Park Yu-cheon of JYJ enters military today Park Yu-cheon of boy band JYJ began his military service Thursday.He will receive basic military training at Nonsan before serving two years in the reserve forces. His entertainment agency C-Jes Entertainment previously said that Park has asthma.Park and fellow JYJ member Kim Jun-su met with fans last week at the Olympic Gymnasium Stadium in Jamsil, Seoul.Their JYJ bandmate Kim Jae-joong entered the military for his mandatory term of service in March this year.All able-bodied South Korean men between the ages of 18 and 35 must serve in the military for about two years. Aug 27, 2015
Girls' Generation's 'Lion Heart' tops Billboard World Albums K-pop group Girls' Generation opened at No. 1 on Billboard's World Albums chart on Wednesday, the American music website showed.Its fifth album "Lion Heart" hit American retailers last Tuesday, local time, which gave the group only three days to climb the list, Billboard said.The 12-track album was released in a piecemeal fashion, with the first six songs coming out in South Korea last Tuesday at noon, local time, and the rest 12 hours later.This is the second time Girls' Generation has topped the World Albums chart, according to Billboard. With this chart-topper, the group joins six other K-pop acts that have sold the most World Music albums more than once, such as SHINee, EXO and G-Dragon.Music videos for the two title tracks ― "Lion Heart" and "You Think" ― were No. 1 and 2, respectively, on the top 20 K-pop music video chart on YouTube last week, S.M. Entertainment, its management agency, said. (Yonhap)Aug 26, 2015
SM, IB Worldwide ink deal to create 'sportainment' By Kwon Ji-younKorea’s top entertainment agency has formed a partnership with the country’s leading sports marketing company in a move intended to boost its profits by expanding into non-entertainment segments.SM Entertainment on Tuesday signed a mutual investment agreement with IB Worldwide, home to world No. 1 golfer Park In-bee, star gymnast Son Yeon-jae and major leaguer Choo Shin-soo.“This partnership will create the next trend in hallyu (Korean wave), which is sportainment, a combination of sports and entertainment,” SM Entertainment CEO Kim Young-min said.Industry insiders say the deal is meaningful in many ways.First, this reflects SM’s commitment to diversifying revenue streams by building partnerships with leaders in the non-entertainment segment.Other such efforts include SM’s plans to launch a global dining brand next month, its third attempt at a foray into the food and beverages market.YG PLUS, an affiliate of YG Entertainment, home to idols Big Bang and 2NE1, has already made inroads into sports marketing with its acquisition of G-ADAug 26, 2015
Singer's sexy cross tattoo grabs attention From left, ZICO, Hyorin, and Paloalto / Courtesy of TwitterAs singer Hyorin released new collaboration hip-hop song “Dark Panda” Wednesday, netizens focused on the cross tattoo on her stomach.The singer, 24, from idol girl band Sistar, revealed the tattoo in a music video of dance number “Touch My Body” in July last year. The video showed the tattoo under her revealing swimming suit.Hyorin mentioned the tattoo in a TV talk show in 2011, saying she got it to hide a scar after childhood surgery.“I was born with a rare disease that gradually melts down the extrahepatic biliary ducts and harms the liver by stopping bile from flowing to the intestines,” she said. “I couldn’t have survived two years had I not had treatment for the disease, so I had surgery for almost 10 hours.”Hyorin, who debuted with the band in 2010, works with rappers ZICO and Paloalto in her new song.Aug 26, 2015
