Friday, August 27, 2010

Bad luck for Fahrenheit’s Aaron Yan

Source : xinmsn.com

For the Chinese, the last place they would want to be in during the Hungry Ghost Festival is the hospital.

Yet Aaron Yan has visited the hospital not once, but twice in the past two weeks.

On the first day of the Hungry Ghost Festival (Aug 10), Aaron came down with a heat stroke while filming and was briefly hospitalized.

Recently while filming a new drama serial, the actor injured himself.

This time, he was doing a conflict scene with veteran actor Jack Kao when they got carried away in their clash and Aaron accidentally hit his head on the wall.

Although he was fine on impact, Aaron began feeling unwell as filming went on and started having dizzy spells.

A late-night check-up at the hospital revealed that Aaron had suffered a minor concussion due to the impact.

With two visits to the hospital during the Hungry Ghost Festival period, which is considered extremely inauspicious and unlucky in traditional Chinese belief, Aaron immediately went to a temple to pray for divine protection.

Not all is going against Aaron though.

Aaron and his fellow Fahrenheit members are preparing to launch their fourth studio album, So Hot.

To demonstrate the "hot" theme of the album, the boys donned black 'hole-y' singlets, which Calvin Chen complained that looks like a fishermen's net, to show off their muscles for their album cover.

"Our costumes are minimum fabric bought at maximum price," quipped Jiro Wang.

Associated Content Overview

Associated Content enables anyone to publish their content on any topic. It has categories for video, audio, and slide shows. Once content is published, Associated Content distributes that content through its website and content partners.

When you post to Associated Content, you can:
1) submit original, never published before content, request an up front payment and give Associated Content (AC) exclusive rights and ownership to the content.
2) submit original, never published before content with no up front payment. Similar to Hub Pages, you can change the content at any time.
3) publish content you’ve published elsewhere.

In addition to all 3 options, you also receive payments for every thousand page views or PPVs. This rate varies based on your Author rating and the content itself but is about $1.50 per thousand.

Articles are usually required to have at least 400 words and may include pictures from approved sources. Submitting your article does not guarantee it being published, as Associated Content exercises editorial control over content being submitted: sending work back to users for “polishing”, or rejecting submitted work for violations of the site’s terms of use and guidelines, such as promotional/advertorial content and plagiarism. In its own way, ensuring some sort of quality control.

However, in order to get paid you have to be a US Resident. If you are a US Resident and over 18 year of age, you would be paid for your work done on Associated Content. Previously, before being bought over by Yahoo!, Associated Content used to pay non US Residents by performance payments (e.g. $1.50 for every 1000 views). However, if you are not a US Resident there are no payment options available anymore. Performance Payment is sent on the Wednesday of each month. All payments can be mace via PayPal.

However, to truly start earning money you would have to build up your database of articles. So perseverance and constantly writing is the key, to not only honing your writing skills, but also earning some money. You should write and published your content in a site that you feel most comfortable with, so read the terms and conditions carefully. You may also like to try other similar sites...Read more>>

Triond Overview

There are various places that you can earn some money writing online and Triond is just one of the many places.

When writing for Triond, grammar has to be good in order for it to be published. You can write about anything that you like to. Of course, the more popular a topic, you earn more money.

Triond is particular when it comes to the submission of your articles: the articles that you submit have to be original, and not submitted elsewhere on the internet. Content that has previously been published elsewhere on the internet, or articles that are too similar to various sources over the Internet will be declined. This includes duplicate items that you yourself have authored.

Once your article has been published, you would still retain all authorship and copyrights to the materials submitted for publication through the website. Other than articles, you can also publish photos, but they do not earn you as much money. If your article is good, interesting, and about a popular topic, with some good promotion, you can make quite a bit of money.

Payment is prompt, and is either by Western Union and Paypal. With Triond you are paid through Yahoo! ads and Google adsense ads which increases your earnings exponentially.

However, to truly start earning money you would have to build up your database of articles. So perseverance and constantly writing is the key, to not only honing your writing skills, but also earning some money. You should write and published your content in a site that you feel most comfortable with, so read the terms and conditions carefully. You may also like to try other similar sites...Read more>>

Extended 15 min trailer for Playful Kiss

Source: Dramabeans

Just yesterday we had the new teaser for Playful Kiss, and now there’s a longer cut available (thanks to everyone who sent it to me!). I don’t actually think it’s an official trailer — it feels kind of rough — but it gives us an extended look at the drama.

It seems like Boys Before Flowers has been the main point of comparison for this show, but I’m getting a much more Goong-like vibe, which in my mind is a very good thing. It’s no surprise, either, since PD Hwang In-roi directed Goong; one of my favorite aspects of that drama was its time spent in the school, which seems to be a key point of this story as well.

Furthermore, lead actress Jung So-min has already been called a “Little Yoon Eun-hye” for her facial resemblance to her (if you ignore her eyes, in some angles they look eerily similar), and I anticipate that this role will solidify that image — not only does she have the physical similarity, but similar character mannerisms of Chae-kyung, the role that made Yoon a superstar.

(I still think Kim Hyun-joong looks a bit old for her, but I’m hoping for solid chemistry.)

Manhwa: Honggane by Hwang Mi-ri

  No comments    
categories: , ,

The story revolves around the characters of the Hong family. The protagonist is a girl by the name of Hong Nanhee, the middle child of a family which runs a tae kwon do dojang (equivalent of a karate dojo. She has an older brother, Nanpa, who is the jjang of a technical high school, Gong-goh, and younger brother, Nanmyoung. Nanhee has a second degree in taekwondo, attends a girls’ high school and has a tendency says what she wants to say without realizing the consequences.

When Nanhee’s younger brother was born, she was left in the care of her older brother, Nanpa, who took special care in raising her; he has a sister-complex. He tends to be overly-protective of her: he gets rid of any guys that hang around her by getting her underlings to tail her, making it almost impossible to have any male friends..Read more>>

Manhwa: Hot Blooded Girl by Hwang Mi-ri


The story revolves around Kang Haji, a girl who was often bullied by her brothers when she was younger: being a guinea pig for her brothers, who use their newly acquired fencing and martial arts skills on her. In order to escape her brothers, she runs to her friend Te-hu for help. However, indeed of protection, he taunts herby telling her she is a coward who needs constant protection. He even insults her by calling her a puppy.

Instead of breaking down and crying at the lack of help and insult, she resolves to grow stronger. She decides to train vigorously everyday. After a couple of years, Haji goes from being a scared girl who cries for help to becoming the Jjang (boss of a gang) of the Doberman gang. Misfortune soon strikes Haji: she gets into an accident with a truck. As a result of the accident, Haji's body falls into a coma and her soul is accidentally relocated into the beautiful but frail body of Han Aram...Read more>>

Leehom Wang and Crystal Liu Attend “Love in Disguise” Premiere

Excerpt from news.163.com, sh.xinmin.cn
Translated by Jayne from JayneStars.Com
08/03/10

In fans’ eyes, Leehom Wang possesses both talent and good looks. Aside from composing and singing his own songs, he recently scripted and directed his first film, Love in Disguise <恋爱通告>. The surprising aspect was that Crystal Liu Yifei’s role was also custom tailored for her.

