SHINee’s Jonghyun Joins Upcoming Variety Program “Music Show”

Jonghyun of male group SHINee has joined MBC’s new variety program “Music Show.”

A representative of the show revealed to news outlet TV Report on January 14, “Jonghyun will be the youngest cast member of ‘Music Show.’ We will start filming next week.” This will be Jonghyun’s first time as a fixed member of a variety program.

The upcoming show features some of Korea’s representative singer-songwriters, who are all known for their natural talent both in the field of music and comedy. Through their skillful singing, the members will tell stories about life and the world. As we previously reported, Yoon Jung Shin, Lee Juck, Yoo Hee Yeol, and Yoo Se Yoon have been confirmed to be the MCs. With the addition of Jonghyun, it will be exciting to see what these musically and verbally talented men will bring to the table.

The show will air over the Lunar New Year.

Lee Min Ho’s Wax Figure in Hong Kong Museum

According to Newsen on January 13, Madam Tussaud’s Museum of Hong Kong revealed that they have a wax figure of Lee Min Ho. His wax figure will be on display in the museum until March 31.

Lee Min Ho began his acting career in 2006 but did not skyrocket to fame until 2009, when he starred as Gu Jun Pyo in KBS 2’s hit drama “Boys Over Flowers.” He showed off his charisma and proved that he was a top male actor shortly after in the action drama “City Hunter.” In his most recent drama, SBS’ “The Heirs,” Lee Min Ho received five awards and has been recognized as a talented star.

He is the only Korean celebrity to currently have a wax figure in Hong Kong’s museum. The exhibition manager said, “We are happy to introduce famous Korean actor Lee Min Ho as a new addition to the display. We congratulate him on his awards and accomplishments this past year, and look forward to having him as the highlight of Madame Tussaud’s Hong Kong museum for the next few months.”

The wax figure is dressed in a slim, black suit with a bowtie. He smiles at the camera and poses with one hand in his pocket. Have you seen it in person? Do you think it bears a similar resemblance? 

source:soompi

KARA’s Kang Ji Young Will Not Renew Contract with DSP

Local news source Sports Chosun is reporting that Kara member Kang Ji Young has no plans to re-sign with DSP Media. According to a source inside the industry, Kang Ji Young has made the final decision to leave Kara, and has sent a ” I have no intention to re-sign” contents certification. 

Sports Chosun also interviewed Kang Ji Young’s father, Kang Gun Wook through the telephone, who reported that “We have sent the contents certification. Before that, we notified DSP Media that we will send it.  While we are separating, I thought it was right that we end on good terms so that is why we proceeded in that manner.”

Kang Gun Wook also stated, “Before we sent the contents certification, we expressed our stance numerous times. The agency has not shown any particular reaction to it. Truthfully, we thought that when DSP Media released its statement about Nicole, there would be something about Ji Young too. It may be that the agency still has some lingering attachment to Ji Young.”

Kang Gun Wook explained that his daughter made such a decision since she has other dreams beside group activities. He stated, “Ji Young had a hard time while promoting as Kara. Since she was in the group as the youngest for seven years, she couldn’t do things she wanted. She is still young, and has a lot of things she wants to do. Since she had to fulfill her duties as the youngest, Kang Ji Young couldn’t challenge new things or purse her dreams individually.”

Kang Ji Young’s father continued, “While she could certainly earn a lot of money as part of Kara in the next 2-3 years, money is not what is important. Because I thought I should help my daughter do what she truly wanted too, we decided to leave DSP.”

About Kang Ji Young’s future, her father stated, “It is not time to reveal future plans as there is still time left on the contract, but it is true that Ji Young has dreams of being an actress.”

According to Sports Chosun, a source from DSP stated, “There is still a lot of time until April. We plan to meet with Kang Ji Young towards the end of this month and persuade her.”

To Segye Ilbo, one source from the agency stated, “After confirming the contents about Kang Ji Young’s stance, we will release an official statement.”

Recently, DSP Media announced that member Nicole will officially be departing from Kara January 16 as her contract with the agency ends. It wrote, “As of January 16, the contract between DSP Media and member Nicole, who has shared the joys and sorrows as part of Kara for the past seven years, will end. While her activities with Kara will end, we ask that you will cheer on Nicole with us, who is preparing for a new start.”

Last year in October,  DSP Media revealed that members Park Gyuri, Han Seung Yeon, and Goo Hara had re-signed with the agency in a two-year contract. Member Kang Ji Young‘s contract ends this coming April.

source:soompi

FTISLAND’s Lee Hong Ki Back to Filming After Injury

Good news! FTISLAND‘s Lee Hong Ki is back to filming his drama, “Hundred Year Bride,” after recovering from his injury resulting from a fall.

On December 16, FNC Entertainment reported that Lee Hong Ki dislocated his shoulder and suffered fractures to the face when he slipped and fell on an icy road. While he was diagnosed to need six weeks to make a full recovery, Lee Hong Ki was back on the set January 10 for the poster shoot of “Hundred Year Bride.”

According to a rep from the production team, Lee Hong Ki attended the shoot with a bright smile and energy, giving out heat packs to the members of the staff. 

Not only is Lee Hong Ki back for his drama, but also for his band. FTISLAND will continue on with their Asia Tour, hitting Shanghai and Taiwan on February 22 and 26, respectively.

