Actor Park Seo-joon meets Japanese fans Actor Park Seo-joon Rising hallyu actor Park Seo-joon met fans in Tokyo on Saturday to mark the release in Japan of the DVD of the 2014 drama “Witch’s Romance,” his agency Keyeast said.The meeting comes just four months after Park was invited by KNTV and DATV to promote the dramas “Kill Me, Heal Me” and “Warm Word,” testament to his rising popularity in Japan.Park’s official Japanese fan club was launched on Aug. 1 (http://fc.da-enta.jp/psjfc/).He will star with Hwang Jeong-eum in an upcoming drama on MBC titled “She was Pretty.” Park and Hwang also starred in the popular drama “Kill Me, Heal Me. “Aug 30, 2015
'Veteran' exceeds 10 million viewers Poster for "Veteran"The Korean film “Veteran” broke through the 10 million mark Saturday.The film, starring Hwang Jung-min, Yoo Ah-in and Oh Dal-su, is about a veteran detective who investigates the mysterious death of a truck driver he knew, and in the process confronts the cruel heir of a rich family.Critics say the film's depiction of the struggles of the independence fighters against the remnants of the pro-Japanese groups hit a chord with Korean audiences ahead of Liberation Day.Directed by Yoo Seung-wan, “Veteran” is the second Korean film this month to exceed 10 million viewers. “Assassination” starring Jun Ji-hyun, Lee Jung-jae, Ha Jung-woo and Oh Dal-su passed the mark on Aug. 15.“Veteran” is the 13th Korean film to top the attendance mark of 10 million, a key milestone for Korean films.Aug 29, 2015
Rapper Basick wins 'Show Me the Money 4' Rapper Basick, rights, defeated Song Mino, left of WINNER to win "Show Me the Money 4" Friday. / Courtesy of SoompiRapper Basick defeated Song Mino of WINNER to win the rap battle program “Show Me the Money 4” on the finals aired Friday.The two competed for two rounds. In the first round, Mino performed “Okey Dokey” with rapper Zico of Block B. Basick performed “I’m the Man” featuring his producer team, Verbal Jint and San E.After the two rounds, the audience cast their votes for Basick and he won 30.18 million won for performance money over Mino’s 15.60 million won.Speaking through his agency, RBW, Basick was quoted as saying he was “grateful to have approached a broader audience through the show.”The rap competition show that airs on cable channel Mnet has been embroiled in a series of controversies during its fourth season with controversial lyrics and on-stage performances by its participants. Yet the show maintained an average rating of 2 percent, demonstrating the growing popularity of hip-hop. Aug 29, 2015
Golfer Pak Se-ri chips in for “Take Care of My Dad” Golfer Pak Se-ri and her father Pak Joon-chul /Korea Times fileKorean professional golfer Pak Se-ri will join SBS TV program “Take Care of My Dad” with her father, Pak Joon-chul, the broadcaster said Friday.Actor Lee Deok-wha, 63, also will join the program with his daughter, Lee Ji-hyun, 31.Actors Kang Seok-woo and Jo Min-ki will step down from the program with their daughters, SBS said.Pak has been resting in Korea to heal an injury.“Pak will make special memories with her father, as she doesn’t have special childhood memories because of her career,” SBS said.Actor Lee Deok-wha and his daughter Lee Ji-hyun /Korea times fileLee Deok-wha also said he did not spend much time with his daughter when she was young. He said he wants to spend more time with her before she gets married.The show’s new season begins on Sept. 6. Aug 28, 2015By Bahk Eun-ji
Singer jailed over draft-dodging ghost claim Singer Kim Woo-jooSinger and music producer Kim Woo-joo, 30, indicted on charges of evading military service by claiming to have a mental illness and seeing ghosts, has been sentenced to a year behind bars.The first and second trials brought down a one-year sentence, citing the evasion was planned over a long time and there was a need to punish Kim considering not only the importance of military service but issues of fairness.Kim was called up in 2004, but delayed going into the military saying he had to attend college. In March 2012, he started pretending he had a mental illness.He claimed he "started seeing ghosts eight years ago," and that "he was taken to the emergency room after fainting after seeing a ghost."He reportedly saw a psychiatrist 42 times.Kim received a written diagnosis for visual and auditory hallucinations as well as insomnia and submitted it to the Military Manpower Administration. He was then notified to serve as a public service worker last October.Kim was a member of a hip-hop group but has not been in the music industry since 2012.Aug 28, 2015
