Eunhyuk: f(x) are breathtakingly pretty

Super Junior member Eunhyuk has revealed a photo taken with K-pop girl band f(x).“Wow, I saw f(x)! (They) even took a photo with me! So nice. So pretty. Can’t breathe. Oh, oh” Eunhyuk wrote on his Twitter as the photo showed five members of f(x) in sparkly stage outfits and Eunhyuk posing.Following the photo of the group and Eunhyuk, he went on to take pictures with individual members, showing his tight bond with f(x), which is under the same management company as Super Junior.Eunhyuk visited th

July 8, 2014

IU gave up college because of bad grades

Korean singer IU gave up on college because her high school grades were below average, she said Monday on television program Healing Camp. “My mentor told me that it is very easy to get into Seoul National University but there were no colleges available with my grades,” she said. “I don’t think I liked school that much. I was just waiting for freedom from school.” IU began working as a singer during high school, she added as another factor. The program hosts good-naturedly told her that it was a

July 8, 2014

Historical films set to cool off summer

Joseon era (1392-1910), $17 million, star-studded casts and historical films are some of the defining words of the Korean film industry for the summer of 2014.It is no coincidence that three large-scale period movies will open in theaters in July and August, only weeks apart from each other. “Kundo: Age of the Rampant” will be the first to open on July 23, followed by “Roaring Currents” on July 30 and then “The Pirates” on Aug. 6. These films are part of the box-office trend in which historical

July 7, 2014

f(x) releases new studio album

K-pop girl group f(x) has made a long-awaited return to the local music scene, equipped with fresh electro-pop sounds and eclectic musical styles.The five girls of f(x) ― Victoria, Krystal, Amber, Sulli and Luna ― officially released their new 11-track studio album “Red Light” on Monday, with the eponymous title track “Red Light” immediately climbing up to the top of local music charts.f(x). (SM Entertainment)The lead single “Red Light” is a funky electro-pop tune that opens with a rap-like chan

July 7, 2014

YG’s hip-hop boy band Winner to debut Aug. 1

YG Entertainment will debut Winner, a new five-member hip-hop boy band, on Aug. 1. This will be the first time in eight years that YG has debuted a male idol group. The agency has completed a three-week promotional campaign for the group that began on June 16. Winner. (YG Entertainment)In the three weeks, dubbed “Test Week,” “New York Week” and “Winner Week,” it released new individual and group teasers every day. “Winner Week” featured a total of six movie clip teasers, with the last one releas

July 7, 2014

EXO’s Chen to sing on drama soundtrack

K-pop sensation EXO’s Chen will contribute a song to the soundtrack for the drama “It’s Okay, That’s Love” in his first solo activity since his debut in 2012.  (EXO's Chen)The news about Chen’s participation on the album has excited EXO fans who viewed it as a move to back fellow member D.O., who has a role in the TV series. D.O is to play an innocent high school student who dreams of becoming a best-selling author to make his mother happy.  (EXO's D.O)The SBS-TV drama will also feature top-clas

July 7, 2014

Shinhwa’s Kim Dong-wan to star in 10th anniversary of ‘Hedwig’

Kim Dong-wan during Shinhwa's 16th anniversary concert (OSEN)K-pop singer and actor Kim Dong-wan is to play the role of transgender rocker “Hedwig” from mid-August, officials in the local musical industry said.The musical team selected Kim for the lead role to mark its 10th anniversary in Korea as he is able to bring out the unique character of Hedwig while performing steady yet powerful vocals.“Kim Dong-wan is full of merits. On the outside he is manly and masculine but on the inside he is sens

July 7, 2014

Top 5 tattoo-loving hallyu stars

Tattoos are no longer a symbol of gangsters on the backstreets in Korea. They have rather become fashion items to represent one’s identity and philosophy. With such a trend, more and more Korean celebrities are getting inked with their own unique designs. The Korea Herald listed the top five hallyu stars who have tattoos. 1. Lee Hyori (OSEN)K-pop diva Lee Hyori has multiple tattoos on her neck, right wrist and right arm. (OSEN)(OSEN)While Lee tattooed the simple word “love” on the back of her ne

July 7, 2014

Joo Won to appear as guest on ‘Running Man’

South Korean actor Joo Won will appear as a guest on the hit SBS-TV variety show “Running Man.” The 26-year-old heartthrob will participate in the filming of the program in Seoul on Tuesday, eight months after he stepped down from the KBS-TV reality show “1 Night, 2 Days.” Joo’s appearance on the show comes following months-long efforts by the production team. Having wrapped up his work in the musical “Ghost,” the actor is gearing up for his upcoming drama “Nodame Cantabile,” in which he will pl

July 7, 2014

SNSD’s Yoona to play lead in ‘Nodame Cantabile’

Yoona, actress and member of K-pop girl group Girls’ Generation, confirmed Monday that she would play the female lead in the drama “Nodame Cantabile.”  (OSEN)The idol will play Nodame, a talented yet eccentric piano student, a counterpart to Korean actor Joo Won who will play her boyfriend and conductor. Veteran actor Baek Yoon-sik and Dohee of K-pop girl group Tiny-G have also joined the cast, playing Nodame’s teacher and a music student named Sakura, respectively. Nodame Cantabile was original

