WINNER to come back next month /Courtesy of YG EntertainmentK-pop boy band WINNER will soon return to the stage after taking a yearlong break, OSEN reported Friday.The entertainment news outlet cited sources close to YG Entertainment, the band’s management company, as saying WINNER recently filmed two music videos in Sweden for songs from a new album.The five members of the band did the lion’s share of the writing and composing of the songs for the new album, the source said.YG had postponed WINNER’s comeback due its latest K-pop group IKON’s debut this month.Yang Hyun-suk, YG’s president, posted a message on his Instagram page saying “You will be astonishing by what WINNER will bring in November.”The group debuted in 2014 with five members _ Kang Seung-yoon, Song Mino, Nam Tae-hyun, Kim Jin-woo and Lee Seung-hoon.The band rose to stardom thanks to their hit songs “Empty” and “Color Ring.”Oct 30, 2015By Bahk Eun-ji
Jun Ji-hyun's last public appearance for a while Top actress Jun Ji-hyun makes what will be her last public appearance before the birth of her baby, at the 2015 Korean Pop Culture Awards at the National Theater of Korea in Jangchung-dong, Seoul, Thursday. Jun, who starred in recent blockbuster TV drama “My Love from the Star” and the film “Assassination,” is seven months pregnant and expected to give birth early next year./ Yonhap Oct 29, 2015
BigBang earns big bucks from LA concert /Courtesy of YG EntertainmentBigBang’s Los Angeles concert in the Staples Center ranked 10th on the “Hot Tours” chart by taking 1.9 billion won ($1.72 million) at the box office, music magazine Billboard said Thursday.About 13,360 people attended the performance. The group is the only Asian band on the chart. /Courtesy of YG EntertainmentPop star Taylor Swift topped the chart with $13.6 million from five performances.BigBang has completed its 2015 MADE World Tour in North America _ Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Anaheim, New Jersey, Mexico and Canada _ which started on Oct.2. A total of 87,000 people attended the shows. Oct 29, 2015By Bahk Eun-ji
BTS to perform solo concert next month /Courtesy of Big Hit EntertainmentBangtan Boys (BTS) will perform a solo concert next month, Big Hit Entertainment said Wednesday.Titled, “2015 BTS Live-Hwa Yang Yeon Hwa On Stage,” the K-pop boy band will meet fans from Nov. 27 to 29 at Olympic Park in Seoul.The band will unveil its new songs in the new regular album, “The Beautiful Moment in Life,” which will be released on Nov. 30, during the concert.BTS debuted in 2013 with the song “No More Dream.” Oct 29, 2015By Bahk Eun-ji
BigBang T.O.P. and Japanese actress reveal 'Secret Message' /Courtesy of CJ E&MA production press conference for the web drama “Secret Message,” starring Korean rapper T.O.P., of BigBang, and Japanese actress Ueno Juri, was held at the Imperial Palace Hotel, Nonhyeon-dong, southern Seoul, today.“Secret Message” is a joint Korean-Japanese production web drama, depicting a love story among young adults. T.O.P will play a Korean man Woo-hyun and Ueno Juri will feature a Japanese woman Haruka.“It has been seven years since my last drama “Iris.” I have tried my best with a strong sense of responsibility to show people how I have improved as an actor,” said T.O.P. during the press conference. “Because I enjoyed Ueno Juri’s dramas, I was very excited and was looking forward to meet her when I heard she was cast as my partner.”“I was worried a little bit about the language barrier before filming,” said Juri. “However, I felt like there existed between me and T.O.P. a sort of telepathy, which made me focusing well on the filming, though I could not understand KoreaOct 28, 2015