The Beijing premiere of Love in Disguise was held on Monday, August 2nd. Leehom portrays a superstar who masquerades in a music conservatory while attempting to pursue Crystal . Leehom incorporated a lot of personal elements in the film and revealed humorous aspects about the entertainment industry that few fans were aware of. In the film, Leehom’s character endorses a toilet tissue brand. His gestures and expressions in the ad are absurd, poking fun at the fact that many real-life celebrities endorse ridiculous products for money.

As a superstar, Leehom’s character in Love in Disguise does not have his own private life. In the film’s final scene, he shared a kiss with Crystal ’s character, while the paparazzi immediately start snapping photos of the couple. Leehom whispered to Crystal , “Since I’m a celebrity, just let them take photos!” and continued kissing her.

Leehom revealed that filming movies allows him to fulfill certain goals he can not accomplish in real life. “My character disguises himself and no one was able to recognize his superstar status. I often fantasize about going out on the streets without anyone recognizing who I am.”

When reporters asked what difficulties Leehom and Crystal faced in their personal love lives, the stars attempted to dodge the question at first. Leehom said humorously, “I am not gay!” He added that Love in Disguise reflects artists’ yearning for a simple love relationship. Crystal ’s private life has often been a mystery. She said that she has not dated since entering the entertainment industry and thus did not experience any difficulties. However, if she came across true love, she will abandon everything to pursue this love. “Each person’s courage is different.”

Leehom also noted that he personally prefers a type of woman similar to Crystal Liu. “Of course I like Fei Fei ( Crystal ) a lot, otherwise I wouldn’t cast her in my movie! When I first started writing the script for Love in Disguise, I already added a role for her. Among the fifty-four draft versions of the script, thirty versions of it include Fei Fei’s name. At the time, I never thought of casting another actress!”

Love in Disguise, starring Leehom Wang, Crystal Liu, and Joan Chen, will be released on August 12, 2010.

Paradise Kiss Manga Gets Live-Action Film Green-Lit

The October issue of Shodensha's women's fashion magazine Zipper is announcing on Monday that a live-action film adaptation of Ai Yazawa's Paradise Kiss manga has been green-lit. Keiko Kitagawa (live-action Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon's Sailor Mars, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift's Reiko) is starring in the film, and she also adorns the cover of Zipper's October issue. Osamu Mukai (Honey and Clover, Nodame Cantabile, Mei-chan no Shitsuji, Beck) will co-star, and the rest of the cast includes Natsuki Katō, Aya Ōmasa, Kento Kaku, Shunji Igarashi, and Yūsuke Yamamoto.

The original manga centered around a high school student named Yukari Hayasaka (Kitagawa) who is discovered by "Paradise Kiss," a group of up-and-coming fashion school students including Jōji "George" Koizumi (Mukai). The students transform Yukari (now nicknamed "Caroline") into a fashion model, and she discovers a new passion for a future career and potential romance in her personal life.

The manga ran in Zipper from 1999 to 2003, and Shodensha sold 6 million copies of the five compiled book volumes. Tokyopop began publishing the original manga in North America in 2001, and MADHOUSE's anime version aired in Japan in 2005. Geneon Entertainment (USA) licensed the anime for North America in 2006, although Funimation has since released the anime in DVD box sets.

The Hollywood Reporter magazine posted an article in 2009 about Fox International's negotiations for a Japanese-language, live-action film adaptation. According to the magazine, Fox International would be working with Japan's IMJ production company to produce the film with a budget of US$3 million to US$4 million, but these companies have not been announced for the current project.

Yazawa also created the NANA manga about polar-opposite roommates in Tokyo, and that manga has sold 34 million copies so far. IMJ and the Japanese TBS television network adapted NANA into two hit live-action films, and Aniplex and Madhouse adapted it into a television anime series. Viz Media is releasing the NANA manga, as well as its live-action and anime adaptations.

The film will open in Japan in 2011. Eiga.com notes that Mukai is literally Kitagawa's sempai; Mukai is four years older than Kitagawa (who turned 24 on Sunday), and they both have attended Meiji University in Tokyo. Eiga.com also states that over 5 million copies of the manga have been published, and the story has been translated into 10 languages for America, Italy, Korea, and elsewhere.

ANN

Taiwan actress Ariel Lin admits she is currently dating

Source : Channel News Asia

TAIPEI : While celebrities tend to keep their love lives a secret, Taiwan singer-actress Ariel Lin has revealed to the press that she is seeing someone, reported Chinese media.

"I am a girl who cannot do without relationships. In my heart, there is already a 'him'," said Lin during an appearance at a press conference as the ambassador for the Taiwan Organ Registry and Sharing Center.

When asked about her mystery boyfriend, the sweet-looking 27-year-old refused to give details though she did not deny that he is a big help to her acting and singing career.

Besides shattering the dreams of her male admirers the world over, during the press conference, Lin also proudly showed off her organ donor card which she received in March last year.

"This way of passing on your love for others is often more meaningful than just [donating] money," said Lin of her choice to pledge her organs. "This is something I believe in and it is something I have acted upon."

According to Lin, she was visiting the hospital for a follow-up medical check-up last year after an operation to remove a 2-cm egg-shaped cyst in her brain, when she saw a notice about organ donation.

After a short discussion with her mother, both of them decided to become donors and signed up the next day.

Lin, who was first discovered on the long-running Taiwan variety show "Guess, Guess, Guess", shot to fame after starring in the 2005 idol drama "It Started with a Kiss" with Joe Cheng.

She then went on to win a Golden Bell Award for Best Actress Award in 2008 for her performance in the sequel "They Kiss Again".

- CNA/ha

Legend’s Comeback Madonna Band releases an album

First there were the live performances, then the possibility of a musical adaptation. Now the band within SBS drama I Am Legend, called the Comeback Madonna Band, will be releasing a real full album and perform on live stages.

The band members and actresses are: Kim Jung-eun on vocals and guitar, Hong Ji-min on bass, Juni on guitar, and Jang Shin-young on drums. I can actually see this working, because all of the band members play their own instruments, and most have prior performance experience. Both Juni and Hong Ji-min had professional music experience prior to television acting — Juni in a rock band, and Hong in musicals — while Kim has performed a few times on her music/talk show Chocolate.

As mentioned previously, music director Lee Jae-hak has been leading the band members in rehearsals, and the foursome have recorded thirteen songs. We’ve heard a number of them in the drama, but I expect more to come in coming episodes. The album will be released before the drama goes off the air and features rocked-up remakes of old pop hits, as well as a couple originals (“Comeback Madonna” and “You”).

A source with the production team said that the four ladies have developed a deep rapport and are planning to perform at live concerts after the drama’s end. There are also plans for appearances on television music programs. The album will have the added function of being their guide in mapping out the proposed musical production, which may or may not use the same actors. That decision has not yet been made.

Already songs from the soundtrack are proving to be a hit; the drama versions of “A Million Roses” and “Love Love Love” have performed very well on online music charts, making it to No. 1 on portal site Daum’s music chart rankings on the 23rd.

Via IS Plus / JavaBeans

Thursday, August 26, 2010

First teaser clip for Playful Kiss

First the official posters, now a trailer.