Lee Min-ho renews modeling contract with Filipino fashion brand Korean actor Lee Min-ho / Korea Times fileKorean actor Lee Min-ho has renewed his modeling contract with a Filipino fashion brand for the fourth time, his talent agency said Wednesday.Under the deal, Lee will promote Bench/ for a fourth year, Starhaus Entertainment said. The brand's previous models include global A-listers like Adam Levine of Maroon 5, Bruno Mars and Joe Jonas of the Jonas Brothers, but Lee is the first to model for that long.According to the agency, Bench/ said it has made the offer because all his TV shows have been successful in the Philippines. Lee's "Boys over Flowers," "Personal Taste," "City Hunter," "Faith" and "The Heirs" have been broadcast on the country's largest private TV network, ABS-TVN.Bench/ also said it approves of Lee's "earnest and human charm" and "his fans' continued trust in his work," according to the agency.His latest action film, "Gangnam 1970," opened in the Philippines in March. (Yonhap)Aug 26, 2015
Singer Ivy robbed in Paris Ivy in Paris / Courtesy of FacebookSinger Ivy (real name Park Eun-hye) has been robbed of her luggage in Paris.Ivy, 32, said Tuesday on Instagram she was robbed in the city’s Quatier du Marais district. She had travelled to Paris from London.The luggage contained her passport, mobile phone, three credit cards, her new camera, sunglasses and more, she said on social media.Ivy said the incident hurt her and she warned those travelling to Paris to keep an eye on their belongings.The post also showed a photo of her in front of the Eiffel Tower before her luggage was stolen. Aug 26, 2015
Actor Ahn Yong-jun to tie knot with singer Venny Venny, left, and Ahn Yong-jun / Courtesy of TwitterActor Ahn Yong-jun is marrying singer Venny (real name Bae So-min).The couple have been dating for the past four years and said they will marry on Sept. 19 at the Ramada Seoul Hotel.Ahn, 27, debuted in 2006 with a TV series on EBS and has appeared in movies and TV series since.Venny, 37, debuted in 2005 as a member of Sang Sang Band. She teaches at Sejong University.Venny recently worked with Ahn in producing “Peanuts Song” for his debut as a singer in June.Aug 26, 2015
Star of '70s TV detective series dies Kim Sang-soon / Korea Times fileActor Kim Sang-soon, well known for his role in the popular TV series from 1970s “Chief Detective,” died Tuesday aged 78.Kim, who was diagnosed with late-stage lung cancer several months ago, died at home where his family cared for him.Kim’s memorable performances include Detective Kim in “Chief Detective” (1971-1989) and cold-blooded breadwinner Hwang Nol-bu in “Love on a Jujube Tree” (1990-2007).Kim Sang-soon, second from left, from “Chief Detective” Kim had given up smoking and drinking to keep himself healthy but could not overcome the illness.His funeral house has been set up at Seoul Asan Hospital, where many actors have visited to mourn, media reports said.His coffin will be borne out Thursday.Aug 26, 2015
Park Shin-hye stars on cover of SELF Actress Park Shin-hye on the cover of September issue of SELF / Courtesy of SoompiActress Park Shin-hye graces the cover of Chinese magazine SELF’s September issue.Top actresses including Zhang Ziyi and Sophie Marceau have appeared on SELF’s front page.In the pictorial, Park wears smoky eye makeup as she features winter looks.Park’s star status in China is growing, fueled by the popularity of dramas such as “Pinocchio” and “The Heir.” In “Pinocchio,” she starred with another hallyu actor, Lee Jong-suk. In “The Heir,” she played opposite Lee Min-ho.Park’s latest film, “Beauty Inside,” is now showing. She will meet fans in Chengdu, China, on Sept. 12. Park has 9 million followers on Weibo. Aug 26, 2015
'모두의 경영' 女비서 신체비율이..'성차별 논란' 최근 공개된 모바일 스마트폰 게임 “모두의 경영”이 여성 캐릭터에 대한 성차별적인 묘사로 비난세례를 치르고 있다.지하철 역사 등에서 대대적인 광고를 통해 소개된 문제의 게임은 세 명의 여성 비서를 소개하면서 게이머들이 창업자가 되어 사업가의 수완을 단련하는 새로운 경험을 해보도록 홍보하였다.문제는 여성 비서들이 게임 속에서 게이머에게 소개되거나 말할 때이다.남성 비서들의 프로필에는 “냉철하고 차분한 성격” 등이 나오는 반면, 여성 비서들의 프로필에는 신체사이즈가 나오는 것이다.또한 남성 비서들이 승진을 할 때면 “감사합니다 열심히 하겠습니다”라고 하는 반면, 여성 비서들은 “감사합니다 사랑해요 사장님”이라고 대답한다.논란이 일자 게임 업체인 이펀컴퍼니 측은 이달 말까지 내용을 수정하겠다고 밝힌 것으로 알려졌다.디지털뉴스부@Aug 25, 2015
