Director Chou and the boys in the studio, gives up his Valentine's to Kevin Lin

Some updated news from JayChou Studio. So, he didn't have a Valentine's date. Oh well, there's always next time. Don't worry Director Chou.There are lots of girls you can choose from anytime you want from all over the world especially Asia. :)

Source: Apple Daily

Jay Chou, idol of the masses, unexpectedly spent Valentine's Day without a romantic date, instead he was locked in the studio working, after he finished writing his song he became a "super light bulb" between Will Liu and his wife Wang Wan Fei. According to reports the person who made him willing sacrifice his Valentine's Day to write a song is "Pride of Taiwan" super marathon runner Kevin Lin, Director Chou especially wrote a theme song for his long run on the ancient silk road starting in April.

Will Liu announced on his blog the whereabouts of Director Chou on Valentine's Day, he teased: "We were just at the studio! Writing a song for a certain someone? It wasn't very romantic! It will be revealed on the 21st of February in Beijing."

Netizens discussed fervently who this important person was, someone that could make Director Chou sacrifice his Valentine's Day? It turns out Director Chou supports marathon runner Kevin Lin, he once set a record for running through the Sahara desert, that trip was very hard, he passed time by listening to Director Chou's music, now it's Director Chou's turn to support him with his song. According to reports, Director Chou will attend Kevin Lin's "Embrace the Silk Road" long run project press conference on the 21st.

Ranked list of celebrities’ CF earnings revealed

With the quality of advertisements climbing ever upwards, more celebrities are earning greater pay just by signing contracts as CF models. Money Today’s enterprise team recently compiled data and created a ranked list of exactly how much top celebrities earn through CF deals by categorizing them into three classes (A to C), which range from $9,000 USD to over $200,000 USD.

According to this list, the top stars who earned the greatest income from CFs alone in the past year were Lee Young Ae, Go Hyun Jung, Jung Ji Hoon, Big Bang’s T.O.P, Kim Tae Hee, Kim Ji Hyun and Jo In Sung.

Technically speaking, musician Seo Tae Ji actually topped the charts by a fair amount. However, since Seo Tai Ji did not participate in a CF last year, and the figure is really only a “suggesting price”, it was difficult to fully compare his figure with other stars’.

When analyzing groups, Big Bang came out first with $970,000 USD, beating out the likes of SNSD and the Wonder Girls.

The full chart was categorized into three classes, A to C, which contained the earnings of just under 1,000 singers, actors, idols and sports stars. The data was from one single year, and was provided by advertising agencies whose main jobs were to hire celebrities for corporate CFs.

“Class A” consisted of celebrities who earned over $400,000 USD; “Class B” consisted of those who earned between $178,000 USD and $400,000 USD; meanwhile, “Class C” was for stars who earned under $178,000 USD.

Analyzing both males and females together, only 69 of out 869 celebrities (7.9%) were categorized in “Class A”, while 60% of the celebrities were classed under “Class C”.

Stars that were categorized under “Class A” include Jung Ji Hoon, Won Bin, Jang Dong Gun, Ahn Sung Gi, Kim Tae Hee, Moon Geun Young and Kim Tae Hee.

Only ten celebrities aged over 40 were grouped in “Class A”; the remaining celebrities were in their 30s and 20s respectively.

Finally, a total of 10 idol groups were calculated to be earning over $400,000 USD.
Check out the full ranked list down below!
==
Male Celebrities:
1 – Seo Taiji – 2,000,000,000 won ($1,800,000 USD)
2 – Big Bang – 1,100,000,000 won ($970,000 USD)
3 – Rain – 1,000,000,000 won ($890,000 USD)
4 – T.O.P – 900,000,000 won ($801,000 USD)
5 – Jo In Sung – 800,000,000 won ($710,000 USD)
6 – Jang Dong Gun – 800,000,000 won ($710,000 USD)
7 – Bae Yong Joon – 800,000,000 won ($710,000 USD)
8 – So Ji Sub – 800,000,000 won ($710,000 USD)
9 – J.Y.J. – 800,000,000 won ($710,000 USD)
10 – 2PM – 800,000,000 won ($710,000 USD)
11 – Won Bin – 700,000,00 won ($620,000 USD)
12 – Song Seung Hun – 700,000,000 won ($620,000 USD)
13 –  Jung Woo Sung – 700,000,000 won ($620,000 USD)
14 – Nichkhun – 700,000,000 won ($620,000 USD)
15 – Lee Min Ho – 700,000,000 won ($620,000 USD)
16 – Hyun Bin – 700,000,000 won ($620,000 USD)
17 – SS501 – 700,000,000 won ($620,000 USD)
18 – Daniel Henney – 650,000,000 won ($580,000 USD)
19 – Yoo Jae Suk – 600,000,000 won ($530,000 USD)
20 – Kang Dongwon – 600,000,000 won ($530,000 USD)
-
Female Celebrities:
1 – Lee Young Ae –  1,200,000,000 won ($1,100,000 USD)
2 – Go Hyun Jung – 1,000,000,000 won ($890,000 USD)
3 – Kim Tae Hee – 800,000,000 won ($710,000 USD)
4 – Jeon Ji Hyun – 800,000,000 won ($710,000 USD)
5 – Wonder Girls – 800,000,000 won ($710,000 USD)
6 – 2NE1 -800,000,000 won ($710,000 USD)
7 – After School – 800,000,000 won ($710,000 USD)
8 – Lee Hyori – 700,000,000 won ($620,000 USD)
9 – Go So Young – 700,000,000 won ($620,000 USD)
10 – Lee Na Young – 700,000,000 won ($620,000 USD)
11 – Lee Mi Yeon – 700,000,000 won ($620,000 USD)
12 – Song Hye Kyo – 700,000,000 won ($620,000 USD)
13 – Moon Geun Young – 700,000,000 won ($620,000 USD)
14 – Han Ga In  -700,000,000 won ($620,000 USD)
15 – SNSD – 700,000,000 won ($620,000 USD)
16 – Jang Mi Hee – 600,000,000 won ($530,000 USD)
17 – Kim Hee Ae – 600,000,000 won ($530,000 USD)
18 –  Kim Nam Joo -600,000,000 won ($530,000 USD)
19 – Ha Ji Won -600,000,000 won ($530,000 USD)
20 – Han Ye Seul  - 600,000,000 won ($530,000 USD)

Source: Money Today

I found this interesting news about Jay although it was posted from a blog last May. It seems to me like the reason he and Patty Hou broke up has something to do about marriage. Maybe she wanted to get married back when they were a couple and he's not interested. The same reason why Vic Zhou and Barbie Xu broke up and now she's getting married. Why is everyone getting married lately?

TAIPEI: Taiwan superstar Jay Chou as admitted in a recent interview with a Taiwan men's fashion magazine that he feared marriage.

The singer, who was once romantically linked to soon-to-be-married television host Patty Hou, told the magazine that he did not have an urge to marry despite Hou's impending nuptials.

