Kim Hyun-joong to release single in Japan By Park Si-soo K-pop singer Kim Hyun-joong will release his fourth album “Hot Sun” in Japan on June 18, his agency Keyeast said on Tuesday.This is his first album release in nearly one year. Kim’s third single “Round 3” was released in July last year. The new album will contain four fast tempo songs. Its lead track “Hot Sun” was created by songwriter Steven Lee, who wrote many of Kim’s hit songs including “Break Down,” “Lucky Guy” and “Unbreakable.”“The rock-style lead track will draw people’s attention with powerful sound and Kim’s sweet voice,” the agency said in a statement. It said Hidaka Mitsuhiro, a member of popular Japanese pop band AAA, featured in the album’s dance song “Timing.” Apr 29, 2014
Six kings of TV ads Kim Soo-hyun reaches top with 30 ads Actor Kim Soo-hyun promotes 30 Korean products following hissuper-hit drama “My Love From the Star.” / / Korea Times filesSuzy, the youngest member of K-pop girl band missA, is another coveted-star by Korean manufacturers.Figure skater Kim Yu-na appears in six TV ads. Her popularity is on a downward trend.By Park Si-sooIf some celebrity faces promoting Korean products seem like the same person, they probably are.A total of just six stars — Kim Soo-hyun, Jun Ji-hyun, Suzy, Kim Yu-na, Lee Seung-gi and G-Dragon — are promoting a total of 70 products, as of the end of March. And the calls from companies are still coming their way.They advertise anything from confectionary and bakery goods, beverages and casual outfits that normally target media-sensitive young consumers to online shopping malls, cosmetics, air conditioners and mobile communication services that have a wider consumer base.Most sought-after modelYou will see him everywhere. One department store has him on an ad with “I Want That ManApr 29, 2014
CJ E&M, Victor join hands for Asian music market By Kim Ji-sooThe entertainment conglomerate CJ E&M and Victor Entertainment of Japan vowed to jointly pioneer the Asian pop market, establishing CJ Victor Entertainment Inc.“Our goal is to combine the powers of K-pop and J-pop to discover and nurture new artists that will represent Asia,” said Joon Ahn, senior vice president and head of the music business unit at CJ E&M and Nobuhiko Yonemitsu, vice president of Victor.Each company contributed 5 billion won to launch the new joint venture.CJ Victor Entertainment will focus on promoting Korean singers in Japan, promote Japanese artists through the CJ E&M network, and combine the systems and expertise of the two companies. Officials from the two sides are expecting synergy from the joint venture; while the Korean music market thrives on music distribution online, the Japanese market has close to 80 percent of its production dominated by CDs.As one of its first projects, CJ Victor Entertainment will take Korean singers to the Japanese music market and also release albums of famouApr 28, 2014
HarryBigButton ready to unleash K-rock Irish bassist Neil Smith, left, vocalist Lee Sung-soo, center, and drummer Kang Dae-hui, are the members of a post hard rock band HarryBigButton. After releasing their new album “Perfect Storm” on April 2, the band is gearing up to rock more audiences overseas. / Courtesy of HarryBigButtonHongdae band eyes Western rock marketBy Park Jin-haiLee Sung-soo roars through the lyrics with his deep voice and stomps on the stage, his shaggy hair flies rhythmically to the powerful guitar sound.As the performance heats up, his hair clings to his sweaty face and the audience of some 300 as go wild as the band, making it a giant ball of energy and passion. The post-hard rock band HarryBigButton ― comprised of lead vocalist and guitarist Lee Sung-soo, Irish bassist Neil Smith and drummer Kang Dae-hui ― released their new album "Perfect Storm" on April 2. Based on its local popularity, it is expected to rock more audiences overseas. “The biggest asset to our band is Lee’s voice,” said Kang.Just like Kang said, Lee’s vocals, which Apr 28, 2014By Park Jin-hai
Actor Kim returns with a legal drama 'A New Leaf' Actor Kim Myung-minBy Park Jin-haiVeteran actor Kim Myung-min, 41, returns to the small screen in two years as a lawyer in a new MBC TV legal drama, “A New Leaf,” which will go on air from Wednesday.In the 18-part series drama, co-starring with A-list stars such as actress Park Min-young, Kim will portray a cold-hearted hotshot lawyer who suffers an identity crisis after losing his memory in an accident and begins a righteous war against social ills.Kim, who earned his fame through the 2001 horror movie, “Gooseflesh,” has been taking the leading role in many popular dramas such as “The Immortal Yi Soon Shin” (2004), “Beethoven Virus” (2008) and movies including 2010 movie “Detective K: Secret of Virtuous Widow,” and achieved the nick name, “master of acting.”Apr 27, 2014By Park Jin-hai
