Fly to the Sky to release first album in five years

Male ballad duo Fly to the Sky, consisting of singers Brian Joo and Hwanhee, will release its 9th studio album “Continuum” this month, marking its official return to the local music scene in five years.The 10-track album “Continuum” is slated to be unveiled on May 20 at midnight through various music websites. The new album is the duo’s first album release since its 10th anniversary studio album “Decennium” in 2009.“Given that each member of Fly to the Sky has largely been establishing his own c

May 1, 2014

Choi Si-won hits 4 million followers on Twitter

(OSEN)Choi Si-won, a member of the K-pop group Super Junior, broke the record for the number of Twitter followers among Korean celebrities on Thursday.Choi had 4,018,648 followers as of 8:00 a.m. on Thursday. He is the first Korean celebrity to break the 4 million mark.Choi writes daily status updates on Twitter, communicating with fans all over the world. His Twitter account is also well-known for having a variety of photos of him posing with A-list celebrities such as movie director Steven Sp

May 1, 2014

Manager of YG club faces trial for alleged illegal business

(OSEN)The manager of a Hongdae club reportedly co-owned by YG Entertainment CEO Yang Hyun-suk will face trial this month for allegedly registering the club as a restaurant, therefore making it an illegal business, Yonhap reported.The 33-year-old club manager, only identified by his surname Kim, operated the club spread across two basement floors in a building owned by Yang. The entertainment agency chief is known to have participated in the club business in the form of a joint investment, accord

May 1, 2014

ZE:A to reunite in May

Korea’s famous boy band ZE:A will make a comeback in late May after a 10-month hiatus since the release of their EP album “Illusion” in August last year.According to news reports, despite their respective busy schedules, the members are expected to reunite as a full group and prepare for their new album.“There is a chance that the schedule might be changed, but the members had set the date for their comeback at sometime around the end of May. They are currently putting in their best efforts for

May 1, 2014

Sistar Soyou feels beyond Bora in team hierarchy

Korean girl group Sistar’s Soyou said her presence within the team hierarchy surpassed superstar Bora, thanks to the recent success of her recent duet track “Some” with Jung GiGo. Soyou’s comment came during MBC’s variety show “Radio Star” on April 30, when show host Kim Gura began praising Soyou, 22, for her recent success in the K-pop scene. When another “Radio Star” MC, Kim Guk-jin, asked her if she feels more self-confident these days, she said, “I don’t feel so self-confident but I feel lik

May 1, 2014

Managing expectations

Kim Myung-min knows how to act. He has managed to captivate viewers on screens big and small, perfectly morphing into whichever characters he was given. The star of two MBC dramas, “Great White Tower” (2007) and “Beethoven Virus” (2008), is now tackling the role of a cold-hearted hotshot lawyer who, after suffering from amnesia, turns into an opponent of social ills in a new MBC drama that went on air Wednesday.In “A New Leaf,” he plays Kim Suk-joo, a high-flying attorney at a major law firm who

April 30, 2014

Lena Park’s EP reduced to single as nation mourns

The 38-year-old Korean-American gospel-singer-turned-K-pop-star Lena Park (also known as Park Jung-hyun) has finally made a belated return with “Syncrofusion.” However, instead of releasing an EP album as originally intended, she decided to release only one single. Park was initially going to release “Syncrofusion” as a three-track EP on April 18. However, considering the tragic ferry sinking that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of young high school students, the singer’s agency announced tha

April 30, 2014

“Triangle” may be Kim Jae-joong’s last acting before military enlistment

JYJ member and actor Kim Jae-joong admitted on Wednesday that MBC TV show “Triangle” most likely would be his last show before military enlistment. “(Triangle) probably will be my last appearance in a TV show before leaving for military conscription,” the K-pop star said in a press conference for the drama held in southwest Seoul on Wednesday. “I do not have the exact date at hand, but I think we will release the next JYJ album in the second half of this year and finish the related activities be

April 30, 2014

Kim Soo-hyun earned $17.5mil within 2 months in China

(OSEN)South Korean actor Kim Soo-hyun has earned 110 million yuan ($17.5 million) in China in the past two months, a magazine reported on Wednesday.Since “My Love from the Star” became a sensation in Asia, Kim, who starred in the drama as lead character Do Min-jun, his income has skyrocketed. Kim’s value is measured by the second, quipped China’s weekly magazine South Entertainment Weekly.The advertisement market reflected Kim’s soaring fandom in China as the actor recently inked a deal with Sam

April 30, 2014

4Minute HyunA picks vivid lip makeup as her beauty secret

HyunA of Korean girl group 4Minute said vivid-colored lip makeup is one of her top beauty tips.“I give emphasis to the lips,” the K-pop star said when was asked to share her makeup know-how in an interview with fashion magazine Elle. The interview accompanied HyunA’s photo shoot for Elle, where she flaunted her sexy curves and slim waist. She also identified her strong self-esteem as her source of sexiness. 　By Chung Joo-won (joowonc@heraldcorp.com)

April 30, 2014

Tabloids eye Jin Yi-han’s past self-acclamation on his “sexy collarbones”