"Sometimes, I am glad that I am not the guy getting married. Watching them march into the wedding hall, having a wife and children, actually feels like a mirror which tells me not to get hitched too early. My heart will cry out that being single is great," said the 31-year-old.

He also could not understand why the public is interested about his future marriage plans.

"I don't understand why everyone is so concerned, my mother is not even worried," said Chou.

When asked if he liked a certain type of girl, Chou said that he "did not have specific requirements" but believed it was important to have "the right feeling" when choosing a girlfriend.

As to whether he will put his girlfriend first, Chou revealed that he is no sellout and that his friends will always rank highly on his priority list.

"When I am in a relationship, I will focus on my girlfriend, but my buddies will remain very important to me," said Chou.

Credit : - Channel News Asia

[Article] Kyu Jong Interview with Daily Sports

***

SS501’s Kim Kyu Jong on acting, his group, and their new album
courtey of by VITALSIGN / AllKPop

After parting ways with DSP Media last year, the members of SS501 have demonstrated what it was like to be ’separate but together’. Kim Hyun Joong has established himself as an actor, and Park Jung Min returned with his first solo album, “Not Alone“.

Kim Kyu Jong is also standing before the starting line of his new acting career after he joined B2
M Entertainment, the agency of fellow member Heo Young Saeng.

The aspiring actor recently took part in an interview with Daily Sports and revealed that he will be working against his ‘flower boy’ charms in an attempt to become a more skilled actor.



Q. “How’s it like working on your own now?”

Kyu Jong: “It makes me think a lot about being with my members. We used to joke and play around without rest, but now that I’m alone, the feeling’s difficult to express. It feels kind of empty.”

Q. “Are you studying acting now?”

Kyu Jong: “I get trained about two to three times a week for two hours at a time. When I was with SS501, I received some acting experiences through music videos and variety programs; now that I’m entering the world of professionals, I have to do it properly. There’s a lot of pressure, but my eyes have been opened to the charms of acting, and I’m full with excitement. There’s a drama I’m currently in discussions for, so the decision will be out soon.”

Q. “What kind of actor do you want to become?”

Kyu Jong: “I want to succeed with my skills, not with my ‘flower boy’ image. I am a part of a ‘flower boy’ group, but that doesn’t make me one. …I’m planning to prepare myself so that I can act in a way that delivers my emotions to the audience. I love actor Ha Jung Woo’s acting, so I study his works a lot. He’s especially amazing in the movie, ‘Amazing Day.’”



Q. “Do you meet with the SS501 members often?”

Kyu Jong: “All five of us haven’t been able to meet at one location yet because one or two is always out on another schedule. Young Saeng-hyung is in the same agency as me, so we meet often and give each other advice. He’s preparing for his solo album right now, and I accompanied him on his trip to the U.S. and met his album representatives; I also got to listen to his songs. I call Jung Min often and even monitor his stages. Sometimes I’ll even grab drinks with Hyun Joong-hyung.”

Q. “You must be worried about different things now that your solo activities are coming up.”

Kyu Jong: “Before, the members could carry me, but now I have no one to depend on and must take responsibility for myself. Of course I’m worried, but I’m sure I’ll improve myself through this opportunity. I’ve begun to see things that I didn’t notice when we were together. I’ll see the members doing their individual activities and wonder to myself where these different images they’re expressing were hiding. Every time I feel that they’ve grown. I feel really proud and become motivated to do better myself. I think we’ve become like a whip for one another.”

Q. “Aren’t there a lot of hardcore SS501 fans?”

Kyu Jong: “I once told my fans to restrict waiting outside our homes; in return, I would treat them better in concert or broadcast halls. Ever since then, there’s been a lot less sasaeng fans. My father often tells me to treat them well when they come to me, because who will be there 10 years from now. It’s true, don’t you think? I live feeling thankful that they like me.”

Q. “When will SS501’s album be released?”

Kyu Jong: “I’m thinking sometime near the year-end. Our agencies are all different, so it’s difficult to get things moving. Since all of our members are on the same page of remaining together, the results of that desire will come out soon.”

Kang Dong-won joins the 10 million club

Seems like the all-time box office rankings are being topped and shuffled around every other day, doesn’t it? Kang Dong-won is the newest actor to join the 10 million club — i.e., actors whose movies have sold 10 million tickets — although with the small caveat that this distinction comes from two films, not a single one. His action-fantasy film Jeon Woo Chil, which released just before Christmas 2009, has surpassed the 6,000,000 mark, while his more recent release of Secret Reunion (Korean title Sworn Brothers) was released on February 4 and has now surpassed 4,000,000 viewers.

In the former, Kang plays an errant Taoist wizard who is released into modern-day Korea after being trapped for 500 years in an enchanted scroll. In the latter, he shows a completely different side to himself as a former North Korean spy who acts alongside Song Kang-ho as his South Korean counterpart.

This is a great way for the actor to go out before his mandatory military service. He is planning to act in one last project before he goes, and is reportedly deciding between two possibilities: Busan Project and Supernatural Powers. Both are films, but Kang has not yet made his final decision.

Via OSEN and Javabeans

[10LINE] Actor Kang Dong-won

Clockwise from top center: actor Jo Han-seon, actor Won Bin, director Lee Myeong-se, director Choi Dong-hoon and actor Song Kang-ho [10Asia]
 
Kang Dong-won

"Just talking about you is cool and you're handsome and all I can say is that I love you a lot. That's the truth". -from the movie "M". Being handsome is important but you need something more than just the looks. Just like actor Kang Dong-won.

Ha Jung-hwa

He was Kang Dong-won's physical education teacher from middle school. Kang wrote a letter thanking Ha in the magazine "Good Friend". When he was younger he was smart and athletic and he reached the height of 180cm after growing 25 cm during his middle school years. However, his parents did not approve of him playing soccer and he began to rebel during puberty. That is when Ha constantly persuaded and set him straight, and soon after Kang went back to studying hard, receiving a 192 out of 200 points in the unified high school entrance examination. Once he entered high school however, he lost interest in studying and instead chose his friends, drinking and getting high scores in billiards. Sometimes he would hand in blank sheets of paper for his tests and ranked 198 out of 200 in the whole school. Nevertheless, Kang did not want to disappoint his parents and began to study very hard during his senior year of high school and successfully made it into a college. In other words, Kang was the kind of student who could but didn't.

Jo Sung-mo

Singer. Kang starred in Jo's music video for the song "I Swear". Before Kang entered college, he lived alone in Seoul. Whenever he would walk down the streets in Seoul, he would be offered street castings due to his eye-catching appearance. In the end, Kang signed with a trustworthy looking company and began his modeling career. Kang had longer legs than the other models in his height group and in the modeling world, "Modeling may look fancy on the outside but one can fall out of the competition if the model doesn't take the time to take care of themselves or put in any effort" and with that in his mind he debuted into the overseas market walking in Pret-a-Porter, Paris. But after thinking about his future, Kang decided to pursue acting after starring in Jo's music video. At the time, Kang had a hard time acting out the kissing scene with his co-star that he just met. Also, Kang did not like that fact that as an actor he would be treated with favoritism at the fashion shows and has not appeared in a fashion show since.

