Bae Yong-jun, Choi Ji-woo Visit Japan

Korean Wave star Bae Yong-jun has visited Japan, where he was welcomed by some 2000 fans. His visit comes more than a year after his last visit to the country.

Bae left for Japan on September 27 on a special Korean Air jet, which was rented for him. The actor arrived at Narita Airport at 3:20 p.m. He and actress Choi Ji-woo will attend a promotional event for the animation version of "Winter Sonata" at the Tokyo Dome.

Bae previously visited Japan in June last year to promote the epic drama "Legend." It is his first visit to Japan alongside actress Choi Ji-woo, who played opposite him in the TV drama "Winter Sonata."

Korean Air offered a special jet for the two stars. Some 2000 fans greeted Bae and Choi at Narita Airport. Bae's fans kept asking him about his health, as the actor was recently diagnosed with septicemia. Bae responded with a smile and waved his hand. Walking among the crowd of fans, he said briefly that he was fine. Bae's agency, BOF, said the two actors didn't pause to greet their fans because of security concerns.

Bae, Choi and Ryu Seung-soo will attend the "Winter Sonata" event on September 29 at the Tokyo Dome. On September 30, Bae will hold an event marking the publishing of his book on the beauty of Korea. He will stay in Japan until October 2.

source: KBS Global

Tags: winter sonata/korean drama/Bae Yong-jun/Choi Ji-woo

Lee Junki Launches His “Sawasdee Khrab” Photo Book

Having just performed in Taipei on the 26th, Lee Junki's busy schedule took him westwards towards Bangkok, Thailand, where he attended the launch of his new photo book, Sawasdee Khrab on 27th September.

The launch event was held at Central World, where over 100 journalists and 1,000 fans were awaiting his presence. The event was marked by Lee Junki handing over the 1st issue of his photo book to the Thai government while government officials presented him with a plaque to thank him for raising Thailand's profile in the world.

This photo book was produced to commemorate the 50th year anniversary of the Korea Thailand Communication Centers (KTCC). With the backdrop of the best sights in Thailand, it will show Lee Junki promoting the idea of being able to relax and let loose from his hectic lifestyle. Following the launch in Thailand, Lee Junki will be promoting it from 5th October onwards in Korea, Japan before ending it in China.

source: allkpop

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Lee Seung-ki Co-hosts a Talk Show

Ballad singer Lee Seung-ki has successfully wrapped up the first taping of the new talk show “Heart of Steel,” which he co-hosts with wrestler-turned-comedian Kang Ho-dong. The new program is more like a talk battle program where 24 guest stars talk about a topic in each of two rounds and the winner of each round advances to the finals, where a final winner is decided.

Lee said that he was so nervous about the taping of the first episode that he couldn’t sleep well the night before. A member of the show’s production team commented that although Kang led the show early, Lee soon found his groove and got along well with his co-host and guest members. The first panel of guests included MC Mong, performance artist Nancy Lang, Epik High, Kim Tae-woo, Seung-ri of Big Bang, K-pop diva Baek Ji-young, veteran actress Kyun Mi-ri and comedian Han Min-kwan, among others.

source: KBS Global

Tags:Lee Seung-ki/Big Bang/Epik High/korean singer

Shin ae's wedding photos

Tags: Shin-ae/korean actress

Bae Yong-joon Dreams of Simple Farming Life

"If I get another job in later life, I would like to be a farmer. It would be nice to plant something, cultivate the fruit and give the healthy product to someone." So said the actor Bae Yong-joon in a press conference held at the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan on Tuesday.

The superstar was promoting a book titled "Travel in Search of Korea's Beauty." He was flanked by twelve experts on Korean traditional culture including ceramics, traditional liquor and pansori, who provided valuable insights for the book.

"I decided to write the book because of an embarrassing moment when I was unable to respond promptly when asked to name great places to visit in Korea at a press conference in Japan," he said. "I felt bad that my fans from abroad spent their entire time watching me shoot films and then went back to their countries. I hope this book can help them understand Korean culture and sentiment."

Bae plans to write more books. "Writing has a unique charm. I would like to write books that introduce places worth visiting in Korea and gourmet restaurants in the future."

Having been hospitalized for five days before being released on Monday, Bae looked thin and pale. "I lost more than 10 kg while writing the book. My stamina dropped considerably, so I had to rest in hospital. I am recovering now so I’ll be healthy again soon," he said.

Credit: englishnews@chosun.com

source : Chosun

Tags: Bae Yong-joon/korean actor

Bae Yong-jun Hospitalized with Septicemia

It has become belatedly known that star actor Bae Yong-jun has been hospitalized with septicemia.