This is the first video clip to be released for Playful Kiss, which is short but sets up the initial dynamic nicely in the wordless sequence. I love the nervous, fidgety anticipation of Jung So-min, who is downright adorable — I’m rooting for her already. I’m hoping beyond hope the chemistry between them works out, because it looks like this could be super cute.

Source: DramaBeans

Due to Yang Yoseob's surgery, BEAST's comeback is pushed back

It has been revealed that Yang Yoseob, the lead vocal of BEAST, has gone through surgery to remove chronic rhinitis infections.

Due to this, the BEAST’s comeback that has been planned for the end of August has been pushed back.

Yang Yoseob has suffered from light rhinitis symptoms, but recently the situation had gotten worse that he had to go through surgery to remove the small infection in his nose. It was a hard decision because it was at a point they were preparing for the 3rd album, but because it could have affected his throat condition, the surgery couldn’t have been pushed back.

On the 24th, the management stated, “It was a simple surgery for Yang Yoseob, however since it could worry the fans we were hesistant on releasing the information about his surgery. However we couldn’t have the fans waiting especially with the comeback coming close.” They added, “We will try our best to help him get well through plenty of rest and relaxation.”

The BEAST members added, “If you wait longer, we will be able to make a comeback with even a better condition,” asking for support and cheer from the fans.

Meanwhile, BEAST members are showing off active activities in variety programs despite preparing for their next albums.

CREDITS: ASIAE (SOURCE); aoistars@B2ST RISING (TRANS)

No End to X Japan's Money Problems

Financial troubles never seem to be too far from Japan's biggest rock band. Japan Music Agency, who manage X Japan leader Yoshiki, revealed to the media yesterday that they are being asked to pay ¥2 billion for the use of images of the band's late guitarist Hide. JMA have said that, depending on how things play out, they may take the matter to court. The wrangling over money is just the latest of many that have plagued the group since it achieved commercial success.

Headworks Organization is the company that represents the estate of Hide, who died under controversial circumstances in 1998. The firm is run by his brother Matsumoto Hiroshi (42), who seemed to be on good terms with the rest of the band during a memorial service for Hide held in May. During last week's two concerts in Yokohama, Hide's image was used on stage as it has been at all the band's shows since their reunion in 2008. But the money problems began some time ago.

When X Japan reunited in 2008, they signed a ¥600 million contract with music production company Nexstar Corporation, who put on the band's concerts. The deal included the use of some recordings, advance royalties and contract money. Nexstar reportedly made some ¥2.5 billion from concert ticket and merchandise sales over the following two years. But JMA never saw the money, and Yoshiki filed a lawsuit with the Tokyo District Court against Nexstar back in March seeking ¥375 million in damages. Headworks has reportedly received ¥300 million from Nexstar, and they have now instructed JMA to pay ¥2 billion to Nexstar or no longer be allowed to use Hide's image.

The tangled financial web will hopefully not hinder the band's upcoming assault on North America, with a concert tour due to start in September. As Yoshiki said, "I think the one who is suffering most in this is Hide. But with or without his image, we are still spreading our wings together."

japan-zone

Super Junior Members collaborate with stars from Dream of the Red Chamber

Starring Leo Ku (古巨基), Dream of Red Chamber leads Jiang Mengjie ( 蒋梦婕) and Yang Yang (杨洋) and Super Junior/SJM members Heechul (金希澈) and Zhou Mi (周觅), drama “Melody of Youth” held its press conference on the 9th.

Melody tells of a group of recent college graduates and their first steps into the real world. Leading the drama is Leo Ku, an unconventional older student with a mind for business; Jiang Mengjie plays the female lead, a headstrong tomboy who earns her own livings and is a pro at video games; Heechul plays a professional video gamer who begins to woo Jiang Mengjie; Zhou Mi plays a humorous rich boy who seeks to prove himself worth more than just his parents’ money.; As for Yang Yang, our shared new love after his gorgeous smile at Happy Camp appearance last week? He plays a sweet boy whose true calling lies in nail painting.

source: cfensi

Jay Chou protects Yuhao from knife attack

Source: China News
Translated by: http://www.jaychoustudio.com

A few days ago Jay Chou was on "Student" with Yuhao and Devon, in it he exposed the fact that he once blocked a knife attack for Yuhao to save face and out of friendship.

Also once he was so irritated by the paparazzi he stepped on the brakes too quickly, Devon who was behind him bumped into his rear, the paparazzi laughed at them.

The presenter Matilda Tao asked him with interest: "Has Jacky (Wu) been in contact with you recently...." He smiled and said: "He talks to Vincent Fang more."

When they were recording, Yuhao expressed that once he was in the night market at Jilong playing video games. Suddenly a man with a knife rushed in, it looked like he was looking for revenge. Jay immediately stood in front of him, he stretched his arm across to protect him.

Jay then said: "I want to say I was the senior so I wanted to look a bit cool, what ended up happening was that guy pushed me out the way, he took one look at Yuhao, he said in Taiwanese 'not him' and left." Jay remembered that at that time he was really scared inside, but he did it to save face and for friendship.

Jang Geun-seok close to picking new drama

If initial reports are confirmed, Jang Geun-seok — a hot commodity these days — may soon be back on television in his next project. It’s an adaptation of Mary Stayed Out All Night [매리는 외박중], a manhwa that comes from the creator of Full House‘s original manhwa (it’s a working title for the drama, which will air on KBS).

Jang had planned for his next role to be the movie adaptation of You’re My Pet, but due to production delays on that project, he may well be back in a drama first. Note: This article talks about the casting as a done deal, but others are saying Jang is “a strong possibility.” I’d say take it all with a grain of salt.

Jang’s management was initially reported to say, “He is planning to return with the drama Mary Stayed Out All Night in November. The character and script haven’t been decided in concrete detail yet, so he is preparing slowly, and will try hard to show a different appeal in this role.” A subsequent article backtracked and said, “He is looking favorably at the role.”

Mary Stayed Out All Night deals with a woman (the titular Mary) who decides she is through with dating, but then strikes up a romance with a “dangerous-looking but charming” death-metal band vocalist. A “lively, upbeat” love triangle develops with a third character, a “perfect type” of man who’s got it all goin’ on in terms of looks, skills, personality, and family background.

Jang Geun-seok just played a pop group vocalist in last year’s hit drama You’re Beautiful. He’ll again play a musician here, albeit a harder-edged rocker than the idol star of the previous series.

This project will be a co-production between Korea’s KBS Media and Japan’s ACC Korea and will be written by In Eun-ah, who wrote the drama phenom Goong and the cotton-candy-sweet Love & Marriage. A director has yet to be confirmed. There are a few stars in contention for the Mary role, though we haven’t been given any hints thus far.

Source

Manhwa: Miunohri to Swan by Hwang Mi-ri


This story revolves around Go Mi-oh, the youngest of three daughters , who desires to be beautiful and be accepted. Mi-oh's two elder sisters, as well as everyone else in her family is beautiful; with her being the only exception - she is over-weight, short, and has messy curly hair. Her father is the president of a company called Dark Hunters the story.

