Author: Denise Coley
If you are visiting South Korea from July to August, these fabulous festivals will provide a lot of fun and entertainment that you can share with your family members and loved ones. Here’s the list of festivals you can attend. Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival Bucheon International Film Festival screens independent movies from all around the world and offers a chance to engage in free-style conversations with the film directors. The festival showcases movies of numerous genres like horror, mystery, thriller, sci-fi and many more. Period: June 27th ~ July 7th 2019 Venues: Bucheon City Hall, Bucheon Gymnasium, Korea Comics…
South Korean actor Kang Ji-Hwan (Jo Tae-Gyu) was arrested July 9, 2019 on suspicions of sexual assault according to reports. The 42-year-old actor, who is known for his roles in Be Strong, Geum-Soon!, Monster, Coffee House, and Incarnation of Money, was apprehended by police at his home in Gwangju. He was questioned by police following the arrest, but the police report that he was still intoxicated and did not recall anything. They plan on questioning him again later. “We have yet to fully investigate the matter, so other than that Kang Ji Hwan has been arrested for sexual assault, we…
(Left to right: JungA, Nina, E.You, YeHana, EunA and Ellie) We Girls (stylized WeGirls) are Korean girl group formed by Aftermoon Entertainment. WeGirls made their debut on August 31, 2018 with On Air and a mini-album with three tracks, produced by House Rulez. The members were announced through a Global Hallyu crowdfunding website Makestar on October 31, 2017. Through Makestar, participants voted which girls would make it to the group. WeGirls went through several member changes; the group is now set with 6 members, E.You, YeHana, JungA, EunA, Ellie and Nina. We would like to express “a big thank…
As we all know each Kpop group has fandom names for the fans like Monbebe (Monsta X), Shawols (SHINee) Blinks (Blackpink) and ARMY (BTS). Now I don’t mean EVERYONE from these fandoms just certain types of people. Fandoms can help support the artist by buying products, streaming music and views on V live (V live is a live streaming app that you can watch a K-pop idol basically Instagram Live.) Though some fandoms help, they can also damage the name of some K-pop idols. Many people proclaim they don’t get into kpop due to the crazy fanbase. …
Shinhwa’s Lee Minwoo has been accused of sexual harassment following a June 29, 2019 bar incident. Lee was at a Gangnam-bar with other celebrity friends according to reports. While there, Lee and his party approached two women in their twenties sitting at another table. According to the alleged victims, Lee grabbed them by their faces and forcibly kissed and groped them without consent. The women filed a claim with the police the next morning. “I went to a drinking party and was severely sexually harassed.” One of the women stated. “Lee grabbed on to both my cheeks and kissed me…
Former TVXQ and JYJ member Park Yoochun received his sentence for buying and taking drugs. On July 2, 2019, Park received a sentence of two years of probation and fined 1.4 million KRW (around $1200 USD) at the conclusion of his trial for buying and taking Philopon, a Japanese methamphetamine. If Park violates any of the terms of his probation, he will have to serve 10 months in prison. The judge provided probation to Park due to this being his first offense and his cooperation during the investigation. The 33-year-old former idol was charged with buying and using Philopon with…
Chie Izuno works full time at an office Branch. Though she’s 30, she’s very young at heart and kind of innocent. She tries hard to go into the dating field but finds herself struggling due to her weight and self-esteem issues. She meets up with one of the company’s investors, Jin Harada, a super sucessful and young business man. However Jin has a severe lack of social skills. Chie strives to make a deal with Jin in order to aide her in her goal to lose weight and gain confidence, she tells Jin she can help him with his own…
Following their investigation, Jeonbuk Police confirmed that Jeon Mi-Seon, 48, committed suicide in her hotel room June 29, 2019. The police provided a statement regarding their findings following initial reports that the award-winning actress took her own life. “Jeon Mi-Seon checked into the hotel at 1AM in the morning, where she stayed by herself,” the police said. “After checking the CCTV, Jeon Mi-Seon went into the room alone, and no one else came in after her. There was no evidence of homicide or invasion, and no final letter was discovered.” The police continued, “A family member [of Jeon’s] recently…
On June 29, 2019, actress Jeon Mi-Seon was found dead in a hotel room located in Jeonju, South Korea. According to police, the 48-year-old actress allegedly committed suicide by hanging. There are conflicting reports regarding how her death was discovered. The award-winning actress—famous for her roles in the film Hide and Seek and the dramas The Return of Hwang Geun-Bok and Moon Embracing the Sun– was reportedly found by an acquaintance. However, The Korean Herald reports that her manager called police stating the actress was missing, but it’s not clear if police found Jeon or if the reported acquaintance…
We are happy to announce that fans of Korean band W24 can expect to cool off the heat this season with their addictive new single ‘Solfamiredo’ – and a Latin America tour is also on the horizon for the band this September. W24 is due to make their comeback July 1st of 2019, with the official release of a brand-new digital single, ‘Solfamiredo’. Since the band’s official debut in March of 2018, W24 has appeared in various music programs, TV shows, and festivals – and worked hard to garner worldwide popularity in many countries around the globe, in particularly…
