Will Lee Hyo-ri’s Magic Work Again?By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Sometimes nothing will go according to plan, even when you are a big star like Lee Hyo-ri. The singer has had her fair share of fame over the past 12 years, starting as the leader of the now disbanded girl group Fin.K.L, then as a solo singer and until recently the host of the popular television show ``The Family is Out!'' She is now back with a fresh album and, hopefully, a new look and tune, but returning to the pop scene after two years has proven to be tougher than expected. First of all, there was the tragedy with the Navy frigate Cheonan. Lee's agency, Mnet Media, announced that they were postponing Lee's release of her fourth album, ``H-Logic,'' from April 4 to 13. This was inevitable as most of the entertainment programs, including music shows, were being dropped by broadcasters due to the tragic incident. Along with the album, the online release of her tracks and music video were also pushed back. Fans may have been disappointeApr 13, 2010
Korean-American Actor Ricky Kim Follows His HeartBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter With his tall figure, handsome looks and easy smile, it seems Ricky Kim has what it takes to become a star. In person, however, he's down-to-earth, funny and, most of all, very serious about his career, lifelong goals and Korea. The 28-year-old recently finished filming the popular television drama ``Jejungwon,'' and although his departure gave him time to relax, fans were disappointed to see him leave so early. The role of Doctor Heron, one of the first missionaries in Korea who died at an early age, was indeed impressive, and even he thought it was one of the most memorable characters he has played since his debut. Not only were the medical terms new to him, but the language from the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910) gave him a hard time. ``During the (first) two weeks, I would film, practice the script, drive home, practice the script, take a shower, practice the script, eat and practice the script. Then I would sleep and I couldn't sleep for the first three to four hours because all the lines were going through in my head,'' he recalled dApr 13, 2010
Rain Returns With Back to the BasicBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Rain is back. He's ``Back to the Basic.'' ``Hello, everyone. Rain is back with a ballad,'' the 27-year-old told a roomful of reporters and photographers in Yeouido, Seoul, Monday. He has returned as a singer, after spending months traveling around the world promoting his Hollywood action flick, ``Ninja Assassin,'' and it was evident he was ready to further wow fans with yet another hot track. ``I needed to go back to where I started from. People have asked me why I wanted to release an album in Korea when I could continue acting in the United States. The reason is I could not forget my roots: my Korean fans. It was my duty and so that's why I chose the title `Back to the Basic,''' he said. The Album Although Rain has released several ballads, this is the first time he is promoting his new album with one, which is called, ``Love Song.'' ``I've been working as Rain for about eight years now, and I felt I needed to give my fans something completely different. A singer has to evolve with transition; that's what we should strive tApr 6, 2010
Program Shows How to Become GiftedBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Being a mother in Korea requires many things. Not only do you have to be sure your kids get up early, eat breakfast and get ready to go to school, but you also have to check if they are keeping up with their studies. Institutes and tutors have helped such mothers in the education-driven atmosphere, but now they can tune into the program, ``Tips to Become Gifted'' every Thursday night for more advice. Hosted by actress and celebrity mom Shin Ae-ra, the show depicts five children ranging from ages seven to 11 with different personalities and backgrounds, working to become a gifted child. ``I don't think starting early (to study) is good for children. The best environment we can give them is one that allows them to have fun freely. There are so many children who are great students, but then it hit me. Are they happy? From that moment, I tried to guide them to figure out what they wanted to do and to become more independent,'' Shin said during a press conference last week. Every child is different, as is the child's mother and her method of Apr 5, 2010
Younger Men, Power, Money Fill DramasBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter The interest in up-and-coming dramas is higher than ever in Korea as this week promises a couple of new shows aiming to catch the attention of viewers. Each boasts numerous stars and intriguing plotlines, but also seem to fall in line with recent trends found in television and society: younger men, women in power and rags-to-riches stories. Younger Men Women dating and marrying younger men has become a social trend here, whereas in the past the opposite configuration was more common. A total of 14.3 percent of couples who tied the knot last year lived up to this trend and it is now being featured in dramas as well. ``Personal Interest'' is one of the most anticipated new series, not only because of the star-studded cast, including Son Ye-jin and Lee Min-ho, but because the two actors seem to be the perfect fit to portray the trend. ``It's my first time since my debut to work opposite a guy younger than me. I was worried how I would react since I was always the youngest on previous sets, but when I met Lee, he was very mature. I thiMar 30, 2010
