Top MC -- and actor, too Yoo Jae-seok from MBC's "My Daughter, Geum Sa-Wol" / Courtesy of MBCTop television MC Yoo Jae-seok made a surprise appearance in Sunday’s episode of the MBC drama “My Daughter, Geum Sa-Wol” and received positive feedback.Yoo played a painter and a new secretary of the main female character Shin Deuk Yee (Jun In-hwa).Yoo’s appearance came after he was “sold” to MBC’s entertainment show “Infinity Challenge” on Saturday.Five members of the show auctioned off their “24 hours” to producers from the network’s TV drama and radio programs. The bidding pool of 47.3 million won ($40,000), went to charitiesYoo, who was sold for 20 million won ($17,000), attracted positive reviews.Comments included: “20 million won million won well spent,” “I want to see him again in a TV series” and “The drama’s TV rating will certainly jump.”Comedian Jeong Hyung-don, one of the regular members of “Infinity Challenge,” missed Saturday’s episode after announcing earlier this moNov 23, 2015
China company buys stake in Korea's FNC From left, Yoo Jae-seok, CN Blue and FT IslandChina’s Suning Universal Media has bought a 33 billion won ($28 million) stake in Korea’s FNC, reports said Monday.FNC, a listed company, represents some of Korea’s leading celebrities, including rock bands CN Blue, FT Island, girl band AOA and MC Yoo Jae-seok.The deal bonds FNC and the rich subsidiary of China’s major conglomerate Suning, one of China’s top 100 richest conglomerates.With the deal, FNC is expected to expand into China.In September, online corporate tracker Chaebul.com ranked FNC’s CEO Han Seong-ho No.3 in the stock-rich celebrity ranks.Nov 23, 2015
Lee Hyo-ri shares recent life on SNS /Screen capture from InstagramSinger Lee Hyo-ri has shared her recent life via social media.Famous make-up artist Jung Saem-mool uploaded photos with the singer on Sunday, saying, “She has been doing well. I feel always close to her, as we always exchange postcards and pictures we drew.”In the photo, Lee stands with her arms around the make-up artist’s shoulder.Lee has been living on Jeju Island since she married singer Lee Sang-soon in 2013. Lee announced she was taking a break from her entertainment career for a year. Nov 23, 2015By Bahk Eun-ji
Gummy finally unmasked Gummy with the mask she wore on MBC's King of Mask Singer / Courtesy of Facebook Singer Gummy turned out on Sunday to be the mysterious masked singer who mesmerized TV viewers over the past 10 weeks on the TV show King of Mask Singer.The star revealed her face on the MBC program -- in which celebrities are invited to sing with their faces covered and viewers guess who they are -- after she was eliminated.Masked singers lock horns in pairs, and audiences vote to decide which singer goes on to the next round.Those who lose must take off their masks, which is the most exciting part of the program.Gummy, a solo artist who debuted in 2003 with YG Entertainment, has been reigning supreme since September, winning four competitions in a row -- and becoming the 13-16th king.Only Kim Yeon-woo has reigned for longer -- as 4-7th king./ Courtesy of Naver blog“I imagined that taking off my mask would be the scariest moment on the program,” Gummy said after taking off her mask.“But now I feel so refreshed. I am thankful for the audiences that have been listening to my songs.&Nov 23, 2015
Singer shows he is up to the challenge Jung Jin-woo / Captured from SBSAmid a general slump in the popularity of survival audition programs, a re-try candidate on the SBS program “K-Pop Star 5” has surprised judges and applicants.Jung Jin-woo, who earlier had to drop out because of vocal cords nodules, had judges Park Jin-young of JYP Entertainment, Yang Hyun-suk of YG Entertainment and Yoo Hee-yeol of Antenna, pounding their “pass” buttons enthusiastically when K-Pop Star 5”began its fifth season on Sunday.Jung was 18 when he first caught the judges’ attention with his version of a famous Korean song “Because I Love You.”This time, he sang his own song “Satellite,” winning a rave response.The song can be bought online.Nov 23, 2015
