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

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

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

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

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

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 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

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

One has not witnessed the true beauty of Changdeokgung Palace until seeing it unveiled under a full moon, the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation claims. And it is beautiful with the full moon rising above Buyongji Pond and brushing through the royal court of Nakseonjae and the Secret Garden. Prior to the foundation’s launch of the “2014 Moonlight Tour at Changdeokgung Palace,” all visitors had to exit this UNESCO world heritage site by 6 p.m. without exception. But thanks to the monthly special

Culture May 9, 2014

Preorders for EXO’s second EP, “Overdose,” have exceeded 650,000 copies, a new record in K-pop, SM Entertainment said Tuesday.“Overdose” contains five songs: “Overdose,” “Moonlight,” “Thunder,” “Run” and “Love, Love, Love.”About 56.5 percent of the 658,710 pre-ordered copies, the agency said, were Korean editions and the rest Chinese. The count continued until the official release of “Overdose” on Tuesday, May 7.As soon as the EP was officially released, its title track, also entitled “Overdose,

May 7, 2014

Korean actor Ji Chang-wook is laying the groundwork for widening his presence in Asia, benchmarking the hallyu-star formula already demonstrated by Kim Soo-hyun and Lee Min-ho.Whereas the Korean actor’s overseas activities have so far only included Japan, his agency seeks to present him to a broader audience throughout Asia, following his success on MBC TV show “Empress Ki.”Ji’s popularity has been rising on the back of his role on “Empress Ki,” which drew up a stunning 28.7 percent viewer ratin

May 2, 2014

Actress Uhm Ji-won, 37, will tie the knot with architect Oh Young-wook on May 27, Uhm’s talent agency said on Thursday.The announcement came just one month after the last episode of SBS’ “The Woman Who Married Three Times” aired on March 30, in which Uhm played lead character Oh Hyun-soo. Oh is the founder of architectural firm ogisadesign d’espacio architects (oddaa). The 38-year-old groom is also an author and illustrator who has published several books on travel and art.Uhm and Oh made their

May 1, 2014

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

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

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