Kim Jeong-hwa

Co-star of MBC series "Something About 1%". Kang played the cold yet upright son of a chaebol, quickly developing a fandom by playing a character who is completely different from him. His seemingly unrealistic good looks combined with his character who is completely realistic made his character created a fantasy as if he could be someone who actually existed. He was also able to portray a doctor who spoke in a regional dialect for the MBC drama "The Funny Wild Girl".

Kim Ha-neul
His female co-star in the movie "Too Beautiful To Lie". Just like his role in the drama "The Funny Wild Girl", he played a simple and naive country pharmacist in "Too Beautiful To Lie". Director Bae Hyeong-joon said, "I was bit worried at first because how can this 'handsome guy who looks like he is from Japan' be able to pull off the role of a countryman but Kang was able to bring a sense of innocence for the role of Hee-chul". In order to create a more realistic expression, he mixed wasabi on the spicy peppers from Cheongyan for a scene in the movie. Kim said "he is an expert in portraying difficult facial expressions" because he has shown various looks. If his slightly slow and articulate way of speech he showed in all his roles, excluding "M", is the characteristic to his acting, being able to show a variety of expression which suit his character was the reason he was able to break away from the stereotype that he is a 'model-turned-pretty-faced actor'. He is the actor that is able to make the women crazy with his dialect or his laugh.

Jo Han-seon

His co-star for "Temptation of Wolves". Kang appeared in this film as he had just stepped out of a romantic comic for his role in "Temptation of Wolves" and he was so popular that when he walks on the street, girls would try to pull out his hair. He was able to shoot action sequences just like the memorable scene in "Temptation of Wolves" where he does a 'fly kick after stepping off a wall' and learns to cry on cue. Kang and Jo quickly became friends after working out and playing games together. Kang did not know the basics of how a movie was made but "Temptation of Wolves" increased his popularity as well as his knowledge about movie sets and acting. Due to his sudden popularity from "Temptation of Wolves", he became the leader in teen romance films as well as raising him to movie idol status. But when he played a man full of greed on SBS' "Magic" it did not live up to the success of his other projects.

Shin Yong-wook

The acting coach who taught Kang about theatre before he made his debut. There was a time when Kang once said he wished he had the same passion as Shin had. Between his roles in “Too Beautiful To Lie" and “Temptation of Wolves", Kang said, “I usually don’t have the perseverance to finish something besides soccer but acting is becoming a lot more fun.” That was the starting point of when he began to enjoy acting. When he was acting with his senior actors who were playing supporting roles in “Too Beautiful To Lie” he learned, “How well you act outside the spotlight is more important than how you act when in the spotlight". And by permission from the director, he intentionally played his character in a dull manner. At the time, Kang was not expecting to surpass his acting abilities but was concerned about “how much can I improve from now on.” He did think a lot about his acting, knowing that he must “broaden on my scope of emotions and experience much more", leading to him to take on a larger variety of roles. After “Magic,” the roles that he chose for himself were in different genres and styles. “For me I don’t do things roughly or compromise” and this is when Kang’s greed in acting began.

Won Bin

One of Kang’s closest senior actors. They are both in the celebrity soccer league ‘Winners’ and they enjoy playing the soccer video game “Winning 11.” With the money that he received from shooting "The Funny Wild Girl" he purchased a motorcycle and when asked what his favorite 10 things were he answered soccer, "Winning 11", RC car and others showed off his masculine tastes. He enjoys reading the cartoon "Gantz" because of the "unbelievable violence and elaborate developments which is just incredible" and he claims that is the type of guy he wants to be acknowledged as -- "a guy that other guys will acknowledge as a guy". With his personality and romance comic-like look, he brings eccentricity to the characters that he plays. In the movie "Duelist" he plays an assassin and in "Maundy Thursday" ("Our Happy Time") he brings innocence to a role where he is condemned for committing homicide. In "Duelist", even though he is the male lead he seems to be more feminine than his co-star actress Ha Ji-won through his "sad eyes" which excellently combined Kang's character and the image that he was going for.

Ha Ji-won

His co-star in the movie "Duelist". "Duelist" is the first action movie that Kang has starred in and "it's weird that I had a hard time on other sets but it was really fun on the set of "Duelist". The audience has seen it in his previous films before "Duelist" but now they clearly see the extreme limits and 'how-to of Kang Dong-won'. In "Duelist", he was able to accurately relay his lines without speaking but through his 'sad eyes' to the viewers. The way he looks at his first love Ha Ji-won, shows that he is an actor that can deliver anything through his acting and make the audience think at the same time. Photographer Park Ji-hyuk said, "Kang is the perfect subject because of his model background and the deep experiences that he gets from acting". However, Kang didn't harvest from the success from "Duelist" but through the movie he began to create his territory.

Lee Myeong-se

The director of "Duelist" and "M". If Kang showed his outer side in "Duelist", he portrayed his inner side through "M". In each scene, he is able to go back and forth in his acting and set the tone of “artificialness and exaggeration” through the everyday life of a writer. In "M" his keen and sharp expressions were shown to the audience. In real life Kang said, "Instead of forgetting one thing while keeping in mind of other things I rather be an antagonist" because he had a distinct color. When he is working he is highly temperamental and sensitive. A Confucian analects says, 'People who have a lot of knowledge is liked by others, but those with the knowledge cannot enjoy it as much as them'. Kang is the kind of person who only wants to do things he enjoys but once he does something he is a perfectionist. His perfectionist personality was shown through the movie "M" and he exaggerated the role with his actions and tone. Kang's character in "M" portrays his own character as well.

Choi Dong-hoon

Choi thought of casting Kang In "JEON WOO CHI : The Taoist Wizard" even during the planning stages. He was complimented on his ability "to entertain the audience without being overly excessive but with his own light humor". He rose to the status of a stand-out Korean blockbuster star after showing his abilities from his dance-like action moves in "The Duelist" and "JEON WOO CHI : The Taoist Wizard". Unlike the other tough male blockbuster stars, even though Woochi can do rough action sequences, he still seems like he stepped out of a romance comic. He is able to pull off the balance between his character in "JEON WOO CHI : The Taoist Wizard" wearing plain Korean traditional costume to extravagant contemporary clothing while performing the action sequences with humor. Before, Kang had a hard time adjusting to the atmosphere on set but while filming "JEON WOO CHI : The Taoist Wizard" he would have drinks with his fellow cast mates and director Choi said, "All the staff members became a fan of Kang". He is one of the actors in their late 20s who can draw in huge crowds to his blockbusters.