Due to her appearance, which differs so much from her family, Mi-oh is left out of all family gatherings and her sisters refuse to acknowledge her as their sibling. She resorts to living on her own in a studio apartment. As if her family life were not miserable enough, at school she is constantly bullied and humiliated by Kim Do-jin, simply because he deems her as ugly and cannot stand the sight of her...Read more>>

Manhwa: Boarding House of Hunks by Hwang Mi-Ri


The story revolves around Shin Jae Yoo , a boy-crazy character who is often hot-headed and desperately wanted a beautiful guy for a boyfriend. She is willing to use any means possible just to get to stay in a boarding house full of hot guys; even if it means going on a blind date with the most nerdy guy in school. However, she pisses off the nerdy guy's best (and handsome) friend, Ji Hu, when she dumps the guy immediately after the "date".

Ever since the incident, Ji Hu and Jae Yoo are constantly at loggerheads. When Jae Yoo finally manages to accomplish her dream of entering the "boarding house of hunks," she thinks that nothing could go wrong: living in an amazing house with a kind landlady, and a cute guy (Oh Soo-bin) who seems to be interested in her... until she finds out that Ji Hu is the landlady's son..Read more>>

Sunday, August 22, 2010

The Gumiho's Revenge / Grudge: The Revolt of Gumiho

In this story, the legendary gumiho or nine-tailed fox, Goo San Daek, leaves her husband after his betrayal renders her unable to shapeshift (gumiho lore includes their abilities to transform themselves to look human), or to become human. She takes her nine-year-old daughter, Yeon Yi, who has yet to gain the ability to use her gumiho powers, to a village in order to protect her. As Yeon Yi turns ten, her physical transformation begins, putting her in increasing danger of being discovered by her neighbors.

San Daek decides to take revenge against a human when Yeon Yi dies at the hands of the human.


Episode Guide

I am Legend

Jun Seol Hee starts a band to get her life back on track. She recently divorced her husband after realizing that she deserved to be treated better by her high-flying husband, Cha Ji Wook, and his family. Her band mates are also ‘ahjummas’ (aunties) who also have personal problems of their own. A drama that shows the growth of women who comfort their pain with music and find their identity.... more info>>




Episode Guide

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Manhwa: Bride of The Water God by by Yun Mi-Kyung


A village suffering tom a severe drought, tries to appease the water god, Habaek by sacrificing the most beautiful girl in the village as Habaek's bride. Soah, a girl from the village is chosen to be that sacrifice. But instead of dying, she is unexpectedly rescued by Habaek and brought to his water kingdom. Soah was prophesized to love two men in her life when she was younger. She soon finds herself attracted to Mui, who she believes is Habaek's (adult version) cousin, unaware that Habaek (the child version) and Mui are the same person.

The reason why Habaek's powers diminish in the day, causing him to revert into his child
form, was due to the curse that Nakbin put on him. Nakbin was Habaek's first wife who died after placing the curse on him, in the hope that the Emperor would lose interest in Habaek since he could no longer use his powers during the day in the battle against the Sun Gods; Habaek's affinity with water...Read more>>

Raws

Manhwa: Legend of Nereid by Hwang Mi-Ri



The manhwa is inspired from the Greek mythology, where the Nereids were sea nymphs. In the story, however, Nereids are known as people who are good swimmers, with many of them becoming ocean warriors. The story revolves around a young girl names Matia, who has always wanted to be one of the ocean warriors, and how a false prophecy changed her life, a respected general, a foreign prince, and even several kingdoms.

Learning swimming tactics from the respected Lord Muta himself, Matia is one of the best swimmers among her peers. Matia's people have a coming of age ceremony when they turn 15 years of age: they have a competition to see who will be to bring the sword of Poseidon back to the shores of Akaron Island, where Matia's people reside. Kulap, a fellow Nereid, is Matia's strongest competitor...Read more>>

Raws

Kazunari Ninomiya to star in Fuji TV drama

Arashi's Kazunari Ninomiya (27) is confirmed to be starring in a new drama series this fall. Titled "Freeter, Ie wo Kau," the show will feature Ninomiya as a part-time worker trying to get his life back together for the sake of his family. Karina (26) will play the female lead.

The show is Ninomiya's first starring role in a drama series since the 2008 "Ryusei no Kizuna." As an actor, he has recently been focused on filming for his upcoming movies "Ooku" and "GANTZ." In contrast with those spectacular big screen roles, his character in this home drama will be a "freeter" (a term used to describe young people without full time employment, not counting students and homemakers).

The story is based on a book of the same name by Hiro Arikawa, published last year. The story revolves around a young man named Seiji Take (Ninomiya), who quits his job after three months. With no dreams, no savings, and a poor relationship with his family, he becomes a hikikomori (shut-in) in his own room. However, after his mother falls ill with depression, he ends up having to take on a part-time job at a construction site. Because of that, he soon decides to work towards rebuilding his life: "Even though I'm just a freeter, I'm going to buy a house for the sake of my family."

One of the people he meets at the construction site is Manami Chiba (Karina), who graduated from a top-class university and joined a well-known general contracting firm. Manami, proud to be working as an on-site supervisor, is the complete opposite of Seiji. But while their personalities clash at first, they gradually come to understand each other.

Filming already started earlier this month. The show will air on Fuji TV on Tuesdays at 9:00pm, starting in October.

tokyograph

Erika Toda, Ryo Kase star in "Keizoku" sequel

Erika Toda (21) and Ryo Kase (35) will co-star in a TBS drama series this fall. The show, titled "SPEC," is described as a sequel to the 1999 series "Keizoku," which starred Miki Nakatani (34) and Atsuro Watabe (42).

The full title of the new series is "Keizoku 2: SPEC ~ Keishichou Kouanbu Kouan Daigoka Mishou Jiken Tokubetsu Taisakugakari Jikenbo." Like the original series, "SPEC" will revolve around a pair of police detectives as part of a special division solving difficult cases. Toda plays the part of Touma, a woman with an IQ of 201 with a touch of sadism and an inability to "read the atmosphere" ("kuuki ga yomenai") in social situations. Her character uses little makeup, has poor posture, and is always pulling around a small suitcase with wheels. Due to a previous case, her left arm is in a sling.

Meanwhile, Kase had to shave his head for his role as Touma's partner, a fellow detective who considers her unreliable. This will be his first time in a lead role on a television series.

Other cast members include 70-year-old veteran Raita Ryu (who also appeared in "Keizoku"), Saki Fukuda (19), Yu Shirota (24), and Ryunosuke Kamiki (17). The show will be directed by Yukihiko Tsutsumi, who also handled the original series.

TBS will air "SPEC" on Friday nights at 10:00pm, starting in October.

Tokyograph

Yamapi lost more than eight kilos for “Ashita no Joe”

NEWS’ Tomohisa Yamashita (25) lost 8.5 kilos and his body fat percentage went down to 5% while he worked on “明日のジョー (Ashita no Joe)” it was revealed yesterday, reports Daily Sports Online and Sponichi Annex.

Character photos of the cast in the movie were released yesterday, which showed a muscular Joe Yabuki, played by Yamapi, and his rival character Tohru Rikishi, played by Yusuke Iseya (34).

The two stars had said their training consisted of a strict diet and rigorous exercises.

Yamapi started getting in shape for his role in February, a month before filming began. His daily calorie intake was halved down to 1200 calories a day, and mainly featured chicken fillets and salads. Yamapi also did two to three hours of boxing and cardio training every day, and even had sparring sessions with former WBA world super bantamweight champion Osamu Sato (33).

