K-pop Agencies Venture Into Managing Actors, Hosts

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines - Two of Korea's biggest K-pop agencies have expanded their empires into managing actors and TV hosts, and TV production, a move that will keep their stronghold in the business.

SM Entertainment and JYP Entertainment, which handle K-pop's hottest singers including Girls Generation, Wonder Girls, Super Junior and 2AM, have ventured out of their core business.

Jang Dong-gun and Kang Ho Dong (Photos by www.newsen.com)

Psy's Appeal To Fans: Help Me Get No. 1 On Billboard

Psy is appealing to fans to help him get to No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100 as his "Gangnam Style" reaches 400 million views on YouTube

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines - Korean rapper Psy will not settle for second place as far as his ranking on the Billboard Hot 100 chart is concerned.

Korean Dramas, K-pop Helped Reshape Philippine TV, Music

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines - The hallyu, or Korean wave, that has swept Asia and other regions has helped in changing how Filipino dramas are made and increased the popularity of K-pop in the Philippines.

This was according to a paper presented by Prof. Ma. Crisanta Flores of the University of the Philippines Department of Filipino and Philippine Literature.

Korean dramas (clockwise from left) "My Name is Kim Sam Soon," "Full House" and "Stairway to Heaven"
(Photos courtesy of MBC, KBS and SBS)

Psy stays at No. 2 on Billboard Hot 100, takes shirt off at his Korea concert

By JONATHAN M. HICAP

MANILA, Philippines - Korean rapper Psy didn't wait for his hit single "Gangnam Style" to reach No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100 to fulfill his promise to perform shirtless.

Psy held a concert before a massive crowd at Seoul Plaza in Korea on Thursday evening to celebrate the achievements of "Gangnam Style" and thank the public for supporting him.

Psy's concert at Seoul Plaza on October 4, 2012

Psy's concert at Seoul Plaza on October 4, 2012:

Link to my original post:

Cha Tae-hyun & Uee Cast in New KBS Drama Jeon Woochi

Actor Cha Tae-hyun and Uee from the girl group After School have been cast in the new historical drama, Jeon Woochi which is slated to air in November.

Cha Tae-hyun and Uee (www.newsen.com)

Lee Byung-hun To Attend Busan Int'l Film Festival 2012

After wrapping up the filming for the movie "Red 2" in Canada, actor Lee Byung-hun will return to Korea to attend the 17th Busan International Film Festival, kickstarting on October 4th.

Cebu Dancing Inmates Do 'Gangnam Style' As Psy Conquers UK Chart

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin 

MANILA, Philippines -  The famous Cebu dancing inmates have gone "Gangnam Style."

About 1,000 prisoners at the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) braved the rain last Sept. 29 to show their awesome performance of Korean rapper Psy's "Gangnam Style," culled from the viral video that has accumulated 332 million views since its upload on YouTube last July.

Cebu Dancing Inmates in the Philippines do Psy's 'Gangnam Style'

The famous Cebu Dancing Inmates from the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center (CPDRC) in southern Philippines have once again showed their awesome skills when they performed Korean rapper Psy's "Gangnam Style." 

The video was uploaded on YouTube on September 29. 

Psy's 'Gangnam Style' Soars To No. 2 On Billboard Hot 100, Nears 300 Million Views On YouTube | The Manila Bulletin Newspaper Online

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin 

MANILA, Philippines - When Korean rapper Psy returned to Korea last Sept. 25 after his successful promotion in the US, he vowed to perform topless if "Gangnam Style" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

He better get ready as the song jumped to No. 2 this week and looms to become the first Korean song to top the Hot 100 chart.

Psy in Korea (Photos by www.newsen.com)