Lee Hong Ki plays the male lead of Choi Kang Joo in “Hundred Year Bride,” a second generation chaebol and first born son of the Taeyang Group who has the looks, skills, and educational background. Due to the pain from his first love, Choi Kang Joo is cold and calculating to all those around him. “Hundred Year Bride” is a fantasty melodrama centered around the curse surrounding the Taeyang Group which dictates that the first brides of the eldest sons all die. It is expected to air mid-February.

source:soompi

7 Years of “We Got Married”: Is the Show in Danger of Cancellation?

It’s been seven years since MBC’s “We Got Married” first started its broadcast. With the central idea of a celebrity couple experiencing the married life, it was inevitable for the show to hit some bumps along the way. However, as people are claiming that the long time reality show is in a time of danger, it seems that “We Got Married” would like to clear up the idea of the show’s declining success.

On January 9, Producer Sun Hye Yoon (Sun PD) answered questions regarding the show during a “We Got Married Season 4” press conference. In response to a question regarding the show’s potential, Sun PD commented, “The reason for ‘We Got Married’s’ longevity is because of the people. The reason for the show’s long run and the talks of the show being in danger is all because of the people. When people (couples of the show) change, viewers may view similar occurrences differently. Thus, we hope that our program can continue to show its charm for 10, 20 years as the couples continues to change. Hopefully, ‘We Got Married’ can be a long running program like ‘Nationwide Singing Contest.’”

Furthermore, in regards to the show being in danger of cancellation, as seen by its controversies in 2013, Sun PD said, “There are people who say this show is in danger, but it is not a danger we think about. In the eyes of the viewers, there might be a desire for a couple to leave the show. Yet, that doesn’t put the show in danger.”

Back in 2013, “We Got Married” carried controversy when a special unseen clip of A Pink’s Na Eun’s backroom interview was released. The clip showed a staff member cursing at Taemin when trying to console a saddened Na Eun. Although the show apologized, the controversy continued to remain, and fans had protested for the couple to leave the show. Sun PD added her thoughts on the show’s danger accusation, by stating, “We want to show true feelings between the couple during their imaginary marriage. We have confidence that we can provide serious and heart-felt content, and that is the mindset we have when producing the show. Since we work on this show as a return gift for the fans of ‘We Got Married,’ we have confidence that there is no danger within the show’s production as well as the show itself.”

In addition, another big controversy that has followed the show was whether a script exists, which would convey that the show doesn’t provide any more real of a scene than does a drama or a movie. Sun PD clarified, “People don’t seem to understand a show’s production system. To say it correctly, we do not have a script like a drama where we write lines that the couples will say. Such script does not exist. All reality programs have some form of script. ‘Infinity Challenge’ and ‘Sunday Night’ all have scripts that direct the flow of the show. Such script is simply a guideline that is just has an outline in order to help with filming, but the scripts do not say what actions or behaviors the couples will show.  Also, we don’t give out the guidelines to the stars. Rather, we tell the managers and the stars the time, date, and place that they must meet, and right before they enter filming we give the stars a general explanation of what they will do that day. Hence, the things the stars do and say are natural and not directed by the staff.”

Despite what people may argue, it seems like “We Got Married” will continue to portray imaginary marriages between celebrities. On January 11, the show welcomed new couple, 2PM’s Wooyoung and actress Park Se Young, validating the reality show’s concept of changing couples.

We hope that in 2014 there will be only good news for “We Got Married.” Good luck Wooyoung and Park Se Young!

source:soompi

Parody of Chu Sarang on “Oot Cha Sa” Stirs Anger and Controversy

Although one may have no malice intention, certain boundaries should not be crossed. That seems to be the case for SBS’ comedy program, “Oot Cha Sa,” as one of the show’s corner seemed to have crossed the boundary between being humorous and being offensive.

On the January 10 broadcast of SBS’ “Oot Cha Sa” the comedy show introduced a new corner called ‘Cho Sarang,’ in which it followed characters ‘Cho Sung Hoon’ and his daughter ‘Cho Sarang.’ The new corner and the characters were obviously derived from Chu Sung Hoon and his daughter Chu Sarang, who currently star in the KBS variety show, “Superman Returns.”

However, the new corner instantly became a controversy as people viewed the parody as offensive rather than comedic. The exaggerated actions of Chu Sarang, emphasis on Chu Sung Hoon’s Korean accent, and focus on Chu Sung Hoon’s wife’s body figure and Japanese culture hit the wrong chord; the corner was quite uncomfortable to watch for many.

In response to the controversy, “Oot Cha Sa” has confirmed that they will cancel the corner, explaining that there was no intent to belittle the family. Furthermore, Chu Sung Hoon’s agency Bonboo Entertainment told Star News, “Chu Sung Hoon and his family believe that such corner was created because of the popularity and attention towards their family, and are thankful. However, Chu Sung Hoon regrets that viewers were unable to agree with the contents of the corner. He believes that SBS and staff have quickly settled this issue, and hopes that there will be a better chance in the future for him and his family to communicate with viewers through SBS.”

With news that “Oot Cha Sa” will not be continuing the corner, we can hope that the comedy program will learn from this mistake to create a better humorous environment. Currently, Chu Sung Hoon, his daughter Chu Sarang, and his wife, Yano Shiho, are receiving love through the KBS show, “Superman Returns,” which highlights how fathers take care of their children for a few days without the assistance of their wives.

source:soompi

Lee Seung Gi Experiences After Effects of Traveling with “Nunas” on “Running Man”

Singer and actor Lee Seung Gi revealed that he experienced after effects from his travels with the nunas of “Nunas Over Flowers.”

The final episode of tvN’s “Nunas Over Flowers” aired on January 10 in an episode aptly titled “After Getting to Know You, You’re Just a Tender-Hearted Woman,” also lyrics from Lee Seung Gi’s debut song “Because You’re My Woman.”

