BoA to launch first Japan tour in 4 years

 After the local release of her first Hollywood film, “Make Your Move,” and her latest Japanese EP, “Shout It Out,” iconic K-pop star BoA looks to continue ramping up her hallyu status with the launch of her first tour in Japan in more than four years, according to an announcement made by the singer’s Japanese label Avex Trax. The 14-year veteran K-pop star will kick off her tour in September with two shows at the Tokyo NHK Hall before performing in Aichi, Osaka and Fukuoka. “It’s been a long ti

May 14, 2014

Kim Woo-bin split with model girlfriend: agency

Model-turned-actor Kim Woo-bin broke up with his model girlfriend Yu Ji-an four months ago, Kim’s agency confirmed on Wednesday. Their busy schedules drew the actor-model couple apart emotionally, leading to a casual split, a local sports media reports.  Actor Kim Woo-bin and model Yu Ji-an (osen)Kim and Yu began dating in 2011 when working together as models. In September 2013, Kim made it public that he had been dating model Yu Ji-an for two years.Kim’s past comment about girl group f(x) membe

May 14, 2014

2NE1’s Park Bom’s beauty secrets on ‘Roommate’ go viral

On SBS’ “Roommate” episode aired on Sunday, Park Bom revealed her beauty secrets: using a particular brand of thermal water spray frequently and sticking “meridian stickers” on her ears.Meridian stickers are known to help the circulation of blood by stimulating acupuncture spots with sharp points attached to the sticker.“Spraying this helps you get a smaller face,” Park said on the show, referring to the water spray. “Many of my actor and actress friends use this.”Later, Park was spotted sharing

May 14, 2014

Yoo In-na, Ji Hyun-woo split: YG Entertainment

Actress Yoo In-na and actor Ji Hyun-woo have broken up after a two-year relationship, their agencies confirmed on Wednesday. Yoo’s agency, YG Entertainment, did not disclose the reason and the exact date of the breakup.  Yoo In-na and Ji Hyun-woo (tvN)“(Despite the breakup), they decided to support each other’s careers,” a spokesperson of Ji’s agency was quoted as saying. The two K-drama stars had initially announced their romantic relationship upon finishing the recording of the final episode o

May 14, 2014

AKMU secretly donates $290,000 to charities

AKMU, the winner of SBS’ audition program “K-pop Star 2,” was found to have donated 300 million won ($290,000) to several charities.According to YG Entertainment, the brother-sister duo donated all the prize money they won on “K-pop Star 2,” including 100 million won ($97,000) they received from a record production support fund. (YG Entertainment)“As far as I know, AKMU gladly agreed to their parents’ suggestion to ‘return it to society’ when they received the prize money,” a YG official was quo

May 14, 2014

2PM postpones June comeback, GOT7 fills in instead

JYP Entertainment on Wednesday postponed the comeback date of boy band 2PM to either July or later this year, citing that GOT7 will take over and stage second comeback activities in mid-June.“2PM will return in July or later in the second half. … We have not decided on further details, but there will be no June comeback as planned,” a JYP spokesperson told a local sports tabloid. This is the second time for the talent agency to push back 2PM’s comeback schedule. The boy band had originally annou

May 14, 2014

EXO’s ‘Overdose’ surpasses 10 million views on YouTube

EXOThe official music videos for EXO-K and EXO-M’s chart-topping new hit single “Overdose” have now surpassed a combined 10 million views on YouTube. As of Tuesday morning, the music video for EXO-K’s Korean version had been viewed more than 7.3 million times on YouTube in less than a week, while its counterpart EXO-M’s Mandarin version had drawn more 3.2 million views, for a combined total of over 10.5 million hits.“Overdose,” the lead track from the group’s latest EP of the same name, topped a

May 13, 2014

Crossover band Jambinai set to tour the world

One of the nation’s most eclectic rock bands, Jambinai, will soon be spreading its crossover music to 14 countries including the U.S. and the U.K. in the band’s upcoming world tour, according to a statement released by Sony Music Korea. Jambinai is slated to perform around 25 shows, including a number of music festivals, across the world such as Denmark’s Roskilde Festival, the Exit festival in Serbia and the Sierra Nevada World Music Festival in the States. The band will be on tour for more tha

May 13, 2014

Actor Park Hae-jin gives Kang So-ra a ‘kiss of fire’

Actor Park Hae-jin gives Kang So-ra a deep kiss inside a flashy convertible in the third episode of the SBS medical show “Doctor Stranger,” aired on Monday, a calculated move to win her heart.The coldhearted elite doctor Han Jae-joon, played by Park Hae-jin, kisses Oh Soo-hyun, played by Kang So-ra, to calm her as she complains about him not spending much time with her.  Actor Park Hae-jin kisses Kang So-ra in the third episode of "Doctor Stranger." (SBS)Oh is a doctor and illegitimate daughter

May 13, 2014

AKMU tops Melon chart for 5 weeks, ventilates appearance-prevailing K-pop scene

Brother-sister duo Akdong Musician, nicknamed AKMU, topped the country’s largest music chart for the fifth straight week, a significant streak in the idol-prevalent K-pop scene. The acoustic duo members, Lee Chan-hyuk, 17, and Lee Soo-hyun, 14, remained No. 1 in Melon’s “top-20 artist ranking” and “top-20 album chart” from April 7 through May 11, YG Entertainment stated on Tuesday. The album also topped Mnet’s “M! Countdown” and SBS’ “Music Trend” for three consecutive weeks. Lee Soo-hyun (left)

May 13, 2014

Abashed Kang So-ra slaps Lee Jong-suk’s face in “Doctor Stranger”