Former Super Star K challenger found dead /Screen captures from YouTube Kim Hyun-ji from the first season of Super Star K has been found dead inside a car, police said Wednesday.They said two men, surnamed Ko, 33, and Lee, 33, also died in the car. Police said the three died after burning charcoal briquettes and inhaling the toxic fumes in Iksan, North Jeolla Province. Their bodies were found at 3:50 p.m. Tuesday.Kim, 31, appeared in the Super Star K audition program in August 2009.Her singing was well received, but she was eliminated from the contest.In 2010, Kim released the single “Everything” and held a solo concert.She appeared in another audition program, Voice Korea Season 2 in 2013, saying she made the decision because the single album did not go well.Kim sang several popular songs and had favorable reviews.Kim seems to have been suffering depression, police said. Oct 28, 2015By Bahk Eun-ji
Lim, Kim and Suzy star in new TV drama /Courtesy of Blossom Entertainment Actor Lim Ju-hwan, 33, will star in new TV drama “Uncontrollably Fond,” with K-pop’s Suzy as a rival character of actor Kim Woo-bin.The drama is about two men and a woman who have bad memories of childhood. When they reunite, one man has become a super star and the woman a documentary producer.Lim will play Choi Ji-tae, a flawless character in terms of appearance, personality and career.Kim Woo-bin plays Shin Joon-young, an arrogant top hallyu star, and Suzy plays No Eul, a documentary program producer.Lim debuted in 2004 with SBS TV drama “Magic.” He recently starred in popular drama “Oh My Ghostess.”The new drama will air early next year. Oct 27, 2015By Bahk Eun-ji
Suzy puts fans in the picture with photo book /Courtesy of JYP EntertainmentSuzy, a member of girl band missA, will release her first photo book, “suzy?suzy,” JYP Entertainment said Tuesday.It said the singer, 22, had been involved in many aspects of the book, from planning to cover selection. She also had written some of the text.The book’s concept is “The Familiar but Strange Ambience” and was photographed at Itaewon and Yeonnam-dong, in northern Seoul.Suzy is one K-pop’s hottest band members and is known as the “national sister.” She is romantically linked to top hallyu actor Lee Min-ho. They recently denied rumors they had split up./Courtesy of JYP Entertainment Suzy also is an actress. After successfully making her debut with television drama “Dream High” (2011), she captured big-screen success with “Architecture 101” (2012). She is promoting her new film, “Doriwhaga,” before its release on Nov. 25.The photo book can be bought through online bookstores Yes24 and Interpark. Oct 27, 2015By Bahk Eun-ji
Lee Tae-im gets host gig on SNL Korea /Courtesy of Henem ManagementVoluptuous actress Lee Tae-im, 30, will host the Korean version of Saturday Night Life (SNL) next week, her agency, Henem Management, said Tuesday.Lee will be the main host with regulars Shin Dong-yup, Yoo Sae-yoon and Ahn Young-mi.Lee has been starring in new drama “You’ll Love Me,” six months after dropping out of all her TV shows.These are some cautious steps she is taking after facing public scrutiny for allegedly abusing idol girl singer Kim Ye-won while recording entertainment program “My Tutor Friend” on Feb. 24. Lee 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.Oct 27, 2015By Bahk Eun-ji
f(X) without Sulli tops charts with '4 Walls' Poster for the K-pop girl band f(x)'s fourth album "4 Walls" / Courtesy of SM EntertainmentVictoria, Luna, Amber and Krystal of f(x) have proved they can top the charts as a four-member girl group.Despite the exit of Sulli, f(x) topped Korean and Chinese music charts with their fourth album, “4 Walls.”The title track, also “4 Walls,” swept past singer IU’s “Twenty-three” on seven Korean charts, including Melon, Olleh Music and Genie. The song also topped China’s Baidu King charts.Popular writers including LDN Noise, the producing team Stereotypes, Carly Rae Jepsen and other leading musicians worked on the album.The band will start promoting it on the Mnet Countdown stage on Thursday.Sulli, 21, who left in August, is dating Choiza of hip-hop duo Dynamic Duo. She has said she will pursue an acting career. Oct 27, 2015