TVXQ Achieves New Oricon FeatBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Popular male group TVXQ, also known as Tohoshinki, has achieved a new feat in Japan's Oricon Charts, Yonhap News reported. TVXQ released its 30th single, ``Toki Wo Tomete'' (Please Stop Time), and a new remix album, ``TVXQ NONSTOP－MIX VOL. 2,'' last week. ``Toki Wo Tomete'' topped the weekly singles charts with 195,000 copies sold, while the album was number 3 in the album charts, selling 380,000 copies. It was the first time in 15 years that an international artist had an album and single in the Top 3 of both the Oricon singles and album charts in the same week. The last time it happened was when American pop superstar Mariah Carey's single ``All I Want for Christmas Is You'' and album ``Merry Christmas'' were both ranked #3 in the weekly singles and album charts in December 1995. The last international male artist to achieve the feat was Billy Joel, who had both ``The Stranger'' EP and album rank #3 in 1978. TVXQ has remained extremely popular in Japan in the last few years. In January, the group's 29th single ``BreMar 30, 2010
Thomas & Friends Coming to TownBy Chung Ah-young Staff Reporter The Broadway family musical, ``Thomas & Friends Live! On Stage: A Circus Comes to Town'' is being staged for the first time after its debut here in 2007. The upcoming stage version based on ``Thomas & Friends,'' one of the most favorite television series for children around the world is the newest one that was first performed in the United States in 2009. The popular engine and his friends will entertain children in the new musical for 90 minutes packed full of high-energy dancing, songs and exciting adventures. The interactive musical produced by HIT Entertainment and AEG/ThemeSTAR, and presented by Mast Entertainment, uses the adventures of the always lovable Thomas and his friends to teach children the importance of cooperation and friendship. ``We're thrilled to bring families an entertainment experience they can't find anywhere else,'' said Mark Avery, CEO, AEG/ThemeSTAR in a statement. ``With Thomas & Friends Live! On Stage: A Circus Comes To Town, AEG/ThemeSTAR has successfully blended the enduring appeal of Thomas and hisMar 23, 2010
Taiwan’s Fahrenheit to Meet Fans in SeoulBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Fahrenheit, a popular boy band dubbed as "Taiwan's TVXQ," will meet its Korean fans this Friday. Band members Aaron Yan, Wu Chun, Calvin Chen and Jiro Wang will be visiting Seoul to promote Taiwan as a tourist destination. The boy band has been tapped by Taiwan's Tourism Bureau as ambassadors to Korea and Japan. Fans will have a chance to see Fahrenheit perform their hit songs and interact with their favorite members at their first official fan meeting at the Melon-AX Hall, March 26, according to event organizer Mays Entertainment. Actress Koo Hye-sun will also be appearing as a special guest. Koo, who is best known as the heroine in the hit KBS drama ``Boys Over Flowers," filmed a music video with Fahrenheit last January. The video ``Touch Your Heart'' showed Koo visiting popular tourist attractions in Taiwan and sampling Taiwanese cuisine with the Fahrenheit members. The band made its debut in 2006, releasing a self-titled album in Taiwan and China. Their subsequent albums were ``Two-Sided Fahrenheit'' in 2008 and ``LovMar 22, 2010
Will Dong-yi Become Next Jewel in the Palace?By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter It's been seven years since MBC's hit drama "Daejanggeum'' (Jewel in the Palace) captivated viewers around the world and made Korea one of the most popular countries in terms of drama content. MBC is hoping to do the same with its new period drama, ``Dong-yi,'' which airs tonight. The spotlight is on the main character, Dong-yi, who will be played by ``Brilliant Legacy'' (SBS) heroine Han Hyo-joo. Will the 23-year-old Han be able to meet the challenges of playing a historical figure? ``Of course, I felt a lot of pressure. I was mostly worried at first. Dong-yi was a real person; she later became Sukbin Choi, one of King Sukjong's consorts. I have to portray her from her teenage years to her fifties, so I was worried, but I still wanted the part. I wanted to play this type of character sometime in my career and although I think it came a bit earlier than I expected, I happily accepted it,'' Han said during a press conference held at Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, last week. The drama revolves around Dong-yi, a bright and courageous girl whoMar 21, 2010
YouTube to Stream K-Pop Concert LiveHan Sang-hee Staff Reporter YouTube is continuing its live video streaming coverage of Asia with a concert in Korea, which will be aired in Japan, Taiwan and Korea. Local K-pop stars are holding a concert titled ``YouTube Music Day'' for fans and aspiring artists this month. It is the first time for Korea to host such an event. ``We hope YouTube can work as a window to introduce local singers to the world,'' said Lee Won-jin, the managing director of Google Korea. Hosted by drummer and composer Namgung Yeon, top groups and singers, including 2AM, Clazziquai, Epik High and Leessang, will perform. The first live streaming event in Asia was the "YouTube Tokyo Live" event on Nov. 22 and Nov. 23, 2008. Two concerts took place in Tokyo and San Francisco, and fans could witness both simultaneously through video streaming. One of the most popular events streamed live was U2's concert, which was held Oct. 25 last year and shown in 16 countries. Its enormity shows just how far Asia has to go, but streaming in three countries should lay a solid foundation for the Mar 16, 2010