ZE:A member promotes rights of disabled people By Park Si-sooKim Dong-jun of the popular K-pop boy band ZE:A will appear in a single-episode TV drama designed to improve public awareness of the disabled. He will play a leading role, along with actress Kim Bo-ra, in the drama to be aired on Friday and April 20 on KBS2.The education ministry and a private foundation promoting the welfare of disabled people supported the production to celebrate the Day of Persons with Disabilities, which falls on April 20. Kim agreed to appear in the drama without compensation, according to his management agency.In the drama, Kim portrays the depressed son of a disabled climber who falls in love with a visually-impaired woman.“I hope the drama will help improve public awareness of disabled people,” Kim said in a media briefing about the drama at Duksung Girls’ High School in Seoul, Wednesday.Apr 17, 2014
Korean games popular in China, Japan Critics argue tough regulations curb growth potentialBy Park Si-sooK-pop’s rise is fast and furious, representing the country’s booming cultural industry. Yet this doesn’t mean K-pop is the most profitable export item among cultural products.Guess what the No.1 is? Computer games.According to the state-run Korea Finance Corporation, Korea’s games exports in 2012, the latest date, reached $2.6 billion, nearly more than half of the country’s cultural products exports. The figure was a whopping 11 times the $235 million in exports of K-pop content that year, the institution said Monday.By sector, online games using fixed-line Internet were the biggest money-maker with $2.4 billion or 91.4 percent of the total export volume, including mobile games available on smartphones and arcade games. Mobile games came second with $169 million.The export volume gap between online and mobile games was huge, but analysts say it is narrowing rapidly as more people use smartphones and high-speed mobile Internet links.“The game industry can be linked with a number of oApr 17, 2014
G.NA to release new single April 21 G.NAFemale solo singer G.NA released a cover photo for her new digital single “Pretty Lingerie” on Wednesday.The singer known for her sexy image is seen dressed in a white dress looking very coy, in a sign that the new single will portray yet another image of the 26-year-old. The song will be released on April 21.G.NA who is affiliated with Cube Entertainment debuted in 2010. Her last official release was the mini album “Beautiful Kisses” with the single “Oops” in March 0f 2013.Apr 16, 2014
Seo In-guk to star in new drama Singer/actor Seo In-gukBy Kim Ji-sooSeo In-guk, a singer and actor whose recent work includes the hit Korean drama “Reply 1997,” will appear in the lead role of a cable TV drama with the working title of “The King of High School Manners.”He will star opposite actress Lee Ha-na, who will play the female lead role in the tvN show.Seo won the popular audition program “Super Star K” and since then has both performed as a singer and appeared in several dramas.In the upcoming drama, which will start airing in June, Seo will portray a high school hockey player who becomes a director at a major company as a substitute for his brother. Unaware of Korean office rules, Seo’s character learns how to make his way in the world of adults.Apr 16, 2014
Three-member KARA to meet fans starting next month From left, Park Gyu-ri, Han Seung-yeon and Goo Hara, the three members of KARA will meet Korean fans in Seoul on May 24 and Japanese fans at the Budokan, Tokyo on June 1.By Kim Ji-sooKARA fans will have to wait no longer, as the K-pop girl group will jumpstart this year’s official public events with a fan meeting by the three girls — Park Gyu-ri, Han Seung-yeon and Goo Hara.Two former members, Nicole and Kang Ji-young, left this year when their contract with the agency DSP expired. Nicole returned to the United States and Kang left for studies in England.The now three-girl group KARA will first meet their fans on May 24 at the Blue Square’s Samsung Card Hall in Seoul and on June 1 at Budokan in Tokyo, Japan. They are meetings with the group’s fan club Kamilia.Following the departure of the two former members, DSP said KARA would continue as a group either with the three members or the addition of new members.But with no word on new members yet, the fan meetings are KARA’s first major public event in five months. The group popular both in Korea and JApr 16, 2014By Kim Ji-soo