The adventures of the four nunas (actresses Yoon Yeo Jung, Kim Ja Ok, Kim Hee Ae and Lee Mi Yeon) and their baggage boy, Lee Seung Gi, came to an end in the Croatian city of Dubrovnik.

Lee Seung Gi met with PD Na Young Suk after the trip and was asked, “Do you think you could do better if you went one more time?” He was hesitant and revealed that he was still feeling the after effects of the trip.

In the preview for the “Nunas Over Flowers” Epilogue special, Lee Seung Gi confessed, “I appeared on ‘Running Man’ after the trip, but out of habit, I told Lee Kwang Soo, ‘Please wait here for a while,” and ran off before coming back.”

The special episode will reveal previously unreleased material, as well as the meeting between grandpas’ baggage boy Lee Seo Jin and fresh baggage boy Lee Seung Gi to discuss the itinerary for the trip.

“Nunas Over Flowers” Epilogue special will be aired on Friday at 9:50 PM KST on tvN.

source:soompi

Lee Jong Suk Receives Plaque of Appreciation for Lending His Voice for a Good Cause

On January 11, the handsome star made an appearance at the “Kind Voice Festival” held in Coex Hall, Gangnam. The event celebrated the project “Kind Library Project Season 3” organized by Standard Chartered Korea, which produced Korea’s first audio guide containing commentary on 500 art pieces. Ordinary citizens have lent their voices for the project, meant to provide the visually impaired with a unique way of experiencing art.

During the event, Lee Jong Suk got up on the stage to give a short demonstration of a piece titled “Experience Paintings through Our Ears.” To thank him for his participation, he was handed the Plaque of Appreciation by Standard Chartered Korea’s CEO Richard Hill. 

Fans could not help noticing Lee Jong Suk’s hair color, which has continued to make this handsome star stand out everywhere.

source:soompi

“We Got Married” 2PM’s Wooyoung Is Incredibly Nervous Meeting His “Wife” Park Se Young For the First Time

On the December 11 episode of the virtual marriage show “We Got Married,” the new couple Wooyoung (2PM) and actress Park Se Young met for the first time as husband and wife.

Wooyoung and Park Se Young are twenty-five and twenty-six, respectively, just one year apart.

With no idea who his fantasy couple partner would be, Wooyoung arrived at the meeting place first, and was not able to hide his restlessness and anxiety.

He was so  nervous, he couldn’t lift his head, and when he saw Park Se Young for the first time, he didn’t recognize her, and said, “It’s nice to meet you.” Wooyoung only realized something was up when Park Se Young didn’t respond. He finally remembered that they had met before during a commercial shoot as well as during music programs, where Park Se Young had been an MC, after which he apologized several times. At this point, the tough ‘Busan man’ in Wooyoung was nowhere to be found, and he said he hadn’t been so nervous since his debut. The nervousness continued, and during his interview, Wooyoung said, “It was a really weird day. I thought I was going to go crazy.”

On the other hand, Park Se Young was very calm and composed for their first meeting, different from what she says she’s usually like: outgoing and carefree. Although the first day was a little bit rough around the edges, there will no doubt be much to look forward to with this adorable couple!  

source:soompi

SHINee’s Onew in Talks and Bong Tae Gyu Confirmed to Join “Law of the Jungle”

Actor Bong Tae Gyu has been confirmed to join “Law of the Jungle,” while SHINee‘s Onew is looking over the offer.

According to a representative of the show, the actor will be joining the cast on their trip to Borneo, and Onew is currently fitting the show into his schedule. He can soon be expected to confirm his appearance on the popular variety program.

For Bong Tae Gyu, this will be his first time participating in a reality show. Known for his witty and unpredictable comments on SBS’ “Hwashin,” the viewers are anticipating to see him shine in a more exotic setting.

Onew is a fairly rare face on variety shows these days, and it will be exciting to see a new side of him as he steps into the jungle. Usually seen flashing his beautiful smile and showcasing his gentle image as the group’s leader, the possible transformation of Onew will most likely become one of the highlights of the upcoming season.

“Law of the Jungle” is undergoing some major changes as the fixed cast members decided to leave the show. In addition to Bong Tae Hyu, rising stars Seo Ha Joon and ZE:A‘s Dongjun, and comedian Hwang Hyun Hee have been confirmed to joined the Borneo season of the program.

The currently airing Micronesia season of “Law of the Jungle” has maintained its high ratings, and continues to dominate the time slot on Friday evenings.

source:soompi

Actor Seo Ha Joon Reveals Real Age and Surprising Same-Age Peers

Actor Seo Ha Joon appeared on KBS 2TV’s “Happy Together” on January 9, on a “2014 Rising Star” special episode which also featured Kim Sung Kyun, Do Hee, Han Joo Wan and Dal Shabet’s Subin.

He surprised everyone by revealing his real birth year. “I was born in 1989, but I had it raised on my profile. If you look up my profile, I am two years older than my real age.”

Turning 25 along with Seo Ha Joon this year include actor Lee Jong Suk, SHINee’s Onew, Girls’ Generation’s Taeyeon and 2AM’s Jo Kwon. When the MCs found this out, they teased him, calling him “old-faced,” because he looks older than he actually is, or at least compared to his peers.

Also present was Kim Sung Kyun, who was born in 1980 and has an “old face” as well. He joined in the commentary, saying, “Someone who has it worse than me. This is the first time we’re meeting, but I feel connected to you because of our old faces,” causing laughter all around. Previously, Kim Sung Kyun’s age was a hot topic when it was revealed that actor Gong Yoo was one year older than him.

