Author: Denise Coley
Sophiya Pae (Su-jeong Pae, 배수정) is a Korean-British singer-songwriter; born and raised in London, England. Sophiya has an impressive educational background and worked as an accountant at a firm in London but decided to pursue her lifelong ambition as a singer/musician in the K-pop industry. From an early age, she had a special love for singing and playing the piano, so she decided try out her musical talent in the second season of Korea’s music talent show, Star Audition: The Great Birth: 위대한 탄생 in the year of 2012. She was met with favorable response from the judges and was…
Food has a long history in cultures all across Asia and it is no different in Brunei. Street food is considered the window into a country’s culture. Even as cities continue to modernize with new cafes, fast food chains and ethnic eateries; food vendors have and will always be around. It is not hard to see why they have not become obsolete as they are quick, cheap and easily accessible. Vendors not only provide delicious food round the clock, they are also a positive social aspect in many Asian cultures. Street food tours are now on the rise, thanks to…
A promo pic of KARA from http://kara.dspmedia.co.kr/. From left: Park Gyuri, Goo Ha-Ra, Han Seung-yeon and Heo Youngji. A brief history Originally a female Kpop quartet, KARA was formed in 2007 with Park Gyuri, Han Seung-yeon, Kim Sung-hee, and Jung Nicole. Although their debut album was not a commercial success, they received recognition from critics and eventually went on to grow from strength to strength through the years – achieving commercial success not only domestically but also internationally, particularly in Japan. Some of the awards and accolades they received not only in South Korea but also in Japan include…
On September 14, 2018, Cube Entertainment CEO, Shin Dae-Nam, announced that HyunA and E’Dawn will stay with the company for now. However, a board meeting will be help to discuss the idols’ futures. The retraction appears to have been made following Cube’s nearly 7 percent stock-drop on September 13, 2018 after it was announced the pair were ousted from the company. Original Story Below In a stunning move, Cube Entertainment announced on September 13, 2018 that long-time idol, HyunA, and Pentagon member E’Dawn (Kim Hyo-Jung) have been kicked out of the company more than a month after the pair announced…
Note: The following post contains spoilers. Even though the drama Black ended in Korea a few months ago, it’s just now on Netflix for international audiences. Since it’s availability on Netflix, K-Drama lovers ignited old arguments regarding the drama’s ending and whether it did the show justice. Surprisingly, the majority audience despised the final two episodes and claim these episodes wrecked the entire drama. Choi Ran, the writer behind the OCN series, even stated the ending was different from what she envisioned. In a blog post, Choi said, “Black is a project like my own child that I had in the works…
On September 12, 2018, the mystery surrounding actress, model, and singer Fan Bingbing became more mysterious as reports resurfaced that the actress (X-Men: Days of Future Past, Iron Man 3, I Am Not Madame Bovary) is still missing even though authorities claimed Fan was arrested and “under control” in China’s state-run publication, Securities Daily. The publication also stated Fan will “accept the legal decision.” According to The Taiwan News, the story was removed from the site without acknowledgement, hinting that the reports were false. The 36-year-old actress, who is listed among Forbes’ highest paid actresses globally, is accused of using “Yin-Yang Contracts” to…
On September 10, 2018, CableTV FashionN has decided to temporarily delay the debut of B.A.P’s Traince pending the results of the sexual assault accusations against Kim Himchan. The show was scheduled to air September 12 and September 19. B.A.P’s Traince follows the members as they develop a virtual-reality (VR) program for people to dance to B.A.P’s music in a VR setting. The show is now tentatively scheduled for October and may possibly be canceled pending the investigation results. “We have not confirmed the dates for the October schedules yet,” a CableTV FashionN representative told TV Daily. “If the case ends in a…
On September 9, 2018, Seoul Story, Newsen, and TV Report reported that a member of B.A.P allegedly sexually harassed a woman in her 20s during a vacation in Namyang-ju. It was later revealed that the member in question is Kim Himchan. According to the alleged victim, she, Himchan and two other men and two other females spent time at a vacation home in Namyang-ju July 24, 2018. There, both admit to drinking. Afterwards, the alleged victim claimed Himchan harassed her. Himchan claims the actions were “consensual” and “good feelings were mutual.” The Namyang-ju Police Station stated that, since both parties have…
A still of Goo Hye Sun and Ahn Hae Jyun from Newlywed Diary How they started Affectionately known as the Ahn-Goo couple, Ahn Jae Hyun and Goo Hye Sun have been garnering interest from South Korean and international fans alike ever since they first revealed their relationship after working together on vampire Kdrama Blood in 2015. The couple made their on-screen romance a reality culminating in their marriage in May 2016. Their participation in a reality show called Newlywed Diary in 2017 showcasing their normal everyday routines and activities as newlyweds further ignited the interest of audiences. Rising popularity and…
If you love thriller crime dramas with hints of comedy, romance, and fantasy, then Black is one drama worth checking out immediately. If you are a fan of the US TV shows Person of Interest (2011-2016) or Ghost Whisperer (2005-2010), then Black is the perfect marriage of both shows and meant for you. Now on Netflix, Black originally aired October 14 to December 17, 2017 on Korea’s Orion Cinema Network (OCN) to a relatively small viewing audience (OCN is a movie network, so it has a smaller audience compared to larger, free-to-air channels and shows). The show follows the lead character, Black/Detective…
