Author: Denise Coley

Choi Han-Bit has joined a girl group. Gaon Entertainment’s three-membered group, Mercury, debuted March 6, 2016 with their single “Don’t Stop,” an electro-dance track produced by OTHANKQ. In addition to Choi, the group consists of Sehee and Hyena. The group’s concept is that all three girls have “model-like bodies.” Between 2006 and the group’s debut, Choi has found success and has even released solo work. She’s also appeared on MNET’s Dancing 9 in 2013. Choi also happens to be a model; in 2012, she appeared on Korea’s Next Top Model, Cycle 3. Choi’s also known as a groundbreaker in the…

For Kit-Kat lovers, Japan is a place to order from since they have so many different varieties ranging maccha green tea, strawberry cheesecake, baked sweet potato, and hazelnut. In February 2016, Nestlé Japan added a new limited time flavor to the Japanese Kit-Kat roster: Sake. According to Nestlé Japan spokesperson Takuya Hiramatsu, sake Kit-Kat bars have an “elegant taste of sake, wrapped in the gentle sweetness of white chocolate” with “mellow, full-bodied flavor, and a refreshing aftertaste of sake.” With the taste description, Hiramatsu points out that the Kit-Kat bars have a .08 alcohol content, so he advises against eating…

The wintery cold is starting to melt as February’s K-Pop scene started to thaw the musical doldrums. There were plenty of great songs to choose from this month, but only ten could stand out as some of the best. Here are some of our choices for February’s top songs. Winner | “Sentimental” | YG Entertainment | February 1 YG Entertainment finally let Winner out of the closet to release an album. “Sentimental” has a nice, summery, tropical feel that’s light and airy. The song is fun and highlights Winner’s vocals nicely. The beat and composition help make “Sentimental” different and…

AweSomeBaby (a.k.a Awe5omeBaby or Awesome Baby) is a five-member Korean girl group signed under TN Nation Entertainment. The group was created by the CEO of the company, Tony An, who is the founding member of the biggest boyband in Kpop’s history, H.O.T. Jaeduc Kim, who was the member of the rival band, Sechs Kies, is also under the label as the main producer who helped to launch AweSomeBaby. Consisting of five talented members ranging in age from 19 to 21, AweSomeBaby were considered individually skilled in their craft, all the members were already winning or performing in national contests even…

 I came across ‘Vluesy’ the Korean ‘Dynamic Soul’ indie band for the first time when I was at a mini fan meeting for Michelle Lee, sometime last year. Vluesy members were there to perform their songs on the same day, at the same location, but I was not expecting to be blown away by the female guitarist who sang her own songs along with Michael Jackson’s hit, ‘Bille Jean.’ Personally, I had never really encountered many females who played the guitar so skillfully at such ease, so I was naturally very impressed by the performance, the singer’s voice, the energy…

 B.A.P released their new mini album Carnival February 22, 2016. The album consists of six songs that show a different side of B.A.P that has won praise from the Korean public. Their turn toward brighter music is met with mixed reviews internationally, but it’s mainly due to fans who wish B.A.P would only do darker concepts. B.A.P, however, are a jack-of-all-trades group and explore different aspects of themselves even if that exploration is met with mixed reviews. Carnival definitely is a fresh approach. As a whole, the album has more of an anime OST-feel than something typical of B.A.P, but…

The 4th annual KPOP Night Out at SXSW has been officially announced. This year’s lineup was anticipated particularly after last year’s showcase that featured Crayon Pop, Hitchhiker and Epik High. This year’s lineup includes MAMAMOO, Dean and Zion.T with The Session. MAMAMOO was announced late last year as a SXSW artist alongside Illionaire Records. MAMAMOO are a 4-member girl group whose vocal talents have brought them much attention worldwide. Their song “Piano Man” reached 41 on Gaon’s digital chart in 2014 despite their status as rookies. Zion. T with The Session and Dean were both recently announced by SXSW and…

On February 15 and 16, 2016, New York City’s Madison Square Garden hosts one of the grandest dog galas, The Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show (WKC). This year, the show celebrates its 140th year with thousands of dogs vying for group honors. For each group—herding, sporting, non-sporting, hound, terrier, toy, and working—around 30 dogs compete to be among the seven vying for Best in Show honors. The dogs in the show not only represent their breeds and groups, but also different countries. Westminster is definitely a global affair! With that in mind, there are several breeds representing their Asian roots. Keep your…

5 – Lee Kyung-hee Lee Kyung-hee is a famous South Korean TV screenwriter, known for her critically acclaimed dramas, such as ”I’m Sorry, I Love You”, ”Beating Heart”, ”A Love To Kill” and ”Thank You”. In 1997, she made her national TV debut with ”Model”, which didn’t reach the success she wanted. However, in 2003, Lee had gained some recognition with the comedy-drama ”Sang Doo! Let’s Go to School”, in which korean singer Rain made his acting debut. Her following dramas weren’t as famous as the previous one, but it gave her recognition. Even though, she was recognizable by some…

A good foundation is always a must in a girl’s makeup bag. Bare Skin Nude Foundation (Bare Skin) is a great candidate for fulfilling that need. This foundation provides lightweight, even coverage that lasts barring sweat, extreme heat, and humidity (but what makeup really lasts under those conditions?). Application, Look, and Feel Bare Skin looks no different than other foundations consistency-wise. The pigmentation, however, does appear to be slightly more saturated than some other brands which helps with even coverage on the skin. What’s nice about Bare Skin is that it doesn’t settle into pores or fine lines, giving skin…