Seo Ha Joon was in the recently concluded MBC daily drama “Princess Aurora.”

source:soompi

Jung Joon Young Takes a Selca with a Snake?

He might be the youngest of “1 Night, 2 Days” cast members, but he definitely has some courage!

While filming an episode of KBS2TV’s “1 Night, 2 Days” in the northern part of Gyeonggi Province, singer Jung Joon Young took a selca with an exotic friend. In the revealed picture, he can be seen posing with a massive snake around his neck, and showing no signs of horror, he pouts his lips for the camera. Known for his quirky 4D personality, the star has impressed his fans once again with his carefree and fearless attitude.

While the other members were taken aback by the sudden appearance of the snake, Jung Joon Young casually expressed his wish to take a photo with the exotic reptile, surprising his seniors.

In a previous episode, he shared his wish to become a popular blogger this year, and recently uploaded photos taken during the show’s trip to Jiri Mountain on his personal blog. The photos have quickly gained a lot of interest from fans, and you can check his blog here!

The winter vacation special of “1 Night, 2 Days” aired on January 12. 

source:soompi

Actor Jung Il Woo Is the King of “NG” Scenes

On January 15, the cameras of MBC program “Section TV Entertainment News” took viewers behind the scenes of “Golden Rainbow.” On that particular broadcast, actor Kim Sang Joong picked Jung Il Woo as the “NG King” of “Golden Rainbow.” 

At the filming site for “Golden Rainbow,” Jung Il Woo and Uee had a “NG” scene together due to messing up on lines. “NG” in film production language is an abbreviation for determining a scene shot as “No Good.” Jung Il Woo later confessed, “The script came to me yesterday, so I still haven’t been able to memorize all of my lines.” 

Jo Min Ki also chimed in saying, “There are two kinds of NGs. An NG is called when an actor is unprepared or when an actor wants to do better. In Jung Il Woo’s case, it’s the latter. Because he wants to do better, he gets more NGs.”

source:soompi

Park Se Young Remarks on Her First Episode of “We Got Married”

Actress Park Se Young (“Faith,” “School 2013“) revealed her feelings on appearing on variety show “We Got Married.” She recently starred in the KBS daily drama “Sincerity Moves Heaven.”

She appeared on MBC’s “We Got Married” with 2PM’s Wooyoung for the first time on January 11. Via Twitter, Park Se Young posted, “Thank you to those who watched the show and supported us! It was practically my first variety appearance so I was really nervous and probably made many mistakes… Please don’t be jealous, instead please give us your love^^ Please support us~♥.”

Apparently, Wooyoung mentioned that it’s the first time they met one another, but that’s not exactly true. Park Se Young has worked with 2PM’s Wooyoung previously. She was in a soft drink commercial with 2PM last year, in which she appeared baring her midriff, wearing short denim shorts and showing off her shapely legs. Her lively appearance and sexy charm surprised viewers who were used to the Park Se Young they had seen in dramas.

Park Se Young and 2PM’s Wooyoung join current “married” couples Jung Joon Young and Jung Yoo Mi, and Yoon Han and Lee So Yeon on “We Got Married.” The show broadcasts on MBC every Saturday at 5:05 PM KST.

source:soompi

Super Junior’s Kim Heechul to Appear on “We Got Married Global Edition” with Dream Girls member Puff Kuo

Kim Heechul of Super Junior and Puff Kuo (Guo Xuefu), a member of Taiwanese girl group Dream Girls, will be starring in the second season of “We Got Married Global Edition.”

Born in 1988, Puff Kuo debuted in 2011 as a member of Dream Girls along with members Tia Li (Li Yufen) and Emily Song (Song Miqin). She has gained many Taiwanese male fans through her chic and cute charms.

Dream Girls has already received much attention in Korea due to the fact that the leader, Emily Song is Korean (Korean name Song Mijin). She appeared in the KBS 2TV drama, “Invincible Lee Pyung Kang” in 2009.

A rep from SM Entertainment confirmed on January 10 to a Korean media outlet, “Kim Heechul will be starring in MBC Everyone’s ‘We Got Married Global Edition.’” Accordingly a Taiwanese news outlet also reported Puff Kuo will be appearing in “We Got Married Global Edition” making a couple with Kim Hee Chul.

The show will follow the basic format of MBC’s “We Got Married.” Last year, 2PM’s Taecyeon and Taiwanese actress Gui Gui couple starred on the show along with the FT Island’s Lee Hong Ki and Japanese actress Fujii Mina couple.

The new season of “We Got Married Global Edition” will air some time in April.

source:soompi

Sung Joon Opens Up about Dating Rumors with Suzy

Actor Sung Joon has spoken up about his 2013 dating rumors with “Gu Family Book” co-star Suzy.

He recently participated in the production press conference for his upcoming tvN drama “I Need Romance 3” on January 8, together with Kim So Yeon, Nam Goong Min, Yoon Seung Ah, Wang Ji Won, Park Hyo Joo, Park Yoo Hwan and director Jang Young Woo.

Sung Joon was linked to popular actress and singer, miss A’s Suzy, last year when they were spotted dining out. A video clip of the incident showed Sung Joon casually putting his arm around Suzy’s neck. Both agencies later denied the rumors, stating that the two were close friends and colleagues, and that other people were present as well.

Sung Joon was inevitably asked about the dating rumors at the conference, and he replied with an embarrassed smile, “What should I say?”

“I got criticized a lot because of it. She’s a very famous person so I think the impact was bigger. If it was someone else, it would have been different. I thought it wasn’t a big deal, but I became number one the next day [in search rankings].”

