Author: Denise Coley
A photo of 2PM from their official twitter account @follow_2PM. From left: Taecyeon, Nichkun, Wooyoung, Junho, Chansung and Jun K. Brainchild of JYP 2PM was the brainchild of Park Jin Young, the superstar and founder of JYP Entertainment, one of the biggest entertainment companies in South Korea. Originally an eleven-member band known as One Day, the band was split into two separate groups in their own right – 2PM and 2AM – with 2PM comprising seven members, Jay Park, Jun. K (formerly known as Junsu), Nichkhun, Taecyeon, Wooyoung, Junho and Chansung. Their first studio album was released in 2009,…
Are you planning to spend your remaining Winter vacation enjoying what Korea has to offer? Korean theme parks would still be a choice even during this chilly weather. If you are torn between spending your time either in Lotte World or Everland theme park, here are some tips to help you decide which suits you best. Similarities 1. Religious matters Both Everland and Lotte World have prayer rooms ensuring that individuals do not have to exit the site for religious purposes, especially in the cold winter weather. The prayer room in Everland is located in the Mystery Mansion while…
The rice cake has a long history in Korean cuisine, which goes back thousands of years. We’ll be introducing a very simple and basic recipe for baking (actually, steaming) a Korean Pumpkin Rice Cake (호박떡: Hobaktteok) that is made of non-glutinous rice powder and pumpkin. This healthy and nutritious dish is said to be especially good for people with weak digestive systems and can be served as dessert for festive occasions like birthdays, memorials and anniversaries. The below recipe is for 8 servings and the total heating time will cover approximately 50 minutes, making the total cooking time of just an…
Throughout 2018, we have experienced a boom in nail art trends, most of which gained popularity upon being embraced by K-pop idols. The New Year has brought with it exquisite nail art and designs thus demanding a change in its trend. Below are some of the nail trends that ought to be left in 2018 to allow the flourishing of new designs. 1. Jelly nail trend The jelly nail polish trend dominated the 2018 Korean fashion not only in spring but also in summer and early autumn. The polish is also usually referred to as ‘glass or…
South Korea is one of the most dominate countries in the speed skating world. During the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, South Korea got to show their ice prowess by taking home seven speed skating medals, placing them fourth overall behind perennial champions Netherlands, Japan, and Norway. While South Korea’s speed skating wins should be celebrated, it has been brought to light that there may be a dark underbelly to Korea’s training methods, especially with female athletes. Earlier in January 2019, Shim Suk-hee, 21, came forward with rape allegations against her former coach, Cho Jae-beom, 38. Shim, a member of South Korea’s…
On Wednesday January 9, 2019, the Seoul city government announced plans for a K-Pop mecca that will be complete in 2024. “We plan to start the work to construct the concerts-only complex, Seoul Arena, in September next year on a 50,149-square-meter lot near Changdong Station for completion at the end of 2023,” said a city official. Seoul Arena will be Korea’s first K-Pop concert venue. With K-Pop’s growing global popularity, the concert hall will provide a home for Korea’s pop culture sensation. Many large-scale K-Pop shows have been held at Jamsil Stadium and Olympic Gymnastics Arena along with various…
If traveling to Vietnam catches your fancy, one must-see attraction is also one of the country’s newest. Opened in June 2018, Golden Bridge (Cầu Vàng), which is located in the Bà Nà Hills in Da Nang, is a bridge that is 1,400m above sea level and overlooks Da Nang’s countryside. If breathtaking views of the Trường Sơn Mountains, hills, and lush greenery don’t capture you, then the bridge’s stunning architecture will. The eight-section golden-railed, 500-foot long bridge is unique in that it has two hands holding it up above the Thien Thai gardens at the Bà Nà Hills Resort. In addition…
As a Korean rapper, songwriter, and record producer, and former leader and main rapper of K-Pop group B.A.P, Bang Yong-guk has had a storied career, and he’s not even 30-years-old (born March 31, 1990)! In 2008, Yong-guk made his debut in the underground Hip-Hop group Soul Connection using the pseudonym “Jepp Blackman,” and since then, he’s become a popular figure in the Korean music scene, especially for international fans who enjoy his artistic flair and meaningful songs. On August 19, 2018, Yong-guk’s contract with TS Entertainment ended, so he is now free to pursue his own music and projects.…
Thanks to the Korean Wave crashing upon US shores, more people than ever are exposed to what Korean pop culture has to offer. From fashion to music, Hallyu has become more in-demand for Westerners, and not just for teens and 20-somethings. Now that there’s more exposure to Korean dramas, cable channels and streaming services have made Korean TV more accessible. This is despite the shutdown of DramaFever, which, for many, was the premiere streaming service for Korean, Thai, Chinese, and Japanese dramas for the past nine years. While teens and 20-somethings make up an estimated 35 percent of the United States’…