On June 21, 2019, Monsta X released “Who Do U Love?” The track features French Montana, making Monsta X next in a line of K-Pop artists to collaborate with Westerners. “Who Do U Love?” is a solid track. Monsta X’s English is clear and nearly flawless. There are a few places where some words feel a little muddled, but it’s hardly noticeable after a few listens. The lyrics Monsta X sing are simple, but the theming is relatable for many audiences, making the track a shoo-in for Western radio play. What’s special about “Who Do U Love?”…
Some tales don’t always end in happily ever after… The celebrated and much-loved “Song-Song Couple,” Song Hye-Kyo and Song Joong-Ki, are headed toward divorce after two years of marriage. The pair, who held leading roles in the nationally and internationally loved drama Descendants of the Sun, won audiences over due to their on-screen chemistry. At the time, the chemistry for the 32-year-old actor and 37-year-old actress carried on off-screen as well, leading to their feted October 31, 2017 wedding. Song Joong-Ki filed the motion for divorce at the Seoul Family Court on Wednesday June 26, 2019. In a statement,…
On June 24, 2019, Yonhap News reported that the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office indicted B.A.P’s Kim Himchan on sexual assault charges that stemmed from a July 24, 2018 incident. The news of the incident initially broke in September 2018. His indictment, which does not have a detention order, occurred April 2019. The indictment comes after witness testimonies that caused police to state there was enough evidence for indictment. Last year, Kim, his accuser, and two other males, and two other females vacationed in Namyang-ju. During the trip, both Kim and his accuser were allegedly drinking. The alleged victim…
Being selected in the first round of any sports draft is a big deal but being selected in the top ten of any sports draft is an even bigger deal. For Gonzaga University student and basketball small-forward and power-forward Rui Hachimura, being the first Japanese-born player to be selected in the first round and in the top ten of the 2019 NBA draft is an even bigger deal. “For Japan to qualify for the world championships, [Hachimura’s] the focal point. And when the (Tokyo) Olympics come in 2020, he’s going to be the focal point of that country on…
Since the beginning of the year, the K-Pop World has experienced controversy after controversy starting with the Burning Sun scandal that rocked the entertainment world. Stemming from Burning Sun came the KakaoTalk controversy surrounding Jung Joon Young and several other celebrities, which lead back to Seungri and multiple allegations for prostitution, embezzlement, and gambling. Most recently, Yang Hyun Seuk, the founder of YG Entertainment has been dragged into a drug controversy along with now-former iKON member B.I. With these controversies dominating Korean entertainment news, at what point does controversy become too much controversy, especially when the media goes out of…
Starting in October 2019, Tiffany Young (SNSD) will embark on her multi-city North American tour! Young’s Magnetic Moon tour will bring her to 18 cities across the United States and Canada. Concert goers that register on the Tunespeak website have a chance to get tickets during a presale period, and they will be entered to win two tickets, soundcheck access, and autographed tour merchandise. The sweepstakes period is June 21, 2019 to June 25, 2019. Sweepstakes rules vary per city but offer multiple chances to win the grand prize. Check out the tour dates, cities, and sweepstakes rules below! Will you…
Kan Sano is an inventive Japanese keyboardist and trackmaker, who studied jazz at Berkley Music College, and performed at the Monterey Jazz Festival with his band while he was enrolled there. He infuses jazz and classical into an original sound which can be enjoyed by any audience: from concert halls to underground night clubs. Kan Sano’s work include a ton of collaborations, both in Japan and overseas and has worked with various artists including Madlib, Shing02, Eric Lau, Monday Michiru, Chara, Ohashi Trio, Twigy, Ryhmester… Kan states that he thinks about music all the time, and constantly adding music to…
Kcrush America K-Pop Top 30: May 2019
*Singapore is among the 20 of the smallest countries in the world, with a total land area of only 682.7 square kilometers. (The U.S is about 15,000 times bigger.) *Singapore includes 63 additional islands, most of which are uninhabited. *Sang Nila Utama, a prince from Palembang, saw a creature he thought was a lion and named the island “Singapura” which means “Lion City” in Sanskrit. *Singapore’s Independence from Malaysia, in 1965 – was not through a war or military dispute – Malaysia democratically voted to throw Singapore out. *Lee Kuan Yew was the first prime minister of Singapore who…
Highschool is a 4-member Korean girl group, signed under Richworld Entertainment. The CEO is a singer who was also a member of the 90’s boy group, Eagle Five. Highschool made their debut on April 30th, 2019, the original date was postponed due to minor member changes. For now, Highschool’s present concept involves the members to cover most of their faces by wearing masks – this was because their CEO wanted the audience to focus on the members’ music and talent, rather than their appearance – and the whole masked look has garnered much attention. The group’s ages, birth places,…