Daniel Henney returns to small screen Daniel Henney /Screen capture from FacebookActor Daniel Hanney will return to the small screen for the first time in five years in a TV drama, “Goodbye Mr. Black.”Henney will play Kim Ji-ryun, leader of an NGO and advisor to an investment trust company. The drama is about a naval officer betrayed by a close friend. Actor Lee Jin-wook will play the naval officer Cha Ji-won, and actress Moon Chae-won will play Swan who is in a contract marriage with Cha.The drama is a long-awaited return to the small screen for Henney, as his last TV drama role was “The Fugitive: Plan B” in 2010.Since first debuting in the wildly popular drama “My Lovely Samsoon,” Henney has branched out to Hollywood. He starred in “X-Men Origins: Wolverines” and the American CBS drama “Three Rivers.” He has also been shooting the American drama “Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders.”The drama “Goodbye Mr. Black,” based on a comic book written by Hwang Mi-na, will air in March 2016 on MBC.Nov 23, 2015By Bahk Eun-ji
Actress Han Ga-in to be mother Han Ga-in, Yeon Jung-hoon /Korea Times fileActress Han Ga-in, 33, who is married to actor Yeon Jung-hoon, 37, is expecting their first child, reports said Monday.After being married for 10 years, they are eager to become parents. Han’s pregnancy will be extremely pleasing news, especially since she suffered a miscarriage last year.Han has been staying at home and focusing on prenatal care, and is six months into her pregnancy, said her management company, BH Entertainment.Han debuted in 2002 when she appeared in a popular TV drama, “Sunshine Hunting. She met her husband Yeon when they both starred in a TV drama “Yellow Handkerchief” in 2004. Han married the actor in 2005. Nov 23, 2015By Bahk Eun-ji
Teamwork holds Girls' Generation well this year Girls' Generation at the press conference held Sunday at Gymnastics Gymnasium in Olympic Park, Seoul. From left, Yuri, Taeyeon, Hyoyeon, Sunny, Seohyun, Yoona, Tiffany and Sooyoung / Courtesy of SM EntertainmentBy Ko Dong-hwanWith only a few hours remaining until the start of the second day of their fourth concert in Korea, idol girl band Girls’ Generation said at a press conference held Sunday that their teamwork has been particularly outstanding this year."Throughout our eight-year career in K-pop, I think this year marked the best regarding how well our teamwork kept us together," Hyoyeon said, recalling the band’s major tasks this year, including performing the single “Party” released this July, their fifth album “Lion Heart” this August, and appearing in reality TV program “Channel Sosi” on cable network OnStyle airing from July to September.“They are all fond memories that now make us smile.”“We have always tried to refresh our image with each concert in the past,” said Tiffany, who was the liveliest of theNov 22, 2015
CL tunes up with 'bitchy' single Scenes from CL's "Hello Bitches" music video / Screen capture from YouTubeRapper CL from Korean hip-hop girl band 2NE1, who has been working on her U.S. debut album for the past year, has released a solo tune, “Hello Bitches,” and an accompanying video.Teddy from YG Entertainment, which manages CL, and Jean Baptiste composed the song, and Danny Chung, Teddy, Baptiste and CL co-wrote the lyrics.Popular choreographer Parris Goebel co-ordinated the video, which features CL and female dancers.The song comes months before the release of the star’s much-anticipated U.S. debut album.CL, 24, has been working with foreign musicians such as American electronic music producers and DJs Skrillex and Diplo, and talent manager Scooter Braun.CL debuted with 2NE1 in 2009.Nov 22, 2015
비 "결혼은 인륜지대사…결정되면 직접 밝힐 것" 최근 배우 김태희(35)와 잇단 결혼설에 오른 가수 비(33)가 "결혼이 결정된다면 직접 말씀드리겠다"고 밝혔다. 비는 21일 자신의 인스타그램에 "결혼은 인륜지대사다. 그만큼 당사자에게는 큰 일"이라며 "그런 중대하고 큰 일이 결정된다면 제가 직접 말씀드리는 것이 저의 오랜 팬들과 여러분들에 대한 예의라고 생각한다"고 밝혔다. 비는 이어 "지금까지 여러 차례 결혼에 관련한 기사들이 나와 많은 분께 혼란을 드리는 것 같아 제 입으로 말씀드리는 게 맞는 것 같아 글을 올린다"며 "앞으로 저의 입으로 얘기하지 않는 이상 믿지 말아달라"고 잘라 말했다. 2011년 한 광고에 함께 출연하며 친분을 쌓은 비와 김태희는 2012년 가을부터 교제를 시작했고, 2013년 1월 1일 열애 사실이 공개된 뒤로 연인 사이를 이어오고 있다. 올해 몇 차례 두 사람의 결혼설이 흘러나왔으며 최근 증권가 정보지에도 둘의 결혼이 임박했다는 설이 제기됐으나 양측은 매번 부인했다. 이어 지난 20일 한 여성 월간지가 또 한 번 두 사람이 12월24일 국내 모처에서 조용히 결혼식을 치를 예정이라고 보도했고, 두 사람의 소속사는 즉각 부인했다. (연합뉴스) Nov 21, 2015
