chart K-Pop Awards ceremony, LOEN said.The awards, now in their fifth year, will be presented at the Olympic Hall of Olympic Park in southern Seoul at 7 p.m. Wednesday. There are 17 categories.Up for song of the year are Mad Clown, Naul, MC Mong, Miss A, Big Bang, TaeYeon, Zico and Psy. Shortlisted for album of the year are EXO, SHINee and Girls’ Generation, among others.MelOn will provide live coverage of the event through MelOn TV and its smartphone application, AZTalk.Feb 17, 2016
No pay, no legal action: 'Produce 101' contracts revealed Audition survival music show "Produce 101" shows 101 trainees from 46 entertainment agencies competing to debut as a member of a project girl group. /Courtesy of CJ E&MContestants on audition survival music show “Produce 101” are banned from taking legal action against manipulated edits and receive no pay for appearing, a media report reveals.“Produce 101,” on Mnet, features 101 trainees from 46 entertainment agencies competing to debut as a member of a project girl group.Daily newspaper Ilgan Sports revealed Tuesday details of the contract between CJ E&M, which owns Mnet, and the entertainment agencies.According to the contract, the girls are not allowed to take legal action against edits made on the show and are not to disclose any information about the show.The contract also revealed the trainees are not paid for appearing. Any profit from music releases will be shared 50-50 between CJ E&M and the agencies of selected members, and the cost of music production will be shared by the members’ agencies.Meanwhile, the show said: “It is reFeb 17, 2016
Park Hae-jin to celebrate debut anniversary with fans Actor Park Hae-jin By Kwon Ji-younPark Hae-jin will meet fans next month to mark 10 years in acting.Park, the hero of tvN’s popular drama series “Cheese in the Trap,” will celebrate 10 years since his acting debut with some 4,500 fans at a meet-and-greet on April 23. Park’s debut was in KBS drama series “Famous Princesses” in April 2006.“It will be Park’s way of thanking his fans for the support they have shown him over the last 10 years,” Park’s PR agent said.Admission will be free. The venue is yet to be fixed.Feb 17, 2016
Photo Stars strut different styles with same cardigan Actor Gang Dong-won / Courtesy of Naver blogCelebrities love some designers’ brands. This oversized cardigan with vivid colors and funny patterns from the Saint Laurent Spring/Summer 2016 collection has particularly attracted many stars here, and each shows off a different style.G-Dragon of BIGBANG Sandara Park of 2NE1 Model and actor Lee Soo-hyuk Saint Laurent Spring/Summer 2016 collection Feb 17, 2016
So Ji-sub greets 'Venus' fans in Japan So Ji-sub / Korea Times fileActor So Ji-sub, 38, fronted 2,000 Japanese fans Wednesday at a promotion in Tokyo for his show “Oh My Venus.”The actor watched the first episode with fans at the event, said 51K, So’s management company.Rights to the romance comedy-drama, which recently wrapped up on KBS 2 TV, have been sold in 11 Asian countries, including Japan, China, Vietnam, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and Myanmar.It is a story about a world-renowned personal trainer, played by So, and a lawyer (Shin Min-a) who used to have an enviable face and physique when she was a student but became fat during 15 years of studying. Feb 17, 2016
Former K-pop band member Lee Jin to wed Lee Jin / Korea Times file Lee Jin, 35, a former member of the first generation of K-pop band Fin.K.L, will tie the knot this week, King Kong Entertainment said Wednesday.Lee has been with her boyfriend, who works at a financial company in the United States, for about a year.The couple will have a small private wedding at a church in Hawaii on Saturday and will stay in New York.Lee debuted as a member of the girl band Fin.K.L with three others - Lee Hyo-ri, Ock Joo-hyun and Sung Yu-ri. After the band disbanded, Lee became an actress and starred in several TV dramas, including “The King and I (2008),” “Jejungwon (2012)” and “Shining Romance (2014).” Feb 17, 2016
