Seo Kang-joon's star soars in Singapore Actor Seo Kang-joon, 23, starring in the popular tvN drama “Cheese in the Trap,” is enjoying growing popularity in Singapore.The actor has been invited to an event to meet fans in the country next week, Fantagio, Seo’s management company said Friday.Titled “Meet and Greet,” the fan meeting will be held at Suntec in Singapore on Feb. 19.The drama was first aired on Sunday there.Beginning with Singapore, Seo will meet fans in Asia, including Japan, China and Thailand, Fantagio said.The drama, based on a popular webtoon, is about the campus life and the relationship among four leading characters _ Hong Sul, played by Kim Go-eun, her boyfriend Yoo Jung (actor Park Hae-jin), Baek In-ho (Seo) and Baek In-ha (actress Lee Sung-kyung).Seo debuted in 2012 with a minor role in the SBS TV drama “To the Beautiful You” in 2012, and gains popularity by starring in the KBS TV drama “What Happens to My Family?” in 2014.Feb 12, 2016
Yoo Ah-in's 'Like for Likes” to be released in US soon Stars for "Like for Likes" / Korea Times fileA Korean film starring top stars including heartthrobs Yoo Ah-in and Kang Ha-neul, and veteran actors Choi Ji-woo, Kim Joo-hyuk and Lee Mi-yeon will open in theaters across the United States later this month.The movie titled "Like for Likes" is about three couples -- Yoo Ah-in and Lee Mi-yeon; Kim Joo-hyuk and Choi Ji-woo; and Kang Ha-neul and Lee Som -- who rely on social media to communicate. The film will open in 19 North American cities including Los Angeles on Feb. 26.Yoo portrays a K-pop star who is the love interest of Lee, a notorious screenwriter; Choi plays an "old maid" flight attendant while Kim Joo-hyuk a chef: Kang plays a composer who has never dated in his life and Lee a television producer who refers to herself as an "expert on dating." Feb 12, 2016
Action movie director helps sacked Ssangyong workers Ryoo Seung-wan, second from right, directs movie "Veteran" (2015). / Courtesy of CJ E&MAction movie director Ryoo Seung-wan secretly helped former blue-collar employees of Ssangyong Motors with money and food, a media report claims.Last December, Ryoo, 42, donated an unknown amount to the workers and their families, according to Sports Dong A. Around the same time, he also drove a free food-car to a psychiatric clinic in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, which helps treat workers and their families.Since 2009, the workers have been staging protests, claiming they were unfairly sacked. The protests have drawn public support and criticism.A scene from movie "The City of Violence" (2006), which he directed and starred in. Ryoo’s charity work is notably similar to the male lead in his latest movie “Veteran” (2015), in which an ethically upright detective fights against a major conglomerate’s evil third-generation son who tries to get away with murdering an innocent laborer.Last October, Ryoo set up a charity with fellow entertainers, including show host Kim Feb 11, 2016
Goo Ha-ra joins cast of drama thriller Goo Ha-ra / Courtesy of DSP MediaSinger Goo Ha-ra from K-pop girl band KARA will join the cast of upcoming TV mystery drama thriller“Babysitter” on KBS.This is her first official step as a solo entertainer since the popular hallyu band announced its disbandment in January, amid rumors some of the four members were contacting other entertainment agencies about acting careers.The band from DSP Media made its debut in 2007.A few days after the disbandment, Goo made headlines by signing with entertainment agency Keyeast, which is headed by actor Bae Yong-joon and represents hallyu megastar Kim Soo-hyun from SBS’s “My Love from the Star” (2013-2014)./ Courtesy of DSP Media“Goo is not only a charming singer but also has great potential to become an outstanding MC or actress,” Keyeast said.Goo appeared in the 2011 TV drama “City Hunter” on SBS and also had cameos in TV dramas in Korea and on Japan’s Fuji TV.In “Babysitter,” a four-part series, Goo plays an attractive, intelligent babysitter caring for three children in Feb 11, 2016