When asked if he remains close to Suzy, he replied, “I think she’s busy now. We’re not in contact with one another now. I felt apologetic (about the rumors).”

Sung Joon was asked if they were dating, and he denied those rumors flatly, “No. We’re not dating.”

Suzy, herself, addressed the rumors in November last year during miss A’s interviews promoting their second mini-album, “Hush.”

Now that we’ve got the dating drama out of the way, “I Need Romance 3” will tell the story of the lives of “alpha girls” in their 20s and 30s and the rivalry, friendship and love between them, set against the background of a home shopping company.

“I Need Romance 3” premieres on tvN on January 13 at 9:40 PM KST, and will air every Monday and Tuesday.

source:soompi

Heechul Calls Actress Park Soo Jin His “Wifey”

Super Junior member Heechul recently showed fans how close he is with actress Park Soo Jin.

On January 5, Heechul shared a photo of the two stars on his Instagram account with the caption, “It’s been a long time since I had a chance to meet up with my wife Soo! With Park Soo Jin. While we were sharing old stories, Soo told me, “Wow Chul! You’ve become totally nice. For real.” 

In the photo, Heechul peeks through his bangs with a serious expression on his face while Soo Jin smiles with a peace sign beside him. 

The two celebrities actually worked together previously on the 2010 SBS drama “Loving You A Thousand Times.” 

After returning from the army, Heechul is busy with Super Junior’s activities along with appearing on JTBC’s “War of Words” as an MC. 

Park Soo Jin last year hosted the program “2013 Tasty Road” and appeared in KBS 2TV drama “The Blade And Petal.” 

source:soompi

TVXQ’s Changmin to Leave “Our Neighborhood Arts and Physical Education”

Sad news for fans of TVXQ‘s Changmin.

According to an announcement made on January 7 by representatives of KBS2TV’s ”Our Neighborhood Arts and Physical Education,” Changmin has decided to leave the show after filming the basketball episode on January 15. 

In order to focus on promotions for TVXQ’s seventh album, he expressed his will to drop out of the show. After discussing the matter with the producers, they came to a mutual agreement on making the upcoming basketball episode his last one. The producers commented, “It is time to bid friendly farewell to Changmin, who has been with us since the first episode. He has shown endless passion and the meaning of hard work through ‘Our Neighborhood Arts,’ and we are very thankful for that. Please show a lot of love and support for Changmin, who will return to his original role as a TVXQ member.”

Changmin has been a fixed cast member of the show since the pilot episode, and for around nine months, he has hosted the program together with Kang Ho Dong. Thanks to his bright personality and role as the group’s youngest, the viewers have shown much love for the sporty idol. 

Kang Ho Dong will remain as the MC, but to fill the empty spot left behind by Changmin, we can expect to see entertaining guests fit for the episodes’ themes appear on the show. 

source:soompi

Suzy Meets Up with “Dream High” Teacher Uhm Ki Joon at His Musical

Suzy recently met up with actor Uhm Ki Joon when she went to see him perform in the musical “Werther”.

Uhm Ki Joon released a photo of their meeting on his Twitter account on January 5. It was accompanied by the following comment: “How little time left. A picture with Suzy who came to see the ‘Werther’ performance. After seven years of performing, only four shows left. Let’s do our best to the end.”

The photo shows the pair smiling and showing “V” poses while looking pretty friendly together.

Netizens had a few comments: “I’m seriously jealous of Uhm Ki Joon,” “So the ‘Dream High’ teacher and student have met,” and “Do your best right up until the last show!”

Meanwhile, Uhm Ki Joon is nearing the end of his time in the lead role of “Werther,” being shown at the CJ Towol Theatre and Arts Center. 

source:soompi

Lee Kwang Soo serenades 2,000 fans during his Malaysian fanmeeting

The beloved 'Running Man' giraffe Lee Kwang Soo went to see his fans in Malaysia, attracting thousands of fans!

He started off his first overseas fanmeeting of 2014 by coming up onto stage and serenading all his fans with a surprisingly gentle and smooth voice. All of the 2,000 fans present got to hear him sing Yoo Jae Ha's "Because I Love You" and Shin Seung Hoon's "I Believe".

He then went on to tell his fans what he'd been up to, showing off his usual humorous charms. He even called a few fans up onto stage to sign their T-shirts. A lucky fan even got a proposal, where he went down onto his knees, presented her with a rose, and even kissed the back of her hand!

Towards the end of the concert, he high-fived his fans and even linked fingers with them, providing awesome fan service as the self proclaimed 'Asia Prince' of 'Running Man'. An on-site staff said, "Lee Kwang Soo and the 2,000 fans who came to the fanmeeting united under one heart, and they had a great time for about 2 hours. Lee Kwang Soo prepared even the smallest details from the bottom of his heart so he could give back to his fans, so we were able to have a meaningful event."

source:allkpop

Kyuhyun Shows Off His Close Relationship with Changmin

TVXQ‘s Changmin and Super Junior‘s Kyuhyun are here again to show off their close friendship!

On January 6, Kyuhyun updated his Twitter and wrote, “Kyuhyun, who went musical practice but suddenly headed for SM Town Week TVXQ concert, and Changmin, who went to Super Junior’s concert. No gloomy Monday, cheer up. I’ll be back on Friday.” He also uploaded a series of two photos with Changmin.

Last year, during the SM Town Week, TVXQ held their concert from December 26th to the 27th, and Super Junior from December 28 to the 29th respectively. Although their schedules are jam packed, they did not forget to visit to cheer up each other.