By the time filming had finished in early June, Yamapi’s weight had dropped from 62 kilos to 53.5 kilos, and his body fat percentage dipped from 14% to 5%, giving him a clear six-pack. It has been reported a number of his group members from NEWS said they we were worried about his sudden weight loss.

Co-star Iseya had also endured a similar training routine, and his weight had dropped from 67 kilos to 57 kilos, and body fat percentage from 15% to 3 %. The film’s supervising trainer had said that the two stars had gotten into better shape than Japanese boxing champions he had seen in the past. Yamapi and Iseya had said they were serious when it came to their fighting scenes.

“I went into it with a ‘I’m not going to lose to Iseya!’ attitude. Iseya-san had this ‘give me your best shot’ look and the fact that the two of us were really punching one another, it helps you to feel the scene instead of just relying on the film’s lines,” Yamapi said.

“明日のジョー (Ashita no Joe)” will open in Japan cinemas in 2011. It is based on the critically acclaimed boxing manga of the same name by Asao Takamori and Tetsuya Chiba, created in 1968.

momoedgewood

Publisher Talks about Minho & SHINee

Living in Korea doesn’t mean that your world revolves around KPOP only. I am Korean, but little people know that some Kpop acts are fake. It is sad, but that is the truth. At one point, I even stayed away from the Kpop scene and opted to listen and follow the underground acts only.

But working in the publishing filed, directly involving with Kpop.. I have to be neutral. I have to keep reminding myself not to be too skeptical but it was hard when the thing you do not wish to see, do not want to hear are in front of your eyes. But it all changed in one day. It is all because of SHINee.

We anticipated that day very much, because we finally got our chance to do the interview of this group that we admire so much. I am not a big fan myself, but I respect them as they work very hard to accomplish what they have today, being in this cruel industry where the competition is very fierce.

That day, we couldn’t wait to meet SHINee.

As soon as we were done with talking and interviewing Key, Onew, Taemin and Jonghyun, it was finally Minho’s turn. He was very quiet and thoughtful the whole time questions were being asked to the rest of the boys. He talked occasionally, and smiled most of the time. At other times he simply looked down, and laughed a bit at the jokes Onew was telling. He threw glances at the boys and there was no mistake the strong brotherhood that these boys have. He would pat Taemin’s back sometimes and squeezed the tense muscles out of Jonghyun’s shoulders.

The sessions continued for more than two hours, and at one point he even went to get the drinks for the members instead of waiting for our staff to bring them to them.

Jonghyun and Taemin went out of the room for a while, and we started to ask Minho our 1st question to him. “Minho is known as a very competitive person. Some people say it is very disturbing to see that streak in you because you are young and you are supposed to enjoy your life or not taking anything too seriously. What do you have to say to that?”

He looked very much lost in thought for a while before calmly stating:

“When I was very young.. I wanted to become a professional soccer player. I love sports very much to a point where I learned everything there is to it about football, and entered every football match around. My thirst in winning was unquenchable that I worry my family off. One day, my dad told me he opposed of me of pursuing that one thing I ever wanted at the time and I was crushed. He didn’t want me to become a football player. He said having sports as a career is very tough, he knows it because he is a professional football coach himself. I was lost and didn’t know what to do and when I came to my senses, I decided that I would never quit to fight in everything I do. If I do one thing, I do it wholeheartedly, even if people keep telling me it’s impossible, I would never want to believe them and I would have faith in myself instead. Fight something as if it is your last fight.. as if there would be no more chance to do that later. That’s what triggers the competitiveness in me.. If I lose, I would be very disappointed with myself, keep blaming myself of the loss. Keep telling myself I would do even better in the future.”

At this point, Onew kept nodding at what Minho was saying. We were surprised when Onew added, “Minho does what he does best, doing at his very best ability like there’s no tomorrow. Be it in performing, or playing or sports. Even I cannot do that as a leader.”

Q: You were seen as the quietest out of the five. Is there any reason to it?

A: I am the youngest in my family. I have an elder brother. I was raised to listen and then talk. Not to talk and then listen. Meaning that, I was taught by my mother to be an observer and a listener. Because my hyung is the first son in my father’s side of family line in 30 years, he was the center of attention, while I enjoy being by his side – to be a good friend for him in an oppressed situation, to always be there for my mother and my father when they need me… even if I do not do good as their son. That’s why I am quiet most of the time. I tend to listen rather than do the talking.

By this, Key said to us, “If he is loud…. he is toooo loud,” which aroused laughter in the room and having Minho chuckled, looking slightly blushed.

The interview session went about for another 30 minutes. Bu this time, he looked very comfortable, and was able to talk more freely.

Q: What’s the name of SHINee’s fan club? What do your fans mean to you?

A: [smiled widely before continuing] It’s SHINee World or SHAWOL in short. Where I am today, where we are today… It would be impossible without the love and support by our fans, we went to see SM Youtube page sometimes and were very, very surprised to see the warm, encouraging comments left by the fans on our videos. I hope I’ll be able to understand English more. I want to be able to understand what they were saying. We worked on this new album for 9 months… having sleepless nights of choosing songs.. writing lyrics.. singing rehearsals… recording songs… dancing training.. discussing the concept etc.. all for our fans. We are glad that we finally get to do what we love most which is to entertain.

Q: Any last words to your fans?

A: Thousand of apologies on my bended knees to our beloved fans because I cannot perform on the stage with other members. We just finished recording our MV and just waited for the comeback stage when that accident happened. My ruptured muscle would take a very long time to recuperate but as for now I am taking the medicine which enables me to resume my stage performance in the near future. I am still in pain but will endure it for the fans. Please forgive me for my recklessness. SHINee World is our world. Our world revolves around them. We appreciate your love very much. If I could bow to each and very one of you, I would. ‘Thank you very much’ would not be sufficient enough but please know in your heart that we really appreciate all of you. And for that, I THANK YOU. WE THANK YOU.

As the session wrapped up, we came to realize that these shining boys are very special. Minho is such a good conversationalist. We would never expect that from him. He is very humble and down-to-earth.. when he went out of the room, the rest of the 4 boys waited restlessly for him to come back.

Taemin selected food from each tray and put them on a plate. “This is for Minho hyung,” he said. Key kept bothering him at the side, “Minho doesn’t eat this one. Let’s take more Kimbap rolls for him. He loves that.”

SHINee won’t be SHINee without Choi Min Ho. SHINee won’t be SHINee without Key, Onew, Jonghyun and Taemin. They complete each other up.

Before the day ended, I realized that I am proud of these young men who work very hard in accomplishing what they have today. Surviving in Kpop is tough and I hope they will stay humble and stay the way they are, to keep their feet on the ground always and not forgetting their roots.

That day I realized I wanted to become a SHAWOL too. That I day I realized, Kpop is not such a bad wave after all. Thanks to Minho & SHINee, I have more faith in Kpop nowadays.

Credit: shineee.net
Source: SHINee’s ETN -C&D interview July 2010
Source Finder: anh. ☆
source: shineee.ne

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

2NE1 is working with Will.I.Am for their American debut!