Song Kang-ho

Actor who starred in "Secret Reunion" with Kang. He played a "secretive and stuffy" North Korean spy. However, his character was neither dangerous nor full of secrets but closer to a wounded young man who lost his way. That is why the audience wanted his character to have a happy ending; he was the warm breath of air with his harmony with Song even in the cold basis. Gong Ji-young, the writer of “Maundy Thursday” ("Our Happy Time"), explained his face is “so good looking that most people will want to abolish the death penalty” but Kang shows an image that only he is able to express. That is how Kang is able to leave his color in the projects that he has done. It is just like what Kang says "doing something you enjoy" and if you accomplish that the mass public will accept that which becomes power. In the beginning of his acting career he said, "How far will my looks get me in this industry? It doesn't matter if you're a soccer player or actor, but if you last longer than others then you are good at what you do". So far, Kang has been doing a good job.

Senior Reporter : Kang Myoung-Seok two@10asia.co.kr
Editor : Lee Ji-Hye seven@10asia.co.kr, Lucia Hong luciahong@asiae.co.kr
<ⓒ10Asia All rights reserved>
Source : 10.asiae.co.kr/Articl... ( English Korean )

[Article] Park Jung Min, "Reason why SS501 members don't meet up frequently is.."

[Trans] Park Jung Min, "Reason why SS501 members don't meet up frequently is.."
Source: Osen
English Translation: Honeyeee + Wonderrrgirl @ Love501.com
Please repost with full credits.



On the 20th, Group SS501's Park Jung Min released his first solo album 'Not Alone' and begins his activities as a ambitious solo.

When Park Jung Min was with his SS501 members, he had a lot of asian fans. Now, with this 3 words 'Park Jung Min' he is starting anew with anticipation for good results.

His transformation is visible as he gives off a different feeling in terms of appearance as compared to the past. Losing over 10 kg of weight, with his slim face line and body, you can feel the chicness to that of a so-called 'Cool city man'.

Park Jung Min who seemed to be looking more mature after the weight loss said, "Watching the DVD of SS501 in the past, I was startled (because too fat) so decided to lose weight." as he laughed heartily.

Having moved into his new agency CNR media, there will inevitably fear and difficulties which he may have to face. To which, Park Jung Min responded "Felt disappointed at that point of time when SS501 ended our activities. I was worried about 'What am i going to do'. It was mentally draining and I even thought 'I should just quit'. I had to take sleeping pills as I could not sleep. Probably due to mental stress, i felt really sick."
However, looking back after all these time, he said "Seems to have learned". "Thoughts started growing when I am alone, felt that I should be stronger. If I were to continue as a group, then I would have had to just settle for the reality. I might not have thought of improving myself for the better, therefore being independent might have triggered me. I started thinking a lot about the past too. The times when I went about working hard for the audition. 'SS501 fans may not all be my fans', gradually I no longer have such thoughts and worries."
SS501 members still remains in contact and are always cheering on and supporting each other's activities. Not long ago, Jung Min personally visited the venue of musical 'Caffeine' to cheer for Kim Hyung Jun who was the main lead, after which his appearance has created a sensation.

When asked if the members meet up frequently, Park Jung Min said earnestly "We cheer on each other's activites through phonecalls. However, I don't know why I will deliberately refrain myself when I find myself starting to feel reliant. Especially now. I need to be alone now as it is a crucial time for solo activities"


With the release of the solo, Park Jung Min and SS501's music are strikingly different. A common sight for idols' music are often made of distinctive, splendid scales and a musical-like feel. As for solo album title song 'Not Alone', the hit producer Shinsadong Tiger and Park Jung Min went through great pains for a long time to produce it. It was a song that creates transformation opportunities for both Park Jung Min and Shinsadong Tiger.

Especially so for this album, Park Jung Min has taken up the responsibility to personally write the songs. 'Not Alone' contains messages thrown out for society, Park Jung Min himself and the fans, as he feels some uneasiness while coming forth in solo activities. Nevertheless, for the sake of being with and the faith from his fans, his honest, intact feelings has been revealed.

"Without the 5 of us, it's lonely, as I want to make the stage seemed packed. Originally, I like straight band style, but many orchestration elements has been put into the song. As for personally writing it? Already from SS501, I've written a solo song on my own. I think it's good that for the songs that I sing, I will write the lyrics sincerely no matter what."

"The image of a musician will be shown much more through the solo activities. Though there are chances to perform solo, the focus is often concentrated on the group as a whole. Now I can challenge writing and composing, and receive vocal lessons separately. Except during the early phase of SS501 activities, this is the first time I am receiving vocal trainings. "

Concerns about the first solo stage resulted in many questions asked. "I cannot have worries. I cannot tremble or have burdens, this is something enjoyable. I have to think like this many times. Gradually my self-confidence were build-up." Such Hallyu star-like composure was shown by Park Jung Min.

Even though there are no restrictions to when the 5 of them will return on the stage to perform, right now they are responsible for the stage and to sing. For the sake of this album, Park Jung min explained his "feelings of a father" for this album, "During the time as a group, my own part is the only thing I need to concentrate on, however as a solo, I have to be in control of the overall flow on the stage. Being on the stage is like widening my acting skills. Originally, I had dreams of being an actor, but being on stage seems to allow me to have feelings of acting too. "

Meanwhile, Park Jung Min will be set to spur off his activities, starting with Mnet "M.Countdown" on the 20th.

[Trans] Article from EASTTOUCH

*

01/17 [trans] EASTTOUCH - KyuSaeng HKG Fanmeeting

Credits : EASTTOUCH + @ELF_ASIA + (English Translation) xiaochu @ Quainte501.com

REPOST WITH FULL CREDITS ONLY


SS501 ?3 = ?

I have a friend taking Korean language lesson, and she said that her class is an all-female class, everyone took up the class because of Korean drama, and most of them are SS501 fans. 5 members of SS501 have each signed with different agencies for their own solo career. Earlier on, 2 members - Kim KyuJong and Heo YoungSaeng, came to HongKong for fan meeting, even though they are 5 ?3 members, instead of saying that their attractiveness was being divided up, we could see it that it made SS501 become 5 times more popular. Because there are still many fans who turned up for the fan meeting, and cheered as much for them as before.


3 missing from 5

KyuJong and YoungSaeng started their Asia Tour fan meeting not long ago, after finishing their Seoul and Thailand ones, their 3rd stop is HongKong. On the day of their arrival, there were over 100 fans at the airport to welcome them, and we came to know that there were also Korean and HongKonger fans who specially flew on the same flight with them to HongKong. KyuJong and YoungSaeng both expressed that they were extremely happy to see so many fans at the airport. “We practiced very hard for this fan meeting, hope everyone can watch it!?Previously they had been performing as 5 members, now that there are only 2 of them, naturally each of their portions became more, so are they used to it? KyuJong said frankly that he didn’t think much about it, because the efforts that they have put in were the same. On the other hand, YoungSaeng said that he was a little worried. “Actually, I am more nervous because I have to remember more lines of lyrics! I’m more stressed than before, but feel happy at the same time because fans can see us more, and furthermore life is very interesting now.?Looking at YoungSaeng at the fan meeting, indeed he is a little shy initially, but slowly he became very natural, so we believe that what he said is true.


