YG to find new boy group members By Bahk Eun-ji YG Entertainment announced Saturday that it will conduct global auditions to find the next rising stars to succeed WINNER and IKON. Under the title “Next Generation,” auditions will be held at Dong Ju College in Busan on August 29, and at YG Global Training Center in Seoul on September 5. Auditions will also be held in the United States – in Los Angeles and New York on September 12 and 19 respectively. YG stated it will conduct auditions later in Japan, in Tokyo and Osaka. The auditions are to find members of the new boy idol group. These auditions are the first held to find only male members, the management company explained. Men born between 1993 and 2005 can enter the competition. They can also audition for two areas among vocal, rap and dance. Aug 8, 2015By Bahk Eun-ji
Edward Kwon on culinary journey with CNN Celebrity chef Edward Kwon poses in front of his restaurant Lab XXIV in Gangnam, Seoul. His version of Bibimbap is aired on CNN’s Culinary Journey show (small photo). / Courtesy of EK Food, TurnerBy Kim Jae-heunThe Cable News Network’s (CNN) popular international cuisine series “Culinary Journey” has picked celebrity chef Edward Kwon to introduce Korean traditional food to the world.Premiering today, the episode will highlight various aspects of Korean food, centering on “bibimbap” (rice mixed with assorted vegetables).In the August segment of the monthly series, Kwon heads to Jeonju, South Jeolla Province, which was designated as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy. In the city famous for bibimbap, Kwon traces the secrets behind a dish that is labeled once fit for a king.Kwon spoke about “Culinary Journey” during a press conference at his restaurant, Lab XXIV, in southern Seoul, Thursday.“It was a great opportunity to promote Korean food and I was honored to be a part of it,” he said. “I knew about this show even before CNN cAug 7, 2015
Child actor-turned-rapper releases new album Yang Dong-geun Actor and rapper Yang Dong-geun, whose stage name is YDG, released a new digital album “YDG Series Vol. 2 Jump Down” on Friday.The album by Yang, 36, includes electronic dance music (EDM) number “Jump Down,” which features female vocalist Ivy.Yang coined the name of the song to inspire young people to face challenges and live passionately.He expressed a hope that everyone enjoys his new song and blow away this year’s hot summer by “jumping down.”It has been one year and five months since Yang released his previous album “YDG Series VOL. 1 JAJAJA.”Debuting in 1987 as a child actor in a TV series on KBS, Yang has been consistently acting on TV and in theaters. He released his first musical album “Yangdonggeun AKA Madman” in 2001 and signaled his debut as a hip-hop artist.Yang married in 2013 and had his first son the same year.Aug 7, 2015
Work plays role in cross-border celebrity love Song Seung-heon, right, and Liu Yifei in a cover of Chinese magazine / Courtesy of Naver blogAs actor Song Seung-heon and Chinese celebrity Liu Yifei became the latest Korean-Chinese celebrity couple, media reports have analyzed a common fact behind other celebrity couples who have overcome the border: they all worked together.Song, 38, and Liu, 27, fell in love while filming Chinese romance movie “The Third Way of Love.” The movie is expected to be released in China next month.Tang Wei, left, and Kim Tae-yongChinese actress Tang Wei fell in love with Korean filmmaker Kim Tae-yong when they worked together in drama movie “Late Autumn” (2010), which Kim directed. The couple married in August 2014.Chae Rim, left, and Gao Zi QiKorean actress Chae Rim and Chinese actor Gao Zi Qi found romance after shooting Chinese TV series “The Lee Family” (2013), in which they played a married couple. They tied the knot in October the following year.Speculation is now mounting about when Song and Liu might announce their marriage. Aug 7, 2015