Bae's agency, BOF, said that the actor collapsed on September 17 because of sudden hypotension and has been hospitalized in southern Seoul. The results of examinations showed that he had the initial stages of septicemia, which was caused by his weakened immune system as a result of fatigue and stress.

"Bae Yong-jun dedicated great effort to writing his book recently. He has lost significant weight over the past year. He has been put on an IV and has no other symptoms," added the agency.

Bae has been busy writing a photo essay book about Korea. He has lost more than 10 kg. An event marking the publishing of his book is slated for September 22 at the National Museum of Korea. On September 29 and 30 he is to attend a promotional event for the animation version of "Winter Sonata" in Tokyo, Japan.

Bae's agency said the actor had been exhausted as he had repeatedly stayed up until late at night to finish his book, and had become very sensitive because of many upcoming important events in Korea and Japan, but he would hopefully be discharged from the hospital before the event marking the publishing of his book.

source: KBS Global

Tags: Bae Yong jun/korean actor/Winter Sonata

Girlgroups KARA and f(x) are close friends

It has been known that girlgroups KARA and f(x) members are close friends.

With similar age range amongst members and also promoting in the same time period, the 2 groups have become closer in terms of their relationship. The 2 groups have even danced to each other’s choreography on a music programmes recently.

And on 18th September, which was the day of f(x) member Amber’s birthday, the 2 groups have held a birthday party together in the waiting room for KBS Music Bank.

It was known that KARA member Nicole is very close to Amber. Both of them can relate to each other better as they were both from LA America. They had even lived in the same neighbourhood in LA before. And for Amber who is still learning to improve on her Korean language gets pointers in learning the language directly from Nicole.

Goo Hara and Luna have also shown great friendship. Goo Hara said, “We got closer to each other since we are using the one waiting room. Because we are pretty similar in terms of age, it was easier to communicate as well. And we became good friends.” Luna also said, “KARA unnies are really good to us. They took care of us like real sisters and gave us many advices too.”

And the interactions between the youngest members from the 2 groups are more active. Especially since Kang JiYoung was the maknae (youngest) girlgroup members amongst members from all girlgroups, she recently found 2 new friends – f(x) Krystal and Sulli – they played and chatted a lot.

Kang Ji Young said, “It is weird but there are many times we end up sharing a waiting room with f(x). And we grew closer to one another at a very strange and fast speed. It can be a little boring to have no maknae friends, but now I’m very happy.”

Credit: sookyeong @ k-bites

Tags: KARA/f(x)/Korean Girl Group/Kang Ji Young

Kim Bum for T.I. for Men, Winter Collection '09

Tags:korean actor/Kim Bum/T.I. for Men

Lee Young-ae in 1st Public Appearance Since Wedding

Lee Young-ae gets into a car after the first class of her doctorate program
at Hanyang University on Tuesday.

Star actress Lee Young-ae made her first public appearance since her secret marriage on Tuesday. She expressed her happiness over the first 20 days of her married life but remained reticent on the issue that most piqued her fans' curiosity -- her husband.

Lee, who had been playing hide-and-seek with media since she secretly married a U.S.-Korean businessman in Hawaii last month, held a press conference at the Graduate School of Theater and Cinema in Hanyang University, where she just started her doctoral studies.

Over 100 reporters lined up in the university from early in the morning to catch Lee heading to her first class. "I'm sorry to have confused you several times. I didn't mean to. I ask for your generous understanding as it involves good news," Lee said. She briefly mentioned her husband. "I've had a long-term relationship with my husband. My feelings toward him are deeper than just love. If he was in show business like me, I would have made his profile public, but he's not a public figure and doing so would be inconvenient in what he does, so we had a quiet wedding," said Lee.

Lee sparked speculation by keeping everything related to her marriage including her husband's exact age strictly confidential. Asked if she plans to have children, Lee replied, "I'm not that young anymore, so if it happens..." She said she plans to continue her acting career. After about 10 minutes of interview, Lee headed to a lecture room to have her first class.

Lee married in Hawaii on Aug. 24 and returned to Korea for her studies on Sept. 2.

Credit: englishnews@chosun.com

source : Chosun

Tags: Lee Young Ae/korean actress

Big Bang TOP lost 20 kg in just 40 days before debut

Group Big Bang member TOP reveals a shocking piece of his past.

TOP, who is known for his flawless appearance and charisma, was at one point in time obese, and which he wishes to hide it. Before debut, TOP has lost about 20kg in just 40 days. A teacher who used to teach TOP during his high school 3rd year said, “In that 40 days, TOP came to school and for his pants, he can fit in 2 more people.”

He also talked about the truth as being an underground rapper. TOP used to be an underground rapper in HongDae area. But there has been debates amongst fans that “there is no such person called TOP in HongDae area”, “Not HongDae, but TOP raps in Itaewon” etc.

