TVXQ Wows Japanese Fans at Tokyo DomeBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Pop group TVXQ held their first solo concert at the Tokyo Dome, Japan, July 4 and 5. It was a dream come true for the group, who had dreamed of performing at the venue since their debut, Yonhap News reported Monday. Their fourth Japanese live tour, entitled ``The Secret Code,'' drew more than 100,000 fans over the two nights in Tokyo, proving once again the five-member group's star power in the neighboring country. The group, comprised of Xiah, Micky, Hero, Max and U-Know, started the concert with ``Secret Game'' and continued with hits like ``Why Did I Start to Like You,'' ``Nobody Knows'' and ``Mirotic.'' Singing 32 songs during the pair of three-hour and 20-minute shows, the members also offered separate solo performances, from rock numbers like ``Wild Soul'' by Max, to a special duet song made just for the concert ― ``COLORS, Melody and Harmony'' by Hero and Micky. ``We have finally arrived here at the Tokyo Dome and we are so happy, it feels like a dream. We were very bad at speaking in Japanese when we first got here, but now we caJul 6, 2009
Evolution of Local Music ProgramsBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter The format of music programs has come a long way in Korea, where the love of Korean pop music is quickly extending to an interest in television music programs. With more than five music shows airing each week on various channels, these shows are now becoming trademarks of local television. It was back in 1981 when KBS started the first K-pop television show with a charting format, ``Gayo Top 10.'' For the next 17 years, it saw tremendous success as the first program to have such a format based on viewers' and fans' votes. ``Unlike today, when the Internet plays a greater role in every aspect, we would receive post cards with people's vote for their favorite singer of the week written on it. We would combine all those votes, and carry out a survey among producers and music experts for a more professional perspective, and then air the final results,'' Jun Jin-suk, former producer of the program back in 1995 and now the executive director of KBS Changwon, told The Korea Times. This was basically the start of music programs in Korea, and manJun 30, 2009
Drama Music Is New Source for HitsBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter In the past, original soundtrack albums were just a little extra something that came with a television drama. Now, however, more viewers and drama makers are starting to realize their importance and potential. One of the most popular drama soundtracks lately has been Baek Ji-young's ``Is Love a Sin?'' for the SBS drama ``Princess Ja-myung,'' starring Jung Ryeo-won and Park Min-young. Her sad ballad was made for Jung's character Ja-myung, and although the drama is not faring well in the ratings, the song is soaring in popularity, topping Internet music charts. ``We started working on the original soundtrack a year before the actual airing of the drama. We were given the synopsis of the program, and after discussions with the producer, we managed to create music and songs that were a fit for the big budget period drama,'' Lee Sang-ho, the music producer, told The Korea Times. In the past, drama production companies would work on the album, along with the television series itself, but due to financial difficulties, the albums would often be Jun 29, 2009
Friends, Lawyers to Hit Small ScreenBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Which will it be _ teenage love and friendship, or the real, yet humorous lives of ruthless lawyers? Television fans will now have the chance to explore the two different worlds with the new dramas ``Friends, Our Story'' on MBC and ``The Partner'' on KBS2. With heartthrobs Hyun Bin and Kim Min-jun as the attractive, yet troubled protagonists, ``Friends, Our Story'' is the drama version of the mega-hit film ``Friend'' (2001). The sequel will offer the same dramatic plots revolving around teenage friends and move on to their love lives and other untold stories that were absent in the movie. In the film, top Korean actor Jang Dong-gun played the part of Hyun Bin, and Yoo Oh-seong appeared as Kim. The movie-turned-drama was made possible after Kwak Kyung-taek, the director of the film and now the drama, decided to bring the popular plot back, this time to television screens. ``While I was thinking of how to make a drama out of a movie I worked on nine years ago, it dawned on me that I simply needed to re-use the basic structure and just adJun 23, 2009
Top Singers Get Together for Songwriter Yoo’s AlbumBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter Singer-songwriter Yoo Young-suk has been a prolific musician for the past 20 years, making some of the best known songs for fellow singers and working on various projects as a music director and producer. He recently released his new album ``Star Words'' to celebrate the 20th anniversary since his debut. This time, his friends backed him up. ``I have released many albums throughout my career, but this is the first time I've held a showcase. I'm so proud and happy!'' he said with a big smile at the event, staged at Sang Sang Madang near Hongdae, northern Seoul. The album consists of some of Yoo's best works, but sung by some of the most popular singers here including Kyu-hyun from Super Junior, Kim Gun-mo, Hong Gyung-min and Winterplay. ``I wanted to make listeners think `I like the newly arranged one better,' instead of `there's nothing like the original.' I'm quite satisfied,'' he added. The guests singers who contributed to the album also appeared on stage with Yoo, among them Kyu-hyun, Kim Yeon-woo and Lee Soo-young, to sing his songJun 17, 2009
