Male Singers Celebrate AnniversariesBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Veteran male singers will celebrate their decades-long careers with concerts through the end of the year. Ballad singers Park Hyo-shin and Kim Bum-soo will celebrate their 10th anniversary. Composer Yang Bang-ean will mark his first decade with a special concert. Lee Seung-hwan, known for his circus-like shows, will celebrate his 20-year career. Park Hyo-shin released his sixth album ``Gift-Part 1,'' returning with a more sophisticated look and sound. The 26-year-old, who has had many sold-out concerts, repeated the feat this time, where tickets for his ``2009 Gift Tour Live'' quickly sold out. Park will be accompanied by more than 100 musicians and artists, including a full orchestra and a session band. The concert will also feature a special lingerie fashion show, acrobatic and media art performances. The concert, originally planned for two days, was lengthened to three on fans' demands, Park's agency Jellyfish Entertainment said. The Seoul performance will be held at the Fencing Stadium, Olympic Park, from Oct. 16 to 18. TickeOct 7, 2009
SM Entertainment to Hold Audition in US, CanadaBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter S.M. Entertainment, the entertainment agency that created Girls' Generation, TVXQ and girl group f(x), will hold a global audition in the United States and Canada to look for aspiring talent. ``We are looking forward to many passionate contestants through this year's global audition,'' the agency said through a press release. It will start Nov. 15 in Los Angeles and continue in other cities including New York and Toronto and Vancouver, Canada. It will be divided into five categories of singers, actors, models, dancers and songwriters. There is no age limit and anyone who is Asian can apply. The final winners of the auditions will be given the chance to sign with SM Entertainment, which will train and invest in them in order to create the next global star. S.M. Entertainment has a line of popular stars that have been picked out from its global auditions, including TVXQ's Micky, Super Junior's Ki-bum and Han-geng, and Girls' Generation's Tiffany. The most recent addition was Super Junior-M's Henry from Toronto in 2006 and f(Oct 6, 2009
Iris to Finally Unfold on Small ScreenBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter The upcoming drama ``Iris'' is expected to be about more than top stars, sleek suits and action scenes. The 20-episode television soap will finally air next week, and the actors and crew got together one last time for a press conference Monday, at Sogong-dong, central Seoul, to offer what they have in store, ``It's already our third press conference. I have never seen a drama that held so many promotional events,'' quipped Lee Byung-hun, who stars as the National Security Service agent Kim Hyun-jun. The espionage series will deal with love, hate and betrayal between spies from both South and North Korea and the dangerous tasks and choices the protagonist, played by Lee, must accomplish. ``Iris'' follows the recent trend in film and drama making, according to the two directors Kim Kyu-tae and Yang Yun-ho. ```Iris' is fast paced and there are no clich? coincidences like soaps we see on local television today. Everybody enjoys the espionage genre and the division of North and South Korea will certainly work as a tool to attract overseOct 6, 2009
TV Program Guide During ChuseokBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter The ``Chuseok'' weekend is just around the corner and both major and cable broadcasters have prepared various programs for friends and family to enjoy. Special Programs KBS is traveling back in history to explore the ancient boat that carried celadon porcelain a thousand years ago with their special program ``Goryeo Celadon Porcelain; Temptation of Green Celadon.'' The program searches for the ancient route the famous porcelain traveled, along with the reason why it was so popular in China and Japan. ``Goryeo'' will air Oct. 4 at 8 p.m. on KBS. ``A Lecture from Heaven'' will feature violist Richard Yongjae O'Neill's trip to a small village in South Chungcheong Province. The students live in a small village where it is hard to visit even a museum, let alone a music concert. O'Neill teaches them the basics of classical music and holds a small concert with them. ``A Lecture From Heaven'' will air Oct. 2 at 11:15 p.m. Meanwhile, SBS is offering ``Tasting Japan,'' a culinary journey to the neighboring country with hostess Cho Hae-ryuSep 29, 2009
KoreaToday K-Pop Boom in Asia Sheds Light on Korea’s Unique Talent SearchBy Kang Hyun-kyung Staff Reporter Approximately 23,000 aspiring singers from elementary school students to those in their early 20s flocked to the JYP Entertainment's talent search held in Seoul last month. Only four were picked as JYP trainees, scheduled to go through the years-long training program before making their debut. The record-high turnout in the audition came after the JYP trainee program gained the reputation of a machine producing K-pop idols, such as Wonder Girls and 2PM. Not only JYP, but also other entertainment businesses have seen a huge number of aspiring stars participating in their talent searches. Despite the K-pops' phenomenal success in Asia, hallyu experts warn the popularity of Korean pop icons may be short-lived if the bad practices in the industry, which only benefit entertainment businesses while idols income is minimal, persists. Who Are Trainees? The phenomenal competition in the JYP audition raised a question about the new trainees ― who are they? Industry experts say most of the aspiring singers usually spend sevSep 23, 2009