New Journey

Since their solo career is determined, naturally they must have set some targets for themselves in the new stage of their career. In 2011, what YoungSaeng hopes most is for everyone to remember him, besides his solo album which is going to be released in February, he is also interested in acting in dramas. Will he have a chance to act opposite Kim HyunJoong someday? As for KyuJong, he said that he was really busy previously, so if he has time this year, he wanted most to improve on his acting. We think that both of them have intentions of both singing and acting.

KyuJong and YoungSaeng have already gained many fans across Asia, if they were to expand their circle of fans, which other places will they choose? YoungSaeng hopes to go out of Asia, so he chose Paris. And KyuJong thought of Canada and a more special country - Turkey! He said it is because he heard that the scenery is very beautiful there, so he can perform and travel (leisure) at the same time.


After long period of division, will definitely come back together

Rumours of SS501 disbandment have been flying around, although KyuJong and YoungSaeng belongs to a different agency as the other 3 members, each of them are busy with their own stuffs, but they have been frequently leaving messages to each other through twitter. Among the messages is them asking each other to come out for dinner, they do not frequently meet up as it is not easy to accommodate to their working schedules. During the Hong Kong fan meeting, KyuJong and YoungSaeng said during the closing message “Members of SS501 will reunite together after getting achievements in our solo career, isn’t this better??making the thousands of fans feel touched. Before the 5 of them get back together, fans must continue to support KyuJong and YoungSaeng to achieve their dreams.

[NEWS] 110115 U-Kiss wins award in Taiwan

Earlier in the week, the boys of U-Kiss arrived in Taiwan to attend the “2010 [V] CHINESE TOP Awards Concert.”

Not only did the boys perform their hit songs but they also won an award at the show. The award was for the “The Most Potential Overseas Idol Group”. U-Kiss members Alexander, Eli, and Dongho show off their Chinese language skills during the acceptance speech.

The hash tag “#CongratsUKISS” was even trending on twitter after the announcement of the award. Congratulations to the group and check out their acceptance speech and performances below.

[NEWS] 110113 U-Kiss Has Arrived in Taiwan and Would Like to Try Smelly Tofu

South Korean boy band U-Kiss has arrived in Taiwan in the afternoon, and they will take part in the annual music awards concert. Members of the group have expressed their excitement regarding their trip to Taiwan, and added on that they want to taste Taiwan's local milk tea & smelly tofu. A large crowd of fans welcomed them at the airport enthusiastically, including fans from Hong Kong who specially came to Taiwan to meet them.

U-Kiss, the 7 members who arrived today are scheduled to attend the 2010 [V] Annual Music Awards Concert on the 15th evening.

Upon stepping off the plane, the members were seen to be in high spirit and were extremely excited. They even did several greetings in Mandarin, such as "Happy New Year" and "Hello". The members expressed that they were very happy to be in Taiwan and were going to sample the local street snacks. In particular, they would like to try Taiwan's smelly tofu & pearl milk tea.

A large number of fans were waiting patiently at the arrival hall of the airport. Upon the sighting of their idols, they screamed in great excitement. Some fans had even traveled from Hong Kong to welcome the members at the airport.

Credits: kissmeukiss + cna.com.tw + berrystrawmilk @ rocketboxx.net (translation)

[10/01] DSP Entertainment announces formation of SS502

Credits to Sports Seoul + emikeii@koreaboo.com + (reposted from) love501.com

DSP Entertainment held an audition for a follow-up group to SS501 and has announced that the new 7-member group will be called SS502 for the time being.

SS501, whose name stands for “Super Star,” “Singer,” and “5 members united as 1,” debuted in Korea in 2005 and Japan in 2007. In October 2010, it was announced that they would be back in 2011 with an album, but in the meantime the members are doing solo work. Hyunjoong filmed Playful Kiss, while Youngsaeng and Kyujong are holding fan meetings across Asia. On January 20, Jungmin will be releasing his comeback solo album “Not Alone.”

Considering the “501″ from SS501 stands for “5 members united as 1,” does this mean that “502″ in SS502 does not have the same “5 members united as __” meaning? What do you think about this new group and its meaning?

[ 11.01.12 ] Article | Top 10 Korean entertainment stories in 2010

By JONATHAN M. HICAP

January 4, 2011, 9:46am

The Korean entertainment in 2010 was marked by the surge of the popularity of K-pop and Korean films advancing in the international arena.

However, the K-pop music scene was rocked by controversies, including the issues surrounding popular boy bands TVXQ, 2PM and SS501.

Here are the top 10 stories that have made significant impact in the Korean entertainment last year.

1. TVXQ/JYJ - The controversy involving top K-pop boy band TVXQ started in 2009 and continued in 2010. After Xiah Junsu, Micky Yoochun and Youngwoong Jaejoong sued SM Entertainment to void their exclusive contracts with the agency in 2009, the three focused on their career in Japan and established their own group, JYJ. But after a successful run in Japan, Avex, JYJ’s Japanese agency, announced in September that it would stop JYJ’s activities in Japan. JYJ then released their first English album, “The Beginning,” in October and embarked on a world tour including performing in the United States. SM Entertainment, on the other hand, announced that the remaining members of TVXQ, Yunho and Changmin, would be coming back and the two would use the name TVXQ, a move that did not sit well with some fans. While the idea of uniting all the members of TVXQ is now elusive, fans are hoping that one day, TVXQ will be back with the original five members performing as one.

2. Jay Park and 2PM - Another controversy that rocked the K-pop industry was the ouster of rapper and bboy Jay Park (aka Park Jaebum) as leader of boy band 2PM.  On February 25, JYP Entertainment announced that it was terminating Jay from 2PM. This angered fans who wanted the agency to explain the real reason it decided to oust Jay. A conference between JYP representatives, 2PM members and fans was held on Feb. 27, where 2PM members admitted that they all agreed to terminate Jay from the group. In March, Jay posted a viral video on YouTube that started his trek back to the K-pop industry. In April, Jay announced that he would be starring in “Hype Nation,” his first movie. With the help of many people, including Ned Sherman, who became Jay’s lawyer for his activities, Jay successfully came back to South Korea in June and launched his solo career. Despite parting ways with 2PM, Jay repeatedly said that he still loves 2PM members.

3. SS501 - Another boy band that was involved in controversy was SS501, headed by popular actor and singer Kim Hyun Joong. When the boy band’s contract with DSP Entertainment expired in June, members signed up with different agencies. Kim Hyun Joong signed up with KeyEast Entertainment. This worried fans who feared that SS501 would be headed for disbandment. However, the members assured that SS501 will continue as a boy band. 

