Produce 101, another Mnet tearjerker The cast of Mnet’s reality girl group survival show “Produce 101” attend a press conference with 101 girls at 63 Conventional Center, Yeouido, central Seoul, on Jan. 21. From front left are vocal trainer Kim Sung-eun, choreographer Bae Yoon-jung, rapper Cheetah, actor Jang Keun-suk, solo singer Kahi and singer JeA of Brown Eyed Girls. / Courtesy of CJ E&MBy Kim Jae-heun“Produce 101,” Mnet’s new reality girl band survival show, premiered last Friday amid criticisms that the program is another typical cable network tearjerker using provocative editing.“Produce 101” puts together 101 trainees from 46 entertainment companies to produce a girl band that will consist of 11 finalists. During the 11 episodes, 90 participants will be eliminated solely based on audiences’ online voting. The final 11 members will perform four songs together for a year and release a debut album under the record label of CJ E&M, Mnet’s mother company.Mnet has invested about 4 billion won ($3.33 million), which is the second-largest budgJan 25, 2016
Early filming of K-dramas targets Chinese market Park Hae-jin, above, and Kim Go-eun star in the drama “Cheese in the Trap” / Courtesy of tvNBy Kwon Ji-younThe temperature in Seoul dropped to minus 18 degrees Celsius on Sunday, but its summer going on fall in “Cheese in the Trap,” which airs on Monday-Tuesday evenings on tvN.This is because the filming for the hit drama series, featuring Park Hae-jin, Kim Go-eun and Seo Kang-jun, began in the second half of last year, and is now in its final production stages. The seventh segment of the 16-episode drama aired Monday.“Cheese in the Trap” is among many drama series for which the greater part of the shooting took place, or will take place, before the first episode airs, or is set to air. SBS’s “Saimdang: the Herstory,” in which actress Lee Young-ae will make a comeback to the small screen as Shin Saimdang (1504-1551), a noted artist, poet and the mother of Confucian scholar Yulgok, will be filmed in its entirety before being broadcast later this year.The filming for Song Hye-kyo and Song Joong-ki’s “DesceJan 25, 2016
CNBLUE comes out rocking in Beijing Jung Yong-hwa from CNBLUEK-pop rock band CNBLUE rocked Beijing at Workers' Stadium on Saturday ― part of the band’s “Come Together” tour. Starting in Shanghai last October, the tour ― which also played Seoul ― will continue in Taipei, Singapore, Nanjing, Chongqing and Guangzhou.The band concert opened with “Domino,” followed by such hits as “Roller Coaster,” “Stay Sober,” “Hero” and “Irony.”Fans surprised the band with a cake celebrating the group’s sixth year since its debut.On the same day, vocalist Jung Yong-hwa was named last year’s No. 1 performer on the Gaon Weibo Chart, a major Chinese SNS chart that ranks K-pop stars.Jung topped the chart frequently throughout 2015.Jan 25, 2016
YG Entertainment joins 'Scarlet Heart' production Yang Hyun-suk, head of YG Entertainment / Korea Times fileMajor entertainment agency YG Entertainment is to produce the highly anticipated Korean-remake of the Chinese TV drama “Scarlet Heart.”The company will finance and produce the SBS drama. YG will also be involved in content development, and business ventures ― including cosmetics, oriental medicine and media commerce based on the drama’s characters, according to Sports Chosun. YG has been behind various reality-based TV programs featuring its popular singers. The shows include “BigBang TV” and “2NE1 TV.”America’s NBCUniversal will also help finance and produce the drama, which is reportedly the first Asian TV drama in which NBC has invested.“Bu Bu Jing Xin” posterThe Korean remake, titled “Scarlet Heart: Ryeo,” boasts a cast of A-list stars, including singer and actress IU, actor Lee Joon-gi, Seohyun from K-pop girl band Girls’ Generation and Baekhyun from K-pop boy band EXO.IU, the female lead, portrays a girl from the 21st century who timeJan 25, 2016
Korean chicken soup exports to U.S. jump in 2015 Korean traditional ginseng chicken soup has made an aggressive foray into the United States since its first shipment in late 2014, boosting stagnant overseas sales from a slump in Japan, data showed Monday.South Korea first exported "samgyetang," a famous local dish consumed to better endure summer heat, to the U.S. in August 2014 after 10 years of efforts to enter one of the world's biggest poultry export markets.Outbound shipments of samgyetang stood at 2,196 tons worth US$9.85 million in 2015, up 27.8 percent from a year ago, data by the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) showed. The figure turned to growth for the first time in four years thanks to increased shipments to the U.S.Overseas samgyetang sales peaked at 2,888 tons in 2011 before steadily decreasing from 2012 to 2014 due to slipping sales in Japan, the biggest export market, the KITA said. Market watchers expected samgyetang sales to take off this year on the back of strong demand among 14 million Asian consumers in the U.S.Overseas shipments are expected to further gain momentum as a free trade agreement withJan 25, 2016
