Plastic fantastic, say celebrities who went under knife From left, Park Na-rae, Sol Bi and Shin Yi Comedian Park Na-rae, actress Shin Yi and singer Sol Bi were not shy about revealing their plastic surgery on Korean TV this week. They said it improved their self-esteem by opening up a new chapter in their lives, allowing them opportunities that were previously unthinkable.On Tuesday, the stars appeared in tvN television talk show “Taxi,” where guests ride in a taxi with two hosts, one of whom drives.“After I appeared in R-rated comedy movie ‘Sex is Zero’ in 2002, all the casting offers I got were unattractive, extreme comical characters,” said Shin, a best supporting actress winner in 2004 whose first movie was in 1998.“I wanted diverse genres and roles. And I thought making my original feisty image less feisty might provide ways to that dream.”Shin had surgery in 2011. After it, a man approached her on the street and asked her out, which had never happened before, she said.Sol Bi agreed with Shin on plastic surgery.“As a musician, I was uncomfortable to find that peopleNov 11, 2015
2NE1 bounces back with new album /Courtesy of YG Entertainment K-pop group 2NE1 will make a comeback with the release of an album on Nov. 21, 20 months after its second album, “Crush,” Mail Business News said Wednesday.YG Entertainment posted a teaser image Monday on its official blog, saying “Who’s Next?” and “11.21 21:00.”The news outlet cited YG sources as saying 2NE1 is the group referred to.“Crush” swept online K-pop music charts and was No. 1 in Billboard’s “2014 K-pop Best Album Top 10”.Fans also are interested in whether the band will extend its contract - which ends next year - with YG. Nov 11, 2015By Bahk Eun-ji
가을 힙합룩은 '언프리티 랩스타'를 참고하자 / Courtesy of Twitter엠넷 ‘언프리티 랩스타2’ 멤버들이 폭풍 디스전을 내려놓고 화기애애한 단체 화보에 나섰다.유빈, 전지윤, 엑시, 예지, 캐스퍼, 키비디, 트루디, 헤이즈 등은 최근 패션지 ‘퍼스트룩’ 화보를 촬영했다.스타들은 서로 눈을 맞추고, 환하게 웃으며 어깨 동무를 하기도 했다. 숲 속에서 촬영된 화보 속에서 이들은 아디다스 오리지날 겨울 아이템을 선보이며 힙합 걸크러시 패션의 진수를 선보였다.한편 최근 ‘언프리티 랩스타 시즌2’는 세미 파이널을 진행했다. 현재 키디비, 효린이 파이널행을 확정한 상태다. 디지털뉴스부@Nov 10, 2015
'Unpretty Rapstars' all smiles at photo shoot / Courtesy of TwitterStars from TV rap battle show “Unpretty Rapstars: Season 2” have buried the hatchet during a fashion magazine photo shoot.In shots for 1st Look, the girl-crush stars were not so much cussing rappers eager to embarrass their rivals -- as in the Mnet show -- but girlfriends on a friendly outing.From underground hotshots and aspiring rappers Heize, Kasper, Exy, Kittib, Sua, Truedy and Jenyer to idol singers Sistar’s Hyolin, Fiestar’s Yezi and Wonder Girls’ Yubin, the stars donned adidas outfits and hit the forest where they took photos with an camping theme.The show is now in the semi-final round, with eight surviving rappers down from 14.On Friday, Kittib and Hyolin advanced to the final round. The last semi-final round will be shown this Friday.Nov 10, 2015
Korean productions knock on US market door /Courtesy of SBSKorean film “The Five” and TV drama “Yongpal” could be remade for the U.S. market, South Korea’s cultural content agency said Tuesday.Representatives of the two are presenting to officials from U.S. streaming website Netflix, broadcaster ABC and production studio Sony Pictures as part of the "K-Story in America" event organized by the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA)."The Five,” a revenge film, is about a disabled woman who gathers four people in need of organs to kill a serial killer who murdered her husband.Medical drama “Yong-pal” features Joo Won as a doctor who provides illegal services to owners of family-run conglomerates. He saves an heiress played by Kim Tae-hee from a medically induced coma, developing a romance with her.Eight other programs, including the drama “Descendants of the Sun”, are also seeking an opportunity to enter the American market. Nov 10, 2015