Just 1 year into their debut, girlgroup 2NE1 will be working with Will.I.Am. music producer and the leader of group Black Eyed Peas for their American music market debut. Yang Hyun Seok revealed on 17th August, “2NE1 has been working with music producer Will.I.Am for the past few months. Through a close acquaintance, we were given the chance to show Will.I.Am 2NE1′s MV and after seeing the MV, Will.I.Am said he wanted to do music production for 2NE1 for their American debut.”

“2NE1 and Will.I.Am has been working on the music production on 3 windows for about 3 weeks in cities like L.A and London and currently they have finished recording about 10 songs.”

It was also revealed that all the 10 songs were recorded in English and since 3 members from 2NE1 is fluent in English, the recording was completed earlier than expected.
And about the girls’ debuting in America, YG said, “As to the concrete plans and time period the girls will debut in the States, we have not decided on them yet. But since Will.I.Am will be busy for his concert tour and Black Eyed Pea’s upcoming new album, it will most probably not happen within this year.”

“Plans for 2NE1′s American debut, we will be consulting Will.I.Am on plans and decisions, since he will be the key for their debut in the States. But we will stay away from the idea of 2NE1 promoting long term and staying in the States. Since the girls have received great love from fans in Korea, we will not have them neglect their activities in Korea. Furthermore, they will also be debuting in Japan early next year. Hence we will need to come up with a plan for the girls to be able to promote at the same time in 3 countries.”

S: OSEN
Credit: Kbites

How We Got Married couples are selected

The Adam couple (2AM’s JoKwon – Brown Eyed Girls‘ GaIn), Sweet Potato couple (SNSD’s SeoHyun – CN Blue’s Jung YongHwa), International couple (2PM’s Nichkhun - f(x)’s Victoria) and Real Life couple (Hwang JungEum – Kim YongJun) are the current stars for this season of We Got Married. Every incident that happens between all of the couples immediately garner much attention and quickly becomes hot news for fans.

In other words, We Got Married is a trendy and popular show that can boost a person’s fame. For instance, JoKwon and GaIn, who currently receive the most love in We Got Married, gained massive popularity because of their status as imaginary couple alongside their singing talents.

Therefore, when a rookie is asked, “Is there a variety show you want to appear on?” 90 out of 100 don’t think twice and pick ‘We Got Married’.

Well, do you ever wonder how WGM couples are chosen?

Like other job interviews, WGM candidates have to go through interviews for evaluation too. Jung Yoon Jung, the PD behind JoKwon-GaIn and Nichkhun-Victoria couple said:

“If we receive an interview request, we meet with them. We also recruit people that seem okay on well-known variety programs or other works. We then ask the people we meet with basic questions. Through this process, we try to get to know the person through assumptions. If I feel that this person is okay, then I think about it. The actual matching process is done through other series of interviews. In between these interviews, I really get thoughts like, “I think it would be good for this person to meet this person.”

However, the interviews are not the end. I meet with them again with a mindset of having the launching in mind. I meet with the people that I thought were okay once more. Because they have to put their entire body into working in the entertainment business, there are people that change in a short period of time. There is a need to look over this person’s changes over a fairly long amount of time. There are cases where the person won’t be honest, not showing their true selves, while there are others who are a lot nicer than expected.”

In a previous episode, Nichkhun told Victoria that he hinted the production crews about his preference on her. Does a selected celebrity really get to choose his/ her partner for WGM? In Nichkhun’s case, Jung PD said that Nichkhun himself was not sure of any candidate in his first interview. Later, he expressed his true feelings to his manager.

Nevertheless, Nichkhun did not have any idea about who his imaginary wife was until the recording of first episode. Despite all the rumor articles that floated around, Nichkhun actually guessed someone else would be his partner instead of Victoria.

When asked about the possibility to create extremely shocking couples such as a huge age gap couple or a bad guy-bad girl couple, Jung PD explained:

“Finding a new figure is always a worry. There can be new combinations. But honestly, if you set a concept like having a big age difference, it is hard getting outside the box. Creating a fixed character won’t work either because it wouldn’t last. In the end, it becomes a story told by the two people, attempting new challenges, working together.”


So do you think the current couples were well selected for this season’s We Got Married? Can you predict any nominees for future couples?

Source: Bae Sun Young @newsen.com
Translation: ch0sshi @kpoplive.com
Written by: rose1363@kpoplive.com
source: KPopLive

Hebe reveals herself, set to release solo album as Tian Fu Zhen

Source: UDN
Translated by catalie @ http://asianfanatics.net

Hebe Tian who only showed half her face in the preview clip of her new song, has finally revealed herself. Having recently denied all suspicions, H.I.M Music announced yesterday that Hebe, who has been in the music industry for 10 years, will indeed be releasing her solo album "To Hebe" as Tian Fu Zhen (her real name). Without her sisters to accompany her, Hebe invited many animals to star in her new MV.

Hebe's solo album which will be released on September 3, has been 2 years in the making. In that time, she has carefully moved away from her S.H.E identity and shows her own unique qualities. Recently, her record company posted a 90-second clip online and within one day, people were madly reposting it and there were over 1 million views. Almost immediately, fans recognised Hebe but H.I.M Music continued to keep everyone in suspense until releasing an official announcement today. Hebe also stated, "When I'm promoting my solo album, everyone please call me by my real name [Tian Fu Zhen], when I'm with S.H.E, I am Hebe."

The first hit song "LOVE!" talks about all kinds of love. In the MV, many animals are used to portray the idea, including a rabbit, rooster, ducklings, horse, doves, bees, Hercules beetle, praying mantis and even a box of ants. However, the biggest challenge for Hebe was acting a scene of deep emotions with a horse. Hebe, who was wearing a bright red dress was so scared that she couldn't tell a horse from a bull, "Oh my goodness, I'm wearing red, will it come angrily rushing towards me?"

In another scene, while Hebe was lying gracefully on the grass, a red poodle gave her a "surprise attack" from behind, it was Selina will her beloved Pinky coming to show support for her fellow S.H.E member. Hebe laughed saying, "I was really shocked just then, I thought it was one of the animal actors." After all, the 19 animals and bugs were used to fill the gap of missing Selina and Ella. The full MV premieres today.

MV


"LOVE!" MV Animated Version
http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

"LOVE!" MV Behind-the-scenes
http://www.youtube.c...h?v=TJzAn6y1aN4

Sunday, August 15, 2010

The Last Airbender

Air, Water, Earth, Fire. Four nations tied by destiny when the Fire Nation launches a brutal war against the others. A century has passed with no hope in sight to change the path of this destruction. Caught between combat and courage, Aang (Noah Ringer) discovers he is the lone Avatar with the power to manipulate all four elements. Aang teams with Katara (Nicola Peltz), a Waterbender, and her brother, Sokka (Jackson Rathbone), to restore balance to their war-torn world. Based on the hugely successful Nickelodeon animated TV series, the live-action feature film The Last Airbender is the opening chapter in Aangs struggle to survive.



Salt

  No comments    
categories: , , ,
As a CIA officer, Evelyn Salt (Jolie) swore an oath to duty, honor and country. Her loyalty will be tested when a defector accuses her of being a Russian spy. Salt goes on the run, using all her skills and years of experience as a covert operative to elude capture. Salt's efforts to prove her innocence only serve to cast doubt on her motives, as the hunt to uncover the truth behind her identity continues and the question remains: "Who Is Salt?"