'Used singer' Solji dominates holiday TV Solji, left, sings in "Duet Singing Contest" on MBC. / Courtesy of MBCSinger Solji from K-pop girl band EXID has won plenty of admirers on TV variety shows celebrating the Lunar New Year holiday season (Feb. 6-10), shedding her “used singer” tag, based on long years largely out of the public eye.Taking advantage of the holiday to appear on five shows, Solji, 27, showed she is a multi-faceted entertainer with the power to attract TV viewers.Along with a male amateur singer, she won a duet singing competition show on MBC. On MBC’s “Idol Star Athletics Championships,” she outshone fellow K-pop artists in Korean traditional wrestling “ssireum,” archery and sprinting.Soljia from “Idol Star Athletics Championships” on MBC She was also cool enough to give up looking sexy, eating a load of jokbal ― braised pig trotter ― on a food variety show and looking dorky as she went through comical self-evaluation tests on a comedy show.The praise for Solji partly derives from recognition of her past. Since her debFeb 11, 2016
Park Shin-hye, Yuri, Sooyoung to graduate Park Shin-hye, Sooyoung, Yuri / Korea Times fileActress Park Shin-hye, and two members of K-pop band Girls’ Generation, Sooyoung and Yuri, will graduate at Chung-Ang University (CAU) next week.The university said Park, Sooyong and Yuri would receive diplomas from the CAU College of Arts on Feb.15.They will also receive achievement awards as honorary ambassadors of the university.The ceremony will be at the grand theater of the Seoul campus.Feb 11, 2016
'Little Psy' dies of brain tumor Jun Min-woo, left, from "Star King" on SBS in 2011 / Courtesy of SBSJun, right, and Psy / YonhapKorean-Chinese star child Jun Min-woo, known for his tribute performances of K-pop singer Psy’s global hit “Gangnam Style,” died of brain cancer during the Lunar New Year holiday at age 12.Jun began having breathing problems on Monday and was taken to a hospital in Yanbian, where he died the next day. The cause of death was brainstem glioma, a cancerous tumor in the brain stem, according to media reports.Jun, born in Yanji, Jilin Province, had visited Korea in 2014 in the hope of finding treatment. SBS’s TV documentary “Curious Story Y” the same year told of his struggle with the illness and his passion for the global dance music star.Jun’s musical talent surfaced when he performed “Gangnam Style” on several Chinese TV talent shows and Korean network SBS’s “Star King” in 2011, earning him the nickname “Little Psy.”Feb 11, 2016
Conan O'Brien to take 'Conan' to S. Korea: blogger American talk show host Conan O'Brien will shoot his "Conan" show in South Korea, a local fan who claims to have been contacted by the Conan team said Thursday.O'Brien will arrive here on Sunday for a five-day journey that involves trips to downtown Seoul and a traditional Korean village in the city's outskirts, a Naver blogger who goes by the alias KIMMYS said in a blog post. More than 1,100 people are subscribed to the blog which has been posting updates on O'Brien's schedule in South Korea.He will also likely try out "soju," or Korean rice liquor, make kimchi and receive acupuncture, with a meeting with more than 200 fans scheduled for Monday.Other rumors say O'Brien will make cameo appearances in a Wonder Girls music video and other local shows.O'Brien had shown interest in Korean culture previously on his show. In an episode aired February 2015, O'Brien visited a Korean spa in Los Angeles with Korean-American actor Steven Yeun. (Yonhap) Feb 11, 2016
EXO's Kai unable to attend concert in Dallas Kai, a member of South Korean boy band EXO, will not be able to perform in Dallas at the band's first North American concert due to visa problems, the group's concert organizer said Thursday.Concert organizer MyMusicTaste (MMT) said Kai will not be at the show in Texas on Wednesday evening (local time) due to a visa delay, adding the group's agency, S.M. Entertainment, is completely responsible.The rest of the nine-member band will put onthe Dallas show. SM also said that fans can refund their tickets. Titled "Exo'luXion," the tour will also take the band to Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and Vancouver. (Yonhap)Feb 11, 2016
BIG BANG tops Oricon Chart in Japan BIG BANG / Courtesy of YG EntertainmentK-pop band BIG BANG’s new Japanese album “MADE SERIES” topped the weekly Oricon Chart in Japan, as of Tuesday.According to the Japan’s largest online music chart, the band’s album “MADE” had sold 128,000 copies in just a week after it was released on Feb. 3.This is the third time the band has set a record in Japan. The other records were for “Monster Edition” in 2012 and “The Best of BIG BANG” in 2014.The band will perform at the Tokyo Dome on Feb 23 and 24. Feb 11, 2016
