6th Asia Song Festival To Take Place Next MonthBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Korea's popular idol group Big Bang and rising newcomer 2NE1 will be part of a start-studded lineup of Asian musicians performing at the 6th Asia Song Festival in Seoul. The festival, which brings 14 teams from nine Asian countries, is slated to take place at 6 p.m. on Sept. 19 at Seoul World Cup Stadium in northern Seoul. They were part of the second lineup announced by the festival's main organizer, the Korea Foundation for International Cultural Exchange. Also included in the second line-up as special guests are popular Japanese group V6 and Hong Kong actress/singer Ekin Cheng. Fans of Asian pop music can expect Korean idol groups Girls Generation and Super Junior at the festival. Also participating are Gackt and the co-ed duo Mihimaru GT from Japan, Chris Lee of China, Show Luo of Taiwan, K-Otic from Thailand, Ho Ngoc Ha from Vietnam and Agnes Monica from Indonesia. ``This event will develop as a representative brand for the cooperation and cultural exchange of Asian countries, and become the stepping stone to heighten theAug 11, 2009
Is There a Solution for Slave Contracts?By Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter With Korean pop group TVXQ embroiled in legal action against its agency, SM Entertainment, over an allegedly unfair contract, fans and agencies alike are focusing attention on the validity of so-called ``slave contracts.'' Contracts are dubbed as such for reported disadvantaging the stars and would-be stars who enter into them with management agencies. These excessively binding contracts came into focus when actress Jang Ja-yeon ended her life earlier this year amid allegations that she was threatened and forced to provide sexual favors by her former agent. TVXQ brought yet another perspective to ongoing speculations regarding unfair practices carried out by both large- and mid-sized entertainment agencies here. According to the legal document filed by three members of the group ― Micky, Xiah and Hero ― the agency prohibited their freedom as artists by claiming that the group's and members' activities belonged to the agency, requiring them to follow the agency's demands to appear at certain performances and broadcasts, and requiring theAug 11, 2009
SM Entertainment Postpones ConcertBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter SM Entertainment will postpone its annual SMTOWN LIVE '09 concert due to legal action being taken by the three members of the pop group TVXQ. The concert was scheduled for Aug. 16 at the main stadium of Jamsil Sports Complex. ``We express our apologies to fans that we have to announce such sad news … We promise we will bring a better event in the future,'' SM Entertainment said in a press release Friday. The agency said that they will give refunds for tickets that have already been purchased. The announcement came following the news that Hero, Micky and Xiah submitted an application for provisional disposition to terminate the validity of their contract with the agency last week. The legal action caused waves in the pop industry, along with fans who worried the group would disband. SMTOWN LIVE '09 is one of the biggest concert events here hosted by the agency starring some of the most popular groups in Korea, including TVXQ, Girls' Generation and Super Junior. sanghee@koreatimes.co.krAug 7, 2009
Let Horror Take Control of Summer HeatBy Han Sang-hee, Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporters Local broadcasters and the movie industry are preparing to help viewers kill the summer heat with horror programs and movies this month. Here is some of what's being offered. Small Screen MBC, which has had a successful history of horror dramas, including ``M,'' starring popular actress Shim Eun-ha in 1994, hopes to reprise that success with the drama `` Possessed.'' ```Possessed' is not based on `Korean Ghost Stories' nor is it a part of the movie series `Whispering Corridors.' We used the film `Let the Right One In,' which is about a relationship between a vampire girl and young boy, as a model, and started working from there,'' Kim Sang-ho, the producer, said at a press conference held at MBC, Ilsan, Monday. ``Possessed'' revolves around a high school student, Ha-na (newcomer Lim Ju-eun), who can see dead people, and a profiler named Shin Ryu, played by Lee Seo-jin (``Lee San, Wind of the Palace,'' 2008). When Shin meets Ha-na and discovers her ability, he uses her to pay back his enemy, only to find himself becoming Aug 4, 2009
Seo Tai-ji to Perform in SeoulBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Rock singer Seo Tai-ji will appear at the ETPFEST (Eerie Taiji People Festival) 2009 Aug. 15, his agency confirmed Monday. The 37-year-old singer will join fellow headliners that include American rock bands Nine Inch Nails and Limp Bizkit, and British rock group Keane. Seo's appearance was confirmed later than the other groups because he had been scheduled tour the nation around the time of the festival, but the Seo Tai-ji Company finally announced that he has decided to perform at the five-year-old event. ``This will be Seo's final performance to promote his eighth album,'' the agency said. It added that Seo and his band were in great condition and were rehearsing diligently for the concert in order to bring the best to fans. Last year's ETPFEST featured various stars as well, including Seo, Marilyn Manson, Death Cab for Cutie, Dragon Ash, Epik High and the Clazziquai project. Hundreds of rock fans gathered around the stage at the Main Stadium of Jamsil Sports Complex, screaming and cheering despite the pouring rain. The concert Aug 4, 2009