Korea’s Ministry of Education announced on January 14, 2019 that seven Korean celebrities will have their university degrees canceled due to preferential treatment. Jang Hyunseung (formerly of BEAST), HIGHLIGHT’s (formerly BEAST) Gikwang, Junhyung, and Doojoon, BtoB’s Eunkwang and Sungjae, and singer Chu Ga Yeoul all were impacted by the Ministry of Education’s decision. All seven singers attended Dongshin University in Naju, South Jeolla. In addition to the seven named celebrities, Dongshin University will be required to give additional severe penalties to one student, mild penalties to 9 students, and warnings to 6 students. “The university gave grades and degrees according to…
First, it should be noted that an egg-white mask is not Vegan-friendly. As suggested, the mask does involve using egg whites, so if you’re Vegan, stop reading the article. We promise to cover more Vegan-friendly options in the future. Full disclosure: I have PCOS, which means I’m cursed with hair in unwanted places. I’m also Italian, so that means I’m blessed with coarse, dark hair. Unfortunately, this also means shaving and waxing are a part of my daily and weekly routines in order to prevent myself from becoming Chewbacca. However, waxing and shaving is irritating, and using an epilator just…
A photo of the M.I.B. quartet from 2014 from their Facebook page @officialMIB . From left: Kangnam, Young Cream, 5Zic and Sims. Kpop’s Men of Hip Hop Most Incredible Busters (M.I.B) first met audiences in 2011 debuting as a group with their single ‘G.D.M. – Girls, Dream, Money’. As a lead up to their debut as a group, the quartet members released solo singles showcasing their music abilities under the premise that they were strong individual artistes on their own, combining their talents to provide audiences with powerful new music. The group comprising Kangnam, 5Zic, Young Cream and Sims,…
Park Jin-young (a.k.a JYP, J. Y. Park or The Asiansoul) is a Korean singer-songwriter, producer and record executive. In 1992, Park was discovered(?) by Korean singer and musician Kim Soo-chul and formed into a group called, Park Jin-young and the New Generation but it was short-lived and disbanded before making any name for themselves. Despite being an incredible dancer, a great vocalist with an innate ability to succeed in the ever-changing show business, Park initially struggled to find a management company; mostly due to his appearance or demeanor because he wasn’t considered attractive to the majority of people’s standards. Park took numerous auditions in hope…
With 2018 officially over, we look back on 100 notable K-Pop songs. Numbers one and two are what you, our readers, selected as the songs of the year. Enjoy the countdown! Here’s to hoping 2019 brings us more great music. —-Joelle Halon
On Sunday January 6, 2019, toy maker Mattel announced on Twitter that they will be collaborating with Big Hit Entertainment and BTS to create a line of collector dolls. Naturally, Twitter reacted as expected and shared in some of our excitement over the surprise announcement. However, dolls are not the only merchandise Mattel plans to create in honor of the group that’s become a global phenom since their debut in 2013. “We have signed a multi-category license contract with BTS’s agency Big Hit Entertainment, and we plan to create a variety of items such as dolls, collectible figurines, toys, games,…
It’s a sad day in the Korean entertainment world as it has been revealed that two celebrities, Trot singer Jinhyung and singer-songwriter Maeng Yuna, have passed away. Both singers allegedly passed away due to heart attacks. Jinhyung (Lee Kunhyung), 33, passed at home January 7, 2019. Reports indicate the singer did not suffer from any illnesses. Jinhyung debuted in 2006 with his single album Farewell Notice. He is known for his songs “Bus Stop of Tears,” “Beauty Alert,” “Good Good,” and “Who Cares If She’s a Noona.” Sadly, Jinhyung is a newlywed. He and his wife married in 2018.…
레이디스코드LADIES’ CODE ‘THE LAST HOLIDAY’ OFFICIAL MV [ENG SUB] This Wednesday only series will provide English subtitles on select videos. We hope you will enjoy.
Happy New Year, to our readers and may all your new year’s dreams and wishes come true! We know from deep inside our hearts that the new year of 2019 is going to be a fabulous year for us all… The first K-pop act that we at KCrush America interviewed for the year of 2019, is the K-pop girl group sensation, Ladies’ Code. (Applause…) Ladies’ Code is a South Korean girl group formed by Polaris Entertainment in the year of 2013. The group made their debut with the mini-album, Code#01 and their debut single “Bad Girl”, released on March 7,…
Lee Boo-jin (born in 1969 or 1970, the exact birthdate is not available) is a South Korean businesswoman, the president of Hotel Shilla – one of Korea’s top duty-free operator, hotels and conference centers and the most likely successor to Lee Kun-hee, the billionaire chairman of Samsung Group and also the wealthiest conglomerate in Korea. Her mother Hong Ra-hee is also a billionaire businesswoman and philanthropist who is the director of the Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art. The Lee family currently rank among the Forbes richest people in the world with an estimated net worth of $70.2 billion. Not much is known about…
The original four-member lineup of Tiny-G in a still from their self-titled MV. From Left to right: Myungji, Dohee, Mint and J.Min Tiny but mighty A four-member all female Kpop group formed in 2012 under GNG Production, Tiny-G were made up of petite girls J.Min, Dohee, Mint and Myungji. Their combined average height of 153 centimeters were the inspiration behind the group’s name Tiny-G a.k.a. tiny giants, signifying their concept of being strong and fierce like giants despite their small stature. The group first became known to audiences through a South Korean television show “Her Lyrics His Music” on…