BTS are everywhere. From South Korea to Europe to the United States, it’s hard to go anywhere without running into an A.R.M.Y, BTS’ music, or their faces. Even in the United States, their songs and likeness are featured on products (most recently, cell phones) and in United States media as the prime K-Pop group. For those outside the K-Pop fandom, it seems like only BTS exists in the K-Pop Realm. BTS are everywhere. Of course, this isn’t without good reason as they exploded in popularity due to their music, charisma, and likeable and charming members. Of course, their loyal fanbase…
Unless you’ve been sleeping under a rock, Hollywood lacks diversity. It’s rare when films featuring people of color make it past the Indie realm and into the mainstream world. In recent years, several films have made the push to challenge mainstream Hollywood. Films like Moonlight and Hidden Figures have shown that movies featuring black actors and actresses can make money (since money is what Hollywood is all about) and win awards, but even with these breakthroughs, actors and actresses of color have yet to steal the spotlight in Hollywood. Hollywood culture still lacks a spot for black, Latinx, Native American,…
Pretty animation cannot save everything… just ask the anthology film Flavors of Youth. The 74-minute anime film comprised of three stories is the product of a collaboration of Japanese studio CoMix Wave Films (the home of the smash-hit, Your Name) and Chinese studio Haoliners. The stories—“The Rice Noodles,” “A Little Fashion Show,” and “Love in Shanghai”—follow different characters as they navigate simple, life-changing moments in their lives. Each character lives in a different part of China, but all of them are together in the end getting ready to board a plane to find new adventures after their pivotal moments are…
2018 marks the 20th anniversary since Ayumi Hamasaki’s debut on the J-Pop scene. On August 15, Hamasaki released her seventh EP (her 18th studio album overall), TROUBLE. TROUBLE is her first release since 2016’s M(a)de in Japan as well as her first album since the announcement of her separation and pending divorce with her second husband, Tyler Bobkin. The album debuted #2 on Oricon charts, indicating that Hamasaki has another successful release on her hands. For the most part, TROUBLE is, indeed, a successful release for the Divine Ayu as it marks a return to the signature Ayu sound fans have grown accustom…
Sometimes, life sucks. However, one guaranteed way to feel better about some of life’s little problems is to get all dolled up or even just pamper ourselves and wash away the stressors of day. We at Kcrush love our beauty products, and we also know the value of a good, simple pick-me-up when things get overwhelming. Check out our list* of beauty finds (don’t worry! No foundations are mentioned because we want to be inclusive for all skin-types!). Dermal Collagen Essence Sheet Masks Available on Amazon, this inexpensive sheet mask set packs a nice punch. This 16-pack set has plenty…
In news that is both a positive and a negative, B.A.P’s leader, Bang Yong Guk, has left TS Entertainment. Bang Yong Guk has been with TS Entertainment since August 12, 2011; his exclusive contract ended August 19, 2018. In a statement, TS Entertainment said, “We have spoken extensively with both Bang Yong Guk and the other members of B.A.P, and we will be respecting his decision to not renew his contract with us. We want to express our gratitude to Bang Yong Guk for being with us till now, and we wish him the best of luck on his future endeavors.…
*Could you briefly introduce yourself to our readers? (Please tell us a little about our early life/background, your career path and etc.) Hi, I’m Alisha. I was born in Virginia, but I moved to Seoul when I was little. I grew up living back and forth between two countries. I’m currently living in Seoul. *Tell us how you got into music. I started listening to hip-hop and R&B when I was in 6th grade. That’s when I got my first iPod. I’ve always been a fan of music, especially hip-hop and R&B. But I never thought that I’d be…
In 2017, Cartoon Saloon released the stunning Breadwinner, a story about a young girl trying to survive in Taliban-ruled Kabul, Afghanistan. Based on the Deborah Ellis book of the same name, the Nora Twomey (The Secret of Kells) directed film—which is produced by Angelina Jolie and Mimi Polk Gitlin—follows 12-year-old Parvana as she navigates her world after her father, Nurullah, is arrested for allegedly insulting Taliban member, Idrees. Parvana is as resourceful as she is clever thanks to her father’s teaching and her mother’s creativity prior to the Taliban takeover. After the Taliban ruled that women cannot be outside without…
On August 14, 2018, female rookie group, (G)I-dle released their second single, “Hann” (Alone). When the Cube Entertainment group debuted May 2, 2018 with the I Am EP and lead single “Latata,” (G)I-dle—made up of members Miyeon, Minnie, Soojin, Soyeon, Yuqi, and Shuhua—made plenty of headlines due to their catchy hit and three combined music show wins on Mcountdown and The Show. Their quick rise seemed like a fluke at first, but with “Hann,” the girls show they may be part of the new group of idol groups set to make their place in history. Co-written by Soyeon and Yummy Tone (Big…
The Beauty Inside: A Lacking Film about an Old Cliché In 2015, Yong Film and Next Entertainment World released The Beauty Inside, a film based on the 2012 book, Every Day. The plot follows Woo-Jin (played by multiple actors and actresses throughout the film), a soul who wakes up in a different body every day, a phenomenon that started suddenly when he was a teen. Woo-Jin does not know what body he will wake up in each day, so he could wake up as a child, an elderly person, a woman, or a man. The only way he can avoid…