EXO's Seoul concert to wrap up 2nd world tour South Korean boy band EXO's upcoming Seoul concert will mark the grand finale of its second world tour, its agency said Tuesday.The nine-member act will perform March 18-20 at Olympic Park under the title "EXO PLANET #2 The EXO'luXion [dot]," which will conclude the journey started in March 2015, S.M. Entertainment said."[dot]" has been added to the title to signify the end of the one-year circuit, the agency added.EXO is the first idol group to have performed five times at the Olympic Gymnastics Arena in Olympic Park.It also took the shortest amount of time among foreign male artists in Japan to stage a concert at Tokyo Dome since debuting. EXO's performance there last November came three years and seven months after its launch.Before the finale in Seoul, EXO will cover five North American cities - Dallas, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York and Vancouver, Canada -- starting Feb. 10.Tickets for Seoul concerts will become available at 8 p.m. on YES24 (http://www.yes24.co.kr). (Yonhap)Feb 2, 2016
SHINee launches 4th Japan tour South Korean boy band SHINee has embarked on its fourth Japanese tour, which could draw hundreds of thousands of people, its agency said Tuesday.The five-member act touched down in Fukuoka for concerts from Saturday to Sunday, S.M. Entertainment said, adding it will stop in Tokyo, Osaka and six other cities through May."SHINee World 2016 ～D×D×D～" is expected to draw an estimated 350,000 people, which will bring the cumulative total of visitors to all of SHINee's Japanese tours to 1.12 million, the agency also said.In Fukuoka, the group performed songs from its fourth Japanese album, including its title track "D×D×D," and previous hits like "Your Number," "3, 2, 1" and "Lucifer."The next concert is scheduled for this coming Saturday at Sun Dome Fukui in the north-central city of Fukui. (Yonhap)Feb 2, 2016
'My Love from the Star' to have different ending in China Do Min-joon, the stoic alien with superpowers in the South Korean drama "My Love from the Star," has a different identity in China.Spoiler alert: The entire story is a fictional tale that he writes for Cheon Song-yi, the arrogant, yet endearing heroine played by actress Jun Ji-hyun in the original, sources in the Chinese broadcasting industry said Tuesday.Because China censors materials with aliens and supernatural beings, the show's ending had to be changed from the original, in which (another spoiler alert) Do returns to Earth from his star to reunite with Cheon.The series has been licensed to Anhui TV in northeastern China, and has aired since Dec. 29.Although it is originally a 21-episode series, it has been expanded to 30 shorter episodes in China."We have no control over the length of each episode or the content since the show's entirety was licensed to China," production company HB Entertainment said. "But it probably won't change too much because we handed (over) only the final product that was aired in South Korea.""My Love from the Star" was first broadcast from December 20Feb 2, 2016
4minute wants to be top 'girl crush' group 4minute / YonhapGirl group 4minute is back with another "girl crush" album.On Monday, the four-member act released its seventh mini album "Act.7," which is reminiscent of the preceding one, "Crazy," in androgynous appeal."Since 'Crazy' received a lot of 'girl-crush' attention, we've ratcheted up our strong-woman image," Sohyun told reporters at a showcase event in Seoul.American electronic music producer Skrillex collaborated on the title track "Hate," which starts out as hip-hop but suddenly transitions into hardcore dance tunes."The track is very heavy and has a lot of ups and downs," Jiyoon said. "It's as if we're quietly telling someone we hate him and then go berserk toward the end."4minute admitted it would be hard for that kind of "schizophrenic" progression to have mainstream appeal, which is why they pulled three all-nighters in a row to resolve the issue."My parents didn't get it at first, but they liked it better when we danced to it," Jiyoon said.Jiyoon, Hyuna and Sohyun contributed to the lyrics and raps, and Gayoon directed the designing of the album cover and pictures.Feb 1, 2016
Rap competition show revs up for new season Basick, top, and Song Min-ho from "Show Me the Money: Season 4" / Courtesy of MnetTV rap audition program “Show Me the Money” has opened a website where applicants can register for the show’s fifth season.Applications will close on March 6. Rappers should make a video of themselves rapping for 15 seconds or less and post the videos on Instagram.The competition has for the first time expanded its applicant pool to global communities by holding auditions for those who pass the first selection process in Seoul as well as Los Angeles.CJ E&M’s popular program this season is expected to include comedian Jeong Jun-ha, a regular member of “Infinite Challenge.” Although an insider told online daily OSEN,“It remains unknown whether he will actually show up in the competition,” one of the Mnet show’s staff was quoted as saying he “wholeheartedly welcomes Jeong in the race.”“Show Me the Money” began in 2012, bringing stardom for solo rappers Loco and Basick, trio band Soul Dive, and Bobby from K-pop idol band Feb 1, 2016