In one of the revealed photos, Changmin is in a school uniform which he used for the “Hug” stage. Kyuhyun, on the other hand, holds a small slogan panel that says “I love TVXQ,” which was used for the 10th anniversary event on the 26th’s concert. In another photo, Kyuhyun is in a white stage costume, while Changmin puts on daily casual outfits. They displayed the best friendship through a series of the photos.

Meanwhile, TVXQ released their 7th album “Tense.” Before the release, they performed a title song “Something” for various music TV programs. Kyuhyun is scheduled to perform for musical “The Moon Embraces the Sun” from January 18.

source:soompi

JYJ’s Kim Junsu’s Twin Follows Brother and Signs Contract with Same Agency

Looks like the brothers will be labelmates!

Kim Junsu’s twin Kim Moo Young has signed an exclusive contract with C-JeS Entertainment after officially changing his name from Kim Juno.

An agency representative stated, “We have started working with Kim Moo Young not too long ago. After officially changing his name, we have seen him being eager about local promotional activities.”

Kim Moo Young is currently participating in the filming of MBC’s historical drama “Empress Ki” starring Ha Ji Won, Joo Jin Mo, Ji Chang Wook and more. His brother Junsu lent his voice for drama’s soundtrack with emotional ballad “I Love You.”

source:soompi

SM Releases Statement Regarding Leeteuk’s Father and Grandparents’ Possible Suicide

A few hours after news first hit that Leeteuk‘s father (Park Yong In), grandfather (Park Hyun Suk), and grandmother (Chun Kyung Tae) all passed away together on January 6 due to a car accident, new reports surfaced which claimed that their deaths could be suicide.

According to those reports, a source from the Dongjak Fire Department stated that the bodies of Leeteuk’s father and grandparents were found at their home located in Shindaebang-dong, Seoul around 9:20AM. A suicide note was also found along with the deceased, leading to suspicion their deaths were due to suicide. More reports described that the grandparents were found lying on their bed and the father was found hanging.

With the initial report claiming that the death of Leeteuk’s father and grandparents were due to a car accident, confusion arose on whether the deceased found in their home was Leeteuk’s family members. Currently, all local media sources are reporting that it is indeed Leeteuk’s father and grandparents who were found dead in the house located in Guro-gu. Investigation is still ongoing into the exact nature of their deaths. 

SM Entertainment, who initially reported that the death of Leeteuk’s father and grandparents were due to a car accident, have made another statement recently. It said, “Leeteuk is in deep sorrow. The family of the deceased is in anguish over reports on the details or on assumptions going out without constraint, and they desire to send the deceased quietly. We earnestly ask on behalf of the family of the deceased that there is restrain on sensationalist reports.”

Currently, the funeral is being held at the Korea University Guro Hospital. 

source:soompi

Police Release Provisional Conclusion on the Deaths of Leeteuk’s Father and Grandparents

The police department in charge of the investigation into the deaths of Leeteuk‘s father (Park Yong In), grandfather (Park Hyun Suk), and grandmother (Chun Kyung Tae) have released some concluding information about the case.

According to the Dongjak Police Department, the bodies of Leeteuk’s father and grandparents were found at their house around 9:20AM on January 6 by Mr. Park’s nephew/niece, who then called the police. The grandparents were found strangled, lying side by side on a bed, while the father was in the same room hanging from a wardrobe handle. A suicide note was also discovered with the message, “I will take my parents and go to heaven together so live well.” It also had the message, “I am sorry to my children.”

According to the investigation, after divorcing with Leeteuk’s mother in 1998, his father lived separately from his children with his parents. Starting in the past few years, Leeteuk’s grandfather started to suffer from dementia, and to make matters worse, Leeteuk’s grandmother, who had been taking care of her husband, was diagnosed and bedridden last year with late-stage lung cancer with the additional complication of dementia. Leeteuk’s father looked diligently after his parents, but with a debt of hundreds of millions of won due to business failure and the house seized, he had decided to put his parents into a convalescent hospital. However, a day before he would admit them into the hospital, Leeteuk’s father took the lives of his parents and committed suicide. 

The police stated, “We have made the provisional conclusion that Mr. Park took the lives of his parents and committed suicide due to being overwhelmed with his struggles. According to his family, Mr. Park suffered from depression.”

The Dongjak Police Department also announced that it does not plan to hold an official briefing or to perform an autopsy on the deceased. It stated, “We judged that it is enough with just the deceased’s family’s testimony. With the cause of death comparatively clear, we will not be performing an autopsy.”

Currently, the funeral is being held at the Korea University Guro Hospital. 

source:soompi

miss A Jia’s Behavior at Airport Receives Mixed Reaction from Netizens

A video of girl group miss A’s Jia riding a baggage cart has earned her the ire of netizens.

Jia uploaded the video on her Instagram account on January 4. The short 10-second video showed Jia wearing casual clothes, with sunglasses on, using the small cart as a sort of kickboard.

She pushed off with her left foot, and glided for a few meters before coming to a halt. The video was accompanied with the playful text, “Don’t do this. I’m (a) bad girl.”

She may have been joking, but netizens certainly took it seriously. Some of the reactions:

• “Using a cart that’s not meant for people to ride as a kickboard isn’t right, is it?”
• “I don’t understand why she had to shoot that sort of video and upload it. She might have thought it was interesting, but it looks dangerous to people watching it”
• “It might have been at a time when there weren’t many people at the airport, but she can’t even control where she’s going. What if she gets injured or if she injures someone else?”

But not everyone was so uptight about things, with some defending her actions.

