SM releases EXO's first group photos

SM Entertainment revealed the first group photos of the new boy band 'EXO' through the EXO-M's official facebook page with a picture of Kai, Lu Han, Tao and Chen.

After releasing the teaser video and photos, EXO has finally made their debut at SBS ‘Gayo Daejun’on December 29th.

Check out their performances below.

 

Photo credit : bnt news via Nate, EXO-M's official Facebook page
Video credit : mangamad2825@youtube

Jeon Ji-hyun Dating Top Designer's Grandson

Jeon Ji-hyun is in a romantic relationship with the grandson of renowned hanbok designer Lee Young-hee, the actress’s agency said on Thursday, confirming media reports of her being romantically involved.

"Like everyone else, they have been friends and recently started dating," it said in a press release. Her boyfriend, identified only by his surname Choi, works at an American bank.

The agency denied the rumors that they are seeing each other with marriage in mind, as some media have reported, they don’t have any specific plans for the future yet.

"The man she's dating is an ordinary person, so we ask you to respect his privacy and support the couple's lovely relationship," it added.

source: Chosun Ilbo

Girls' Generation Nation's No. 1 Band for 3rd Year

Girls' Generation have been voted as the best singers in Korea for the third consecutive year, according to a recent survey.

Gallup Korea conducted a survey on 3,401 people aged between 13 and 59 nationwide and asked them to pick three singers or bands who had their best year in 2011.



The nine-girl group ranked first for the third straight year with 26.1 percent of the votes and emerged as the clear favorite among all age groups: 30 percent among teens, 29.2 percent among those in their 20s, 29.5 percent among 30-somethings, 25.2 percent among people in their 40s and 18.2 percent among those aged 50-59.

But for other singers, people's preferences differed drastically by age. While male idol groups such as Big Bang, BEAST and INFINITE were heavily favored by teenagers, those in their 30s and 40s preferred Kim Bum-soo, Yim Jae-beom and Lena Park, whose singing skills have come to the fore recently in the hit MBC TV show "I Am a Singer."

source: Chosun Ilbo

Korean boy bands in Christmas Costumes

SHINee

Block B

2PM

MBLAQ

BIGBANG

Super Junior Wins Four Awards at Yahoo Awards Ceremony

Kim Hyun Joong, Jang Geun Seok, and Lee Da Hea also won awards.

Star group Super Junior garnered awards as they were selected as the mostly searched singing group in Asia. According to Yahoo Korea on December 21, Super Junior won a total of four awards including "Asia Top Searched Group Artist" and "Top Searched Star Artist of the year" in Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan at the award ceremony of "2011 Yahoo! Asia Buzz Award" that was held at Hong Kong Convention Center on December 20.



In addition, Kim Hyun Joong also won four awards including "Asia Top Buzz Single Artist" and "Best Buzz Single Star" in Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Actor Jang Geun Seok and actress Lee Da Hea garnered the "Taiwan Top Searched Single Korean Artist" and "Korea Top Buzz Female Artist," respectively

"Yahoo! Asia Buzz Awards" is an award ceremony prepared jointly by Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, and it publishes the hot trend of entertainment industry of the year and awards the top stars. As it selects the winners based on the figures of search hits and the votes, the result can tell the Asian Netizen' interest for a year. The awards ceremony was broadcast live online through Yahoo Hong Kong, and it will air again as a filmed TV broadcast on TVB-Jade.

source: KBS Global

Korean girls groups in Christmas Costumes

T-ara

Secret

f(x)

SNSD

Wonder Girls

SNSD’s Christmas Fairy Tale

SNSD wishes fans a merry christmas by performing a special concert, "SNSD’s Christmas Fairy Tale."

Check out their performances below.

credits : monmonsnowSeason5@youtube

A Pink reveals their Christmas-themed photo shoot

On today's episode of Mnet's 'M! Countdown, A Pink performed a christmas song, "Last Christmas".

source: http://thestar.chosun.com

Song Hye Kyo Cast as Protagonist in Director John Woo's New Movie

Actress Song Hye Kyo will appear as the female protagonist in the movie "Relation of Life and Death” (working title) which will begin filming from early next year.

Hallyu star Song Hye Kyo has been cast as the protagonist of the movie which will be directed by world famous film director John Woo from Hong Kong. Song's agency said on December 19, "John Woo casts Song Hye Kyo as he was attracted by Song Hye Kyo's excellent acting and her mixed charms from her innocent to charismatic appearance."

The narrative melodrama "Relation of Life and Death" that will begin filming from early next year has been prepared by John Woo for more than two years, and it will be filmed in Shanghai, China and Taiwan. Song Hye Kyo will play a strong woman who was born in a wealthy family with a background of finance in the 1930s where the upheaval of modern China pervaded. She will present how the woman went through various troubles for a 60-year period. She will be transformed from a freewheeling character to a mature and wise woman in the movie. In addition, Song Hye Kyo will speak in the Chinese language in "Relation of Life and Death," which will be produced by Terence Chang who had produced Hollywood blockbuster movies such as "Mission Impossible 2" and "Face Off." Terence Chang has been managing Song Hye Kyo's overseas activities since 2008. Song's agency revealed that Terence Chang is reveiwing other works for Song Hye Kyo.

source: KBS Global

SMTOWN releases "Santa U Are The One" Music Video

SMTOWN released its first music video form the new Winter Album "The Warmest Gift" with the members of Super Junior, Henry and Zhoumi from Super Junior M.