4. K-pop invades Japan - More K-pop groups debuted in the lucrative Japanese music market. Several years ago, TVXQ and BoA paved the way for the entry of K-pop music in Japan. Big Bang has also become popular there. In 2010, Girls Generation, KARA and 2PM also debuted in Japan while FT Island debuted  as a mainstream group.

5.  Scandals - From drugs and gambling to alleged evasion of enlisting in the Korean military, Korean stars were involved last year in different scandals and controversies. Entertainer Shin Jung Hwan is now living outside Korea after becoming news fodder for allegedly failing to pay his gambling debt in Cebu. Rapper MC Mong is now on trial for allegedly having his teeth pulled out in order to dodge military service. Actor Kim Sung-Min was arrested for possession of methamphetamine. Rapper Crown J was also charged with allegedly using marijuana while he was in the US. Super Junior member Kangin was fined for drunk driving, an incident that prompted him to enlist in the army. Singer Lee Hyori was also involved in a controversy when it was found that some tracks from her 2010 album, “H-Logic,” were plagiarized. The album composer was eventually charged and convicted by a court and was sentenced to imprisonment.

6. K-pop’s popularity surges in the Philippines - 2010 marked the debut of different K-pop acts in the Philippines. SHINee started the trend in 2009 when the group performed at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Super Junior included the Philippines in its Super Show 2 Asia Tour. Pop star Rain, BEAST, FT Island, 4Minute, Kim Hyun Joong and U-Kiss also visited the country. The popularity of K-pop also resulted in brisk K-pop album sales in the Philippines.

7. Rain’s lawsuit and acquittal - Asian pop star Rain was again swept in a controversy when a Korean-American businessman sued the singer for fraud and breach of contract in the US. Concert promoter Andrew Kim filed a case against  Rain to claim $2 million, including $150,000 in alleged gambling debt. The singer and his agency, J. Tune Entertainment, vehemently denied the charges. On the other hand, Rain won a lawsuit last December against an investor regarding his concert in Hawaii in 2007. A Seoul court ordered the businessman to pay Rain close to $900,000.

8. Girls Generation dominates K-pop industry - Nine-member Girls Generation dominated the K-pop industry in 2010 based on album sales and popularity. The girl group won the grand prize in the 25th Golden Disk Awards in addition to numerous awards it received in 2010. Online music site Monkey3 cited Girl Generation’s “Oh” as the No. 1 Best Song in 2010. Hanteo, another online music site, bestowed the 2010 Best Singer Award to Girls Generation. The pop group also became successful in Japan, winning the Best New Artist award in the 52nd Japan Record Awards.

9. Hangeng wins lawsuit vs SM Entertainment - It took one year before this Super Junior member achieved his goal to be free from the clutches of SM Entertainment. Last December, the Seoul Central District Court annulled Hangeng’s contracts with SM Entertainment, paving way for the Chinese member of Super Junior to chart to his solo career.

10. Tablo and the Stanford University issue - Hip-hop singer Tablo was swept in a controversy when netizens accused him of faking his Stanford University degree. The online attacks lasted for months. Despite that, the university had issued certifications to prove that the singer was indeed a Stanford graduate. The controversy prompted Tablo to bring a camera crew to Stanford to interview officials and prove once and for all that the allegations were all lies. A police investigation cleared Tablo, and 14 persons were charged with maligning the singer.

[110113] Article | 2 SS501 members to hold Manila fan meeting

Our boy Saengie and Kyu-jongie are on Manila Bulletin!!! Let's go watch the fanmeet and make it successful so in the next year or two SS501 with all 5 members will be here. That would be awesome right?!

2 SS501 members to hold Manila fan meeting

By JONATHAN M. HICAP

January 13, 2011, 11:09am

Manila Bulletin 

Kyu-jong and Young-saeng (Photo courtesy of Greenlights Prod. & B2M Ent. )

MANILA, Philippines — K-pop fans in the Philippines are delighted to welcome two members of popular boy band SS501 who will visit Manila in February.

Kim Kyu Jong and Heo Young Saeng will hold the “Kyu Jong & Young Saeng and Story in Manila” fan meeting and showcase tour on Feb. 5 at the Forum 2 of the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).

The Philippines is one of the stops in the duo’s Asian tour along with Hong Kong, Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea.

The duo will be the first K-pop stars to visit the country this year.

Some 100 VIP ticket holders will get the chance to personally meet Kyu Jong and Young Saeng after the fan meet through a handshake session.

In addition, 100 Green section ticket holders can also win autographed posters. All ticket buyers will bring home a souvenir, according to  the people who are bringing the two K-pop stars to the Philippines.

In June last year, SS501 leader Kim Hyun Joong along with boy band BEAST performed at Araneta Coliseum.

In a promotional video for their Manila fan meet, Kyu Jong and Young Saeng said this is the first time that they will visit the Philippines and they are quite nervous. They said they have prepared a lot for this event and are encouraging fans to support their fan meet.

[INFO] 110111 Uncle A's views regarding UKISS' debut in USA

Just a couple days ago KISSMEs around the world were given news about U-KISS debuting in the USA this year through their company, NH Media. After hearing about this news a lot of us KISSMEs were filled with excitement, but also worry and anxiety about how U-KISS will be received by the American public. Some of us don’t think they’re ready and they should stay in Asia for a bit longer before venturing off to other continents. Feeling this same nervousness I e-mailed Uncle A (Alexander’s father) about our concerns and asked what his opinions were about this debut. His reply to me made me feel at ease as well as touched. He asked for me to share this with the other KISSMEs so we will all feel more comfortable about this big news. Here is an excerpt from his e-mail reply:

“First of all I wanted to let you know that Alexander joined the showbiz as a mission to serve God to bring more people to know Him more & love Him better especially within the entertainers/artisans field. To be the light in the darkness, as you know that Korea had the highest rate of entertainers' suicides in the world. Kevin have the same vision & mission. Together with the other Boys, they know very well that they are not only a Kpop Boys Group but more importantly as a mission to spread God's love to more people. Many Kissmes knew that too.