• “Idols get a lot of flack for this sort of thing, and they do act rashly at times. But can’t we just cut her some slack?
• “If she didn’t get in and ride, isn’t it okay? She didn’t do any damage, though I don’t understand why she uploaded something like that.”

Some of us may are probably guilty of doing the same thing at the airport, but idols and celebrities in general are held to a much higher standard.

Well, Jia posted her apology today via her Twitter account, realizing that her actions might have been too much for some. “I didn’t expect that the video I took of me riding the cart at the airport two days would turn out to be a problem! I’m sorry!!! I won’t do such a thing again, and I promise to be more careful!”

source:soompi

Celebrity Friends Mourn with Leeteuk for His Loss

January 6 marks a very sad day as Leeteuk‘s father and his grandparents were reported to pass away from a car accident. As Leeteuk took an emergency leave from his military service to be at the mortuary, many of his celebrity friends have expressed their condolences and sorrow for this sad news.

Leeteuk was said to arrive at the mortuary at around 10:30 PM on January 6. Other visitors included DBSK‘s Changmin, BEAST‘s Yoon Doo Joon and Son Dong Woon, Tim, comedian Hong Rok Ki and more.

Rain, Jung Il Woo, Lee Duk Hwa, Kim Moo Yeol are among the names of celebrities who sent funeral flower wreaths to pay their respect and express their condolences.

Numerous celebrities also used their SNS accounts to express their condolences. 2AM‘s Jokwon tweeted, “Leeteuk hyung, please be strong. My deepest condolences.” 2PM‘s Chansung also tweeted, “Teukkie hyung, be strong.” U-KISS‘ Soohyun tweteed, “Ah… your heart must really be in pain. My deepest condolences. Teukkie hyung, be strong.”

Fellow Super Junior member Shindong asked VIXX‘s N and Baek Ah Yeon to take over for his radio show for this day so that he could visit Leeteuk and his family’s mortuary.

Ryeowook was not able to leave his radio show post but expressed his heavy heart on air. BTOB‘s Minhyuk was a guest for the show and mentioned, “I’m so sad because I heard very sad news today.” Ryeowook answered, “So Minhyuk, I hope you will do a lot of the talking today. I will be leaning on your shoulders today.”

Towards the end of the show, Ryeowook commented, “I was so preoccupied because of our leader Leeteuk’s sad news. I had no choice but to host today’s show in a quieter manner than usual. I know I should be the one giving you all strength but I’m sorry for being so down and making you all worried. I hope you understand.”

Lastly, Ryeowook commented, “I will deliver all of your messages of comfort and support to the members.”

Earlier on January 6, it was reported that Leeteuk’s father, grandmother and grandfather had passed away due to a car accident, which is what SM Entertainment stated. However, there have been other reports that the three have been discovered dead at their home but nothing has yet been confirmed.

source:soompi

Leeteuk’s Father and Grandparents Pass Away

It has been reported that Leeteuk‘s father (Park Yong In), grandfather (Park Hyun Suk), and grandmother (Chun Kyung Tae) have all passed away today. These family members were all in one car together when an accident occurred.

Lee Teuk, who is currently serving his military duties, headed directly to the hospital (Korea University Guro Hospital) as soon as he heard his news, as well as his sister, Park In Young, who was practicing her musical.

SM Entertainment expressed its condolences, additionally stating that it will release a statement as soon as it learns more about the accident.

We offer our deepest condolences to Leeteuk and his family.

source:soompi

Yoo Hee Yeol and Davichi’s Kang Min Kyung Parody a Scene from “Architecture 101”

On January 3, KBS 2TV’s “Yoo Hee Yeol’s Sketchbook” put together a special show titled “Hello Gayo Top 10” performing hits from the year 1994.

During the show, Davichi’s Kang Min Kyung and Yoo Hee Yeol acted out a scene from the film, “Architecture 101.” They sat next to each other on a bench, and as Kang Min Kyung fell asleep, Yoo Hee Yeol made the move to kiss her. The audience cheered, and Kang Min Kyung woke up. Yoo Hee Yeol confessed his love and said, “I like you,” and Kang Min Kyung replied, “Are you confessing? It took you long enough.”

Yoo Hee Yeol asked, “You already knew?” to which Kang Min Kyung answered, “Do you think I’m stupid? You tried to kiss me while I was sleeping, and it almost could have been my first kiss,” and created a wave of laughter from the audience and viewers. Then, Yoo Hee Yeo and Kang Min Kyung proceeded to listen to a song by Exhibition, and K.Will appeared on stage singing “An Essay of Memory.”

source:soompi

The Return of Hyun Bin, Kang Dong Won and Rain

Hyun Bin, Kang Dong Won, and Rain are back. The mention of just their names could cause significant heart palpitations. These three heartthrobs have returned from a leave of absence from the entertainment industry to fulfill military duties, and they will be meeting audiences once more this year through their upcoming movies.

Numerous fans and reporters gathered at the headquarters of the Marine Corps in December 2012, where Hyun Bin’s military discharge ceremony was being held. He was in tears, as he spoke about how much he missed acting.

Hyun Bin will be in an upcoming film titled, “The King’s Wrath,” which tells the story of King Jeongjo. Hyun Bin plays King Jeongjo, while Han Ji Min will be taking on the role of Dowager Queen Jeongsun. While there are many dramas and films that have covered King Jeongjo’s era, “The King’s Wrath” won’t be the usual political fare covering King Jeongjo’s rise to power. Instead it will tell the story surrounding King Jeongjo’s assassination conspiracy, and has the distinction of covering events that happened within only one day. This will be Hyun Bin’s first project post-discharge and it will also be his first attempt at sageuk (historical drama).

