Korea Observer

K-pop boy band TVXQ’s new album has sold 252,000 copies in Japan, earning a platinum certification. Link to my original article on Manila Bulletin online: http://www.mb.com.ph/tvxqs-new-album-certified-platinum/ To contact the author, send email to sangchusan(at)gmail.com

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin Seoul, South Korea – Korean music TV shows showcasing the most popular K-pop singers continue to draw local and international fans. Bulletin Entertainment  witnessed how these fans would even brave the coldest of weathers to see their idols in person.

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin Japanese girl group AKB48 and boy band One Direction won as Artists of the Year at the recently concluded Japan Gold Disc Awards 2014. Several K-pop artists also emerged as winners in the prestigious awards, including TVXQ, Girls’ Generation and BAP.

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin The government of South Korea will be donating $5 million (about P219 million) worth of humanitarian assistance to the victims and families affected by Typhoon “Yolanda” in the Philippines. K-pop fan clubs, on the other hand, are helping in the relief efforts through donation drives and volunteering. Fans of (from the top) Girls’ Generation, CNBLUE, 2PM, DBSK and others are helping in providing assistance to the victims of Typhoon ‘Yolanda’ in the Philippines (Photos from Facebook pages of Girls’ Generation, CNBLUE and 2PM, and www.newsen.com)

Hallyu stars Bae Yong Joon and Yoon Eun Hye won the top acting awards at the Korean Entertainment 10th Anniversary Awards in Japan held on Oct. 19 at Makuhari International Exhibition Center in Chiba City.

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin A drama series from Israel won the grand prize while Hollywood actress Lucy Liu won as best actress in the Seoul International Drama Awards 2013 held on Sept. 6 at the National Theater of Korea. “Prisoners of War 2,” which became the top rated drama in Israel, bagged the top prize selected among all the nominees for TV movie, mini-series, serial and series categories. Kim Yun-jin, Lee Jun-ki, Suzy and Jaejoong at the Seoul International Drama Awards 2013. (Photos by www.newsen.com)

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin K-pop acts Kim Hyun Joong and TVXQ's respective singles have been certified gold in Japan. Kim Hyun Joong's third Japanese single "Tonight" and TVXQ's new single "Ocean" have sold at least 100,000 copies each, according to the latest certifications issued by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ). Kim Hyun Joong and TVXQ (Photos by KeyEast and TVXQ Facebook page)

By JONATHAN M. HICAP MANILA, Philippines - Korean boy bands 2PM, Big Bang and TVXQ have received nominations in the 2013 MTV Video Music Awards Japan (VMAJ). MTV Japan announced the nominees, the hosts and the first three performers of the awards ceremony, which will be held on June 22 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture, Japan.

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin MANILA, Philippines - Boy band Super Junior and their company SM Entertainment dominated physical album sales in 2012. Rankings of album sales by company and artist were posted on Korean music chart site Instiz, which showed percentage sales top K-pop artists got last year. Clockwise from top left) Super Junior, Wooyoung and Big Bang (Photos by www.newsen.com)

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin MANILA, Philippines - Boy band Super Junior and their company SM Entertainment dominated physical album sales in 2012. Rankings of album sales by company and artist were posted on Korean music chart site Instiz, which showed percentage sales top K-pop artists got last year. Photos by www.newsen.com

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin MANILA, Philippines - The 2nd Gaon Chart K-pop Awards ceremony was held on Feb. 13 at the Olympic Hall at Seoul Olympic Park in Seoul, South Korea. Photo by www.newsen.com

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin MANILA, Philippines - Valentine's Day is getting closer and Japanese women have picked K-pop groups they want to gift with chocolates on the red-letter occasion. A total of 1,000 respondents were asked by MPost, a Japanese site that is devoted to the Korean Wave, to answer a survey about Valentine's Day. Caption: (Clockwise from the top) JYJ, Code V and TVXQ (Photos courtesy of C-JeS Entertainment and www.newsen.com)

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin MANILA, Philippines - Korean boy band CN Blue debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's World Albums chart with their new album "Re:BLUE." "Re:BLUE" is the band's fourth mini-album and contains six tracks including the title song "I'm Sorry," "Coffee Shop" and "Where You Are." This is the first time that CN Blue has topped the chart. Infinite H, a subunit of boy band Infinite, also debuted on the chart, placing at No. 8 with their first album "Fly High" while Girls' Generation's "I Got A Boy" is at No. 10.

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin MANILA, Philippines – JYJ member Kim Jaejoong’s first mini-album has become a success, selling briskly and topping music charts in Korea, Japan and other countries. Jaejoong released “I” last Jan. 17, which quickly rose to the top of Korean chart Hanteo. Jaejoong (Photo by C-JeS Entertainment)

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin MANILA, Philippines - After three long years, the legal battle between members of boy band JYJ and agency SM Entertainment (SME) came to an end with the two parties forging a settlement through arbitration.

Several K-pop singers have been nominated in the Billboard Japan Music Awards 2012. Nominated for the Top Pop Artist 2012 category are Girls' Generation, KARA, Super Junior, CNBlue,  TVXQ and Jang Geun Suk along with EXILE, AKB48, SKE48, SMAP, Hey! Say! JUMP, Carly Rae Jepsen, NYC, NMB48, Rihanna,  Kis-My-Ft2  and Mr. Children among others. Photos courtesy of www.newsen.com

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

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

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.