A friend who used to make demo tapes to audition for YG Entertainment with TOP said, “Usually he jokes a lot, and even acts foolishly on many times but that’s Choi Seung Hyun. When you talk about music, you will be surprised at his knowledge of songs, and that there will be surprising times to find that he had known and memorised so much about music.”

Meanwhile, more about Big Bang and their members’ past will be revealed through MBC Every1 ‘Star The Secret – Big Bang edition’ aired on 16th September.

Credit: sookyeong @ k-bites

Tags: Big Bang/TOP/korean singer

Rain's Knee Injury Not Serious

Singer Rain, who injured his knee at a concert in Saitama, Japan as part of his "Legend of Rainism" concert tour on August 29-30, said his injury was not serious and that his fans may rest assured.

In a message that Rain sent via Promax, the organizer of the Asia tour, the singer thanked his fans for their encouragement. Rain sprained his leg when performing a jumping move on September 29. He underwent treatment on September 31 at a general hospital in Seoul shortly after returning to Korea.

Rain also added that his Hollywood debut movie, "Ninja Assassin," was to open soon and that he looked forward to hearing his fans' reviews about his acting. He wrote, "My goal right now is to make my name through a movie, but my ultimate goal is to gain global recognition as an actor and artist. As the late Michael Jackson has shown us, artists make a big impact on future generations with their music and performances and are judged by them as well. I want to be an artist who has an impact on the world's future."

source: KBS Global

Tags: Rain/korean actor/korean singer/Ninja Assassin

Kim Getting Better From Influenza A

South Korean pop idol and actor Kim Hyun-jung is recovering from his contraction of influenza A (H1N1) in Tokyo, his manager said Wednesday.

Kim was quoted as saying, "I am sorry to have surprised fans. I will make efforts to get better and meet with fans soon."

Kim, a member of boy band SS501, was confirmed to have been infected with the contagious disease Tuesday and is now hospitalized in Tokyo.

Kim's manager said, "His fever fell overnight and his sore throat eased a lot. He sounded OK this morning.''

Kim was the first Korean celebrity to be diagnosed with the disease, which has already affected more than 6,000 people in South Korea.

Kim is reportedly nervous about being absent from the Seoul Drama Awards, which will be held in Seoul Friday. He is projected to win the Asian best actor award.

According to Japanese showbiz insiders, Kim visited a hospital in Japan Tuesday after suffering from a high fever.

He was given the antiviral drug Tamiflu and placed in an isolation ward, where he may stay for 15 days.

Kim gained international fame after starring in the KBS smash hit "Boys Over Flowers'' as a handsome tycoon heir earlier this year. He went to Japan to promote the drama and was supposed to be there from Saturday through Monday.

source: koreatimes.co.kr

Tags:Kim Hyun-jung/Korean pop idol/Boys over Flowers/SS501

Childhood Photos of Korean actor

Song Joong-ki


Kim joon


Lee ki-woo

So Ji-sub

Yoo Gun

source: Yahoo Korea

Tags: Song Joong-ki/Kim Joon/Lee Ki-woo/So Ji-sub /Yoo Gun/korean actor

Lim Soo-jung Stars in Thai Indie Movie

The actress Lim Soo-jung will star in Thai movie "Phuket" directed by emerging star director Aditya Assarat and alongside veteran local actor Sorapong Chatree.

The film is the story of the friendship between a young Korean actress and a limousine driver at a hotel in Thailand. Lim plays a famous Korean actress who is constantly in the media spotlight. Sorapong, who has appeared in over 400 movies, plays the driver.

Aditya won awards at the 2007 Pusan International Film Festival with "Wonderful Town" and best film and best director awards at the 2008 Subhanahonga National Film Festival, and is one of the brightest stars on Thailand's movie scene.

Aditya said, "I've always watched Korean actresses with great interest and I've especially wanted to work with Lim. She is very soulful and expressive inside. I've watched all of her movies, and she has natural beauty that mesmerizes people."

"Phuket" finished shooting at the end of August and will premiere at this year's PIFF in October.

Credit: englishnews@chosun.com

source : Chosun

Tags: Lim Soo jung/korean actress/Thai movie/Phuket/Aditya Assarat

Wonder Girls Mulled as Game Characters

By Jane Han
Staff Reporter

Good news for Wonder Girls fans: If simply watching the girl group wasn't satisfying enough, wait till the end of this year ― you'll actually be able to control each and every motion of the superstars through the push of a keyboard button.

This is JYP Entertainment's ambitious way of bringing fans closer to ― and get them more hooked on ― its most-profitable asset.

