Rising K-pop star to watch for: B.A.P Six members of the K-pop group B.A.P pose in this promotional file photo.By Kim Ji-sooThe six member boy band B.A.P’s first full-length album “First Sensibility” has soared to the top of the Billboard World Albums Chart.The group known for featuring hard rock and pop sounds has previously climbed this chart with the mini-albums “One Shot” and “Badman.”But the traction its first studio album is gaining portends well for the group. The “First Sensibility” rose to 44th on iTunes Top 100 Album Chart upon its release, and then ranked high in the iTunes Store Top 10 Hip-hop Albums chart category.The group also took the honor of the “year’s discovery and world rookie” at the third Gaon K-pop Awards that took place on Feb. 12, immediately after its single “1004(Angel)” topped the cable music chart. It was the group’s first No.1 since its debut in 2012.But the group’s songs stand out from the sweet K-pop or electronic music featured by other groups. Its song “One Shot” steadily remainedFeb 14, 2014
KBS bans H.O.T music, image Tony An, center in the second row, is seen in this file photo as a member of the now defunct-group H.O.T. / Korea Times fileBy Park Jin-haiKBS announced Thursday that it will temporarily ban now-defunct boy band H.O.T’s music and videos from its programming.The broadcaster said that its management had decided in December to not feature entertainers, accused of gambling including Tony Ahn from H.O.T, alongside Lee Su-geun and Tak Jae-hoon. An was charged with repetitive gambling and booked without detention.KBS added that it will also suspend appearances by actresses Lee Seung-yeon, Park Si-yeon and Jang Mi-inae, who received suspended jail sentences for abusing the anesthetic drug propofol, and singer Ko Young-wook, sentenced to five years in jail for raping and sexually assaulting minors.Feb 14, 2014By Park Jin-hai
Home shopping fashion brand goes global Models showcase home shopping channel CJ O Shopping’s lingerie brand “Fedelia,” at the opening of the premier fashion show Salon International dela Lingerie, held at Porte de Versailles on Jan. 25 (local time). / Courtesy of CJ O ShoppingTop designers join to gain upgraded premium imageBy Park Jin-haiParisians watched female models walk on runways showcasing elegant and lacy work of underwear with oriental embroidery.For the first time, the Korean brand “Fedelia” graced the opening of the premier fashion show Salon International de la Lingerie held at Porte de Versailles on Jan. 25. The CJ O Shopping private brand created in collaboration with the former Christian Dior designer Cilia Boes, won the spotlight against competing 550 brand names from 38 countries. Earlier this month rival home shopping giant GS Shop held a lingerie collection at Pier 59 Studio in New York and launched three new brands for the spring/summer season.At a time when local fashion brands are faced with stagnant market growth, the home shopping channels with immense distributioFeb 14, 2014By Park Jin-hai
Joseon printing blocks up for UNESCO nod The Cultural Heritage Administration will submit an application for the inclusion of 64, 226 woodblocks from the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910) to the UNESCO’s Memory of the World for 2015. / YonhapBy Chung Ah-youngThe Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) plans to propose Joseon’s wooden printing blocks for inclusion in UNESCO’s Memory of the World list for 2015. The agency plans to submit its official application by the end of next month. The final decision will be made at a meeting of the International Advisory Committee for the Memory of the World Program to be held around June next year.A total of 64,226 wooden blocks were manufactured to print Joseon’s prominent Confucian scholars’ writings ranging from literature, history, biography and geography to Neo-Confucianism from the late 15th century to the early 20th century. They were donated by 305 clans based in Gyeongsang Province which was home to prominent Confucian scholars in ancient times.The wooden blocks were made voluntarily by the descendants of Confucian scholars to print the books in order toFeb 13, 2014
Nongshim recognized in Malaysia By Park Si-sooKorean food-maker Nongshim was named the best food brand in the Malaysian market.The Seoul-based company said on Thursday it received the covetous title at the Brand Laureate Awards, a local brand awards hosted by the Asian Pacific Brands Foundation.The annual event started in 2004 and previous awardees in the food category include Nestle, Coca-Cola and McDonald’s.Nongshim officials said that the recognition is largely attributable to its exports of halal-certified products to the Islamic nation for years. The firm’s factory in Busan makes products in a way that is recognized by Islamic Law.“The award is very helpful in promoting our brand in Malaysia,” a Nongshim spokesman said. The company has exported products to Malaysia since 1998. It aims to earn $4 million in sales there this year. Feb 13, 2014