Now, whether or not U-KISS will be successful in USA or not is not the issue, more importantly is that they are there to meet the US KissMes, their mission is to go where God is leading them, therefore if God is willing, this is be God's business.
In the past there had been many negative comments on the Boys in reaching out other places or their concepts or their songs etc etc but they had survived till this date. To cut the story short, let leave this to God, whether the plan is to USA or USSR or Latin America this year, myself & Jaeson Ma & our prayer teams will support the Boys in prayers & encouragements. We trust God!” – Uncle A

This comes from another response e-mail I just received a few minutes ago:

"Yes, U-KISS is indeed an unique group, they are not afraid to go into trials because they have strong beliefs, they knew what is in front of them are obstacles & trials, and it's not surprises for them, for they know this is how they can improve them self ~ "if we fall, we will get up again on our feet & continue to be stronger!" this was their statements when they'd shared with one & another during 1 documentary when they cried & shared their works, families & lives. Finally, they believe that God is with them wherever they go & do, with God with them all is well!
Do you know that this group was formed in late 2007/ early2008 & then debut in the same year without having been trained/worked out for 5 to 6 years like other groups did? NH Kim asked them: "Are you ready to take the risk for this job becuz you guys are rookies & did not train for 5 to 6 years? becuz by then you guys gonna be too old for a idol group!" "However, if you are willing to risk, I will be crazy enough to go through with you guys, even though we know as comparing with other companies & groups we are weaker in many ways!" Finally, the Boys agreed and signed theirs contacts! Of course, for us, we had prayed about it, and with God's encouragement, we trust Him and let Xander to go ahead.
What I am trying to say is that, YES, they know it NOT gonna be easy. They were humiliated, failed, hurted, bashed , criticised, tortured, betrayed etc.... but because of the strong supports of KissMes, they became stronger & stronger after every trials, they learnt form all the mistakes & criticism, they prayed and continue, that's why we had an album called ContiUKISS!!!" - Uncle A

Uncle A would also like for me to share these words with fellow KISSMEs and to ask to please join if they are interested.

"There is a site that I also wish that you can visit when you have time www.jaesonma.com you may find out more about faith in God especially about God's Love. Pastor Jaeson Ma is like a family to us, and he is the one who had encouraged us to be the light in the darkness in the entertainers/artisans field, to spread God's Love & bring more people to know God. Share this with your friends. Join us!" - Uncle A

I hope that by sharing this message with you that no matter what you hear from haters and bashers on kpop news or any other websites that you will know in your heart as a KISSME the mission of U-KISS is not to be the biggest name in any music industry. Instead it’s to meet us KISSMEs from all around the world and share our love of U-KISS. I hope that all who reads this feel more at ease, as I do, and now put your hearts and feelings into the excitement of their upcoming arrival.

If you can I would like for everyone to give thanks to Uncle A in any way possible (probably best through twitter @AnthonyEusebio) in sharing with us his message and putting our anxieties to rest. Thanks Uncle A you are a very beloved person and special to all of us KISSMEs all over the world. We love you Uncle A!

*UNCLE A truly is amazing, He made me cry and smile at the same time, thank you for that inspiring message. :"> SO GUYS? WHATEVER HAPPENS TO UKISS IN USA, we'll support them until end! right? ;) UKISS and UNCLE A! DAEBAK! ;)*

Credits: kissmeukiss +: Anthony Eusebio (Uncle A) & Rocketboxx.net

[NEWS] 110112 SS501's Hyungjoon and U-Kiss's Kibum release "Piro Piro" cushions

Several months ago, brothers Kim Hyungjoon of SS501 and Kim Kibum from U-Kiss announced their intentions to form a company. HnB Company (an abbreviation for "Happy n Bright Company") is their new character design brand.

Hyungjoon and Kibum both were actively involved in the development of their first product. They confessed that they spent a long time developing and researching for the product design. After a testing period of over three months, their first product was finally ready for launch.

Representing tired people all over the world, HnB's first product "Piro Piro" is a bear with "tired eyes". It functions as a neck pillow or cushion for anyone who feels stressed by work.

HnB Company recently released a statement that the first batch of "Piro Piro" cushions are already sold out. In order to meet both domestic and international demand for the cute cushions, more are currently being made.

Credits: kissmeukiss + Korea Times+HnB Company+ koreaboo

[NEWS] 101221 U-Kiss' Japan First Album Commemoration Release Event Was Successfully Held

U-Kiss Japan first album commemoration release event was successfully held! With an outstanding performance and voices, U-Kiss which has rising popularity in Korea, as well as Japan, on December 10, at ZEPP - TOKYO, as a commemorative release of Japan first album, together with the fan club (KissMe Japan) members, hold a limited event and press conference.

The fan club members only-limited event was started with loud chanting of "U-Kiss!!" along with heard from the assembly hall.

After personal introduction by each member, Kibum said "Today is indeed a special day~" and excitedly announced the release date of ‘First KISS’, and Soohyun went "This album is an intricate album which symbolyzes U-Kiss' sweat and great effort, and everyone's love. It's an album made for the people in Japan. It's only due to the existence of fan club KissMe Japan, the release could have been possible," and from the assembly hall, loud applause was heard.

During the Talk corner, the member's respective role was revealed: Alexander the mother, Soohyun the father, Kibum the uncle, Kiseop the foster child, Eli the manly son, Kevin the daughter, and finally Dongho the pet dog. The family was invented to foster closer relationship.

During Game corner, charade (game using hand gesture), Taboo game prohibiting talking in foreign words, etc. brought up the level of excitement. Soohyun sharing his memory of his audition days "I had to go for audition 9 times before I finally got accepted to join the company. Till the end, without giving up, I'll try my best. Getting familiar with the current members makes me happy," Dongho going "I would like to ask if I can start a new hobby, perhaps going for a joint party)", snd many more. Such plain talk constantly drew loud laughter, the time was spent enjoyably.

As the ending, during , a strong stage performance was skillfully displayed. The (atmosphere at) assembly hall was heated up to the highest level.

After the event ended, the hi-five party with 2000 fans commenced. This was followed by private press conference attended by numerous press assembling inside the venue. The 7 members were introduced formally, again. "Good afternoon, we are U-Kiss" they greeted in high spirit.

Regarding the sale of Japan first album, Alexander went "I'm happy because since long time ago, we have been having this dream to start releasing album in Japan. I'm determined to quickly be able to sing in Japanese for our next album" while Kiseop added "I'm really honored. I'll remember the fans' support."

Regarding the good point of the album, Soohyun appealed "From music released during our debut till the latest music, everything is included inside this one album. From the sweet song during our debut time till the manly song, our entirety, you can feel it in this album."

About impression of their live concert in Osaka on the 6th (of December), "The warm welcome by Osaka fans made us happy, The food was delicious, too. Takoyaki, okonomiyaki and yakisoba are our favourites," "Meccha sukiyanen ("I really like it") was the impression left. (Laugh)," and Osaka-ben were certainly favourites to Kevin.

Concerning their future activity, Eli said "Since we have international members, I want to have world-wide activity." Dongho showed his ambition "The goal for near future for Japan activity is I want to see us stand on the stage of the gigantic Tokyo DOME. I want to do stage performance on variety programs, drama and movie."

About the change of image from debut, Kibum replied in Japanese, "At the beginning, we have youngster image, but our most recent is the manly image. We also sing strong beat songs now. We age... (Laugh)," inviting some laughter from the press.

At 7pm, LIVE performance.

In the darkness, the pink penlight brought colour to the whole area. To make the opening more hyped up, the audience made loud and reassuring sound, chanting along to and.

