Han Geng joins ‘Transformers 4’ cast

Han Geng, a Chinese pop singer and former member of K-pop group Super Junior, is set to join the cast of “Transformers 4.” Hollywood director Michael Bay posted on his website, “He’s one of Asia’s top stars in the worlds of music, television, and movies and has become one of the most influential entertainers in China.”Bay announced that some of the scenes would be filmed in China, so he would be casting six Chinese actors. Han Geng will be joining a top-name cast that includes Chinese actress Li

July 16, 2013

B-boys take center stage at Seoul international contest

The distinctive, dynamic style of break dancing was first introduced by young street dancers in New York City in the early 1970s. About a decade later, b-boying made its way to Korea and over the last decade, the b-boy craze in Korea has taken flight, soaring in popularity among the young. Around 200 high-flying, head-spinning b-boys from all around the world gathered together with their crews to lay it all on the line at this year’s annual R-16 World B-Boy Masters Championship held in Seoul ov

July 16, 2013

700 fans welcome Rain as civilian

Around 700 fans from all over the globe including Japan, China, Turkey, Malaysia and the U.S. gathered together in Yongsan, Seoul, on Wednesday morning to welcome back K-pop star Rain during his military discharge ceremony.“Thank you all for coming,” said Rain. “I will do my best and work hard to show everyone the best side of myself.” With some fans having waited overnight outside the Defense Ministry gate to catch a glimpse of the star, the entertainer left the base expressing his gratitude to

July 10, 2013

CNBLUE’s new single hits No. 1 on presale charts

Four-member band CNBLUE’s new single “Lady,” which is slated for release in Japan on July 31, has hit No. 1 in the presale album charts. “Lady,” the band’s sixth single in the country, topped Japanese album franchise HMV’s “Korea & Asia” daily presale charts on July 4. The pop band also rose to No. 2 on its weekly charts, raising fans’ expectations for the upcoming release. “Lady” is to be released along with two other tracks, “Don’t Care” and “Monday,” which were written by member Jung Yong-hwa

July 9, 2013

Boyfriend battles burden of good looks in Japanese film

K-pop group Boyfriend attended the premiere of Japanese romantic comedy “GOGO Ikemen 5” at United Cinemas Toyosu in Tokyo on Saturday. The members of Boyfriend play leading roles in the film.The group landed the roles six months after their Japanese debut with single “Be My Shine” in August 2012. In “GOGO Ikemen 5,” the five “pretty boys” who excel in sports, academics and looks are tired of girls paying attention only to their looks. When the innocent and pure Kanna, a girl who does not care fo

July 9, 2013

FT Island’s Lee paints nails to book success

FT Island vocalist Lee Hong-gi’s nail art book has topped a book-magazine pre-order chart in Japan, Tower Records announced Sunday. “Lee Honggi Nail Book” has remained on top since last week. It also topped the Korean online bookstore Interpark’s weekly bestseller chart last week. The 144-page book includes photos of Lee and his self-done nails with some useful tips on how to apply nail polish and accessories on nails. In the book, Lee also talks about his philosophy and recounts a number of ane

July 9, 2013

Jang Keun-suk welcomes foreign fans with self-promotion billboard

Hallyu star Jang Keun-suk has installed a billboard advertisement featuring himself at Gimpo International Airport. The advertisement is mainly aimed at welcoming foreign fans entering Korea. “Jang Keun-suk wanted to repay his foreign fans for their love and support, so he participated in the making of the billboard,” said Tree J Company, the agency representing Jang.The billboard is located at the entrance of the international flight immigration checkpoint and reads, “Jang Keun Suk Welcomes You

July 4, 2013

‘Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time’ to be released in Japan next month

One of the biggest box-office hits of 2012, “Nameless Gangster: Rules of the Time,” is opening in Japan on Aug. 31 under the Japanese title of “Bad Guys.” The action flick directed by Yoon Jong-bin stars two big-name actors, Choi Min-sik and Ha Jung-woo. The film is set in the ’80s and ’90s in Busan when corruption and crime were so rampant that the government declared a war against organized crime in 1990. The movie attracted over 4 million moviegoers in the first 26 days of its release here. D

July 4, 2013

Ailee to release EP

Singer Ailee is planning to release her second EP titled “A’s Doll House” in July. The 24-year-old singer known for her strong vocal skills has already unveiled the album cover and also plans to provide a teaser video for the album via an online music site on Friday. For her latest album, Ailee has adopted a unique look, donning lighter hair and a nose stud on the album cover. “Ailee’s image on the album cover is both lively and chic, giving off an interesting vibe,” said the singer’s agency, YM

