Korea Observer

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin MANILA, Philippines - Korean sensation Psy may finally have the chance to teach US President Barack Obama how to do the famous "Gangnam Style" horse-riding dance when he performs on the "Christmas In Washington" TV special. US TV channel TNT announced the list of performers for the annual event that will air Dec. 21. Photos courtesy of www.newsen.com

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.

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin MANILA, Philippines - From Burma's Nobel Peace Prize winner, young North Korean leader to a South Korean rapper who started a global horse-riding dance craze, this year's TIME Person of the Year nominees range from celebrities, politicians and undocumented immigrants. TIME magazine announced its 38 finalists for its Person of the Year 2012 and several of them came from Asia. South Korea's Psy and North Korea's Kim Jong Un (Photos courtesy of www.newsen.com and Korean Central News Agency)

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin MANILA, Philippines - The leader of K-pop quintet Wonder Girls is going to tie the knot in January next year. Sunye is getting married to her Korean-Canadian boyfriend who she met in Haiti last year during a missionary work. Wonder Girls' Sunye and her boyfriend (Internet photo/www.wonderfulgeneration.net)

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin MANILA, Philippines - Move over, Justin. Psy is the new King of YouTube. Psy celebrated another milestone in his career when his "Gangnam Style" viral song surpassed label mate Justin Bieber's "Baby" as the most viewed video of all time on YouTube.

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin MANILA, Philippines - Is the "Gangnam Style" craze waning in the US? The latest Billboard charts showed Psy's viral hit further slipping down to No. 7 on the Hot 100 from No. 5 last week and No. 2 for the past seven consecutive weeks.

Posters have been unveiled for the new KBS Wednesday-Thursday drama “Jeon Woochi” ahead of its debut on Nov. 21. The two poster designs portray the charming features of the main cast members Cha Tae-hyun, Uee, Lee Hee-joon, Baik Jin-hee, Song Dong-il and Hong Jong-hyeon.

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin MANILA, Philippines - Filipino and Korean ska bands will come together for the Philippine Ska Festival, which will be held in Makati and Cebu this December. The festival, dubbed as the "first gathering of Philippine and Korea ska," will be headlined by Kingston Rudieska, Korea's top ska band.

Actress Lee Young-ae has decided to open a Hallyu store in Samcheong-dong, central Seoul, an area popular with tourists. Lee Young-ae (Photo by Korea JoongAng Daily)

By JONATHAN M. HICAP, Manila Bulletin MANILA, Philippines - Nine-member Girls' Generation is touted to follow in the footsteps of rapper Psy in becoming the next world music sensation, according to a British newspaper. The Guardian said the girl group is set to release its first English album early next year through Interscope Records.