Kang Dong Won quietly entered the military in 2010, and was discharged just as quietly in November 2012. Aside from commercials, he hasn’t done any other projects, but he will be returning via a film by director Yoon Jong Bin, “Kundo: Age of the Rampant.” While his other project, “The X,” a short film promoting CJ CGV’s ScreenX, made it to the screen first premiering at the Busan International Film Festival in October, his first acting project was indeed “Kundo.”

Director Yoon Jong Bin gained recognition as a box-office hit maker with 2012 film, “Nameless Gangster,” and with the addition of Ha Jung Woo’s star power and the return of Kang Dong Won, expectations are undoubtedly high for this upcoming movie. Filming for “Kundo” took place across the country last summer, and the movie is likely to be released in summer 2014. Kang Dong Won took on the role of Jo Yoon, bastard son of a millionaire.

Kang Dong Won’s next project, “My Palpitating Life,” is a film by director Lee Jae Yong. He will play a married couple with actress Song Hye Gyo with a son suffering from a rare genetic disease. The movie is attracting attention because of its two leads, the movie industry’s so-called “top visuals.”

Singer-actor Rain finished his military service in July 2013. He’s certainly had a lot going on, what with his romantic relationship with actress Kim Tae Hee being revealed, and the military controversy that followed.

First appearing at the Mnet Asia Music Awards, Rain is now busy making his comeback with his new album “Rain Effect.” He has chosen to return to film via Hollywood movie, “The Prince,” alongside the likes of Bruce Willis and John Cusack. The movie is helmed by director Bruce Miller.

He completed filming for “The Prince,” an action thriller, in America last month and is now busy with his album promotions and reality show. Rain has been in Hollywood movies before, appearing in “Speed Racer” and “Ninja Assassin.” Will he be able to find box office success with “The Prince”?

Which actor are you most excited to watch on movie or TV? 

source:soompi

A Pink’s Jung Eun Ji Shows Her No Makeup Face with Confidence

On the upcoming episode of “Shinhwa Broadcast,” A Pink’s Jung Eun Ji shows her bare face to the camera, and she doesn’t need to be worried because the singer proved to be just as beautiful.

Continuing from the previous broadcast of the show in which A Pink’s Jung Eun Ji and Shinhwa member participate in a community service puppeteer team, the January 5 episode of “Shinhwa Broadcast” will show the final product of the long preparations. Shinhwa and special guests A Pink’s Jung Eun Ji and After School’s Lizzy will help the elderly puppeteers create a show for children.

The upcoming episode will show Jung Eun Ji working diligently in to the night to prepare for the special puppet show. However, what may also catch the viewers’ eyes is Jung Eun Ji’s no makeup face. Different than her usual stage makeup, the singer confidently showed her bare face, while wearing glasses and with her hair pulled up. Yet, despite the different look, the singer was nonetheless beautiful, showing her youthful skin and bright smile.

JTBC’s “Shinhwa Broadcast” will air on Sunday at 11PM (KST).

source:soompi

New Stills from Upcoming Drama “Emergency Woman and Man” Released

New pictures from the upcoming drama “Emergency Woman and Man” have surfaced on the Internet.

On January, the production team of the cable TV channel tvN’s new drama “Emergency Woman and Man” released several poster pictures as well as some drama stills that included the main actors Song Ji Hyo, Choi Jin Hyuk, Choi Yeo Jin, Lee Pil Mo, and Clara.

Despite the shooting taking much more time than usual, the 5 people looked like they were enjoying shooting for the drama posters and it seemed like the atmosphere around the shooting was pretty much relaxed and fun.

“Emergency Woman and Man” is a story about two people, Song Ji Hyo and Choi Jin Hyuk, who after having divorced each other met again 6 years later during their doctoral internship in the emergency room. 

The first episode will air on January 24.

source:soompi

Tablo Reveals Special Gift from Coca Cola

Epik High member Tablo recently revealed his latest gift from Coca Cola!

On January 2, he posted the photo of the gift along with the caption, “A gift that arrived from Coca Cola.” 

On the label of the bottle of Coca Cola are the words, “Haru’s Daddy.” Tablo feigns surprise upon discovering the cute label. 

Netizens comments, “Coca Cola definite has a knack for these things”, “Haru is so cute! Haru’s dad, fighting!” and “I already miss Haru.” 

In related news, Tablo recently dressed up Haru in a Bruce Lee inspired yellow jumpsuit for her first set of self-defense classes for the latest broadcast of “Superman Returns.” He explained that the word was a scary place to raise a daughter in and wanted Haru to be prepared to defend herself in the face of any danger. 

source:soompi

Taecyeon explains his previous tweets came from love for JYP Entertainment

2PM's Taecyeon followed up on his earlier tweets concerning his dissatisfaction with the way things are run in JYP Entertainment, explaining where he was coming from.

Taecyeon tweeted out, "I think it was inappropriate for me to write a public post concerning my agency's management. I hope that you understand that the post came from a lot of affection and passion for my agency JYP to be the best. I will become a Ok Taecyeon who works hard and communicates even better with my agency," and also deleted his previous posts.

The idol previously brought a storm of attention towards the pros and cons of JYP Entertainment following his series of tweets, through which he expressed his concern regarding certain staff members not receiving the credit they're due and his wish for the agency to continue to strive forward and become a company that motivates their employees to work hard to gain internal stability.

source:allkpop

well..well...once its in the internet..it will forever in there...