Korea Observer

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Super Junior plans a picture book

Super Junior will release a photo book to celebrate its seventh year in the spotlight. SM Entertainment announced Tuesday that the limited-edition book will go on sale across Asia starting Nov. 6.

Photo courtesy of Korea JoongAng Daily

Ex-Spice Girls' Mel B Dances 'Gangnam Style' With Psy

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines - The "Gangnam Style" dance craze has hit Australia and former Spice Girls member Mel B did it with Psy himself.

Psy flew to Australia on Oct. 15 for a promo tour. His first appearance was on "X Factor" Australia on Oct. 16 where he showed judge Mel B how to do the signature horse-riding dance.

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

Wonder Girls Joins Christina Aguilera, Others In Special Christmas Album

By JONATHAN M. HICAP, Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines - K-pop quintet the Wonder Girls has participated along with global stars in a Christmas album that will benefit the Special Olympics.

The "A Very Special Christmas" music series will be issued in the US on Oct. 16 in two albums: The "A Very Special Christmas 25th Anniversary" and "A Very Special Christmas: Bringing Peace on Earth."

Photos by www.newsen.com and Wonder Girls Facebook page

Korean Star Lee Min-ho Coming To Manila In November

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin
MANILA, Philippines - Korean superstar Lee Min-ho is bound for the Philippines next month to meet fans as the new endorser of a local clothing brand.

JYJ Suffers Another Humiliation In South Korea

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines - Fans are angry that one of Korea's most popular hallyu stars has suffered another humiliation in his own country when he was left out in the TV broadcast of the opening ceremony of the 32nd National Para Games in Korea.

'Gangnam Style' Reaches 1 Million Downloads In US

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines - Korean rapper Psy's viral hit "Gangnam Style" has achieved another milestone, getting 1 million downloads and 1 million on-demand streams in the US, according to Billboard.

Billboard.com says based on this week's Digital Songs chart, "Gangnam Style" has attained the feat.

Psy (www.newsen.com)

'Full House 2' To Premiere In Korea

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin
MANILA, Philippines - The sequel to the 2004 hit Korean romantic comedy "Full House" will premiere in Korea on Oct. 22 on cable channel SBS Plus.

"Full House Take 2" stars actress Hwang Jung Eum and actors No Min Woo and Park Ki Woong.

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:

Monday, October 1, 2012

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)

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)

Guinness World Records Declares 'Gangnam Style' As 'Most Liked' Video In YouTube History

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines - Korean rapper Psy can finally claim the moniker "YouTube sensation" as an official world record.

As his phenomenal music video "Gangnam Style" continues to rake in views, the Guinness World Records has declared it as the most liked video on YouTube.

Psy with rock legend Bon Jovi at the iHeartRadio Music Festival

Wonder Girls' Sunye Denies Getting Married Next Month

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines - Wonder Girls leader Sunye denied a report in a Korean women’s magazine that she's getting married next month to her non-showbiz boyfriend.

Sunye shot down the report via a Twitter message. “I’m informing you guys again that my next month marriage news revealed by a misreport is false. I know very well that many people are blessing my open relationship with kind words," Sunye said, according to Allkpop.com.

Sunye and her boyfriend (Internet photo, wonderfulgeneration.net, allkpop.com)

Will 'Jewel in the Palace 2' Become A Hit?

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines - Korean TV station MBC has announced that it will produce a sequel to the hit TV drama "Jewel in the Palace," a decade after the original series aired in 2003 to 2004.

"Jewel in the Palace" became a top rating drama in Korea and was exported to many countries including the Philippines.

Billboard charts: Unstoppable Psy Jumps to 11th place, G-Dragon Debuts

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines - Korean rapper and YouTube sensation Psy's wish to chart higher on Billboard has come true.

And fellow YG Entertainment artist G-Dragon, leader of boy band Big Bang, has joined him on the charts.

(Clockwise from top) Ellen and Psy doing the "Gangnam Style" dance on "Ellen";
Psy on 'Saturday Night Live' and G-Dragon

Sandara Park joins Twitter: 'Pambansang krungkrung ng Pilipinas'

2NE1's Sandara Park has finally joined Twitter under the name @krungy21, putting the description that she is the "Pambansang krungkrung ng Pilipinas" (The Philippines' national weird or unique personality).