Supporting Roles Stealing SpotlightBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Supporting actors appearing in local dramas have begun unleashing their charms, and more viewers are starting to recognize their presence. MBC's hit drama ``The Great Queen Seondeok'' boasts a lineup of interesting characters surrounding the main character, Deok-man, played by Lee Yo-won, who later becomes the first queen in Korea's history. Lee is not the only actress enjoying the spotlight, as many viewers have taken notice of the villain, Mi-shil, played by Ko Hyun-joung. Mi-shil dreams of becoming queen, but fails when Seondoek makes a splash in political circles. Ko, who is well known for her sweet and tender roles, has successfully transformed herself into the ambitious Mi-shil, who tries to scheme and threaten her way to the throne. MBC explained before the drama's airing that Ko was originally offered the role of Seondeok, but she actually chose to take the part of the femme fatale after reading the script. ``I thought acting a very clear character would be better for me. I'm breaking out of my original roles, which were bAug 3, 2009
TV Program Fuses Learning With EntertainmentBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Learning Korean is not an easy task. It's complicating, hard to pronounce and even has a different way of speaking to the elder. Korea's English broadcaster Arirang TV's hit show ``Let's Speak Korean'' has been a big help, and this year marks its fifth season. ``It's important to have a program like ours because it's important to not only introduce Korean culture, but also the language,'' Han Yong-kee, the senior producer of the show told The Korea Times during an interview at Arirang TV last week. It was in the late 1990s when the broadcaster started airing the first version of the show, where Han was working as an assistant producer. It was revamped after viewers started to lose interest in the cookie cutter lessons. ``Even I thought it wasn't fun. Educational it may have been, but it was not entertaining,'' he said. The crew realized that it would help to have a foreigner with mastery of Korean, as he or she would know the difficulties in learning the language. Having a Korean-speaking foreigner proved to be a big hit, and althJul 29, 2009
Rain Dazzles Fans at Global Fan MeetingBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Rain is back in Asia. The 27-year-old singer and actor held a global fan meeting for the first time in a year, greeting fans from all over Asia, who returned his smiles with cheers and tears. ``Hello, everyone. It's been a while and it's great to see you all,'' Rain shouted at the Grand Peace Palace at Kyunghee University, Sunday. Now a designer with his own clothing line, Six to Five, the singer was dressed in a simple black suit, a white shirt and white sneakers. He opened the event by singing ``Fresh Woman.'' The venue was packed with some 3,000 fans from Korea, Hong Kong, the Philippines and Japan, and most looked thrilled to see their favorite singer up close. One Japanese fan donned a pink-and-black floral kimono to show the singer the support of her home country, while a fan from Hong Kong brought an array of glow sticks and other items. ``Rain's a great singer and actor. He's totally different because he is successful at almost everything. He can sing, dance and act,'' Ventura Crispen Jr., 30, from the Philippines, told TJul 28, 2009
Oasis, Weezer, Fall Out Boy Rock Out at Jisan ValleyBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Two rock festivals battled it out in Korea over the weekend, but for most rock fans, it was no contest. Jisan Valley Rock Festival, featuring performances by Oasis, Weezer, Starsailor, Fall Out Boy, Basement Jaxx, Patti Smith plus top Korean musicians like Crying Nut, Lee Han-chul and Run Run Runaways and Kim Chang-wan Band, attracted over 52,000 fans over the three-day festival at Icheon, Gyeonggi Province. Billed as a ``green'' and eco-friendly rock festival, Jisan's grass lawns, cool weather and scenic view of the surrounding mountains were a nice change from the Pentaport Incheon Rock Festival. ``The idea of bringing nature into the music festival with the best line-up in Korea proved to be very successful. People were happy to tread on the lawn barefoot compared to the muddy, stony site at Pentaport. The weather was fantastic,'' Seo Shin, an Oasis fan, said. The festival kicked off Friday, but things heated up when American rockers Jimmy Eat World hit the Big Top Stage. Fall Out Boy soon followed, performing hits likJul 28, 2009
Dream to Depict the World of Sports BusinessBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter The local drama scene has been offering a bit of everything, from the ancient tale of a queen, to advertising companies and figure skating. The new drama ``Dream'' will add the world of sports agents and K-1 to this varied roster of local television dramas. The drama has caught attention with its impressive cast― singer-turned-actor Son Dam-bi, ``Boys Over Flowers'' actor Kim Bum and movie star Ju Jin-mo ― and a plot that follows the lives of a sports agent and K-1 fighters. Nam Je-il, played by Ju, is a successful sports agent with some famous clients, but when one of his baseball stars gets involved in a drug case, he loses everything. But when the miserable Nam befriends former pickpocket and aspiring K-1 fighter Lee Jang-seok, played by Kim, and taebo instructor Park So-yeon, acted by Son, he decides to regain his glory by making Lee a star. SBS had nicknamed Ju's character ``Korea's Jerry Maguire,'' referencing the charismatic agent played by Tom Cruise, but Ju said it was difficult to play the part that has been his own personal fJul 27, 2009