An embarrassed Kang So-ra slaps Lee Jong-suk in the third episode of the SBS medical show “Doctor Stranger,” aired on Monday, marking a fiery first encounter at the hospital.Oh Soo-hyun, played by Kang So-ra, becomes upset when Lee Jong-suk, playing Park Hoon, pops up out of nowhere and successfully operates on an injured man whom she failed to save. Oh is a doctor and illegitimate daughter of a rich hospital owner, whereas Park is an orphaned water delivery man. Oh Soo-hyun storms up to Park Ho

May 13, 2014

Goo Ja-myung caught drunk-driving, ousted from 'Our Neighborhood Arts and Physical Education'

Soccer player-turned-singer Goo Ja-myung, 24, will leave KBS 2tv variety show "Our Neighborhood Arts and Physical Education" amid drunk-driving controversy.The soccer player-turned-singer was asked by the producers to leave the show as a token of self-discipline. The incident comes after the entertainment industry has kept a low profile recently in light of last month’s ferry disaster. Goo was involved in a car accident while driving drunk around 5 a.m. on Tuesday in Goyang City, northwest of Se

May 13, 2014

K-pop musicians rush out to play in May

A number of K-pop celebrities are gearing for a comeback as the nation is slowly getting back on track following the trauma of the Sewol ferry sinking last month.A new EP has been released almost every day since the local music industry started to defrost after the ferry disaster, music industry watchers said.Starting with EXO’s comeback on May 7, the K-pop charts have been pumped with new songs.Music programs, which voluntarily halted as a tribute to those who died aboard the ferry Sewol, are e

May 13, 2014

Kara hunts for new members through reality TV show

Former five-member girl group Kara searches for new members, as members Ji-young (left) and Nicole (second from left) have left the group. (DSP Media)Contrary to rumors that the departure of Nicole and Ji-young from Kara would result in the end of the popular idol girl group, fans can let out a sigh of relief as Kara will be making its way back to the public eye this month. According to an announcement by DSP Media on Monday, the formerly five-member act is, in fact, searching for replacements a

May 12, 2014

Girl’s Day Yura, Teen Top C.A.P act out lovers in “Night and Day”

Girl’s Day’s Yura and Teen Top’s C.A.P played lovers in the music video of “Night and Day” from the latest EP by Wheesung.The two K-pop stars portrayed a romance that turns tragic. C.A.P, who loses Yura due to a lack of determination, tries to win her back by time-traveling to the past.  Yura and C.A.P in "Night and Day" (from "Night and Day") Yura and C.A.P in "Night and Day" (from "Night and Day")The EP, titled “The Best Man,” contains seven songs, including “Night and Day.” The music videos f

May 12, 2014

K-pop stars anticipate the May 19 Coming-of-Age Day

f(x) Crystal (left), Miss A Suzy (upper center), Tiny-G Dohee (lower center) and Teen Top Niel (right). (Talent agencies, facebook)A series of K-pop artists, including Miss A’s Suzy, Teen Top’s Niel and f(x) ’s Crystal, are anticipating the annual Coming-of-Age Day on May 19. This year’s Coming-of-Age Day is expected to include more celebrities, as the amended law lowers the coming-of-age by a notch, from 20 to 19. The new civil law took effect from July 1, 2013, and applies to those born betwee

May 12, 2014

2PM Nichkhun beams about SNSD Tiffany in 'Running Man'

Nichkhun (left) and Yoo Jae-suk talk in SBS reality show "Running Man." (SBS)2PM’s Nichkhun is “happy” about his puppy-love relationship with Girls’ Generation member Tiffany, the K-pop boy band member said on Sunday.In the May 11 episode of the SBS variety show “Running Man,” Nichkhun beamed happily when show host Yoo Jae-suk asked him, “Since when did you two start dating each other?” Nichkhun avoided a direct answer but instead cried out, “I am happy (to be with her),” spreading the happy atm

May 12, 2014

EXO-M tops China’s CCTV music chart with ‘Overdose’

EXO-M tops the music chart in China. (CCTV)EXO-M, the Chinese unit of K-pop boy band EXO, topped the music chart on Chinese state-run media outlet CCTV, SM Entertainment said Sunday.“Overdose,” the title track of the boy band’s latest EP, won the most votes on “CCTV Global Chinese Music Bang Shang Bang,” which aired live in China on Saturday 7:30 p.m. local time. The music program is the first of its kind to have the audience vote via telephone, Internet and SNS, according to SM Entertainment.EX

May 11, 2014

Kim Sung-ryeong okayed her role in “Fatal Encounter” partly for Hyun Bin

Actress Kim Sung-ryeong (Issue Daily)Kim Sung-ryeong said actor Hyun Bin was part of the reason she joined the cast of historical epic film “Fatal Encounter” on KBS 2tv “Entertainment News” Saturday.The comment came as Kim, 47, was asked about a past statement she made, calling Lee Min-ho her ideal date and Hyun Bin her ideal husband. When she was asked again if she took up her part because of Hyun Bin, she jovially said “partially.”The actress won public envy as she played the beloved mother of

May 11, 2014

Singers resume releases delayed by ferry disaster

(from left) g.o.d.’s “The Lone Duckling” (IHQ), Baek Ji-young’s “Bulggot” (WS Entertainment)Singers are resuming releases stalled after the Sewol ferry disaster in April.They have delayed their releases amid national grief over the ferry sinking off the southern coast on April 16, which killed 269 passengers and left 35 people still missing. EXO released their second EP “Overdose” on Wednesday, followed by single “Bulggot” by Baek Ji-young. K-pop group g.o.d. reunited and made a full comeback on

May 9, 2014