Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Sunmi Officially Enrolls in Dongguk University

JYP Entertainment announces Sunmi’s official enrollment into the class of 2011 at Dongguk University.
On January 4th, JYPE revealed, “Sunmi has decided to enroll at Dongguk University. She will be attending the same school as SNSD’s Yoona, Seohyun, and fellow management company member, JOO.”
Back in October 5th, it was announced that Sunmi had been admitted to Dongguk University after passing the university’s required exams, but after, she decided to also take the College Scholastic Aptitude Test in November, proving that she was accepted by her own efforts and not through special celebrity treatment.
When the news that some known idols were admitted to Dongguk Universtiy broke, many netizens had bad reactions and complained, saying that it was unfair for some of these stars to be admitted so “easily” only because of their names, but it seems Sunmi has proved everyone wrong.
We wish Sunmi success as a student of Dongguk University!
Source: newsen.com, star.moneytoday.co.kr
Translation: ch0sshi@kpoplive.com
Written by: 2TEARS@kpoplive.com

Super Junior K.R.Y. to hold First Concert in Korea

It’s taken them long enough, but now finally, Super JuniorK.R.Y. will be holding their first solo concert in Korea.
Super Junior’s ballad subunit Super Junior-K.R.Y. has caught both fans and critics attention since their debut, and the boys Kyuhyun, Ryeowook and Yesung have held their own with impressive ballads for Super Junior’s albums and for drama OSTs. The trio also held a successful concert in Japan and Taiwan last year, and now finally, they’re doing the same in Korea.
SUPER JUNIOR-K.R.Y. THE 1ST CONCERT will run from February 11th to 13th in Seoul Olympic Park Woori Finance Art Hall. Like their previous appearances in Japan and Taiwan, their Seoul concert is expected to attract a horde of fans.
Source: TVDaily, tvbanimeonline.com
Translation: Minnie@ SUJUISM.BLOGSPOT.COM
Written by: aetria@kpoplive.com

Which SHINee Member is the ‘King of Tears’?

Every group has one, and SHINee has made their choice for their group’s ‘King of Tears’.
January 1 and 2 marked idol group SHINee’s first solo concert The SHINee World at the Seoul Olympic Stadium. Just before night two of the show, the boys held a press conference, wherein they picked their group’s official ‘King of Tears’
Member Jonghyun volunteered Onew and Key, saying, “I think they are just full of emotions.” His comment had his members protesting, blurting out “Why are you trying to slip out of it?” as they pointed out how hard Jonghyun cried after their first Seoul concert on the 1st.
SHINee then explained,
“Because it’s a stage that we prepared and dreamed of so much, our emotions got the best of us. I think we cried because we are so thankful for our fans and staff members. They are tears of joy, so we hope people won’t take it the wrong way. We would be glad if people wouldn’t talk about us crying too much.”
SHINee’s solo concerts in both Seoul and in Tokyo, Japan before this were flocked by more than 20,000 fans, proving the boys’ popularity. They revealed,
“We really worked hard to prepare this. SNSD, DBSK, and other senior singers gave us a lot of help. Like the amount of effort we put into this, we hope people enjoy it a lot. We will work to show a growing SHINee.”
Source: Baek Ji Eun@sportschosun.com
Translation: ch0sshi@kpoplive.com
Written by: aetria@kpoplive.com

SNSD Fan Event SM Entertainment in Los Angeles on Jan 8

SNSD fan event by SM Entertainment in Los Angeles on Jan 8
Good news for SONEs in the West Coast of the US!
SM Entertainment is hosting a Girls’ Generation fan meetup in Los Angeles, on January 8th, 2011. They’ve invited all fans to join the event, which will be happening at CGV Cinema (Map) from 3PM – 5PM PST.
The event will have special media and content by SM Entertainment, as well as free goodie bags being given out to fans. The company has invited fans to wear all their SNSD memorabilia and show their pride in being a SONE!
It is time to bring out your collection of SNSD; placards, lightsticks, banners, posters, albums or whatever you can name!
Fans are wondering whether or not this is to test the waters for a US debut of Girls’ Generation. Will SM Entertainment bring the girls over for a solo concert after seeing the attendance of fans?
This will be the second big meetup of SONES in Los Angeles, the last being in SMTOWN. Fans gathered at a separate meetup and at the Convention Center with other major SMTOWN fanbases, such as SHINee Forums International, DBSKnights, Dedicated to H.O.T, ONETVXQ, Chocolyn, BoAjjang and more for the OFFICIAL SMTOWN 2010 Meetup.
Be sure to turn up at the event if you are in the area! Get ready to turn LA pink and get the party started!!!
Source: soshified.com,tvbanimeonline.com
via: Soneternity
Written by: yegrina@kpoplive

The “High Kick” series to continue on with a 3rd season

It has been announced that MBC has decided to go on with a third season of their “High Kick” series.
“To match the rise in comprehensive programming channels in 2011, we have planned a great lineup of dramas, and through a new drama broadcasting enterprise, we will raise our status as the national content producing company,” revealed Green Snake Media.
The previous seasons of the “High Kick” series, “High Kick” and “High Kick Through The Roof“, received the best viewer sitcom ratings, and helped kick start the careers of actors such as Jung Ill Woo, Yoon Si Yoon, and Shin Se Kyung. This new season of “High Kick” will cast new actors with a new storyline that is sure to excite the mania fans of the sitcom series.