Top American game developers to give advice to local companies By Park Jin-hai Most local game firms aspire to make inroads into the North American market but find it challenging due to limited information about the dynamics of that market. Consequently, a team of leading mobile game developers from North America will share their experiences and tips to local developers in a seminar. A marketing strategy seminar, hosted by the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) and organized by Latis Global Communications, a Korean game localizer, will take place at COEX in Samseong-dong, Seoul, on Wednesday. Among the speakers are Anna Cho, user interface engineer of Storm8, who will compare the American and Korean game’s user experience; Alexander Wong, Ender’s Fund founder, will explain how they produced their mobile game Deadeye Derby; and Chaynor Hsiao, project manager of Play next, will present how to make a smooth transition from PC to mobile.The North American region has become a new battleground for mobile game firms from all over the world, competing to secure an upper hand in this very lucrative market. According to Newzoo, a markeApr 27, 2014By Park Jin-hai
K-literature reaches more readers From top left in a clockwise fashion, the translations of “The Investigation” by Lee Jung-myung; “Secrets” by Eun Hee-kyung; The German version “Geheimnisse und Lugen” by Eun Hee-Kyung; “The Unforgotten War” by Bok Geo-il: “orrowtoothpaste Mirrorcream” by Kim Hye-soon; and “The Jovian Sayings” also by Bok Geo-il. / Korea Times fileTranslations become available throughout worldBy Chung Ah-youngFollowing international exposure at the London Book Fair on April 8-10, worldwide interest in Korean literature is gaining momentum.A slew of translated versions of Korean novels and poems have been published in various countries from the United States to Singapore in an effort to attract a broader readership.Supported by the Daesan Foundation, poet Kim Hye-soon’s “Sorrowtoothpaste Mirrorcream,” “The Investigation” by novelist Lee Jung-myung and “Secrets and Lies” by Eun Hee-kyung, are all available as translations in the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Germany. ThApr 27, 2014By Kim Ji-soo
GB9 releases new song K-pop duo Gil9Bong9By Park Si-sooK-pop duo Gil9Bong9 (GB9) released a new song, “You Are Pretty No Matter What You Do,” on Friday.It was the first K-pop song released since the deadly sinking of ferry Sewol on April 16. Dozens of musicians have canceled or postponed the release of new albums or concerts amid nationwide mourning.“We released the song as scheduled because it was a promise with our fans,” the band’s management agency WS Entertainment said in a statement. “We feel uncomfortable (releasing the song), but we had to move forward as scheduled.”The new song, created by songwriter Lee Sang-in, rhythmically tells about the feelings of a man who just fell in love, according to the agency.GB9 made its debut in April of last year with the album “Going Crazy” Apr 25, 2014
Song Yoon-ah to return in six years Actress Song Yoon-ahBy Park Si-sooActress Song Yoon-ah will return to the small screen for the first time in six years in an MBC TV drama that will air in August. She has maintained a low profile after appearing in SBS TV’s drama “On Air” in 2008.In the upcoming drama, Song will portray a single mother with a terminal illness who manages to make a living by drawing cartoons, according to her agency, Snowball Entertainment.“We searched hard to select the best person for the role. Song was the actress by all accounts,” a production staffer was quoted as saying. Apr 25, 2014
K-pop stars are no longer 'puppets' Singer Lee Jung, from left, actor Jeong Man-sik and Chansung of popular K-pop boy band 2PM are among entertainers who strongly condemned the government’s lax approach to public safety following the deadly sinking of ferry Sewol./ Korea Times filesStars unleash harsh criticism of shipwreck disasterBy Park Si-sooGone are the days when entertainers mostly made sweet-sounding public relations comments and watched their backs because of political pressure.Following the deadly sinking of the ferry Sewol, many K-pop stars and actors have unleashed a verbal onslaught on the country’s chronic insensitivity to public safety, relevant countermeasures hibernating in the government’s dusty cabinets and a lack of effort to check and fix these loopholes proactively.Among the determined “attackers” are singers Lee Jung, Park Ki-young, Chansung and Taecyeon of 2PM, Jo Kwon of 2AM, and actors Seo Joon-myung and Jeong Man-sik.They have openly condemned some politicians and their supporters who made a perfunctory visit to the disaster site as part of efforts to pApr 25, 2014
