Wednesday, September 2, 2009
How f(x) member Luna and Krystal Got Noticed by SM
It has been revealed how two of the f(x) members, Luna and Krystal got into SM Entertainment.
The 16 year old member, Lunarevealed on September 2nd during the group show-case that she was casted on a show called, "Truth Game," (SBS) in 2006. In this show, she got a the nickname of "Wave Girl." She then said that it was on that show that SM noticed her talents and brought her into the company. Since 2006, she has been learning and training in vocals, dancing, and English.
The sister of SNSD/ Girl's Generation's Jessica and the youngest member, Krystal, also revealed in the show-case that she was recruited by SM when she was 7 years old but because of her young age, she started training just 2 years ago. Unlike Luna, she has been learning and training in vocals, acting, ballet, jazz dance and Japanese since 2006. She is also said to be fluent in English, just like her sister Jessica.
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090902 2NE1 TV & GD TV - Episode 10
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F(x) debut stage featuring LeeTeuk and Sunny
The entire SM team seems to be supporting the new group
On September 2nd, SM newbies f(x) will be performing for the first time at their debut showcase in Samsung district’s Seom Yoo Center. Along with Girls’ Generation, Shinee, and 150 lucky fans, Super Junior leader LeeTeuk and Girls’ Generation member Sunny will be hosting the showcase. At the event, f(x) will perform their single “LA chA tA” as well as show a preview to their debut music video.
…… That’s all? You’d at least expect to see the full video, no? Many of you have commented that f(x)’s debut single is “un-catchy.” Will help from SM leaders be enough to bring them success?
If you haven’t already, listen to f(x)’s debut single here.
cre=popseoul.com
Psy to contribute to Lee Seung-ki’s comeback
Comedic hip hop rapper, Psy, recently finished his military service and is ready to get back into the music scene. Aside from making his comeback on Kim Jung-eun’s “Chocolate” set to air in September and working on his own album that is expected to drop sometime next year, Psy will also be contributing to Lee Seung-gi’s upcoming fourth album.
Psy was the one who composed one of Lee Seung-gi’s hit songs, “Because You’re My Woman“, which helped the wholesome ballad singer steal the hearts of noonas everywhere.
Many are looking forward to them working together again, and the hit that will inevitably make all the ladies swoon once again for Lee Seung-gi.
Here’s a little fan service for all those Lee Seung-gi lovers out there of him performing Psy’s “Entertainer” on Yoon Do-hyun’s “Love Letter“. How can you not love this kid?
cre=popseoul.com
2NE1 will televise their vacation footage
Remember that mini-vacation 2NE1 took a few weeks back?
Due to their busy schedules from promoting their first two singles “Fire” and “I Don’t Care“, YG Entertainment gave girl group 2NE1 a week off to unwind and recharge for another round of recording and promotions. Upon their return to Korea, the girls updated fans on what they did on their break via their respective me2day pages and many fans were more than happy to get a glimpse at the girls’ personal lives. Well, it seems the group has a bit more footage to show off.
A special spisode of 2NE1 TV is set to air showing footage of the girls on vacation, most likely including self-recorded footage of the girls at play. The special 10th episode is already getting fans riled up, as they’re dying to see what the girls are really like away from the spotlight and away from each other. The two hour long episode will air on September 2nd.
Since three of the members were outside of Korea during their break, shouldn’t there be footage of them showing off their various language skills? If you’re a fan of the show, you’ve probably heard Bom’s sporadic English, including her unofficial English catchphrase, “Don’t touch my…!“, but CL’s Japanese and Dara’s Filipino have yet to be heard on the show, let’s hope the PD-nims add a little bit of this in during the broadcast.
Attention: SS501 fans in Malaysia
If you’re in Malaysia and a fan of kpop group SS501 (and/or Boys Before Flowers‘ Kim Hyun-joong), you may be interested in a last-minute fan signing event to be held on Thursday.
Fan Kiongna informs me that the fan signing was just put together and confirmed by Warner Music Malaysia; the SS501 boys added the event because they would be in Kuala Lumpur following a photo shoot. Info as follows:
Date/Time:
Thursday, September 3 at 6:00 p.m.
Location:
ONE WORLD HOTEL
First Avenue
Bandar Utama City Centre
47800 Petaling Jaya
Selangor, Malaysia
Phone: +603 7681 1111
Website: www.oneworldhotel.com.my
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/notes.php?id=49706797181
Note: Next to this hotel is the very HUGE shopping mall called ONE UTAMA just annexed to the hotel.