Gone are the chilly, snowy days of January. Even though it seemed like the month rushed by, we did get to experience some good music during one of the slowest period of the year. Let’s take a look at ten of January’s gems. Stellar “Sting” Stellar has been on a rocky road with fans since “Marionette” given what many deemed an inappropriately sexy concept. With “Sting,” they once again return with a sexy concept, but it’s toned down to enhance the attention on the song. “Sting” has some light retro theming with a strong chorus, but it’s not as strong…

Recently, Thailand has been in the news for a quirky doll that’s said to include a child’s soul inside. Luk Thep dolls, or “child angels,” have been all the rage in Thailand; so much so that CNN reports some Thai airlines are allowing passengers to purchase seats for the dolls! Luk Thep dolls are said to bring luck and fortune to their “parents” because of their child souls. Because of this belief, doll owners have taken to treating Luk Theps like real children by feeding, bathing, clothing, and talking to them. Many believe the dolls communicate back to their parents…

You may have seen ‘Rooftop rooms’ from Korean TV and some locations have been made into famous scenery and themes in various movies and TV dramas. Because of the way these Rooftop housings are often portrayed, many viewers seem to imagine it would be fun and comfortable to lodge in such environment. The media features scenes of people enjoying barbeque on the rooftop, the excitement of fireworks and partying into the night with only the sky above your head. In reality, the regular rooftop rooms are not very desirable but on the contrary considered as one of the worst places…

5 – Ji Suk-jin Born in South Korea, Jin Suk-jin is a famous comedian, TV host, actor and broadcaster. Initially, he debuted as a singer and released his first album, titled ”I Know”, in 1992. Even though, he wanted to be a singer, he gained a lot of success as a MC and comedian. He was the main MC in Star Golden Bell, from 2004 to 2010. He is also well known for his work in Running Man, with Yoo Jae-suk, Kim Jong-kook, Gary, Haha, Song Ji-hyo, and Lee Kwang-soo. Variety Shows: 2004 – 2006: KBS2 Heroine 6 2007 –…

Face it: No matter how good our face care regimens, blackheads are an issue. We can wash and scrub and use whatever catches our fancy to try to eliminate the issue; but for many of us, blackheads still remain. Enter Nesura Pore Deep Charcoal Strips, a product that promises to remove those pesky blackheads, sebum, and other pore-clogging impurities. Does the product deliver? Let’s find out! Description Nesura Pore Strips, available as a single, eight, or ten-pack, promise to help reduce or eliminate impurities on the nose, a problem area for many people. The instructions suggest the charcoal will attach…

I must state that the year, 2015 was an extremely good one for the Korean film industry and for movie lovers in general. The first month of 2016 is nearly over but it’s still relevant to look back on the movies that made last year’s film entertainment shine so much. My opinion is that good movies are always considered good and enjoyable, regardless of when they were produced or released. And the couple of listed movies that were released in winter last year are still being shown in the cinemas currently. The listed five movies here all became massive hits…

TOP Asian-American NBA Player Jeremy Lin is an American professional basketball player, he currently plays with the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets. The fact that he’s Asian American, makes him one of the few in NBA history, and also the first American with Chinese/Taiwanese offspring playing in the league. Lin is known for his Christianity due to expressing it in public. Jeremy became famous after a winning turnaround in 2012, with the New York Knicks, which generated his global nickname, ”Linsanity”. Even though he wasn’t offered any athletic scholarships and not being drafted out of college, Harvard University, Lin managed to…

Cute and quirky games are just one of the reasons people love Japan. Their latest game import by Hitpoint, Neko Atsume, available on iTunes and Google Play, recently became an obsession for many even though it was released October 20, 2014. In 2015 and 2016, Facebook groups, Reddit, and Twitter feeds dedicated to the adorably addictive game emerged, and the app became one of the top-rated games by GameSpot despite the game’s simplicity. The creator, Yutaka Takasaki, even admitted he doesn’t understand the game’s popularity, but that he created it with children in mind so they could operate the game…

2015 gifted the K-Pop world with well over 100 group debuts. Of course, it’s safe to assume many of these groups will fade into obscurity if their names aren’t GFriend, OMG, iKON, Day6, or Seventeen among others. However, there were some under-promoted gems that also debuted this year that need attention. Here are a handful of the best rookie debuts you may have missed! A-Daily | “If You Don’t Tell Me” (January), “Spotlight” (October) | DK Entertainment Even though they’ve already had member changes between “If You Don’t Tell Me” and “Spotlight,” A-Daily are a strong group with impressive vocals.…

Ducky One of the first successful International B-Boys from Korea. He was a former member of the dance crew, Expressions, and won the international Battle of the Year in 2002. In 2003, he earned the second spot of that same competition. Now, he has become the leader of Drifterz crew, where he stayed as an active member. With Drifterz, he won a lot of international titles. The last battle they won was the 2013 Red Bull BC One World Final, South Korea. WING Heon Woo Kim aka Wing, saw b-boying, for the first time, in his junior high school and on…