July 4, 2013

Series of celebrity hospitalizations arouse concerns

June was a tough month for a number of entertainers who had to postpone their activities due to injuries and illness. Comedian and presenter Park Mi-sun sustained injuries to both her ankles while filming MBC’s “Blind Test 180” on June 26. The accident occurred as she was trying a “flying chair,” in which participants are thrown into the air before landing in a swimming pool. It was revealed that Park might need surgery and it would take up to three months for her ankles to heal. Meanwhile, acto

July 2, 2013

CNBLUE, Crying Nut copyright spat gets nasty

Pop band CNBLUE countercharged punk band Crying Nut on June 27 with spreading false information following Crying Nut’s earlier suit against CNBLUE for copyright infringement.CNBLUE also filed for an injunction against Crying Nut’s online criticism. The copyright dispute arose on Feb. 12 when Crying Nut filed a suit against CNBLUE and their agency FNC Entertainment for unauthorized use of their song “Pilsal Off-Side” on Mnet’s “M Countdown” in 2010. Crying Nut also charged that CNBLUE had release

July 2, 2013

K-pop stars aim to revive Korean Wave in Japan

Korean idol groups are reaching out to Japanese television drama market in a bid to create new Hallyu in the neighboring country.The idol stars are aggressively targeting the market, departing from the passive ways which were heavily relying on exporting music and dramas produced in Korea, with fine Japanese language abilities and fresh images. Unlike Korea where acting ability regarded as one of top qualifications for actors, Japan offers more opportunities to new faces that don’t have much exp

June 27, 2013

TV announcers find love in younger men

KBS TV announcer Chung Se-jin, 39, will marry a man 10 years her junior. The former presenter of KBS primetime news show “9 O’clock News,” Chung reportedly sent out wedding invitations to her colleagues earlier last week. The groom-to-be is a fellow Yonsei University alumnus and currently works at a commercial bank in downtown Seoul, sources said. Chung, who found fandom for her intelligent and modest news reading, will wed at a cathedral in Seoul on June 21. Chung’s former colleague, former KBS

June 18, 2013

FTISLAND to sing Japanese animation song

Five-member boy band FTISLAND will sing the closing song of animated film “Toriko,” which will hit cinemas in Japan on July 27, the entertainers’ agency said Thursday. The song “Shiawa Seoli” will be released as the group’s 11th Japanese single cover on July 24. “Toriko” is based on a comic with same name released through Shonen Jump magazine since 2008. It follows the journey of Toriko, a gourmand, in search of the best ingredients around the world. The comic book was made into a TV animation f

June 18, 2013

On the road beyond Seoul

Aiming to take tourists “from Seoul to Korea,” the K-shuttle is the nation’s only foreigner-only tour bus designed to encourage visitors to venture beyond the city limits of Seoul and experience all the splendors that Korea has to offer. It is estimated that 60 percent of tourists who visit Korea remain in Seoul without ever traveling outside the city limits. Supported in part by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and organized by the local offices of U.S. Travel, the K-shuttle tour bus was estab

June 18, 2013

Top 5 representative idol-turned-musical actors in South Korea

Pop singers in South Korea enjoy taking on new challenges to expand their careers in the entertainment industry into various fields. Musicals are one such avenue. The profession, which requires talent not only in singing but also in acting and dancing, is sometimes considered overly arduous for idols to manage. However, there are a few who overcame these underestimations of idols’ talents and successfully became competent musical actors. 1. Kim Jun-soo (JYJ)A member of K-pop group JYJ and also k

June 17, 2013

Agency strives to regain hallyu’s luster in Japan

Hallyu has grown much in Japan since 2004 when Korean melodrama “Winter Sonata” hit the jackpot there. The drama achieved record ratings on a state-run NHK, heralding the spread of the Korean Wave. In the decade since, hallyu has evolved in many respects, generating billions of won in revenues. But experts say the current state of hallyu is “just enough to maintain the status quo.”“The Korean Wave has not died in Japan, but it did not show any sign of growth in recent years,” said Kwon Ho-young

June 13, 2013

10 hottest celebrities in South Korea

 Sorting out a list of top celebrities is relatively easy for ardent Korean Wave fans who keep tabs on their favorite stars. For non-experts, not many lists offer a guide into who is winning the most hearts in South Korea. Here is The Korea Herald’s list of the hottest celebrities out there. Female1. Bae Suzy  Bae Suzy, better known by her stage name Suzy, debuted as a member of JYP Entertainment’s girl group Miss A in the summer of 2010. The 20-year-old singer-actress is one of the most talked-

June 12, 2013