Heading to the Ground’s press conference day
Lee Yoon-ji, Jung Yun-ho, Go Ara, Lee Sang-yoon
Heading to the Ground is nearing its air date, and held its production press conference on the afternoon of September 2 at Seoul’s Hyatt Hotel. The MBC series stars U-Know Yunho (aka Jung Yun-ho) in his acting debut, along with Go Ara, Lee Yoon-ji, and Lee Sang-yoon.
Man, these dramas premiere and end in such quick succession that it’s hard keeping track of the latest, isn’t it? The horror series Hon is about to hand off its Wednesday-Thursday timeslot to the new soccer drama, after it finishes with its tenth episode this week.
As the drama’s main character, not only does U-Know Yunho carry much of the drama’s burden of expectations, there’s also heightened scrutiny as this is his debut role. The pop singer recently expressed his feelings on his debut, and while I approach the acting debuts of singers with wariness, they’re not always uniformly negative experiences. (People may disagree, but I thought Min Hyo-rin aquitted herself quite well in Triple; she wasn’t perfect, but good enough that it wasn’t readily apparent that she’d never acted before. Im Joo-eun, the ingénue lead actress of Hon, is another example of a newbie making good, though she didn’t come from the pop world.) So we’ll have to wait to see how Yun-ho handles himself.
Heading airs its first episode on September 9.
Yamada, Kashii, Tanimura star in next "Koi no Karasawagi" drama
NTV has revealed that its next "Koi no Karasawagi" ("Much Ado About Love") drama special will air on September 25. Based on the variety show of that name, this will be the sixth in a series of yearly specials that started in 2004.
Like the previous specials, "Koi no Karasawagi: Love Stories VI" will consist of three stories. The first is "Rival no Onna," starring Yu Yamada (25) as an unsuccessful entertainer who fights with a friend over a handsome actor.
In the second story, titled "Kyouso to Yobareta Onna," Yu Kashii (22) plays a nail stylist who mistakenly believes that the stares she receives are due to her beautiful face, rather than her oversized body. Using special costuming and makeup, her character will appear to weigh about 100 kilograms.
The last story, "Tsukusu Onna," stars Mitsuki Tanimura (19) as a woman who devotes herself to an ace baseball pitcher that has fallen into a slump.
Idoling's Yazawa in "Ancient Dogoo Girl"
Idoling!!! member Erika Yazawa is starring in a new television series called "Kodai Shoujo Dogu-chan" ("The Ancient Dogoo Girl"). The fantasy/comedy show was conceived by Noboru Iguchi, who is directing the series along with Takashi Shimizu, Keisuke Toyoshima, and others.
According to Nippon Cinema, the plot features Yazawa as "an ancient girl who's revived after 10,000 years to fight evil in modern-day society while capturing the heart of a socially withdrawn teenager named Makoto (Masataka Kubota)."
The regular cast includes Rina Kirishima, Tokio Emoto, Takaya Kamikawa, and Yuki Saito. The series will air in a late-night slot on MBS, starting on October 7.
Charts: SMAP extends #1 streak, Arashi reaches 1 million
SMAP managed to come out on top of the weekly charts with their newest single, "Sotto Kyutto / Superstar." The song ended its first week with close to 105,000 in sales, overcoming the early lead taken by girl group AKB48's "Iiwake Maybe." The girls were not far behind at #2 for the week, with 91,000 copies sold.
For SMAP, "Sotto Kyutto" is their 11th consecutive (22nd overall) #1 single. It is also their 44th consecutive top ten single, which puts them one ahead of B'z. Ayumi Hamasaki has also released 44 top ten singles, though hers are not all consecutive.
Three "K-On!" character singles ranked highly, occupying the #3, #5, and #6 spots. Spitz came in at #7, while abingdon boys school took #8 and Buono! took #10.
On the album charts, Arashi kept the #1 seat with their "All the BEST! 1999-2009," which sold an additional 233,000 copies for the week. On the daily charts of August 31, in the album's 13th day on sale, the album reached 1 million in total sales, making it Arashi's first million-seller. It is also the first album of 2009 to break 1 million.
Acid Black Cherry's new album charted at #2 with 78,000 copies sold. A pair of best albums by Vocaloid virtual idol Miku Hatsune ranked #4 and #5. Other new releases in the top ten were a drama CD for "Hetalia: Axis Powers" (#6), a best album by capsule (#7), a soundtrack for "PLAYZONE 2009" (#8), and a mini-album by Hiroshi Kamiya (#9).