"Krung krung" was a nickname given to Sandara when she was still active as an actress and singer in the Philippines. It means weird, unique or crazy.

Korea's IU Makes It To Billboard's 21 Under 21 List

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines - Korean singer IU has made it to Billboard's 21 Under 21, the chart's "annual ranking of music's most powerful minors."

"They've got hit records, millions of fans, and the kind of success most musicians only dream of -- and they can't even uncork a bottle of champagne to celebrate their success," according to Billboard.com.

Big Bang's Seungri And Model Anna Kubo: Are They Lovers?

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines - Korean boy band Big Bang member Seungri has become involved in another controversy with Hong Kong newspaper Apple Daily publishing photos and video of what appear to be intimate moments between him and Japanese model and actress Anna Kubo in Hong Kong. (Videos after the cut)

(Left) Seungri and Ann Kubo having an intimate moment in Hong Kong. (Top and bottom right) Seungri's photos published in FRIDAY magazine in Japan. (Photos courtesy of appledaily.com.hk and FRIDAY magazine)

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.

'Korea's Next Top Model' Judge Found Dead

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines - A stylist and judge on the TV franchise "Korea's Next Top Model" was found dead by his sister in his home in Seoul last Sept. 15. Korean police identified the victim as Woo Jong-wan, 46.

Photo courtesy of www.newsen.com

Psy's 'Gangnam Style' Debuts On Billboard Hot 100, Sets Records

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines - Korean rapper Psy's US promotion for his hit song "Gangnam Style" has finally paid off big time.

"Gangnam Style" has debuted on Billboard's coveted Hot 100 chart at No. 64, the highest rank achieved by a K-pop artist on the singles chart since 2001.

T-ara's Agency Gets Back At Korean Media | The Manila Bulletin Newspaper Online

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines - K-pop group T-ara's agency sued a dozen Korean media outlets, blaming them for the negative publicity that the girl group has been getting since the bullying controversy broke out in July.

T-ara (Photo by www.newsen.com)

(VIDEO) Psy Teaches Britney Spears The 'Gangnam Style' Dance On 'Ellen'

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines - Pop superstar and "X-Factor' judge Britney Spears' wish to learn the now famous "Gangnam Style" dance has finally come true.

Last Aug. 29, Spears tweeted that she loved the music video of Korean rapper and YouTube sensation Psy and wanted to learn the choreography.

Psy Attends VMA, Performs 'Gangnam Style' At Pre-show

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines - Korean rapper and YouTube sensation Psy attended his first MTV Video Music Awards ceremony today, walking down the red carpet and appearing on stage.

The singer, whose viral music video "Gangnam Style" has racked up 115 million views on YouTube, appeared on the VMA stage with host Kevin Hart.

Psy on the VMA red carpet and with Grammy winner John Mayer at the MTV pre-show party.
(Photos courtesy of MTV and jmpicspam on Twitter)

15,000-seater K-pop Concert Hall To Be Built In Seoul

By JONATHAN HICAP, Manila Bulletin

MANILA, Philippines - The Korean government's show of support to the K-pop and tourism industries includes the construction of a 15,000-seater concert hall in Seoul.

The planned concert venue is estimated to cost about 200 billion (about P7.38 billion) to construct with the government providing 25 billion won (P924 million), according to Korea's Ministry of Strategy and Finance.

(Clockwise from top left) KARA, Lee Min-ho, 2NE1 and Big Bang.
(Photos by www.newsen.com, MTV and YG Entertainment)

14 El Monte city (in California) pool workers fired for filming 'Gangnam Style' spoof

EL MONTE - Fourteen city pool workers landed in hot water this week after a video surfaced of them performing a parody of the viral Korean pop music video "Gangnam Style" at the El Monte Aquatic Center.

The 13 lifeguards and pool manager were fired Wednesday.

Several of the former employees said the city's decision went too far and that they were off the clock when they filmed the video.