SNSD's Jessica poses for 1st-look-magazine

check out more photos from http://www.firstlook.co.kr/?people=cover-story-break-the-ice

Wonder Girls To Release Album Next Month

The girl group "Wonder Girls" will make a comeback to Korea by releasing their second official album in the beginning of next month.



The Wonder Girls’ agency, JYP Entertainment, said on October 20, “The Wonder Girls will begin their activities again in Korea after having a break of almost one and half years since they released their mini album entitled ‘Two Different Tears’ last year in May.” The title song of their new album will be part of the original soundtrack of the movie “Wonder Girls at the Apollo,” in which the Wonder Girls will appear as the protagonists, and the movie will be aired on the popular US TV channel Teen Nick. JYP introduced the album by saying, “The new album will be different from their previous albums such as ‘Tell Me,’ ‘So Hot,’ and ‘Nobody,’ which had a retro-style melody, and the style and melody of the new album will become more stylish and mature.”



The members of the Wonder Girls had participated in filming the movie in Los Angeles for about a month and came back to Korea to produce their music video early this month. They have plans to meet their Asian fans from December right after they begin their activities in Korea. In addition, they will also hold their activities in America from the time when the premiere of “Wonder Girls at the Apollo” will be held in Los Angeles in the first half of next year.

source: KBS Global

SNSD's Jessica poses for W Korea magazine's November issue

Image credits to sica-lovely.tumblr.com

check out more photos sica-lovely.tumblr.com/tagged/W_KOREA

Teardrops Fall as Rain Enlists in Army

After giving teary-eyed fans a rousing send off on Sunday with a free street concert in Gangnam, a newly-cropped Rain enlisted in the Army on Tuesday afternoon for 21 months of compulsory military service.

The "Ninja Assassin" star and Korean Wave singing sensation reported to the 306th Army draft camp in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province. He is going to take up active duty after a five-week boot camp.

The former back-up dancer who rose to international fame held a press conference at a nearby vacant lot and bade farewell to fans before he disappeared into the Army camp.

The ever-humble star said, "I'm sorry for making a fuss about my enlistment." He thanked fans for supporting him for the best part of a decade and looked emotional as he headed off for a life of drills, discipline and Army fatigues.

He was seen off by friends and acquaintances including K-pop boy band MBLAQ, which he helped create and manage.

About 1,000 fans from home and abroad, including those from the U.S., Japan, China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, gathered to see him carrying placards wishing him the best.

On Sunday night, Rain gave a free concert on Yeongdong Boulevard in Samseong-dong as part of the Gangnam Fashion Festival.

He debuted as a solo artist in 2002 and has since expanded his scope of activities to include TV dramas and films. In 2006, Time magazine named him on its list of the top 100 people who were transforming the world with their talent or power.

"Thanks to his angelic face, killer bod and Justin Timber-like dance moves, Rain … has ridden the crest of hallyu," wrote Time reporter Bryan Walsh.

Rain acted in the Hollywood movie "Speed Racer" in 2008 and starred in the action film "Ninja Assassin" one year later.

source: Chosun Ilbo

Rain's Military Enlistment Date Confirmed

According to the most recent reports, world star, Rain, will be enlisting in the military on October 11th.

The 29-year-old entertainer's reps revealed that this is the most current report that they recently received from the Military Manpower Administration.

Rain will stay busy until then. He is currently touring around Korea for his "last" concert before his two year hiatus. He also just wrapped filming his latest movie "Emergency, Close To The Sun", with actress Shin Se-kyung.

source: KBS Global

Wonder Girls to Star in U.S. TV Movie

K-pop band Wonder Girls will star in a serialized TV show in the United States called "Wonder Girls at the Apollo," their agency JYP Entertainment said on Sunday.

The show will be broadcast in the first quarter of next year on Teen Nick, a TV station for teenagers, with at least six episodes scheduled to run.

JYP and Nick Cannon's movie company, N'credible, signed a broadcast contract with Teen Nick, the MTV Network subsidiary owned by Viacom. It promises exposure for the girls to over 70 million households in the U.S.

Chairman Nick Cannon, the actor-singer husband of Mariah Carey, saw the Wonder Girls' growth potential in the U.S. market and accepted the film production, JYP said. Filming will start in October, and the girls will release their debut album in the U.S. as an original soundtrack in synch with the TV show. They first broke into the U.S. market two years ago with an English version of their hit single "Nobody."

source: Chosun Ilbo

Lee-teuk & Hee-chul of Super Junior To Enlist In Army In 2012

In the midst of promoting their new song, Super Junior members have revealed who's next up in leaving for the military.

Lee-teuk and Hee-chul have announced their plans on enlisting for their compulsory military duties in 2012.

Both Lee-teuk and Hee-chul were born in 1983, making them 28 this year. Koran law states that Korean men are required to enlist by the age of 29.

No other specific details were released. However, it does appear that their current new 5th album will be their last before enlistment. Earlier, the group also revealed plans for a world tour before enlistment.

source: KBS Global

f(x) Sulli's childhood photos

source: nemopan

Girl's Generation for Vogue Girl

Photo: Naver