Asia, top destination for South Korean TV programs exported With the spread of the Asiawide boom of South Korean pop culture, countries in the continent accounted for 95 percent of South Korea's exports of broadcasting programs, such as TV dramas and documentaries, in 2014, a government report said Thursday.Korea's total exports of broadcasting programs came to US$256.28 million in 2014, a 7.0 percent increase from the previous year's $239.43 million, according to a report by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, and the Korea Communications Commission.The report said Korea's exports to Asian countries stood at 94.8 percent of the total exports with $242.97 million, up from 94.3 percent and $241.8 million in 2013.The broadcasting programs were exported by terrestrial broadcasting channels, including KBS, MBC, SBS and EBS, and program providers (PP).Specifically, the terrestrial broadcasters' exports to Asian countries largely grew to reach $241.8 million in 2014 from $177.15 in 2013.In the same year, the terrestrial broadcasters' exports to Japan stood at $67.88 million, Hong Kong $48.78 million, China $43.21 million, Taiwan $14.1Jan 21, 2016
Agency to create K-culture hub in Chongqing Song Sung-gakpresident of KOCCABy Baek Byung-yeulThe state-run Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) has been supporting local cultural content creators in various endeavors since its founding in 2009.KOCCA President Song Sung-gak revealed that the next “gold mine” for exporting Korean cultural products, branded under “hallyu” (the Korean wave), will be Chongqing, southwest China.“There are many Korean companies that already have entered markets in Beijing or Shanghai, but not in Chongqing yet,” Song said during a press conference in Seoul, Tuesday. “The city is one of the world’s largest with a population of some 30 million, and it will be the first key region to open the new hallyu era.”To make it possible, KOCCA signed an agreement with the Chongqing Culture Industry Investment Group, Dec. 8, to connect Korean creators and local Chongqing companies.“The city government already offered to lease a building to Korean companies for three years free of charge. Also, they asked us to make a hallyu theme park there,” the pJan 20, 2016
4minute to back with mini album /Courtesy of Cube EntertainmentK-pop girl band 4minute will return next month with mini-album “Act.7.”Cube Entertainment said Wednesday the album will be released at noon on Feb. 1. Cube has uploaded a comeback teaser image along with a caption, “4MINUTE is Back!”The band comprises Kim Hyun-a, Nam Ji-hyun, Heo Ga-yoon, Jeon Ji-yoon and Kwon So-hyun.It is their seventh mini album after “Crazy,” released last February.The comeback has drawn attention because of their collaboration with famous American DJ Skrillex.Cube Entertainment said the group will keep its image of charismatic females, which has allowed fans to have a girl-crush on the group. Jan 20, 2016
BigBang end world tour in Seoul in March / Courtesy of TwitterK-pop boy band BigBang will end their world tour with a final encore concert in Seoul in March.The band will perform the last of the “MADE” tour concerts at the Olympic Gymnastic Arena from March 4 to 6. The five members started the tour last April, winning a positive response from world fans.Production and lighting designer Leroy Bennett and visual director Ed Burke have worked on the concerts.BigBang are performing in Japan until the end of February. Jan 20, 2016
EXO's Xiumin injured in idol sports event Xiumin Singer Xiumin from K-pop boy band EXO has been injured in a sports event for idol stars.He was hurt in the “12th Idol Star Athletics Championship” in Goyang Gymnasium, Gyeonggi Province, Tuesday. The event was being filmed for TV airing during the Lunar New Year holiday in February.Mixed martial artist Kim Dong-hyun tackled Xiumin during a futsal match, Herald Pop said. Fans who visited the gymnasium said the singer could not get up after the tackle. Staff lifted him from the court and he was taken to hospital. The injury is reportedly minor.The championship, hosted by TV network MBC during the Lunar New Year holiday and Chuseok holiday in September, has been criticized by fans for injuring stars.The championship continues until Wednesday.Jan 19, 2016
JYP Entertainment to overhaul hallyu strategy By Kim Jae-heunJYP Entertainment said Tuesday that it will overhaul its export strategy for hallyu (Korean wave) and adopt a new system to stem recurrences of controversies involving its members.Its move came after Chou Tzuyu, a Taiwanese member of JYP Entertainment’s girl band Twice, was embroiled in a controversy for waving a Taiwanese flag on the online show “My Little Television,” last November, which triggered anger among Chinese consumers. “We have several foreign members in our K-pop bands and we plan to make a new system to thoroughly study sensitivity issues, such as political conflicts between countries,” said a JYP official in a phone interview with The Korea Times. “It will not only apply to K-pop stars but all staff members in the company.” He said the company will institute a more effective system to prevent recurrence of similar disputes.China sees Taiwan as part of its territory, although Taiwan has ruled itself since a 1949 split from the mainland after a civil war.The agency quickly released a videotaped apology by the Jan 19, 2016
Park Si-hoo returns to TV after three years Actor Park Si-hoo / YonhapActor Park Si-hoo, who was embroiled in a sex scandal three years ago, returned to TV Tuesday with a drama on cable channel OCN.Park, 38, has been absent from the Korean entertainment scene after being accused in February 2013 of raping an aspiring actress. The prosecution dropped the cast a few months later, at the woman’s request.In a press conference for the drama “Neighborhood Hero,” Park said he is grateful for the chance “to stand on stage like this.”“I was able to review my life in the past three years and spend time with precious people,” Park said. “I went mountain climbing throughout the nation.”Park, who worked in China, also said he spent a lot of time thinking about his future during his absence from Korea.In “Neighborhood Hero,” Park plays a former secret agent who was bent on personal revenge but ends up helping a neighbor, along with a police officer and a job seeker. Jan 19, 2016
Former AKB48 singer promotes Zico's album Mariko Shinoda from a teaser video for Zico's "It was Love" / Screen capture from YouTubeJapanese entertainer Mariko Shinoda, a former member of girl band AKB48, has appeared in the teaser video for rapper Zico’s new single album.Shinoda, also an actress, features in the 46-second clip for the rapper’s song “It was Love,” the album’s second track.Zico’s management company, Seven Seasons, released the video Tuesday.With an orchestra playing in the background, the video hinted at the rapper’s departure from his usual drumbeat-filled hip-hop sounds.Shinoda, a captain of the band’s Team A from 2012, left the group the last year.The album will be released Jan. 25.Jan 19, 2016
Super Junior Ryeowook's first solo album ready to go /Courtesy of SM EntertainmentK-pop boy band Super Junior’s Ryeowook will release his first mini-album, “The Little Prince,” his management agency SM Entertainment said Tuesday.The album will be available online at midnight on Jan. 28.It is also the first release under Super Junior’s own label -- Label SJ -- which SM Entertainment established last year.Ryeowook has demonstrated his talent through various shows, original sound track releases and the sub-unit, Super Junior K.R.Y.Meanwhile, he is scheduled to hold his first solo concert, “Ever Lasting Star - Ryeo Wook,” from Feb. 19 to 21 at the COEX in Samseong-dong, Seoul. Jan 19, 2016
Psy's 'Daddy' hits 100 million YouTube views Psy / Korea Times fileKorean rapper Psy’s music video for the single “Daddy” has shot past 100 million views on YouTube in less than two months, Yonhap reported.The video, featuring CL, leader of K-pop girl band 2NE1, reached the mark on Tuesday morning.Psy, 38, is the first Korean artist to achieve this with four consecutive music videos.The rapper’s breakthrough single, “Gangnam Style,” is nearing 2.5 billion views for its music video. His following release, “Gentleman,” earned 920 million views, while “Hangover” is around 241 million. Jan 19, 2016