Man arrested for threats against voice actress Kadowaki
Police have arrested a 25-year-old unemployed man from Fukuoka, suspected of mailing threats against voice actress Mai Kadowaki (28).
Authorities said that the suspect, named Satoshi Yamazaki, had sent at least one threatening letter to Kadowaki's agency last November. The message included lines such as "I will kill your parents within one month."
Yamazaki admitted guilt, saying that he was a fan of Kadowaki. He had read and believed accusations on the internet that Kadowaki was having an affair. As a fan, he felt that was unforgivable, so he threatened the actress. Police were able to match fingerprints taken from the threatening letter with those from a fan letter he had previously sent under his real name.
Kadowaki has done voices for many games and anime series, including "Ikki Tousen: Great Guardians" and "Fate/stay night."
Haruma Miura stars in "Samurai Seventeen" drama
Popular young actor Haruma Miura (19) is set to star in an NTV drama series, tentatively titled "Samurai Seventeen." The show is based on an original script by writer Yumiko Inoue.
Miura plays Kotaro Mochizuki, a private high school student who is normally a mild-mannered, unmasculine guy. But after coming across a mysterious ancient document, he finds that whenever he gets into a difficult situation, he becomes imbued with the heroic samurai spirit of his ancestors.
The character of Kotaro will normally be seen in his school uniform, but for his first transformation, Miura will reportedly have a scene wearing a samurai outfit and engaging in a sword fight.
"Samurai Seventeen" will air on Saturdays at 9:00pm, beginning in October.
G-Dragon Enjoys Some Chocolate and Kisses
On this week's SBS Chocolate with Kim Jun Eun, G-dragon came out and performed his hit track Heartbreaker. Long-standing girl group Jewelry also made an appearance.
Not only that, but he also shared some lip locking action with a surprise guest. Check out the pictures below for more.
f(x) Full Showcase Coverage!
Many k-pop fans worldwide have their eyes on SM's latest girl group, and f(x) has officially stepped onto the girl group battlegrounds! September 2 marks the hot quintet's first showcase, which took place in Seoul. This Samsung exclusive event was full of eye candy and talent to look forward too, from the first live Lachata (or, as the official typography seems to, LA chA TA... don't ask) performance as well as the release of the full music video!
SM Entertainment really went out on this one - they were smart to pull a big-name idol, namely SNSD's Sunny and Super Junior's Leeteuk stepping up as MC's for the event. The highly anticipated showcase started with a bang - equipped with hits like Sam Sparro's 2008 song "Black & Gold" and Britney Spears' "Womanizer".
In addition to the support from the MC's SNSD / Girls Generation and SHINee have been reported as attending the showcase to help support f(x). The guest list was limited to a lucky 150 people who were chosen from the internet. There has been no word as of yet about the whether or not f(x) member Krystal's sister, SNSD's Jessica, attended or not.
The reaction to the girls' revealed talents is already very hot and positive - many claim that, though f(x) has a powerful charm, it exudes a feminine beauty (sounds familiar). The solo performances by Luna & Victoria have especially garnered attention from fans.
f(x)'s maknae, Krystal, expressed the burden in preparing for such a debut. Though the youngest member of the fivesome, Krystal has gained quite a bit of attention with her roles in various CF's and also as Jessica's younger sister.
Furthermore, the Chinese-American Amber has also caused a lot of buzz amongst netizens and curious k-pop fans both in Korea and internationally for her androgynous appearance; Amber undoubtedly gives off a vibe unconventional to the girl group scene. Even with so many groups out these past few months, Amber is the first to exude such a masculine appearance. Even if she isn't actually a guy, Amber is already forming a fanbase with her unique appeal.
Victoria, the leader and oldest of the five, also expressed about how she hoped to become a great and dependable leader for the group through hard work and dedication.
So many fans have been wondering, what exactly does 'Lachata' refer to? Because this song is about enjoying life, the phrase is an interjection to give a fun, bright and cheerful atmosphere; furthermore, the syllables are easy to pronounce and remember. This debut song is the latest work by hit songwriter Kenzie, known for his impressive arrangements of dance-pop and electronic songs. According to Kenzie, 'Lachata' is more than just a catchy tune; listeners will be fascinated by the upbeat melodies and witty lyrics that permeates throughout 'Lachata'.