북한군 앞에서 쫄지 않는 코난 오브라이언 /Screen captured from Instagram/Screen captured from Instagram/Screen captured from Instagram 코난 오브라이언이 자신의 일정을 소화하는 중 간간히 미국 인기 드라마 ‘워킹 데드’의 배우 스티브 연과 찍는 사진들이 화제를 모으고 있다.코난은 16일 도착한 스티브 연과 한국의 곳곳을 방문하며 찍은 사진과 함께 유쾌한 댓글들을 남기고 있어 많은 팔로워들이 코난의 다음 사진들을 애타게 기다리고 있다. 코난은 16일 취재 완장을 차고 스티브 연과 판문점을 방문해 사진을 찍은 후 유명 사진 공유 사이트인 인스타그램에 “충성! 추운날 수고많으십니다 눈아 그만내려라!!”라는 글과 함께 올린 사진은 현재 3만개가 넘는 “좋아요”를 기록했다.코난은 또한 스티브 연과 함께 마음의 안정을 찾으러 절을 찾은 사진도 다음 카카오 스토리에 올리는 등 그가 가는 곳마다 화제를 모으고 있다.팬들은 코난과 스티브 연이 미국에서 찍은 찜질방 방문편의 후속작을 한국에서 찍는 것 아니냐는 기대를 모으고 있다.코난 오브라이언은 미국 TBS 방송국의 토크쇼 “코난” 진행자로 한국에서 유투브를 통해 많은 팬을 보유하고 있다. 코난의 한국 여행 사진은 인스타그램 “Team CoCo” 또는 카카오스토리 “Conan Obrien”에서 확인할 수 있다. Feb 17, 2016
Actor Park Hae-jin to celebrate debut anniversary with fans Actor Park Hae-jin will meet more than 4,000 of his fans to celebrate his 10th debut anniversary in April, his publicist said Wednesday.Park wants to express thanks to his fans and staff on this occasion, Ytree Company said, adding the event on April 23 will allow both Park and his supporters to look back on his acting career over the past decade.Park debuted on April 1, 2006, with a supporting role on the KBS soap opera "Famous Chil Princesses." He currently stars as Yoo Jung, the male protagonist, on the tvN series "Cheese in the Trap," which is based on a popular web cartoon of the same name.The meeting will be free of charge, with the venue to be announced later, Ytree Company said. (Yonhap)Feb 17, 2016
Jo Kwon comes back as soloist Jo KwonBy Kim Jae-heunSinger Jo Kwon of JYP Entertainment’s ballad group 2AM returned as a soloist with a title track of his own love experience.“When I first debuted eight years ago, I said I never dated anyone,” said Jo during the press conference at Mary Hall at Sogang University, Seoul, Monday. “As an entertainer, I want to keep my private life private but now I will not say I still haven’t dated anybody yet because I am 28 years old now.”Jo did not reveal who, but the singer said he wrote lyrics based on his love experience, turbulent feelings and his break-up from last year.Jo’s new album “Crosswalk” includes three tracks, two of which he wrote ― the title song “Crosswalk” and the third track “Flutter.”Flutter is a lively love song. Jo said he wrote it because he always sang mostly sad lyrics when he was with 2AM.“When I decided to return as a soloist, I knew that I would sing from my true emotions and to do so, I needed to write about my own experiences. Eight years ago with 2AM, I saFeb 16, 2016
Stars react to show on realities of celebrity endorsement By Kwon Ji-younCelebrities are reacting fiercely to an investigative program episode that stripped bare the realities of celebrity endorsement and sponsorship.Actress Kim Min-jung posted on Instagram immediately after the episode aired on SBS Saturday: “It is my hope that the show does not do harm to actors who are working diligently in the field right now. But I thank the producers for shedding light on the realities (of celebrity sponsorship).What’s bad is bad. Money doesn’t buy everything.”Actress Kim Ok-vin Actress Hwang Seung-un also wrote on Instagram: “(Actresses) are forced to do things that are unreasonable but, at times, are deemed reasonable. The world is full of lies and deception, and I cannot change that. But will they find happiness when they reach the top by lying and deceiving?”Actress Park Ha-sun said: “It’s upsetting to think that people may think (this episode) is applicable to all (actresses).”Actor Han Sang-jin warned fellow actors not to become blinded by money.“It is an embarrassing truth, and itFeb 16, 2016
