SISTAR's agency to debut new girl group / Courtesy of SoompiStarship Entertainment, the talent agency for top K-pop girl band SISTAR, will launch a new girl band, “Cosmic Girls.”The band, created jointly by Starship and Yuehwa Entertainment, will comprise 12 members from Korea and China, making it the largest K-pop group. Starship and Yuehwa agreed in April on co-management of talent.Starship Entertainment hosts an array of top K-pop talent including SISTAR, Boyfriend, Junggigo, Mad Clown and MONSTA X.Dec 4, 2015
JYJ's Kim Jae-joong to release album next year JYJ's Kim Jae-joong / Korea Times fileJYJ member Kim Jae-joong, 29, will release a second solo album next year, Yonhap reported.The album was completed before he enlisted for his military duty, the report said, citing his talent agency C-JES Entertainment. Kim’s first solo EP album, “WWW,” was released in October 2013.The new album will be comprised of songs Kim wrote as well as those created by foreign music writers and more songs from the pop-rock genre. Kim has been serving in the ROK Army since March.Of the three JYJ members, Kim and Park Yu-cheon are carrying out their compulsory military duty. Kim Jun-su is expected to soon follow. Dec 4, 2015
Singer Jessica to comeback with new album /Screen capture from InstagramJessica Jung, 26, a former member of K-pop band, Girls’ Generation, said during an interview with High Cut on Thursday that she is preparing to roll out a new album.Jung said she will have a “present” for her fans, and it will be her new album, the local entertainment news paperzine reported.It has been 15 months since she left Girls’ Generation and SM Entertainment last year.Jung left the band after the company allegedly banned her from managing her fashion brand, BLANC.Jung did not say anything about the exact date of releasing her album. Dec 4, 2015By Bahk Eun-ji
Son Ye-jin tells all on why she is single Poster of “Bad Guys Always Die” Actress Son Ye-jin says she is too deeply attached to her job to get married.Son, 34, told Chinese website Sina that her passion for her cinema career has been growing and she has no time for a boyfriend.“I didn’t understand at first why I couldn’t meet a guy for so long,” Son was quoted as saying. “But as time goes by, I understood why actresses usually get married late. I think their hearts for work become bigger and happiness from the work takes the most space in their hearts.”But Son, who is one of the most-loved actresses in Korea, did not rule out marriage.“I think part of maturity as an actress comes from their experience in getting married and having children,” Son said. “I hope I don’t get too old before I can get married.”Son Ye-jin in scenes of “Bad Guys Always Die” / Screen capture from YouTubeShe said her ideal husband would have to have a big heart and understand her irregular work schedule.The interview comes as her latest film, &ldquDec 3, 2015
Go Ah-sung named Best Actress for 'Office' Go Ah-sung /Korea Times fileGo Ah-sung has won the Best Actress Award for “Office” at the Fantastic Film Festival of the University of Malaga (FANCINE).The film is about workers who are struggling to maintain their place in the office hierarchy.Go plays Lee Mi-rye, an intern who becomes a person of interest in a murder investigation in the mystery thriller. The film premiered in the Midnight Screenings section at Cannes this year.During FANCINE, the film’s director, Hong Won-chan, was acclaimed as a promising director in the European market.Go, 23, debuted as a child actress in 2006 with top-grossing blockbuster “The Host.” She appeared in “Snowpiercer” (2013) and “Thread of Lies” (2014). Dec 3, 2015By Bahk Eun-ji
Is Psy's latest single ingenious, stupid or simply weird? A scene from the video of Psy's latest single "Daddy" / Screencapture from YouTubeForeign media outlets give conflicting reviews of ‘Daddy’Since Psy’s 7th album “Chiljip Psy-da” was released Tuesday, the single “Daddy” has racked up over 18,125,000 views on YouTube as of Thursday noon.The electronic dance track’s video, which superimposes the K-pop star’s face on an infant, a child and elderly man, has earned an array of adjectives, but most of them carry the meaning “bizarre.”Newsweek was one of the few outlets that praised the singer and the video.“Psy, the South Korean musical visionary who introduced the world to his Gangnam Style, has returned with a video for his new single Daddy,” it said.“To suggest the video has a specific theme would be to limit the unique world in which Psy's genius exists.”Billboard magazine was another that gave the video a positive review.“The goofy MC superimposes himself on the bodies of a schoolboy, hairy ballroom dancer and several senior citizens foDec 3, 2015By Kim Bo-eun
Psy re-signs with YG Entertainment Psy /YonhapSinger Psy has renewed his contract with YG Entertainment.“Psy and YG will stay together three more years based on our trust and friendship,” YG said.Since the singer contracted with YG in 2012, the company has helped Psy make the big leap to the U.S. with his mega-hit “Gangnam Style.”The singer, 37, made a huge comeback on Tuesday with“Napal Baji (Bellbottoms),” and “Daddy.”As of Dec. 2, there have been 3.52 million views of “Napal Baji (Bellbottom)” and 11.8 million views of “Daddy.”Dec 2, 2015By Bahk Eun-ji
Will Han Hyo-joo win Japanese fans? Han Hyo-joo, right, from “Clumsy Love” / Courtesy of Naver blogWith the Japanese romance movie “Clumsy Love” due for release on Dec. 12, fans are wondering if actress Han Hyo-joo can win the hearts of Japanese viewers.Han, 28, stars in the film, which is directed by Inudo Isshin, one of Japan’s most influential film directors.Co-starring Aiba Masaki, Eikura Nana and Ikuta Toma, the movie features Han as a lighting designer who coordinates an international illumination festival for Christmas in Tokyo.Public expectation of Han in her latest movie is high, following her versatile roles in earlier films -- as part of an emergency crew in“Love 911” (2012) and as a rookie detective in the action thriller “Cold Eyes” (2013).“Clumsy Love” tells the stories of four people who experience a miraculous love during the Christmas holiday season.Since her 2010 debut in a MBC sitcom, Han has been active on TV and in movies.Dec 2, 2015
Top female singers compete on TV Gummy, left, and Lena ParkTop K-pop vocalists Gummy and Lena Park faced each other for the first time in an epic singing battle on Tuesday.JTBC’s “To You Project: In Search of Sugar Man” invited them on stage in front of an audience divided into four age groups -- from teens to 40s.The stars each sang a hit from the 1990s to see which of the two attracted the most votes from the audience, with Gummy taking the honors.The singers drew praise from media reports and bloggers on Wednesday, with general agreement that the stars sang their hearts out and fully lived up to public expectations.Dec 2, 2015
Kim Yoon-ah takes on musical role Kim Yoon-ah /Korea Times fileKim Yoon-ah, 41, a vocalist with rock band Jaurim, has begun a career as a musical actress.She will plays “Mrs. Danvers,” in the musical “Rebecca” her first such role since she made her singing debut in 1997.“Rebecca,” a German musical, is based on the novel of the same name by Daphne du Maurier. The story is about Maxim DeWinter, his new wife and Mrs Danvers, the manipulative housekeeper who blindly loves DeWinter’s ex-wife “Rebecca.”Jaurim debuted with the single “Hey Hey Hey,” in 1997. The band has had several hits, including “Miss Korea,” “Magic Carpet Ride,” and “Goodbye Grief.”Kim, 41, has been often praised for her singing ability.Dec 2, 2015By Bahk Eun-ji