This movie has loads of action, and there was a twist at the ending that really was a surprise. .. Nobody seems to be who they say they are...




Thursday, August 12, 2010

Idol dramas struggling to attract viewers

Source: Chinatimes, Nownews
Written by: PA @ CpopAccess.com

It’s quite shocking to see idol dramas having such a hard time finding an audience (maybe with the exception of Rookies' Diary on Fridays). At this point, the question is probably not "which drama are people watching", but rather if anyone is watching at all. It was only half a year ago when three dramas (Autumn’s Concerto/Hi My Sweetheart/Down With Love) combined for over 15% of the ratings on Sunday nights.

Zhong Wu Yen was the winner again this past weekend with an average rating of 2.03%. The SETTV-produced drama hasn't performed well, but it's too early to call this one a bomb since only three episodes have aired. In second place again was Summer’s Desire at 1.69%. It was expected to challenge Zhong Wu Yen for the top spot, but viewers didn’t seem to be interested in watching either one.

There were previously rumors of Love Buffet being a possible successor for Summer's Desire, but FTV has confirmed that Korean drama Personal Taste will take over the time slot next month. Meanwhile, Scent of Love managed to move ahead of Calling For Love despite being in last place for most of its run. The two dramas drew an average of 0.67% and 0.60% respectively.

Scent of Love was in fact preempted for an hour last Sunday due to the live broadcast of Golden Song Superstar. The show is much like a celebrity version of One Million Star but it has never been a big draw since its inception. Golden Song Superstar recently came under fire when host Pauline Lan (藍心湄) was abruptly replaced by Mickey Huang. The season 2 final drew an average rating of 1.37%. Christian singer SiEn was crowned the winner, followed by James Chu, who is the older brother of ex-183 Club member Jacky Chu, and WAHSBBT’s Louis Liu was in 3rd place.

Monday, August 09, 2010

Oricon Weekly Charts (2010.08.09)

SINGLES
1. Yamashita Tomohisa - One in a Million = 161194
2. Yusuke - Mitsubachi = 71548
3. Namie Amuro - Break It / Get Myself Back = 58557
4. GACKT - EVER = 32795
5. Miki Imai X Kentaro Kobuchi with Tomoyasu Hotei + Shunsuke Kuroda - Toiyo no Melody = 23246
6. S/mileage - OO ga Ganbaranakutemo Eenennde!! = 18987
7. WaT - Kimi ga Boku ni Kiss wo Shita = 18393
8. Team Dragon from AKB48 - Kokoro no Hane = 15225
9. sphere - Asobi ni Ikuyo! Intro Theme: Now loading . . . SKY!! = 12344
10. access - Higher Than Dark Sky = 10020

ALBUMS
1. Miliyah Kato - HEAVEN = 150804
2. V.A. - FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST FINAL BEST = 70342
3. VAMPS - BEAST = 52852
4. lecca - Power Butterfly = 41451
5. SMAP - We are SMAP! = 32872
6. YUI - HOLIDAYS IN THE SUN = 24811
7. Fujifabric - MUSIC = 23455
8. Nishino Kana - to LOVE = 17976
9. ANANT-GARDE EYES - Angel Beats! Original Soundtrack = 13302
10. Maki Goto - ONE = 11547

MUSIC DVDs
1. B'z - B'z Live-GYM 2010 "Ain't No Magic" at Tokyo Dome = 93208
2. JUNSU/JEJUNG/YUCHUN - 3HREE VOICES = 56532
3. Sid - Sidnad Vol.5 ~Clips Two~ = 13731
4. AKB48 - Nogashita Sakanatachi ~Single Video Collection~ = 4760
5. Arashi - ARASHI Anniversary Tour 5x10 = 4380
6. sads - 100501 Gothic Circus Live At Nihon Budokan = 3887
7. The Rolling Stones - Stones In Exile = 3809
8. Rina Aiuchi - Live DVD "Rina Aiuchi Thanx 10th Anniversary Live ~magic Of The Love~" = 3333
9. Ayumi Hamasaki - ayumi hamasaki COUNTDOWN LIVE 2009-2010 A ~Future Classics~ = 2421
10. Arashi - 5x10 All the BEST! CLIPS 1999-2009 = 2105

Yang HyunSeok, “Since my daughter was born at 2:01, it’s a lucky sign for 2NE1.”

After hearing unique words of congratulations from those around him, Yang Hyunsuk who has just become a father is becoming even happier.

On the 6th, Yang Hyunsuk reported to Money Today Star News “(Lee) Eunjoo gave birth to our daughter at 2:01PM yesterday.”, “After hearing this news, several people around me said to me ‘Seeing as your daughter was born at 2:01, it seems like 2NE1 will do even better in the future’, I was really overjoyed hearing people say this.”

That is, several people are giving Yang Hyunsuk words of blessings, saying that they believe the time, 2:01 and 2NE1, the number ’21′ are closely connected.

4 member girl group, 2NE1, who whipped up a storm of popularity last year as soon as they debuted, are scheduled to release a new album in the second half of this year, as a result, hearing these congratulatory messages is making Yang Hyunsuk even happier.

The reason is Yang Hyun Suk is the president of YG Entertainment, hub of the biggest entertainment agency, comprised of artists such as 2NE1, Se7en, Big Bang, Gummy, etc.

Meanwhile, Yang Hyunsuk has made his marriage official with female artist who debuted through the group, Sweety, Lee Eunjoo. She gave birth to a healthy daughter weighing 2.78kg on the 5th at 2:01pm at a hospital in Seoul.

Sharing their love for 9 years now, Yang Hyunsuk and Lee Eunjoo have finally become a ‘mom and dad’. The mother and the baby are both healthy at the moment.

* Source:, YGLADIES, http://news.nate.com.../20100806n05025
* Translated by GEE @ ygladies.com

Se7en and SHINee’s new songs deemed inappropriate for broadcast by MBC, why?

Singers Se7en and SHINee’s new songs have been deemed as inappropriate for broadcast by MBC. MBC evaluation department has announced that Se7en ‘Money Can’t Buy Me Love’ and SHINee ‘Love Still Goes On’ are inappropriate for broadcast.

The reason for doing so is because in Se7en’s ‘Money Can’t Buy Me Love’, brand names like ‘Prada’, ‘Guess’ and ‘Gucci’ were mentioned. Same goes for SHINee ‘Love Goes On’ where ‘Facebook’ was mentioned in the song. The evaluation department consider this as indirect marketing for the brands.

It is known that the 2 singers will be editing the songs and resubmitting it for reevaluation by MBC. Similar case happened for Big Bang TOP ‘Turn It Up’ where the brand names ‘Louis Vuitton’ and ‘Dolce’ were mentioned in the song.

S:Newsen + kbites

2PM’s first independent concert slapped with criticisms of inappropriate age rating

2PM’s first independent concert has been slapped with criticisms of showing content which is too sexual.

2PM held their first concert ‘Don’t stop can’t stop’ on 31st July and 1 August at the Seoul Olympic Stadium. A few days after the concert performances, criticisms against the concert had appeared amongst the netizens and fans.