Male Singers Beckoning AutumnBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Riding on autumn winds, male singers are returning to a K-pop stage dominated by girl power. Among them, the singer enjoying the most popularity right now is Lee Seung-gi, who has topped music charts both online and offline with his new album ``Shadow.'' The first single ``Let's Break Up,'' a soft ballad perfect for the season, has captivated fans. According to his agency, Hook Entertainment, more than 8,800 albums have been sold after it's release on Sept. 17 and more than 40,000 orders have been received. After making his debut as a singer, Lee has successfully crossed boundaries by appearing in the entertainment program ``One Day Two Nights'' and starring in the SBS drama ``Brilliant Legacy.'' His latest digital single, ``Will You Marry Me,'' which was released in June, was also a big hit. Ballad singers Kim Tae-woo, Park Hyo-shin and Tei have also returned to fans with new albums. Kim, 28, who was a member of boy group g.o.d, was absent for two years for military service, but has returned with his first solo album ``T-VSep 22, 2009
K-Pop Stars Steal Spotlight at Asia Song FestivalBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Pop stars from Asia gathered once again in Seoul for the 6th Asia Song Festival (ASF) Saturday evening, but Korean pop groups stole the spotlight. Fans of K-pop groups Big Bang, Super Junior, Girls Generation and 2NE1, Japanese stars Gackt and V6, and other Asian artists flocked to Seoul World Cup Stadium to see their favorite stars for free, though attendance seemed to be less than in previous years. The annual music festival, organized by the Korea Foundation for Cultural Exchange (KOFICE), is touted as an opportunity for cultural exchange and cooperation among Asian countries. However, the festival line-up was dominated by Korean and Japanese artists. There were four Korean groups and three Japanese groups invited to the festival, compared to one representative each from China, Taiwan, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Hong Kong. The music festival kicked off with performances by Taiwanese singer Show Luo and rising girl group 2NE1. 2NE1, who received the ASF New Artist Award, quickly got the crowd on their feet with tSep 20, 2009
Rain to Reveal New Boy Band, 5-Member MBLAQBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter J.Tune Entertainment, the agency run by singer and actor Rain, is bringing a new five-member boy group MBLAQ to the pop industry currently dominated by girl groups. ``MBLAQ is the first group to have been produced by Rain, and so everyone is showing interest. We are even receiving calls from fans who are interested in starting a fan club already,'' J.Tune Entertainment said. The agency added that the group will be introduced to the public for the first time through a photo spread in NYLON magazine's October issue. Potential fans are already wondering about the identities of the members of the new boy group. It was revealed that one of the members called Lee Jun appeared as the young Raizo in Rain's upcoming Hollywood film ``Ninja Assassin.'' Raizo grows to be a ruthless assassin, played by Rain. Another member Bang Chul-yong also caught attention as he is actress Ko Eu-na's younger brother. The photo shoot will show MBLAQ members and Rain posing together, all of them donning eerie and dark eye makeup ― uncommon for idol groups here.Sep 20, 2009
Korea, Important Market for Content CreatorsBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter The Broadcast Worldwide (BCWW) Exhibition is an annual event where broadcasters and exhibitors gather to attract buyers from all over the world. The British Broadcast Company (BBC) Worldwide was among the participants at this year's event. ``BBC Worldwide has 50,000 hours of programs. You can always find something depending on genres and target audience. We have basically found something for every broadcaster,'' Joyce Yeung, the senior vice president and general manager of Sales and Distribution Asia at BBC Worldwide, told The Korea Times last week at the COEX Convention and Exhibition Center, southern Seoul. The owner of some of the most popular programs, including ``Strictly Come Dancing,'' the original version of the hit program ``Dancing with the Stars'' and also ``Doctor Who,'' has tasted success in attracting Korean viewers and are looking into bringing more. According to Yeung, documentaries and natural history programs are popular here, as well as serial dramas such as ``Doctor Who.'' The famous series won the Most Popular DrSep 20, 2009
Will Fallen Idol Star Make Comeback?By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter It has been a week since Jae-beom, from JYP Entertainment's boy group 2PM, left the country amid criticism on comments posted about Korea on MySpace four years ago. The top boy group is still leaderless, and the controversy and pleas regarding his return have not weathered. Everything happened in a flash, and people are scratching their heads as to the reasons for this outcome, pointing to the widespread nationalism many Koreans have toward famous figures whenever they make a mistake. Nationalism Rising? Koreans are quite sensitive to what they see as inappropriate remarks and acts by stars and public figures. If the remarks are negative toward Korea, the situation becomes a bigger issue. Many local and foreign celebrities and VIPs, both local and foreign, have become victims of their off-the-cuff remarks, and Internet users, or netizens, have bashed them online even before the news hit the stands. ``People tend to have a sentiment of seeking to bring down a successful figure. This time, it was Jae-beom. This sentiment has beSep 18, 2009