EBS Documentaries on KoreaBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter The Korea Education Broadcasting System (EBS) celebrates its 9th anniversary with two interesting documentaries ``Mankind of the Korean Peninsula'' and ``Spirit of Wind, Goshawk.'' ``Mankind'' goes back to the times of the lives of the first inhabitant of the Korean peninsula. ``We wanted to track down who lived here for the first time, how they survived and why and how they disappeared. Europe has been interested in this issue for a long time, but we haven't,'' Chu Deok-dam, the producer of the documentary, told reporters at a press conference Wednesday in central Seoul. Chu said that the crew stumbled upon difficulties trying to bring similar settings and the atmosphere of prehistoric times. ``Korea was covered with pine and oak trees in the past, but they have apparently all disappeared after numerous wars and historic events. We could have gone abroad to film some of the scenes, but that would have been meaningless,'' he added. The program will offer viewers the chance to follow homo erectus _ believed to be the first specieJun 17, 2009
More Viewer Participation in TV ShowsBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter An array of programs by cable channels are presenting programs that beckon viewers to stand in front of the camera themselves. Cable music channel Mnet leads these programs, with a total of three programs open for viewers to join in and become a part of them. One of the most anticipated is ``Superstar K,'' which is the Korean version of the United States' hit program ``American Idol.'' With a winning prize of more than 100 million won and the chance to make a debut this coming fall backed by music mogul Mnet, more than 5,000 viewers applied on the first day of admissions. ``There were plenty of similar music programs that held auditions for aspiring singers but the problem with most of them was the lack of support and interest given to the winners after the program. Another important feature we focused on is that literally anyone can participate and try out to become the next top singer of Korea,'' the makers of ``Superstar K'' said through a statement. The program toured around the nation in search of talented contestants for the past tJun 16, 2009
Black Eyed Peas Come Back with BoomBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Selling over nine million copies of ``Monkey Business'' is a tough feat to follow, but the Black Eyed Peas have come up with another chart-topping album ``The E.N.D.'' The first single ``Boom Boom Pow'' stayed at number one in the Billboard Hot 100 charts for nine weeks. The Black Eyed Peas are undoubtedly on top of their game. But with an album title like ``The E.N.D,'' many speculated that they were about to call it quits. In an e-mail interview with The Korea Times, will.i.am and apl.de.ap quickly squashed any speculation about the group's possible breakup. ``Never! That's the stamp of that it's not over, you know, to the rumors and that stuff. We are in a group working together but we have been friends for a long time. I think our friendship is the essence of our longevity,'' will.i.am said. Along with apl.de.ap, and Taboo, he formed the Black Eyed Peas in 1995, and released two albums. But it wasn't until 2002 when Fergie joined that the group finally achieved mainstream success with breakout album ``Elephunk.'' ThJun 16, 2009
KBS Radio Conducts Survey on Koreas ImageBy Han Sang-hee Staff Reporter KBS World Radio is conducting a survey to see how much foreigners understand Korea. The poll started on June 8 and will continue through June 30. The result will be announced Aug. 15, marking the 64th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese colonial rule. It will be featured on special programs on Liberation Day in 10 different languages, including English, Chinese, Spanish, French and Russian. The 10-question survey covers the basic but important aspects, from the most famous river to the type of government and representative food. The KBS World Radio team said that the survey seeks to discover how well foreigners understand the politics, culture, economy and geography of Korea, as well as trying to ascertain their impression of the country. ``The survey demonstrates a growing interest in Korea among people across the globe, with responses pouring in daily,'' KBS World Radio said in a statement. It is hoped the results will help enhance the nation's image and result in more interesting programs in the future. The Jun 14, 2009
Lady Gaga to Hit Seoul Next WeekBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Best known for her hit songs ``Just Dance'' and ``Poker Face,'' Lady Gaga will arrive in Seoul, June 16, and stage a show at Club Answer, Cheongdam-dong, June 17. The much-anticipated show will also feature rising K-pop singer A.J. as the opening act and DJ Koo. Tickets to the show are only by invitation. Lady Gaga will also have a press conference to promote her first album ``The Fame,'' which is all about today's celebrity and fame-obsessed world. The pop star made her debut last year, with catchy dance songs like ``Just Dance'' and ``Poker Face'' that shot up the Billboard charts in the United States and charts around the world. ``Just Dance'' was nominated for Best Dance Recording at the Grammy Awards. Her subsequent singles ``Eh Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)'' and ``Love Game'' also climbed up the top ten of the Billboard charts. The music video for ``Love Game'' was directed by Joseph Kahn, who also directed videos for Britney Spears, Mariah Carey, and The Pussycat Dolls. Lady Gaga also caught everyone's attention witJun 9, 2009