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
Man punished for blackmailing singer Song Dae-kwanA man who blackmailed trot singer Song Dae-kwan has received a suspended sentence.Seoul Central District Court on Friday handed the man, surname Hong, 75, six months’ jail, suspended for a year, according to Newsis.The court was told Hong threatened Song from 2009 until last February, urging him to repay money owed to his former wife by Song’s wife. Hong threatened to tell people Hong had swindled him through a real estate investment fraud. Hong took 27 million won ($22,000) from Song during the period, the court was told.The court said Hong used Song’s celebrity status to get money from him, although the star was not involved in the real estate investment. In 2009, Hong’s former wife invested with Song’s wife, who said she was selling lots in a resort she was going to build on land in Boryeong, South Chungcheong Province. Hong’s former wife handed Song’s wife 100 billion won ($83,000). The resort business was later canceled.The court was told that Hong kept visiting Song’s home, threatening to defame him unless he reJan 22, 2016
Crayon Pop concert sells out in Japan K-pop girl band Crayon Pop are hot property in Japan.The five-member band, popular for eye-catching choreography and eccentric costumes, have sold out tickets for their Tokyo concert on January 31.The concert is the first leg of their Japanese tour, “Crayon Pop 1st Japan Tour 2016,” following the release of their first Japanese studio album, “Crayon Pop,” on Wednesday. The album ranked 11th on the Oricon chart the day it was released.The tour will visit Japanese cities including Nagoya and Kobe. Xport News said concerts in those cities were nearly sold out.The band debuted in Japan last July with single “Rarirure” and released their second Japanese single, “Dancing All Night,” in November. The single albums all sold out.The band debuted in Korea in 2012 and will reportedly return to the K-pop market in the first half of this year.Jan 22, 2016
Hip-hop artist gets suspended jail term for drug abuse A local court on Friday overturned the acquittal of a 32-year-old hip-hop artist accused of using and selling drugs.The appeals department of the Seoul Eastern District Court sentenced Kwon Ki-bum, better known by his stage name Bumkey, to eight months in prison with a two year suspension.Bumkey was indicted in December 2014 on charges of selling 6 grams of meth and 10 MDMA pills, better known as "ecstasy," to two of his acquaintances from August 2012 to September 2013. He was also accused of taking ecstasy twice during the period.A lower court found Bumkey not guilty due to a lack of evidence, but the appeals department said the evidence provided by the prosecutors was enough to prove his conviction."Kwon repeated the crime though he once received a suspended prison term for taking ecstasy," the court said. "(We) took into consideration that the amount was not significant."Bumkey could not be immediately reached for comment. (Yonhap)Jan 22, 2016