U-Kiss appeared in white tuxedo, The light from the lighting effect added on to their suit colour, created a dye-like effect. On the stage, and some other beat songs and the debut songs formed the beginning part of the concert. Inclusive of the cover songs and encore songs, there were 17 song performed. During Boyz II Men, Backstreet Boys, Kibum and Kevin teared up as they were overwhelmed with gratitude seeing how the whole concert arena was singing along while being enveloped in a twirl of emotion.

Immediately following, an important news was announced to the audience. Kibum with tearing eyes conveyed the news about the first album ranked #2 on Oricon Daily Ranking. The excitement from the entire concert arena was at the climax! All the members conveyed their feeling of deepest gratitude to the audience. The members hugged each other and exchanged praises.

Each fan holding on to their penlight, creating pink Christmas illumination which wrapped the members in impressive broadcasting-like light effect; this ended the middle act of the live concert with a huge success.

The audience's cheering was the best Christmas present for the members. Kibum who fascinated the audience with his skillful Japanese; Dongho who would like to broaden the scope of activies beyond being a singer, such as becoming an actor; Model-like Kiseop; Alexander who spoke in 6 languages; The US citizen Eli; The similarly US citizen member Kevin who has solid singing career; The one with magnificent singing voice, Soohyun; That is the excellently talented group U-Kiss. Hereafter, being the artist whom you have chosen, we will try hard to increase our presence.

Credits: kissmeukiss + korea-net.jp + rocketboxx.net 

[NEWS] 110111 U-Kiss to debut in the United States

Ever since U-Kiss debuted in Korea in 2008 and Japan in Fall 2010, U-Kiss fans have been anticipating an international debut, and for good reason: Almost all of the U-Kiss members know multiple language and/or have lived overseas. It wasn't too big of a surprise that on January 11th, U-Kiss's agency NH Media announced that the boys would be preparing for a debut in the United States.

Representatives from NH Media claim that the album will be ready in February; they have gone through over a hundred songs for their U.S. album, and their production team has already prepared videos with the choreography. For their album, the boys will supposedly focus on group ballads, a genre that hasn't especially been emphasized on their previous albums. Since U-Kiss plans to have a comeback in Korea, NH Media is currently deciding how to balance the boys' schedules in Korea with a U.S. debut.

Are you looking forward to seeing U-Kiss debut in America?

Credits: kissmeukiss + koreaboo + daum + newsen

[NEWS] 110107 U-KISS's Kiseop The Subway Rider "Who Broke Down The Car?

The picture of U-KISS's Kiseop taking the subway because his car was involved in an accident had garnered a lot of attention.

On the 5th around 1 PM, Kiseop posted a picture on his twitter and wrote a message "Taking subway today in order to go to the company." In the picture, he was seen wearing a red scarf while riding the subway. Kiseop revealed that he had to take the subway because his car was involved in an accident. Kiseop also included a picture of his broken yellow car being towed.

He updated the worries fan about his condition, and wrote "I'm fine. Updating you guys with (a picture of) my ruined car at the parking!"

He ended his tweet with a little thank you message to the fans "절 걱정해주셔서 감사합니다 (Thank U for worrying about me)".

Meanwhile, Kiseop, as well as U-KISS's Soohyun and Kibum were accepted as freshmen for the class of 2011 at Digital Seoul Culture and Arts University.

Credits: kissmeukiss + StarNews (Source) + jaymie501@ROCKETBOXX.NET (Translation)

[05/01] Kim Hyun Joong one of the expensive CF stars

Credits to TV Report via Daum + VITALSIGN@ALLKPOP

On January 5th, TV Report released the data results they’ve compiled from various advertisement and model contracting companies in order to find the most expensive celebrity figures of 2011.

The data they’ve published were updated as of January 2011, and consists of appearance and contract fees paid to singers for year-long contracts.

So who are the most expensive CF stars?

According to the results, Rain and Big Bang were classified under ‘Special A Class’ in the industry, and are both worth $1 million to $1.5 million USD.

2PM, SNSD, Lee Hyori, and 2NE1 were placed in the $800,000 to $900,000 USD sector, while BoA followed at $700,000 to $800,000 USD.

Lee Seung Gi, Kim Hyun Joong, Jay Park, Super Junior, JYJ, Son Dambi, and the Wonder Girls placed at $500,000 to $600,000 USD.

2AM, CNBLUE, KARA, 4minute, MBLAQ, and After School (excluding UEE) are worth a minimum of $400,000 USD. After School’s UEE exceeds that amount.

IU, FT Island, Seo In Young, and SECRET were revealed to have been in discussion for $200,000 to $300,000 USD.

Of course, the true worth of a star cannot be determined by numbers, but the numbers give better insight into the commercial aspect of the stars.

[News]Kim Hyun Joong’s documentary series will probably be following Bae Yong Joon’s documentary?

***

[News]Kim Hyun Joong’s documentary series will probably be following Bae Yong Joon’s documentary?
[2011-01-05 16:46:10]
[Newsen Reporter Park Cheong Hyun]
Korean to English translation by Suehan / Suehan's BYJ Blog

Bae Yong Joon’s documentary is a service for the Hallyu fans.

On January 5th, Bae Yong Joon’s documentary, which became a hot topic, was presented for the first time at the press conference of MBC LIFE’s “Bae Yong Joon’s travel documentary – A Journey in Search of Korea’s Beauty”. This documentary was produced with a total of 8 episodes and is based on the travel book Bae Yong Joon wrote which has the same title. They say that it follows the Bae Yong Joon’s traces.

Someone associated with Keyeast said, “After Bae Yong Joon’s travel book was released, we’ve gotten numerous requests from overseas fans desiring detailed explanation. In the past, Hallyu fans’ journey in Korea was limited to some famous tourists spots. We made this documentary as a service to the fans.”

In this documentary, they kindly worked on the images for the tourists with the Korean culture. He said that they planned to expand if they get good responses. The other associate said, “It will be beautiful if someone like Kim Hyun Joong also introduces Korea. We would like to produce it if the opportunity is given.”

This documentary will be a supplementary material for the travel book that Bae Yong Joon released in 2009. Those of which weren’t included in the book were added and it became a documentary which will help fans and tourists follow Bae Yong Joon’s steps. This is a big expansion of service area for Hallyu and his fans.

The time is past for just watching the Hallyu. Hallyu fans show their interests in Korea. It seems that a book or production of a documentary will satisfy their demands and become another Hallyu method in the future. This might be the reason that Hallyu star’s documentary series can be continued.

“A Journey in Search of Korean’s Beauty” is programmed as a Life special which is MBC LIFE’s new year special program. For 8 weeks starting on January 8th, they will deliver memoirs that Bae Yong Joon experienced while traveling from coast to coast in Korea, from Gangwon, Gyeongsang, Choongcheong, Jeolla, Gyeonggi, to Seoul. The viewers will vividly see them every Saturday at 11:00 pm.

Park Cheong Hyun pch46@newsen.com