2NE1's new album due Feb. 24 By Kim Ji-soo2NE1K-pop girl group 2NE1 will release a highly anticipated new album this month.“We will feature the group’s album ‘Crush’ on major online music services at midnight on Feb. 24,” wrote Yang Hyun-suk, chief of YG Entertainment, on the company’s official blog. The full-length album will hit record stores a week later.The four-member group last released a full-length album in September 2010.“It will be the first time in six years for the group to present an album full of new songs,” said Yang.The album “Crush” has 10 songs, all of which are new except for one that is a Korean version of a song previously released in Japan, Yang said. Among the 10 songs, three were written and composed by the group leader, CL. Her solo album and another 2NE1 album may well be forthcoming within the latter part of the year, he said.Fans can catch the group live on stage at the SK Olympic Handball Stadium in Jamsil, southern Seoul, March 1 and 2. The Seoul dates mark the start of the group’s world tour, titled “All oFeb 13, 2014
'Three Musketeers' goes to Tokyo, Seoul By Kim Ji-sooThis photo shows an image of a scene from the musical “Three Musketeers.”With more top stars in its cast, the Korean adaptation of the musical “Three Musketeers” will be staged both in Tokyo and Seoul.For both shows, the company M Musical Art has recruited a star-studded lineup. In Japan, the musical will be performed at Yuraku-cho’s Tokyo International Forum scheduled from March 2 to 15 and in Korea, at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. M Musical Art will showcase top K-pop stars such as 2 PM’s Jun. K and ZE:A’s Park Hyung-sik.The Korean adaptation was first performed in 2009. The musical was originally created in the Czech Republic and is based on the novel by Alexander Dumas. Feb 13, 2014By Kim Ji-soo
Politically cold, culturally hot The popular six-member K-pop group Beast wave to fans during a concert in this Dec. 12 2012 file photo. The group that has been performing on Japanese stages added a date to perform at the NHK Hall in Tokyo. / Korea Times fileBy Kim Ji-sooKorean singer Psy arrives at the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute Benefit celebrating the opening of "PUNK: Chaos to Couture" in New York in this May 6, 2013 file photo. Psy will take his “Gangnam Style” performanceto Japan, the first time since its release. / Korea Times fileThe political vibes between Seoul and Tokyo are as chilly as it gets, but top “hallyu” or Korean wave stars are beating a path to Japan.The Japanese music market is indisputably the largest one in Asia; it is also the second largest ― by country ― in the world. For some time, it has however been considered a saturated one for Korean pop artists.Yet with the start of 2014, there is a rush, albeit small as yet, of events scheduled in the neighboring country.CJ E& M that runs cable station MNet isFeb 13, 2014
Full moon & St. Valentine's Day falls on same day Two fall on same day for first time in 19 yearsBy Yoon Ja-youngFor those visiting or newly adjusting to life in Korea, questions may arise why there are walnuts and peanuts galore at shopping stalls about now.Feb. 14 is St. Valentine’s Day. It is also “Jeongwol Daeboreum,” or the first full moon day in the lunar calendar. For the first time in 19 years, the two events fall on the same day.With “jeongwol” meaning first month of the year and “daeboreum” meaning big full moon, the day was celebrated significantly in Korean society with interesting traditions.In the morning of the full moon day, one would eat “bureom,” which refers to the nuts people eat on the day. They would crack nuts with their teeth. They would also eat “ogokbab,” or rice with five grains, and “namul,” or sauteed and seasoned vegetables. These food traditions are supposed to make up for the nutrients that one lacked during the winter.“On Jeongwol Daeboreum, we eat namul, ogokbab and bureom. In the agricultural society, you start laboFeb 12, 2014By Kim Ji-soo
'Underdogs' work on Girls' new album A scene from “Mr.Mr” teaser videoBy Park Jin-haiThe Girls’ Generation is back. The nine members will break their one-year hiatus with a new mini-album titled “Mr., Mr.” The upcoming album has drawn much of attention from the music circles and fans, since the SM Entertainment announced Wednesday that the famous American music production duo “The Underdogs” participated in the album making. The R&B/pop production has done work with such celebrity pop icons as Beyonce, Justin Timberlake, Chris Brown and Britney Spears. Tuesday, the group released the 40-second teaser video, where members are seen in glitzy dresses while wearing oxygen masks in a hospital setting. Their electronic and hip-hop mixed music had the repetitive “Mista mista” hook.The group’s popularity is still high even after the news of its two members ― Yoona and Sooyoung were each dating actors Lee Seung-gi and Jung Kyun-ho. Billboard’s K-town article commented that anticipation is high to see what the group can accomplish after an exciting yFeb 12, 2014By Park Jin-hai
