Style Icon Awards 2012 Nominees

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines - Who will be crowned Korea's style icon this year?

From K-pop stars to sports figures, the nominees for the Style Icon Awards 2012 are a mix of the most popular celebrities in Korea.

Billed as a search for the "Most Stylish Icons that Brightened 2012," the Style Icon Awards will culminate in an awarding ceremony on Oct. 25.

Photos courtesy of www.newsen.com and YG Entertainment

Super Junior's Leeteuk to enlist in the army

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines - The leader of one of the most popular K-pop boy bands will be enlisting in the Korean military next month.

It was announced that Leeteuk, leader of Super Junior, will be enlisting in the army on Oct. 30. He will enter the 306 Support Group at an army camp in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi province in South Korea. There he will receive five weeks of basic military training after which he will start completing his 21-month military service. He will be discharged in 2014.

Leeteuk (Photos by www.newsen.com and SMTown)

Psy, Super Junior, Hangeng Nominated in 2012 MTV EMA | The Manila Bulletin Newspaper Online

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines  - Korean rapper Psy is on a roll.

His hit song "Gangnam Style" has been nominated for best video in the 2012 MTV Europe Music Awards (EMA), which will be held on Nov. 11 in Frankfurt, Germany.

Super Junior's 'Sexy, Free & Single' music video

Super Junior released the music video for their title track "Sexy, Free & Single" included in their latest album "Sexy, Free & Single." 

(PHOTO): Manila Bulletin print edition (June 26, 2012)

My K-pop article "K-Pop Groups Make It To Oricon 2012 Rankings"  published in the Manila Bulletin issue today, June 26, 2012. 

American fan with hereditary disease fulfills dream; meets SHINee, Super Junior

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines - A 15-year-old girl from Brooklyn, New York, who suffers from a hereditary disorder affecting the nerves and muscles, fulfilled her dream of meeting her favorite K-pop group SHINee.

K-pop Groups In Oricon Rankings For 2012

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines - Several K-pop groups made it to the list of bestselling artists in Japan for the first half of 2012.

Oricon chart has released the list of top 50 singles, albums and DVDs from January to June.

Photos from www.newsen.com and Facebook pages of Big Bang & Super Junior

Kangin Included In Super Junior's New Album

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines - Super Junior member Kangin will be returning to the boy band after two years and nine months through his participation in their new album.

SM Entertainment confirmed that Kangin will be part of Super Junior's sixth album, his first activity after being discharged from the Korean military last April.

(From left) Kangin at the police station in 2009, his discharge from the army and his recent photo taken in May (Photos by www.newsen.com and Kangin's Twitter)

Siwon & Donghae in Alabang

Philippine clothing store BENCH is displaying its different branches with huge posters of Super Junior members Siwon and Donghae, who are the brand's latest endorsers. 

Girls' Generation Reaches 'Million' Status In Japan

By JONATHAN M. HICAP

MANILA, Philippines - K-pop group Girls' Generation reached another milestone when their first Japanese studio album sold 1 million copies in Japan.

The Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) issued on June 8 the list of certified works for May that includes the Korean group's "Girls' Generation" album which has reached "million" status after being released in June last year.

Clockwise from the top) Girls Generation, Super Junior and Jang Geun Seuk.
(Photos courtesy of www.newsen.com and Super Junior Facebook page)

SPIN's Spin: 21 'Greatest' K-Pop Songs Of All Time

http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/361299/spins-spin-21-greatest-kpop-songs-of-all-time

Super Junior, FT Island, SHINee Hold Concerts In Korea, Taiwan, Japan

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines - Boy bands Super Junior, SHINee and FT Island held their various concerts over the weekend in Korea, Japan and Taiwan.

After touring seven countries, Super Junior ended their Super Show 4 world tour on May 26 and 27 with encore concerts at the Olympic Gymnastics Arena in Seoul.

FT Island, Super Junior and SHINee. (Photos courtesy of their Facebook pages)

[WATCH] YouTube presents MBC K-pop concert

Watch the entire MBC K-pop Concert held in Mountainview, California. 

Super Junior dominates Taiwan chart

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines - Korean boy band Super Junior made history anew by topping a music chart in Taiwan for 100 consecutive weeks, a spot they’ve been holding on to since 2010.

The boys' two albums, "Mr. Simple" and "Bonamana," have topped the chart on Taiwan's KKBOX, which bills itself as the "world's largest Chinese online music service."

Super Junior (Photos by www.newsen.com and SMTown Facebook page)

Charice angry over airing of 'Star King' segment

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines – Filipina singer Charice made her fourth appearance last April 7 on Korean TV talent show “Star King,” the show that helped launch her international singing career back in 2007.

However, Charice was “appalled and angry” when the show aired.

Charice on "Star King" (Screen captures by www.newsen.com)

Girls Generation, Super Junior top 2011 earners for SM Entertainment

By JONATHAN HICAP 

K-pop groups Girls Generation and Super Junior are the top earning artists under SM Entertainment.

In a financial disclosure filed with Korea’s Financial Supervisory Service, SM Entertainment revealed that Girls Generation earned 21.73 billion won (P829 million) for the first three quarters of 2011.

Philippine clothing brand BENCH signs up Super Junior's Siwon and Donghae

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines – It’s official: Philippine clothing brand BENCH has signed up Siwon and Donghae, members of popular K-pop boy band Super Junior, as its latest endorsers, seen as a move to capture the growing K-pop fan base in the country.

Donghaae during the BENCH photoshoot in Seoul and Siwon.
(Photos by SM Town Facebook and www.newsen.com)

New York Times: Social networking sites help popularize K-pop phenomenon

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines - The power of social media, including Facebook, YouTube and Twitter, is propelling Korean Wave, or hallyu, to new heights and helping the spread of its popularity to North America and other regions.

Super Junior (www.newsen.com)

Forbes Korea's Top 'Power Celebrity 40' ranking

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines – K-pop group Girls Generation topped Forbes Korea’s “Power Celebrity 40” ranking for the second straight year.

The list is based on the celebrities’ income, influence and reputation.

Photos courtesy of www.newsen.com

[Korea.net]: K-Pop's official debut

2011 was an exciting year for K-Pop fans and the Korean music industry. In August, Billboard opened a new chart for K-Pop music, Billboard K-Pop Chart. Following the J-pop Chart, this is the second release of a country based music chart from Asia. And only a few months later, Google operated webcast provider YouTube launched its K-Pop Channel online. 

The news created a buzz among fans and industry experts alike as it was the first time that YouTube had created an exclusive channel for any one country. The main reason for the decision was based on the fact that there are over 5 million K-Pop related webcasts on YouTube, but only 600,000 of these can be found using the search word ‘K-Pop’. A separate K-Pop channel was in demand to facilitate the search for Korean music for K-Pop fans worldwide.