Singer Hyeri excites in 'Reply 1988' Lee Hyeri from “Reply 1988” / Courtesy of tvNSinger Lee Hyeri’s reputation as an actress is growing.Lee’s starring role in tvN drama “Reply 1988” has drawn excellent reviews, in contrast to the poor reception her work in “Hyde, Jekyll, I” (2015), “Sunam Girls High School Investigators” (2014-2015) and “Tasty Life” (2012) received.Lee, a member of four-member girl band Girls’ Day, plays Seong Deok-seon, a high school student, 18, and second daughter of a five-member middle-class family living in Seoul in 1988.Director Shin Won-ho said he picked the year because many events happened, including the Seoul Olympics.Seong is not bright at school but interested in being pretty. She always fights with her older sister and does not get much attention from her parents compared with her two siblings. But she has a good heart and learns to love her family. Lee, 21, who debuted with the band in 2010, has been building her non-music career. Her biggest break was in the first season of MBC reality show “ReNov 10, 2015
B.A.P makes big comeback /Courtesy of TS Entertainment K-pop band B.A.P is making a comeback with the release its fourth mini-album, “Matrix,” this week, TS Entertainment said Tuesday.The company unveiled a teaser image of the album on its official Facebook page Monday with the message “The King Is Back” to fans.“Matrix” will have five songs, including “Young, Wild & Free.”B.A.P will make its stage comeback at Dongdaemun Design Plaza on Sunday. Nov 10, 2015By Bahk Eun-ji
Kim Yun-jin stars in US TV soapie /Korea Times fileActress Kim Yun-jin will play a lead character in season four of American TV soap opera “Mistresses,” Munhwa Ilbo reported Tuesday.The newspaper cited sources at Kim’s management company as saying she had accepted the offer and will begin shooting at the beginning of next year.It also said Kim is expected to get at least 400 million won ($345,000) an episode.The actress made her debut in the United States starring in popular TV series “Lost” in 2004.The new season of “Mistresses” is scheduled to air on ABC next year. Nov 10, 2015By Bahk Eun-ji
Dal Shabet hits right note in Japan /Courtesy of Happy Face EntertainmentK-pop band Dal Shabet is building a solid following in Japan with new single album “Hard 2 Love,” Happy Face Entertainment said Tuesday.The band has been meeting fans in Shibuya, Nagoya and Kobe since its Japanese debut last Wednesday.The album’s title song, “Hard 2 Love,” was 16th on the Oricon Chart in Japan, as of Tuesday.Dal Shabet launched in 2011 with six members _ Serri, Ah-young, Jiyul, Woo-hee, Kae-un and Subin. The band won the Best Newcomer Artist award at the Golden Disk Award in 2012.Nov 10, 2015By Bahk Eun-ji
Super Junior's Choi Si-won named special rep for UNICEF Korean Committee Choi Si-won of Super Junior / YonhapSinger-actor Choi Si-won of Super Junior has been selected as a special representative for the Korean Committee for UNICEF, Yonhap reported Tuesday.Choi was chosen because he has actively supported UNICEF since 2010 on such problems as AIDS prevention and helping young victims of the Nepal earthquake in April, the report said.Other top Korean stars already selected by the committee include actors Won Bin, Gong Yoo, Lee Bo-young and Kim Hye-soo.Choi was recently featured in the popular television drama “Pretty Woman” airing on MBC. His band, Super Junior, also recently celebrated its 10th anniversary and announced that it will operate under an exclusive new label within their agency, SM Entertainment. Nov 10, 2015