CNBLUE to return with new album next month CNBLUE /Courtesy of FNC EntertainmentKorean pop rock band CNBLUE will release its first album in more than a year next month."2gether" will hit digital retailers on Sept. 14, FNC Entertainment said. It's the band's second official album and the first album since "Can't Stop," an EP released in February 2014.The CD jacket of the upcoming album, in which the logo "2gether" is enclosed by a geometric figure, was posted on the band's official Facebook page on Friday.CNBLUE chose "2gether" as the album's title to convey the message of "Let's have fun together," FNC Entertainment said.The band's ninth single, "White," released in April, was ranked No. 2 on Japan's Oricon music chart. (Yonhap) Aug 28, 2015
Tang Yan to play Lee Min-ho's leading lady in new film Korean actor Lee Min-ho, left, and Chinese actress Tang Yan, who will star in "Bounty Hunters" / Korea TimesChinese actress Tang Yan will star in the forthcoming South Korean-Chinese co-production "Bounty Hunters" as Lee Min-ho's leading lady, Lee's agency said Thursday.Tang will play a femme fatale who strikes up a romance with Lee's character in the action-comedy blockbuster about bounty hunters who capture fugitives for monetary rewards in various Asian countries such as South Korea, China and Thailand, Star House Entertainment said.The agency is the South Korean party in the 35 billion won (US$31 million) film project.The actress has starred in "Assembly" (2007) directed by Feng Xiaogang, and "Fire Of Conscience" (2010) by Hong Kong action auteur Dante Lam. Most recently, she finished shooting a television series, "Diamond Lovers," with South Korean singer-actor Rain.Directed by Shin Tae-ra, a Korean director best known for the 2009 hit "My Girlfriend Is an Agent," "Bounty Hunters" is scheduled to start filming on Sept. 2 for possible release next year.Lee will play the lead starAug 27, 2015
TV viewers crave for comedian Yoo and wife Comedian Yoo Jae-suk, left, and his wife Na Kyung-eun / Korea Times fileThe real-life couple viewers want to see most on entertainment shows are comedian Yoo Jae-suk and his wife, Na Kyung-eun, a survey shows.The Korea Broadcast Advertising Corporation said Thursday it asked 6,471 avid television fans which real-life couple they want to see most on their favorite variety programs.In the entertainment category, Yoo and Na garnered 39.3 percent of votes to top the list.Voters said they wanted to see the couple as “they are good entertainers” and because “they are celebrities (the voters) like.”The two met on MBC’s variety show headliner “Infinite Challenge,” and married in 2008.In the drama category, actor Ji Sung and his wife and actress Lee Bo-young ranked first with 42.5 percent of votes. Voters cited the couple’s “chemistry” and great acting as reasons they want to see them appear together in a romance-comedy drama.Ji and Lee have both remained active on the small screen since their marriage in 2013. Ji recently starAug 27, 2015
G-Dragon, Kiko Mizuhara split: reports G-DragonBigBang leader Kiko Mizuhara Japanese modelBigBang leader G-Dragon and his Japanese model girlfriend Kiko Mizuhara have split up, Dispatch reported Wednesday.The entertainment news outlet cited a source close to G-Dragon as saying the pair have decided to remain friends. While the two never admitted they were dating, they were often photographed together in Korea and Japan.Demanding work schedules reportedly led to the break-up. Since May, BigBang has been working on the “MADE” album project, releasing singles on the first day of each month.The band is touring three Chinese cities through Aug. 30. BigBang is then scheduled to embark on a 15-nation tour, including the United States, Canada, Australia and Mexico.Aug 27, 2015
Did model think rapper CL wasn't 'pretty'? Kim Jin-kyung, right, and Hwang Ze-quun from "My Little Television" / Screen capture from YouTubeModel Kim Jin-kyung has apologized online for making a gesture on TV that seemingly insulted rapper CL about her looks.Kim appeared on MBC’s reality entertainment show “My Little Television” Sunday with fashion designer Hwang Ze-quun.On the program, Hwang praised Kim’s prettiness and mentioned she looked like the rapper from girl band “2NE1.” Kim, however, reacted in a questionable way, throwing a glue gun she was holding and with a grimace saying “Why would you say something like that?”Kim Jin-kyung / Courtesy of InstagramKim, quickly realizing she shouldn’t have said that in the show being broadcasted live on smartphone video app Daum TV Pot, covered her mouth with her hand and tried to get back on the track, saying “I like CL very much.”But despite this, Kim was criticized by netizens for the mistake.“I may have made CL and some viewers uncomfortable with my rude gesture,” Kim said in her apology poAug 27, 2015