Ladies' Code in comeback after deadly crash Ladies’ Code / Courtesy of Polaris EntertainmentK-pop band Ladies’ Code, who lost two members in a deadly car accident in 2014, will release a new album next month.Koh Eun-bi, who went by the stage name EunB, and Kwon Ri-se, died in the crash in September 2014.Three members _ Sojung, Ashley and Zuny _ have been working on the new album and will make a comeback at the end of February, Polaris Entertainment said Sunday. It said it will not recruit new members. The late Kwon Ri-se, left, and EunB from Ladies' Code / Courtesy of Naver blogThe band debuted in 2013 with the mini album “Code#01.” Its ballad “I’m Fine Thank You” topped the charts _ Melon, Naver and Mnet _ a week after the accident. Jan 24, 2016
'Signal' lures record TV audience "Signal" / Screen captures from tvNNew cable program “Signal” has posted a record audience after only two episodes.The Friday/Saturday drama, which airs on tvN, registered a national rating average of 6.3 percent on Friday and 7.3 percent for the second episode on Saturday, according to Nielsen Korea and reports.The drama is about detectives working on “cold” cases.Veteran actress Kim Hye-soo, who has been dominating Korean cinema and often plays a femme fatale, is Cha Soo-hyun, a charismatic, experienced detective. The drama is Kim’s long-awaited return to the small screen. Her last TV drama role was in “Queen of the Office” in 2013. Jan 24, 2016
Lee Byung-hun to present at Oscars Actor Lee Byung-hun / Korea Times fileMovie star Lee Byung-hun will be the first Korean actor to present an Oscar at the annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles on Thursday.It has not yet been determined in which category the winner due to receive an award from Lee will be, the star’s agency BH Entertainment was quoted as saying by Yonhap Saturday.Lee, 45, appeared in Hollywood films such as “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra” (2009), “G.I. Joe: The Retaliation” (2013),” “Red 2” (2013) and “Terminator Genisys” (2015).A prolific actor in Korea, the most recent domestically made film he starred in was the popular “Inside Men” (2015). This year, he will co-star with Gang Dong-won and Kim Woo-bin in the locally produced“Master,” and also with Gong Hyo-jin in “Single Rider.”Jan 24, 2016
'Hallyu strategy needs overhaul' Tzuyu of TWICEBy Kim Jae-heunUnexpectedly caught in the middle of a sovereignty row between China and Taiwan over a flag seen in an online video, “hallyu” (Korean wave) faces a change of direction in its overseas promotions. Culture experts said the entertainment industry needs a new system to thoroughly understand and keep awareness on history, cultural differences and international affairs for the future of the Korean culture industry’s overseas expansion.A recent controversy involving Taiwanese singer Chou Tzuyu of JYP Entertainment’s girl group Twice brought an unexpected political storm after the 16-year old performer waved the Taiwanese flag during MBC’s online broadcast “My Little Television” last November. It was the first international dispute connected with hallyu.China argues that Taiwan is part of its territory despite the island state’s 1949 declaration of sovereignty, splitting from the mainland after a civil war. The Taiwanese flag symbolizes the country’s independence and when Tzuyu waved the flag, it angered Jan 22, 2016
Screen 'Fairy' nabs first lead role Oh Dal-su from "Pinching the Star" motion poster / Courtesy of NaverPopular supporting actor Oh Dal-su has landed his first leading role in a movie.Oh is starring in “Pinching the Star.” Three movies featuring Oh that opened last year each drew more than 10 million theatergoers - “Assassination,” “Veteran” and “Ode to My Father.” It earned him the nickname “10 Million Fairy.”“Pinching the Star” is a comedy-drama about unknown theater actor Jang Seong-pil and how he becomes a star by broadening his career to movies.A short promotional video - known as a “motion poster” - of Oh was released Friday. With Oh’s face gradually changing to a smile, it showed a phrase that reads: “Oh Dal-su’s first leading movie.”The film opens in theaters in March.Jan 22, 2016