What is B2ST up to during their break?

B2ST have been rewarded with a sweet vacation period for the New Year.
After successfully wrapping up their promotions on December 31st, B2ST is currently enjoying a well-deserved break to recharge their batteries.
Members Yong Junhyung and Yang Yoseob wrote on their Twitters that they’ve applied to take their driver’s license test, while maknae Son Dongwoon uploaded a picture of himself going ice fishing.
They are still digesting their personal variety show and drama activities, but technically speaking, they are currently on their break. Most members have returned to their homes and are doing their own personal activities to their hearts’ content,” stated a Cube Entertainment representative.
After their short vacation, B2ST will be preparing for their debut Japanese album, to be released in the first half of 2011.
Source: Newsen via Media Daum, allkpop

JYJ on past girlfriends and the possibility of regrouping as TVXQ

The trio of JYJ recently participated in a revealing interview with TV Report, as they discussed their achievements, the possibility of regrouping as TVXQ, and their past girlfriends.
The clout of the trio is unarguable, as they’ve scored numerous achievements in their short career as ‘JYJ’. For example, they received 520,000 pre-orders for their first album, “The Beginning,” and completed a world tour. The trio even ranked in the top five for Billboard’s “2010 Albums of the Year” chart, in addition to having their article featured on the site’s main page.
We’ve had a lot of promotions in 2010, but because they weren’t shown on broadcast programs or main portals, the public seems to be misunderstanding us.  We really did spend a busy year, and although we had individual activities, we’ve also had an Asian tour and a U.S. showcase.  There is a bit of disappointment in not being able to promote on broadcast shows.  Being featured on Billboard, ranking in on the top five, and even working with top American producers… all of that didn’t create headlines.  It’s disappointing that they’ve been recorded as just personal achievements by us,” they stated.
Regarding their relationship with TVXQ, they stated, “We have tried contacting Yunho and Changmin, but we weren’t able to reach them.  Everyone has their own personal agendas to tend to.  We’re not just any old relationship that was together for a year or two.  There aren’t any misunderstandings towards the two.  Even though we’re apart, we trust that they know our genuine honesty.”
They continued, “We’ve already saw it a few times in other interviews, but we really do wish that they do well and show amazing sides of themselves.  There is something upsetting about them coming out under the name of TVXQ, since we’re TVXQ too.
On the topic of their lawsuit against SM Entertainment, the three further added, “We’re handling everything as best as we can since they’re all things we expected once we decided to leave SM.  It’s difficult, but we’re trusting it to resolve itself and thinking positively.”
When asked about the possibility of regrouping as five members again, they replied, “Our situation might look cloudy right now, but we know that that day will come one day. It’s not like we’ve only been together for a year or two, we’ve been there for each other at our hardest, most difficult, and most passionate, all striving for one goal.  We dreamed the same dreams under the same sky, so that door of possibility will always remain open.
The reporter then asked if they felt any disappointment in disbanding when they were at the height of their success as five members in Japan. JYJ answered, “We didn’t think about the commercial benefits at the time.  It was just upsetting that we felt the need to break away when we were at the height of our fame (Tokyo Dome Concert)… We made the decision knowing that we might never be able to sing again, so instead of saying ‘disappointing’, I think ‘upsetting’ is a better term.”
They continued, “When we first began in Japan, we weren’t able to promote on broadcast programs in Tokyo, so we had to get our name known through broadcast programs in the suburbs.  But now, seeing our juniors achieve success in Japan makes us think that it’s an amazing feat for them to be able to earn attention from major Japanese labels so early on in their careers.  BoA gave us hope for our Japanese advancement and paved that road.  I think we’d be proud if we were able to allow our juniors to advance into Japan in a better environment.
TVXQ expressed feeling that their efforts were worth it, judging by the support they’ve received from their fans. “Through our world tour, it felt great being able to meet fans from Europe and South America.  It felt as if we were able to show off our music to a variety of people.  Especially at our New York concert, 7,000 fans rushed into a garden originally meant for 3,000 people, which led police to come out to the scene.  It felt good.”
The direction of the interview was then changed to another topic of hot interest: girls.  When asked about their most painful dating experience, the three responded, “As opposed to most painful… As you know, we’ve never just stayed in Korea. We had a busy schedule that required us to travel between Korea and Japan.  All three of us have such passion for music, so our girlfriends could never last.
They continued, “Things other boyfriends could do like remembering anniversaries and going on weekend dates were unrealistic for us.  Our girlfriends thought we weren’t paying attention to their needs and would feel disappointed.  Honestly, it’s hard for us to keep any long-term relationship since it would get difficult even before the relationship starts.”
Concluding the interview, JYJ were asked what their goals for the new year were.  “Our goal is to work hard on our JYJ worldwide album promotion in the U.S. and to show off an amazing world tour starting March.  We also hope that our music essay being released this month earns a lot of love.  Since 2011 is the year of the rabbit, we’re looking forward to catching both ‘rabbits’ and spending more time with our fans on stage.”
Source + Photos: TV Daily (1) (2) (3) (4) (5), allkpop