Top actresses return to big, small screens Actress Won Mi-kyung / YonhapActress Choi Ji-woo / YonhapActress Lee Mi-yeon / YonhapBy Baek Byung-yeulOnce-famed top actresses are returning to the big and small screens this month and highlighting this month’s cinematic lineup.Actresses Lee Mi-yeon, 44, and Choi Ji-woo, 40, feature in the upcoming romantic comedy “Like for Likes.”The film features love stories of three couples who meet online and become couples. It pairs Lee with “Veteran” star Yoo Ah-in and Choi with Kim Joo-hyuk.The two stars were top actresses in the 1990s.Lee had been the“sweetheart”of the big screen, drawing young male fans with her looks since her 1987 debut.Though she regained her popularity after featuring as the grown-up Deok-seon (Hyeri), on the recently finished smash-hit drama “Reply 1988,” she has starred in many films and dramas since the 2001 TV drama “Empress Myeongseong.” This time, she plays a veteran TV drama writer who falls in love with Yoo’s character who plays the role of a top actor.“Winter Sonata” star Choi Feb 1, 2016
Entertainer Lee Seung-gi enters military Lee Seung-gi / YonhapSinger/actor Lee Seung-gi will begin 21 months of military service as of Monday.“I didn’t plan to speak to the press but thank you anyway for coming here,” Lee, 28, said before entering the training center at about noon.Hundreds of fans from Korea, China and Japan gathered at the entrance of Korea Army Training Center in Nonsan, South Chungcheong province, this morning, to cheer the star. Some fans reportedly cried. Fans held placards, one of which read “Lee Guards Korea, and We Guard Him,” according to online daily OSEN.Hundreds of fans came to Korea Army Training Center in Monday morning to see the star starting his mandatory military service.On Jan. 21, Lee released a single “I’m Joining the Military” to inform his fans and people he could not tell in person that he had enlisted.“I would like to thank the fans for the overwhelming love they have given me, and I promise to return as a full-fledged ‘real man,” Lee said after releasing the single.Lee debuted as a singer in 2004, but has also bFeb 1, 2016
EXO star injured in motorcycle crash Lay, also known in Chinese name Zhang Yixing, from EXO / Courtesy of TwitterK-pop boy band EXO’s Chinese member, Lay, is in hospital after a motorcycle accident during filming.The star, born Zhang Yixing in China, was filming in the town of Hengdian in Zhejiang Province, on Saturday, according to Chinese media outlets.Lay, 24, suffered an injury to his waist.The online daily TV Report quoted an associate of the star as saying he was “hospitalized promptly after the accident.”“The injury appeared grave at first, but his condition is now stable,” the associate said.“He must keep lying down to prevent the injury from doing permanent damage.”Lay debuted with EXO in 2012 and also as a member of the SM Entertainment band’s sub-unit EXO-M. He performs in China as a singer, dancer and actor.In January, Chinese micro blogging platform Weibo named Lay, along with Victoria from K-pop girl band f(x), as China’s 10 most popular stars in 2015.Feb 1, 2016
Lee Young-ae defies the years Lee Young-ae from "JLOOK" magazine / YonhapActress Lee Young-ae seems to defy her age in newly released magazine photos.The hallyu star, 45, most known in Asia for the popular Korean drama “Jewel in the Palace” (2003) posed for monthly lifestyle magazine JLOOK’s February edition.Three photos, taken at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul, show the mother of two looking young and beautiful in elegant dresses.Korean herbal cosmetics brand The History of Whoo, for which Lee is a model, took care of the make-up.In the magazine, she talks about her upcoming TV drama “Saimdang, the Herstory,” in which she plays Shin Saimdang (1504-1551), a noted artist, poet and the mother of Confucian scholar Yi Yulgok.“I wanted to look appropriate in the magazine to go along with my role in the drama, whose character is modern and active yet conservative,” online daily TV Daily quotes Lee as saying.The drama is due to screen this year.Feb 1, 2016
Kim Ye-won shares recent life on SNS / Screen capture from InstagramSinger Kim Ye-won has shared her recent life via social media after dropping out of her TV shows.Kim posted an image of new K-pop band “Impact” on her Instagram page on Sunday, saying, “My brothers ‘Impact’ who have been practicing hard, finally made their debut.”“Impact,” which recently debuted with“Lollipop,” belongs to Kim’s agency, Star Empire Entertainment.Kim stepped down from MBC’s show “We Got Married” last June after she argued with actress Lee Tae-im while filming“My Tutor Friend.”Kim Ye-won / Screen capture from InstagramLee had faced public scrutiny and criticism for allegedly abusing the singer. The actress was criticized for her behavior, but the situation turned in her favor when video of the moment Lee argued with Kim was disclosed a month later.Feb 1, 2016