July 7, 2014

KARA’s Han Seung-yeon in orange makeup

K-pop girl group KARA’s Han Seung-yeon is seen with orange makeup in the fashion magazine High Cut. This summer issue shows the K-pop star in pure white outfits with various orange shades of makeup. By Cho Han-na, Intern reporter (hnncho@heraldcorp.com)(Photo credit: High Cut)

July 7, 2014

YG to debut K-pop rookie band WINNER in August

South Korean entertainment powerhouse YG Entertainment is to debut its long-awaited rookie idol band WINNER in August. WINNER, the five-member boy group unveiled by the agency in 2013, wrapped up its “WINNER WEEK” last Sunday with a sixth teaser video on the YG official blog that heralded the group’s debut on Aug. 1. The fledgling band has broadened its presence for the last three promotional weeks -- “TEST WEEK,” “NEW YORK WEEK” and “WINNER WEEK” -- while disclosing photo shoots taken in Korea

July 7, 2014

Lee Hyori introduces her sister on blog

K-pop diva Lee Hyori introduced her older sister on her blog on Saturday. “My older sister visited me on a rainy day. We look alike and share many (of the) same things,” Lee said. Both joyfully played cat’s cradle, the photos showed. Other photos showed Lee dyeing her and her husband’s nails with garden balsam, which is one of the traditional Korean ways to naturally color one’s nails. “A friend of mine gave me some garden balsam. My sisters and I used to dye (our) nails with the flowers every y

July 7, 2014

Lee Young-ae boasts casual yet chic style

Hallyu star Lee Young-ae showed off a casual yet chic style in a photo shoot with the magazine StyleChosun.  (StyleChosun)Wearing jeans and a T-shirt as well as Cartier accessories, Lee’s style was both casual and luxurious. (StyleChosun)More photos are available in the magazine’s July issue. (khnews@heraldcorp.com)

July 7, 2014

Ada Liu alleges dating 2PM Chansung, Korean agency denies

Chinese actress and emcee Liu Yan (Ada Liu) sent shockwaves as she admitted to reporters that she is in a relationship with Chansung of K-pop boy band 2PM. Liu, 34, met the Korean singer when they were participants on the Chinese dating entertainment show “If You Love.” Since then they have been in a romantic relationship, the actress alleged in a press conference for the launch of her friend’s new project in China. She told the press, “I’m currently in a relationship. My boyfriend has met my pa

July 7, 2014

‘Doctor Stranger’ gets nearly 400 million views in China

‘Doctor Stranger’ gets nearly 400 million views in ChinaThe South Korean TV series “Doctor Stranger” has gained popularity throughout China with the number of hits coming close to 400 million on the country‘s major online video services, a local entertainment agency said Monday.The drama series recorded 330 million views on Youku and 50 million views on Todou, both of China’s leading video streaming and downloading services as of Sunday night, according to WM Company, which manages one of the dr

July 7, 2014

Jang Na-ra tells of awkward past relationship with Jang Hyuk

Actress Jang Na-ra confessed that she didn’t even talk to actor Jang Hyuk 12 years ago when they costarred in the hit rom-com drama “Successful Story of a Bright Girl” in 2002.“I did not (privately) chat with him, except when we talked during the filming of the drama back then,” the singer-turned-actress said Sunday during an interview on the MBC show “Section TV.” “We did not even know each other’s mobile numbers. I am not the (kind of) person who can approach someone first. That’s why we could

July 6, 2014

Haru is my muse, Epik High’s Tablo says

Tablo, a member of the South Korean hip-hop group Epik High, revealed two photos of his baby girl, Haru.  (Instagram)The 33-year-old rapper introduced his daughter as his “muse” in the captions to the photos taken at his recording studio. The celebrity father and his starlet baby are capturing the hearts of viewers while starring in the KBS-TV babysitting reality show “Superman Is Back.” 　By Ock Hyun-ju (laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)

July 6, 2014

Super Junior’s Choi Si-won turns into cyclist in film

Choi Si-won of K-pop idol group Super Junior unveiled a photo titled “with my friend” on his Weibo account last Saturday.  (Weibo)Choi is posing for a camera with Shawn Dou, a Chinese-Canadian actor on the film set for “Breaking Through the Wind.” The duo are smiling, wearing sportswear and making V signs.  　The two are costarring in the upcoming film, directed by Hong Kong director Lin Chaoxian.　The 28-year-old heartthrob will play a Korean-Chinese cyclist in the film about young cyclists overc

July 6, 2014

JYJ to embark on Asia tour from August

K-pop idol band JYJ plans to meet Asian fans in eight cities across Asia including Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai and Vietnam, starting in August. (C-JeS Entertainment)The trio will begin its concert tour “The Return of the King” with the first concert to be held on Aug. 9 in Seoul. The first round of tickets to the upcoming concert sold out in just 20 minutes. The second round of ticket sales is slated to open on July 8. The concert tour will come shortly after the release of the group’s second s

July 6, 2014