[Update: Video] KARA draw the praise of ‘godfather’ Terry Ito + 2011 continued success?

KARA has been earning the praise of Japanese celebrities lately, and were even previously acknowledged by gagman Gekidan Hitori, who complimented the girls’ friendliness through a news program.
More recently, the ‘godfather of Japanese broadcasting’, Terry Ito, praised KARA on an NHK New Year special program broadcast on January 2nd.
The program featured celebrities predicting the biggest figures of 2011, and  KARA was introduced with the statement, “After AKB48 ranked in on internet search rankings at the 2009 year-end, KARA followed by ranking first in the 2010 internet search rankings.  The two figures that have managed to rank in alongside AKB48 are K-pop singers KARA and SNSD.
Terry Ito is a highly influential figure in Japan’s entertainment industry, and not only with producers, but has extensive connections into the culture and government sectors of Japan.
He further complimented the girls by stating, “When the girls make a mistake on the broadcast, they are very embarrassed and shy about it.  They’re different from Japanese celebrities.  Japanese celebrities think that they’ll get attention when they make a mistake, but such a notion does not exist with KARA.  They always try their hardest, and I think that’s the image that is appealing to the Japanese.  They’re very innocent and do not act fake at all.”
KARA has been consistently chosen as the stars to watch out for in 2011 all across Japanese news programs, and with the continued praise of Japanese celebrities, it seems KARA has certainly made a mark for themselves in the industry.
Source + Photos: Newsen via Daum


source allkpop

“Dream High” attracts a divided response after first airing

KBS 2TV’s “Dream High” finally aired its pilot episode today, but seems to be off to a rocky start with several controversies stemming from just the pilot airing alone.

The episode managed to record 10.7% in viewer ratings, lagging behind SBS’s “Athena: Goddess of War” and MBC’s “Queen of Reversals,” both of which recorded 16.3% and 14.2% respectively.

Prior to the pilot’s airing, viewers were highly concerned over the all idol cast line-up, since half of them don’t have prior acting experience. Opinions on the drama remain divided, and at the center of the controversy stands miss A’s Suzy, who plays the role of ‘Hyemi.’


Since she is the leading role for the drama, viewers were left disappointed with her poor acting skills and criticized her for speaking as if she was reading out of a book.  2PM’s Wooyoung, who plays the role of ‘Jason,’ was also criticized for his awkward facial expressions despite only having to say a handful of lines.
Viewers commented, “It was to the point where I couldn’t even continue watching,” “She’s the queen of horrible acting,” “In her group, Suzy is in charge of the visual, and it seems like she’s trying to raise viewer ratings with her face again,” and “They’re not even ready to be standing in front of the screen.
In comparison, T-ara’s Eunjung and 2PM’s Taecyeon both received high remarks, as they both have acting experience from “Coffee House” and “Cinderella’s Sister” respectively.
It was also IU’s first acting debut, but she fortunately managed to dodge criticisms as she only appeared wearing an animal suit for the majority of her part.
Regarding the controversy surrounding Suzy’s acting, Eunjung spoke with Star News on January 4th and commented, “Suzy’s doing well despite it being her first time acting.  I have a lot of lines with her so I pay close attention to her acting.  She’s confidently trying to do her best. It’s inevitable for her to feel nervous, and although strict criticisms are needed, please continue to watch over her.
Source + Photos: Kuki News via Daum, Consumer News via Daum, CNB News, Star news via Naver, allkpop