Industry insiders say that South Korea's leading entertainment agency, which manages and represents Wonder Girls, is in the finishing stages of developing an online game dubbed "Star Tales'' in conjuction with China's Shanghai Magic Grid Network, a gaming technology firm.

The product will be released by the end of this year at the earliest, they say.

However, JYP Entertainment did not officially comment on the plans.

Star Tales, which has been under development for three years, is reportedly equipped with Unreal Engine 3, a top gaming engine that powers many of the best-known games on the market.

Industry sources say that the new product will break away from traditional dance games, as it will likely enable users to customize everything from outfits to accessories, giving them more flexibility to dress up their favorite pop icons.

A similar dance game featuring Wonder Girls is already popular in China, but the officially released version is expected to include more quality options. 2PM, a popular boy group, and other singers belonging to JYP Entertainment may be featured as well.

While the jump into the game business is a new one for JYP Entertainment, it is a late starter compared to its rivals SM Entertainment, YG Entertainment and J. Tune Entertainment.

J. Tune and YG teamed up with GameHi, a local online game maker, to kick off a joint gaming venture, while SM entered the lucrative industry in 2006 by acquiring a domestic game firm.

credit: jhan@koreatimes.co.kr
source: koreatimes.co.kr

Tags: Wonder Girls/korean singer/Star Tales/2PM

Tablo and Kang Hye Jung to get married!

Epik High's Tablo and his girlfriend, Kang Hye Jung, announced today that they are going to get married this coming October! And to add a little spice to this hot news, they are expecting a baby as well!

Tablo expressed in a statement through his company, "It was love at first sight for me. Now we are planning to get married in the fall. We are expecting a baby in the middle of next year...It was generally really tough for me this year, but Hye Jung was with me at all times and encouraged me. I wish you guys support us and our love, peaceful love is the most important thing for us at this point. And let's hope the baby looks like the mother!"

Congrats to them!

source: allkpop

Tags: Tablo/Kang Hye jung/Epik High

Hyun Bin, Song Hye-gyo's Trip to Japan Cancelled

Actor Hyun Bin and actress Song Hye-gyo were to make a trip to Japan together for the first time since announcing their relationship, but the trip has been cancelled.

The Japanese agency Avex was to hold an event marking the release of the DVD and music album of the TV drama "Worlds Within" on September 26 in Yokohama, but Song cancelled the trip because of "problems in the Korean agency" that produced the drama.

Hyun, who will visit Japan on September 23, will celebrate his 28th birthday with some 2000 fans from Thailand, Hong Kong, Japan, China and Singapore on September 25 at the Pacific Hall in Yokohama. On September 26 he will attend events related to "Worlds Within."

source: KBS Global

Tags: Hyun Bin/Song Hye kyo/World's Within

Jang Jin-young Love Story Revealed

Actress Jang Jin-young, who died of stomach cancer on Tuesday afternoon, had married her new boyfriend in a secret ceremony in the United States in July. Jang's agency Yedang Entertainment on Wednesday said the man, identified only as Kim, "proposed on June 14, Jang's birthday, and they got married in Las Vegas on July 26, promising each other eternal love."

The two registered their marriage in Korea on Aug. 28, only four days before the actress' death. Kim An-chul, a spokesman for the agency, said, "Jang and Kim first met on Jan. 23, 2008 when an acquaintance introduced them, and he was by her side while she was battling cancer until she drew her last breath."

"The reason why they kept their marriage secret was because they wanted to protect their love," he added. Jang's inheritance will go to her parents.

The love story drew much media attention, especially after Jang was diagnosed with cancer. Kim is second son of former lawmaker Kim Bong-ho and majored in photography at university. He worked for a company before becoming a businessman. Jang wanted to break up with him when she found out she had cancer, but Kim insisted on caring for her.

Credit: englishnews@chosun.com

source : Chosun

Tags: Jang Jin-young/korean actress

Song Hye Kyo in Vogue Magazine September 2009

source: Allkpop

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Actress with Cancer in Critical Condition

Acclaimed actress Jang Jin-young is reportedly in critical condition at a hospital in Seoul. She has been battling stomach cancer since last fall. Her condition has gotten worse in recent days, relying only on morphine to kill the pain. Her representative at Yedang Entertainment has not released any statement, claiming that there is nothing to say about her health at the moment.

She first found out that she had stomach cancer last year when she went to the hospital to treat what she thought was ulcer. Upon finding out that she had cancer, she suspended all her activities and have focused only on getting well. She appeared to have been getting better, talking on the phone with a reporter for a TV news program last November and attending a concert by Kim Gun-mo with her friends in May. The actress has been staying in the United States to receive cancer treatment until early August.

source: KBS Global

Tags: Jang Jin-young/korean actress