Teen girls flock to EXO showcase Members of the group EXO perform at a showcase for their second mini-album “Overdose” at the Jamsil Indoor Stadium, Seoul, Tuesday. / YonhapBy Park Jin-haiIf the decibel level from a cheering crowd measures the popularity of a pop band, EXO tops them all.During the one-and-half hour showcase for the K-pop boy-band’s second mini-album, “EXO Comeback Show,” Tuesday night, the non-stop screams from swooning female teenage fans were literally deafening.Yet it was not even a proper concert — just a showcase prior to their album release slated for April 21 — and held in the evening in the middle of the week. Despite this, some 8,000 thrilled fans filled the Jamsil Indoor Stadium, Seoul.Some fans showed up as early as 11 a.m., although all seats were reserved except for an 800 person standing room area. Around half past four, fans queued for those on a first-come-first-served basis.“I’m a huge fan. I just came here for the showcase,” said Mia, from Japan, who was part of a group of Japanese tourists on a bus.Tong, a 20-somethApr 16, 2014By Park Jin-hai
Korean producer joins Tupac Shakur musical on Broadway By Chung Ah-youngShin Chun-sooKorean producer Shin Chun-soo will put on a new musical inspired by American legendary rapper Tupac Shakur’s music on Broadway next month.“Holler If Ya Hear Me” is one of the most anticipated musicals on Broadway, which will see preview performances from May 26 and then officially open on June 19 at the Palace Theater.Shin, CEO of OD Musical Company in Korea, has joined as one of the producers who include the late rapper’s mother, Afeni Shakur, Eric L. Gold and Jessica Green.Previously, other Korean producers participated in co-productions on Broadway but this is the first time for one to have overall control of the story development.He built up his reputation through the successful revival of “Dreamgirls” co-produced with John F. Breglio in 2009 on Broadway.The musical is based on the legendary rapper’s lyrics and tunes such as “Me Against the World,” “California Love,” and “Keep Ya Head Up.”Shakur was an iconic hip-hop musician who was shot in a drive-by shooting and died in Apr 15, 2014
Teen duo 15& releases single Cover of 15&’s latest digital single “Can’tHide It.”By Kim Ji-sooThe K-pop teen female duo 15& have released a new digital single.Comprised of Park Ji-min, 16, and Baek Ye-rin, 16, the two released “Can’t Hide It!” Monday. The duo made their debut last year.The song was pre-shown in the final episode of the audition program “K-Pop Star 3,” Sunday. Park was the winner of the first audition program.The powerful vocal duo with JYP Entertainment have returned with their trademark ballad sound.Apr 15, 2014
Tablo to return as radio DJ By Kim Ji-sooTablo of Epik High will start his own radio show on April 21.Slated for the 10 p.m.-midnight slot every day, the program will air on MBC radio (91.9 MHz).The show will mark the singer/rapper’s first return to radio since his last programcame to an end in June 2009.The Stanford-educated singer had long faced public rumors about whether his degree was genuine, which the American university ended in 2012 by issuing a copy of the diploma.Married to actress Kang Hye-jung (“Oldboy”), Tablo is currently appearing with hisdaughter Haru in a variety program titled “Superman Returns.”Tablo said that as a DJ, he wants to contribute to creating a radio program that offers stories as well as music people want to hear.Apr 15, 2014
Lady Gaga, Psy share Seoul stage in August Lady Gaga holds hands with David Letterman when they walk on 53rd Street when she appears on Late Show with David Letterman in New York City on April 2, 2014. / UPI-YonhapBy Kim Ji-sooPop star Lady Gaga will co-grace a Seoul stage with leading YG artists including Psy, Big Bang and 2NE1 in August.The concert organizer Live Nation and YG Entertainment said Tuesday that the concert will take place Aug. 15-16 at the Jamsil Olympic Main Stadium in southern Seoul. The pan-Asian life insurance group AIA will be the global sponsor for the concert titled Real Life: Now Festival 2014.”YG artists Psy, Big Bang, 2NE1 and the new group Winner will take to the stage on Aug. 15 and Lady Gaga on Aug. 16.More details for the concert will be disclosed in stages via www.facebook.com/nowfestivalkr.Ticket sales will open on April 21 via Yes24 and G-Market. There will be an “early-bird”shopping chance starting at 8 p.m. on April 17 with a 20 percent discount.A one-day pass is expected to be priced at 126,000 won, and the two-day pass at 185,000 won.The concert is expected to be a vApr 15, 2014By Kim Ji-soo