Photos of German model, Korean rapper boyfriend go viral / Courtesy of InstagramGerman model Stefanie Michova has posted online photos of herself with her Korean rapper boyfriend Beenzino.The Instagram photos posted Friday show the couple riding a toy horse at an outdoor playground. They are wearing casual shorts and white short-sleeve shirts.Michova, also an actress based in Los Angeles, gained fame in Korea by participating in fashion shows and a video of idol boy band Big Bang’s “Good Boy.”Stefanie Michova Beenzino (whose real name is Im Sung-bin) became popular after performing with comedian Jung Jun-ha at the Jayu Expressway Music Festival organized by TV entertainment show “Infinity Challenge” in 2013. He is coaching Jung for his performance in this year’s musical festival on Aug. 13 at PyeongChang, Gangwon Province.Aug 7, 2015
Huge music festival to rock PyeongChang / Courtesy of Naver blogWhat could be Korea’s biggest music festival is set to be held in the county of PyeongChang, Gangwon Province, on Aug. 13.“Yeongdong Expressway Festival” will be launched at the Alpensia Resort Ski Jump, a source from the PyeongChang County Office was reported as saying. The festival is expected to draw up to 80,000 people.One of the nation’s top TV entertainment shows, “Infinity Challenge” on MBC, has organized the festival since 2007. It has been held every two years at spots near major roads, including Gangbyeon Expressway (2007), Olympic Expressway (2009), Seohaean Expressway (2011) and Jayu Expressway (2013).Songs introduced at the festivals have dominated online music charts.Aug 7, 2015
Singer Jessica quits SM Entertainment Jessica Jung / Courtesy of Naver blogSinger Jessica Jung, a former member of idol girl band Girls’ Generation, has ended her contract with SM Entertainment.The singer, 26, decided to leave the management company Thursday. She debuted with SM in 2007.“Jung, who has stayed with us as a single artist since she left the band in September 2014, discussed with us and has agreed to go her separate way,” an insider from the company was reported as saying.Jung’s legal spokesperson said “she has terminated her contract with the company and wished the company well.”Jung quit her band career after the company allegedly banned her from managing her fashion brand, BLANC. Aug 6, 2015
'Nowhere to go' retired player kicks goals with TV shows Ahn Jung-hwan in reality travel TV show “Guide” on tvN / Screen capture from YouTubeFormer national footballer Ahn Jung-hwan has confessed on TV that he “had nowhere else to go” after he retired.Ahn, 39, appeared on reality travel show “Guide” on tvN and chatted with three travelers on a bus during a European trip.One asked Ahn if he received a pension after he retired in January 2012. The footballer, who had played for Dalian Shide in the Chinese Super League since 2009, said he did not. And because he had nothing to do, he stayed home for six months drinking and “doing nothing.” Ahn Jung-hwan from 2002 FIFA World Cup / Korea Times file“I felt so void after I retired,” Ahn said on the bus. “My wife first treated me well at home but later began to get antsy with me doing nothing and begged me to go outside.”Ahn’s friends also urged him to do something, so he decided to make himself a regular fixture in TV programs.He has appeared in TV reality entertainment shows including “Laws ofAug 6, 2015
INFINITE appointed expo ambassadors INFINITEK-pop group INFINITE will promote the Korea Brand & Entertainment Expo, or KBEE 2015, to be held in Shanghai.Group members will work with actor Lee Kwang-soo, 30, starting Aug. 27.The expo was created with the goal of mixing cultural industry and the hallyu brand with IT and manufacturing industry.Over 100 Korean companies and 600 Chinese buyers are expected to participate in KBEE 2015. The expo will also offer attractions like the “Hallyu Star Styling Show” and the “Korea-China Special Audition.”Aug 6, 2015By Kim Ji-soo
Kang Ho-dong, Lee Seung-gi to shoot new show in China Kang Ho-dongLee Seung-giComedian Kang Ho-dong will shoot a new entertainment program in China, along with the original members of the “2 Days & 1 Night” show.Kang left for China with actor/singer Lee Seung-gi, rapper Eun Ji-won and fellow comedian Lee Soo-geun. The new show is tentatively titled “The New Journey to the West.” They will film with popular producer Na Young-seok for five days.The four entertainers and the star producer have reunited for the program for the first time in four years. The show is Kang’s first project with a cable network.It is expected to be released as Internet digital content sometime in late August or early September, reports said. Aug 6, 2015