One Way releases “Rainy Days” MV featuring 2PM’s Junsu

Earlier today, neo-urban sound group One Way made a digital release of “Rainy Days” on Korean music sites, marking their official comeback since their debut 10 months ago.
The official music video to the song was finally unveiled through their official YouTube channel.  The music video perfectly showcases the trio’s talent against a dark, abandoned building that fits well with the song’s overall gloomy lyrics that expresses the sorrow of a man that has lost his love.  The addition of the vocals and appearance of 2PM’s Junsu adds a special finishing touch.
Their full album also features a variety of guest vocals such as J and As One.  All 10 tracks included in the album were composed, written, and arranged by the trio and offer a variety of genres such as R&B, electronica, swing, and ballad, all the while using hip hop as its base.
Check out the MV below!


source allkpop

Idols reveal their filial acts on MBC’s “Come to Play”

A bevy of top idol groups made their appearance on MBC’s “Come to Play” today, and competed against each other to earn the title of ‘the most filial son/daughter.’
The episode focused on revealing the dutiful acts the idols have done for their parents and featured stars such as SNSD, Super Junior’s Lee Teuk and Yesung, B2ST’s Ki Kwang and Yoseob, and MBLAQ’s Lee Joon and Mir.
SNSD’s Seohyun, who’s known for her upright character, started off the discussion by revealing her self-sufficiency.  ”I think that the way I respect my parents is by doing what I’m supposed to do on my own.  From my mother’s perspective, she probably wants to take care of her young and busy daughter as much as she can, but I told her not to worry about it because I can do it on my own.  I think that unfortunately made her more upset because I was forced to mature so early.”
She continued, “Of course, other physical presents are just as precious, but as their daughter, I think growing up without being fussy is a bigger present for them.  I will become a daughter that works hard on improving herself and does not make her parents worry.”
Reflecting on Seohyun’s response, fellow member Yuri commented, “Seohyun would be a good daughter, but not as mine.  She knows what she has to do on her own, where’s the fun in that?
MBLAQ’s Mir, who’s known to be the son of a farming family, revealed that he bought his family four cows.  He stated, “My family lives in the countryside, and the rivalry between the front and back house is quite strong.  I wanted my dad to feel steady and confident.  I was going to buy him two cows, but the house behind us bought three, so I bought him four.”
Super Junior’s Yesung revealed his own story by stating, “I’ve lived away from my parents for a long time.  I’ve always wanted to live with them, and one day, they came down to Seoul.  I opened up a small store for them.” After receiving a round of applause, he continued, “It’s a small restaurant, but I forgot to think of my mother’s health.  She has a hard time working in the kitchen, so I’m trying to look for ways to convert it into a cafe.
SNSD’s Sooyoung confessed, “These days, my mom keeps telling me to date.  This year, I’m going to be a filial daughter and finally get a boyfriend that fits her expectations.
Sunny also brought laughter to the studio when she joked, “The fact that I was even born is a filial act!” More seriously, she continued, “My mother was in bad health after she gave birth to me, but she fought to live on in order to raise me.
Hyoyeon revealed, “I registered a housing premium under all of the names of my family.” Reflecting to a time when she didn’t feel as comfortable on variety shows, she said, “When you appear on TV programs like this, you have to say a lot of things and such, but even up to six months ago, I wasn’t able to.  I feel like that wasn’t a very filial act towards my parents.  I didn’t have a lot of confidence in talking on variety programs so it was hard for them to see me on TV.  I fixed my pronunciation by reading books and learned to improve myself.”
Later on in the program, the idol boys attempted to earn the hearts of the SNSD members.  Mir bragged, “I have a 400-pyeong sized house in our backyard.  In the Bang household, we have eight mountains and dogs and cows that cover our entire mountain.”
Super Junior’s Lee Teuk attempted to capture he ladies’ hearts by bragging, “I’m the first idol MC.  I’m a fixed cast member on seven programs, and tour 15 Asian countries on the weekends.”
Yesung bragged about his philtrum (the indent above the upper lip) by stating, “They say you’ll live a long life when your philtrum is long.  I’m a man better than a diamond, I last forever.”
Finally, B2ST’s Ki Kwang showed off his bow to the camera in the hopes of charming SNSD’s parents, and then began showing off his strength, leading the SNSD members to burst out in laughter.
In the end, the couples that paired up were Yoona and Yesung, Yuri and Mir, Seohyun and Lee Teuk, Sooyoung and Gil, Hyoyeon and Lee Joon, and Taeyeon and Lee Haneul.
Taeyeon and Lee Haneul ended up winning the grand prize through a quiz battle.  After winning, Taeyeon stated, “I think I was able to earn this ‘filial award’ because I was part of a couple with Haneul oppa.  I’m thankful for Haneul oppa!
The special episode recorded 14.1% in viewer ratings according to AGB Nielsen Media Research, a 0.3% rise compared to last week’s episode.
Source + Photos: Asia Economy via Naver, Herald Economy via Daum, TV Report via Daum (2), My Daily via Daum, X Sports News via Daum, Newsen via Daum, Max Movie, allkpop

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