Local tabloids on Wednesday were filled with reports about the rising actor Jin Yi-han’s past comment about his “sexy collarbones.”During an interview on weekly celebrity news show “Section TV,” aired on April 6, Jin Yi-han jovially regretted that his armored costume hides his “sexy collarbones.”The comment originally came as a response to a question about his sexy six packs, one of the early sources of his popularity. The blushing actor then jovially replied, “They (my six pack) are gone now …

April 30, 2014

2 Korean movies among top 12 female vengeance movies: Time

Two Korean movies, “Lady Vengeance (2005)” and “The Housemaid (2010),” are among the top 12 female vengeance films selected by the online edition of Time. “We present a dozen movies, from Hollywood, France and South Korea, that treat the vengeful-woman theme with fondness or dread, as comedy, melodrama or stark tragedy,” the U.S. weekly magazine wrote on Tuesday.In contrast to the magazine’s criticisms on Korean melodramas -– “classic Hollywood fare gone totally nuts” -– it gave Korean crime mov

April 30, 2014

Jeon Do-yeon first Korean actress to be Cannes jury member

Jeon Do-yeon has become the first Korean actress to be a jury member at Cannes International Film Festival in its upcoming edition.The actress has been announced as one of nine panel members who will join jury president Jane Campion. Jeon won the Best Actress prize at the renowned film festival in 2007 for playing the emotionally distraught mother in Lee Chang-dong’s drama “Secret Sunshine.” Joining Jeon and Campion as the main competition jury members are Chinese filmmaker Jia Zhangke, American

April 29, 2014

N.K. issues used only as fictional factor in ‘Doctor Stranger’: Park Hae-jin

Korean actor Park Hae-jin (left) and Chinese model and actor Zhang Liang pose in a press conference for SBS TV show　“Doctor Stranger” in Mok-dong, Seoul, Tuesday. (SBS)Actor Park Hae-jin, a major cast member in SBS show “Doctor Stranger,” said the melodrama portrayed the inter-Korean issue only as a fictional factor and was not intended to convey the actual inter-Korean abduction issue. “The major focus of the drama is in the melodrama (rather than the political message),” said Park, when asked

April 29, 2014

Lee Jong-suk overwhelmed by Park Hae-jin‘s good looks

Actors Lee Jong-suk (right) and Park Hae-jin of SBS TV show “Doctor Stranger” pose at a press conference held in Mok-dong, Seoul, Tuesday. (SBS Media) Actor Lee Jong-suk said he “felt inferior” to Park Hae-jin, who plays opposite him in SBS TV show “Doctor Stranger,” due to Park’s good looks. “I was awed by Park Hae-jin’s good looks and taste of fashion. … I felt inferior,” Lee said in a press conference for “Doctor Stranger” held in Mok-dong, Seoul, Tuesday. Lee said he hopes to reveal more mas

April 29, 2014

Zhang Liang offers condolence to ferry victims

Chinese model and actor Zhang Liang expressed his condolances to the victims of Sewol disaster, saying he understood what it’s like to lose a loved one.“I offer condolences to the (victims of) the (ferry) disaster in Korea. I feel for them, as I have had the painful experience of losing my father as well,” the Chinese celebrity said at a press conference for SBS TV show “Doctor Stranger” on Tuesday.“I hope to visit Korean often,” Zhang added.Zhang will play the classmate of cold-natured elite su

April 29, 2014

SM Entertainment chief Lee donates W1 billion for ferry disaster

(OSEN)SM Entertainment and its chief donated 1 billion won ($970,000) for victims of the sunken ferry Sewol on Monday, according to Red Cross officials.　The 500 million won was contributed from SM Entertainment CEO Lee Soo-man’s personal assets while the other half was made under the name of the entire company, the officials said.As Lee made the donation, he expressed grief over the disaster as a parent who nurtures trainees and celebrities like his own sons and daughters.“I am grief-stricken as

April 29, 2014

Jun Ji-hyun donates 100 million won to ferry disaster victims

 Famous Korean actress Jun Ji-hyun, also known as Gianna Jun, donated 100 million won for the victims of the Sewol ferry tragedy.The donation has been made under her real name, “Wang Ji-hyun,” to the Korean Red Cross. According to her agency, Jun Ji-hyun was deeply saddened when she heard news about the victims and their families. “I would like to share the pain and sadness of the victims and hope they never lose hope,” she was quoted as saying.Jun is also known for her previous donations made w

April 29, 2014

Pretty Korean boys

　  　Mirror, mirror, on the wall. Who is the girliest of them all?　 　Taemin, 20, member of boyband SHINee　The fresh-faced popster Taemin has gotten the public‘s vote for his dainty looks.　He came out tops in a poll of “Male Idols Prettier Than Women” in a March episode of Super Idol Chart Show, a variety show on Korean TV channel MNet. He beat the likes of BigBang’s G-Dragon (ranked third) and Super Junior‘s Kim Hee-chul (ranked fourth).　It is not hard to see why Taemin is the champion of the pre

April 29, 2014

Jeon Do-yeon named to join competition jury of Cannes

South Korean actress Jeon Do-yeon has been selected among the nine members of the main competition jury for this year's Cannes International Film Festival, the event's organizer said Monday.She became the first Korean to join the Cannes' jury since director Lee Chang-dong was appointed in 2009. No South Korean actor or actress has been chosen among the festival's jury members before. Led by New Zealand director Jane Campion, the winner of the Palme d'or for "The Piano" in 1993, the jury includes

April 29, 2014