During their performance of ‘Tired Of Waiting’, the 2PM members were seen dancing intimately with female backdancers rest in sexy costumes. Apart from the sexy dance moments with the female back dancers, there was also dance moves which imitates a kiss scene. The concert age rating was set at 8 years old and above.

We have seen similar case last year for Big Bang GDragon’s solo concert. It seems that criticisms of oversight that young audience and fans are exposed to over-provocative performances will once again fire up with this case.

S: MaeIl KyungJae + kbites

JaeBum, “My comments on Korea, they were not from my heart”

JaeBum, who left 2PM after criticisms of his MySpace comments blew out of proportions last August, talks honestly about it after returning to Korea after 10 months.

JaeBum was featured for an interview held in a studio in Seoul HanNamDong on KBS 2TV Entertainment Weekly on 4th August.

On the show, JaeBum talks about the criticisms as well as his honest feelings, “I am very sorry. The stuff that I wrote when I am still young and things that I wrote without much thought had cause hurt to so many people, I’m sorry about that. I want to say that those are not from my heart.”

JaeBum also talked about his feelings having to leave 2PM permanently and his thoughts about the other 2PM members. He said, “After I returned to Korea, I have not contacted the other 2PM members. I feel sorry towards the other members.”

During the interview, JaeBum also revealed some rap which he has been working on, as well as some of the plans he had for his entertainment industry comeback.

He also talked about his new song ‘Count On Me’ which is doing well up on music charts, “This was just a song for fans, and I was shocked that the response for it was better than expected,” relaying his gratitude to fans. Recently, JaeBum had signed with entertainment agency sidusHQ for his entertainment industry comeback on 16th July.

The show will air on 7th August at 9.05pm.

S: TVDaily + kbites

Sunday, August 08, 2010

You're Beautiful Episode 1

You're Beautiful > Episode 1
This story revolves around a young sister, aspiring to become a nun. Being orphaned from a young age, Go Mi Nyu has lived in a convent. Due to her upbringing in a convent, Mi Nyu tends to speak in formal Korean, which tends to be interesting when she converses in real-world conversations. Mi Nyu is innocent, kind-hearted, and although has a sweet nature, tends to end up causing trouble due to her naivety.

In the first episode, Mi Nyu’s kind intentions to prevent a young girl from disrespecting the mass service being held in the chapel, leads to a hilarious situation: in a bid to get the girl to stop playing with her mini TV player, Mi Nyu ends unplugging the device in the struggle. This results in disrupting the service when the device is unplugged and loud music fills the chapel.

The story is not only about Mi Nyu, but her interaction with a popular A.N.JELL, a three-member boy band led by Hwang Tae Kyung. As Tae Kyung is having health problems from over using his vocal cords too much, his manager insists on adding a new singer to to group. That new singer is Go Mi Nam, Mi Nyu’s twin brother. Tae Kyung does not take to the news of a new addition to the group happily, and is upset that he is being forced to lip-sync until his condition improves.

Due to the incident in the chapel, Mi Nyu ends up being punished by having to clean the compunds surrounding the chapel. In the midst of cleaning, Mi Nyu is being observed by Mi Nam’s manager, Ma Hoon Yi. While Mi Nyu is on her scooter on an errand, Hoon Yi catches up with her and stares at her weirdly, and this creeps her out and cause her to knowck him out and flee the scene. He chases after her and makes it clear to her the reason he was looking at her: her twin brother had an accident and needs to get some plastic surgery done. All Mi Nyu has to do is dress up as her brother and take his place at the important signing to join A.N.JELL.

After all the pleading by Hoon Yi, Mi Nyu relents and ends up heading to the to the A.N. Agency office. After being introduced to the A.N.JELL menbers, and just before successfully signing the contract on her borthers’ behalf, Mi Nyu is dragged by Tae-kyung into the recording room. Tae-kyung refuses to open the door until Mi Nyu proves himself to her; before he can even begin to consider letting Go “Mi Nam” joining the group.

Left with no choice, Mi Nyu starts to sing ( a hymn no less!). This gets Tae-kyung and the other two members’ (Kang Shin Woo and Jeremey) attention. She clears the charade and the group members accept “Mi Nam”. After the audtion, Mi Nyu thinking that that was the end of her charade, is prepared to leave for Rome as it has been her dream. (It’s actually more of a habit, since she has stayed in a convent since young, rather than what Mi Nyu really wants.) Being convicted that she must leave Korea to achieve this “dream” of hers, she ignores Hoon Yi’s pleas to pretend to be her brother for a least a month, till he recovers.

However, unfortunately for Mi Nyu, she collides into Tae-Kyung and her plane ticket ends up I nhis hands. Thus ensures, Mi Nyu and the A.N.JELL menbers have a hilarious encounter(s) of hide-and-seek: Mi Nyu keeps on bumping into each of the members causing her to panic and run away, while she desperately wants her ticket back. Unable to get back her ticket, and stranded at the airport with nowhere to go, she ends up listening to Tae-Kyung’s mp3 which landed in her hands when they collided.

Whilst listening to the music, Mi Nyu back recalls the painful memories of growing up at the orphanage with her brother, and how they were bullied. She resovles to pretend to be her brother, when she decides that his dream of becoming a singer (to find their mother) would be hers for now.
At the press conference introducing A.N.JELL’s new member, Mi Nyu re-emerges from the room with short hair (she made a tough decisiom of cutting it) and dressed in a white suit with her chest bound.

Soon, she moves into the mansion where the boys stay, and she is awed by the sheer magnitude of the place. She attempts to return Tae-kyung’s mps player, but ends up getting drenched by a bidet: while she was deciding where she should place the mp3 player, Tae-Kyung suddenly came in, panicking Mi Nyu hides in the toilet and ends up hitting the bidet by accident when he finds her in his room. He is furious that she entered his room without permission and tells her never to do it again. After she leaves, he checks out the toilet: “The bidet is more dangerous than I thought. I’d better be careful.”

The manger holds a welcome party for “Mi Nam”. Despite Hoon Yi’s attempts to keep the alcohol away from Mi Nyu, she ends up drinking it non-stop. This results in a hilarious situation where the 3 members of A.N.JELL try to catch Mi Nyu when she drunkenly makes her way to the roof; almost falling off the ledge...

BoA gets all praises with MR-removed version of her comeback stage

Coming back to the Kpop scene after 5 years, BoA gets all praises for her comeback stage.

BoA had her comeback stage on KBS Music Bank on 6th August for her 6th album ‘Hurricane Venus’ promotions. She performed the songs ‘Dangerous’ and title song ‘Hurricane Venus’.

After the performance, the MR-removed version of the performance was uploaded by netizens on online portal community sites.

Netizens who saw the video commented, “She is a singer who do not need MR removed video to proof herself”, “Where is there a need for a MR-removed video of BoA’s performance” etc praising BoA of her live performance.

S: MaxMovie + kbites

Saturday, August 07, 2010

Hotaru no Hikari 2

Based on a shoujo manga by Satoru Hiura of the same name, this drama continues from the first season. It is about the life of a young office lady named Hotaru, who has no interest in romance, preferring spending her time lazily at home. However, her life changes when circumstances lead her to live under the same roof as her boss.

The first season focused on Hotaru's reawakening to love, while the second will be more about her path towards possible marriage...

[Watch it!]