This song surfaced the internet on September 1 and has since received an explosive reaction. f(x) hasn't even had their official debut stage yet, but many are eager to see this fresh face on the music scene; f(x) is already promising a distinctive color and talent to threaten the girl group scene!
While waiting for the MV release, enjoy these picture from the showcase!
Stay tuned to allkpop for the release of the official MV and more updates on this HOT new girl group!
Jang Jin Young’s Love Story
"Jin Young, don't go. You can't just leave like this."
At 4.05pm on 1st September, that was the moment where Jang Jin Young shut her eyes and left the world, leaving her parents who had rushed all the way from Jeonju, her boyfriend, Mr. Kim, friends and fans in tears.
In the process from getting transferred from Seoul National University Hospital to Seoul St Mary's Hospital on 31st August, Jang Jin Young had already lost consiciousness after registering low blood pressure. Despite frenetic calls from Mr. Kim to stay with him, Jang has left him and everyone in pain from her loss.
Jang's agency, Yedang Entertainment has now revealed the love story of Jang and Mr. Kim which is almost like a drama. Jang got to know Mr. Kim through close friends in January 2008 and started dating soon after. But the happily in love couple was dealt with a cruel blow in September 2008, as doctors diagnosed Jang with stomach cancer.
Jang felt angry and helpless at this point, as cancer was such an unforgiving disease. She motioned for a break-up with Mr. Kim, without revealing to him about her health. After persistent calls from Mr. Kim, demanding to know the reason for the break-up, Jang told him about the bad news in the end, fearing the worse. But to her surprise, Mr. Kim did not leave and told her, "I can't just let you go like this", opting to take care of Jang.
A close friend of the couple revealed, "It was the power of love that gave Jang hope to live on. There was a point where it looked like Jang had completely recovered from her cancer illness. It was like a miracle had happened because of their love."
Mr. Kim went through a lot, just to show Jang support in her battle against cancer and his actions really touched her, including everyone who knew them. Mr. Kim would climb hills with Jang, not forgetting to check on her health condition all the time. They would also go for movies and concerts, but only if there wasn't any complications to Jang's health which Mr. Kim would always take special note of. His dedication and love gave Jang hope and the strength to fight against her cancer cells.
Mr. Kim also accompanied Jang to America for treatment and you could feel how desperate they were, asking about all kinds of treatments, in the hope that one of them would help save Jang's life. Mr. Kim left his real estate and construction business behind in Korea, choosing to focus all his energies on caring and getting treatment for Jang. It was exactly this kind of dedication and love towards Jang, which moved Jang's parents, as they gave their blessings for them to continue dating. It was revealed that Mr. Kim proposed to Jang in June and tied the knot with her in a small wedding ceremony in Las Vegas a month later before returning back home.
But alas, fate was to deal them a cruel blow. After returning from America last month, Jang's condition took a turn for the worse, with doctors telling her that treatment will no longer help as the cancer cells had spread. Jang decided to stop all treament and relied on painkillers, spending her last few weeks with Mr. Kim and parents. And sensing that perhaps she was not going to live any longer, the couple officially became husband and wife as Mr. Kim submitted official papers on 28th August, just days before her passing.
Just after noon on 1st September, Mr. Kim and Jang's parents received word from the doctors that Jang was in a critical condition, and that they would have to be mentally prepared. Jang was then transferred to a VIP ward on the 21st floor where she spent her last moments with her loved ones. At around 4, Jang's heart and kidney started failing and she left the world a few minutes later with a smile. Up till the moment where Jang left, Mr. Kim held on tightly to her hands, not wanting to let her go.
Mr. Kim said, "I am her, she is me. It's hurting my heart badly to let her go alone in such pain. I wanted to stay by her side till the very end. I hope that for the unfinished love we had on earth, we can finish it in heaven."
Jang's funeral will be held on 4th September, this Friday.
Kim Heechul voted best Gag Idol by Korean netizen
Super Junior's Kim Heechul has been voted by netizens as the best Gag Idol. This achievement came after a dcinside poll of 2,903 users from 25th August to 1st September, on which idol star had the best performing/variety genes.
With his 'pretty boy' looks, frank comments and 4-D thinking, Heechul won the poll with ease with 1,018 votes (35.1%). His talent was also widely acknowledged by netizens because of his outrageous cross-dressing, kissing another guy during a concert and his hilarious pictures on his Cyworld minihompy. