There were times when young K-pop wannabes had to confront parents who were unsupportive of their seemingly rugged dreams. But with K-pop’s recent global success, the situation is now vastly different, with mothers of idol hopefuls standing firmly at the forefront of raising their kids to be the next K-pop stars. To deliver such a message, “Idol Moms,” Lifetime Korea’s new reality show co-produced with S.M Entertainment, focuses on the lives of such young K-pop wannabes and their mothers, who fu

Television Jan. 30, 2018

Steve Aoki, the mastermind behind BTS’ “Mic Drop” remix, has confirmed his next collaboration with K-pop’s reigning boy band. The musician-producer recently told US pop site Trending Live that he plans to release an original track with BTS this year. Steve Aoki (Yonhap)“That (‘Mic Drop’ remix) was the start. And now we got some new music coming out for 2018. That’s exciting as well. So we got this remix to put out there, but now we have some more original music as well,” he said. The “Mic Drop”

Performance Jan. 30, 2018

Juggling her roles as a singer and an actress, Suzy has been keeping a delicate balance. Just when the scale seems to have tipped toward acting, the former Miss A member once again jumped toward music with her new EP “Faces of Love.”  Suzy at a media showcase for her new EP “Faces of Love” in Seoul on Monday. (JYP Entertainment)The singer’s second EP released Monday evening marks her first album release since her R&B-tinged debut EP “Yes? No?” in January last year. Returning as a soloist has bee

Performance Jan. 29, 2018

There are certain images that K-pop legend BoA, who has spent nearly 19 years in entertainment, keeps away from the public. Her seemingly confident and uptight image seems incompatible with letting loose. She was a “steadfast” musician who pioneered through the rugged K-pop world from the age of 13. And in her upcoming single and first reality show, the veteran singer decided to unveil her true and different selves that weren’t always depicted in the media. “As I got older, I got comfortable wit

Performance Jan. 26, 2018

Actress Han Hye-jin will return to the small screen for the first time in four years in a new MBC series with the working title “Let’s Look at the Sunset Holding Hands,” the channel said Friday. Han will play lead role Nam Hyun-joo in the upcoming drama, which revolves round Nam’s last romance amid her nearing death. The drama unfolds as Nam, who has apparently been happily married to Kim Do-young, her longtime lover since college, suddenly decides to divorce him and goes on a search for new rom

Television Jan. 26, 2018

Jung Yong-hwa of CNBLUE will begin his compulsory military service on March 5, his agency FNC Entertainment said Friday. The agency announced in an official statement that Jung had received his enlistment notice and canceled all overseas tours scheduled after his upcoming Hong Kong concert slated for Saturday.  Jung Yong-hwa (FNC Entertainment)Asking fans for understanding, the agency also said, “We will do our best to make sure our action doesn’t have a negative effect on fans by taking adequat

Performance Jan. 26, 2018

“The reason for my US tour? I want to compete with hip-hop musicians in the US in the future,” said BewhY in his dimly lit studio when asked about his six-stop US tour in November last year. He was more than serious, sitting with his hands firmly clutched together and a determined look on his face. And surprisingly, it didn’t sound so cocky when he added, “And in the distant future, I know I will be the best.”The dream of stateside success has been bubbling inside the ambitious 25-year-old rappe

Performance Jan. 25, 2018

Jonghyun“Poet | Artist”Genie Music Honestly, it wasn’t easy to go through Jonghyun’s posthumous album “Poet | Artist,” maybe because it was a bittersweet testament to the late music prodigy’s genius and his passion for music. Peppered throughout the album, recorded before the SHINee vocalist’s passing last year, is Jonghyun’s outstanding musical artistry, particularly evident in his creative lyrics and sonic style which incorporate everything from electronic pop, edgy R&B and future bass to acou

Performance Jan. 24, 2018

Actress Kim Yoo-jung will be back on the small screen with JTBC’s upcoming drama “Clean with Passion for Now” (tentative title).The channel on Tuesday confirmed that Kim will play job-seeker Kil Oh-sol in the webtoon-based drama revolving around a budding romance between Kil and heart-throb Jang Sun-kyul. The story unfolds as Jang, a cleaning business’ CEO obsessed with hygiene, falls in love with Kil, a carefree girl who puts aside “cleanlness” for making everyday living. It has been reported t

Entertainment Jan. 23, 2018

Jun Tae-soo, the younger brother of actress Ha Ji-won, died Sunday after reportedly battling depression.  The actors’ agency Haewadal Entertainment on Sunday released a statement addressing his untimely death. It read, “Jun passed away on Sunday at the age of 33. He was being treated for depression and had recently been in discussions for his next project as an actor, as his condition seemed to improve.” (Jun`s Instagram)The agency also stated that Jun’s family plans to hold a private funeral at

Television Jan. 22, 2018

Legendary K-pop act BoA, often dubbed “Star of Asia,” will return with a new single “Nega Dola” on Jan. 31, the singer’s agency S.M. Entertainment said Monday. According to the agency, the hip-hop-influenced “Nega Dola” will feature a blend of Latin-flavored guitar sounds and synths, while it lyrically touches upon the complicated thoughts of a woman struggling with an obsessive lover.  A teaser image of BoA‘s upcoming single “Nega Dola“ (S.M. Entertainment)After releasing the new single at the

Performance Jan. 22, 2018

K-pop producer Teddy has become embroiled in yet another plagiarism controversy. The producer, who has worked with big-name K-pop groups such as Big Bang and 2NE1, has recently come under fire for “Heroine,” K-pop solo artist Sunmi’s new single, which is being criticized for allegedly copying “Fight For This Love,” a hit of British singer Cheryl Cole.Teddy is no stranger to plagiarism allegations. The producer, who leads The Black Label, a music production subsidiary under YG Entertainment, land

Performance Jan. 19, 2018

Yang Yo-seob of K-pop group Highlight will return solo in mid-February after six years, his agency Around Us Entertainment said Friday. According to the agency, Yang recently wrapped up shooting concept photos for his upcoming solo album in Sapporo, Japan. He is scheduled to shoot a music video soon. The album’s release date has not been set yet. (Around Us Entertainment)The album, which will mark his first solo release since “Caffeine” in 2012, will consist of tracks composed and penned by the

Performance Jan. 19, 2018

JooE of Momoland denied ongoing rumors that claimed she had bullied fellow students while at school. The singer’s agency Duble Kick Company on Friday released an official statement to rebut the rumors, saying it would legal action against any further rumors regarding the issue. The statement read, “Please help our girls, who have been trying their best every moment for their dreams, to not get hurt by those false rumors. From this moment on, we will take legal actions against such malicious acti

Performance Jan. 19, 2018

Sunmi’s latest single “Heroine,” which has been topping charts upon its release Thursday, has come under fire for allegedly copying another musician’s music. The controversy came with netizens flooding social media Wednesday to point out striking similarities in the melodies and beats between “Heroine” and “Fight For This Love,” a hit of British singer Cheryl Cole that swept UK charts in 2009. A concept photo for Sunmi’s new single “Heroine” (MakeUs Entertainment)Comments by outraged fans includ

Entertainment Jan. 19, 2018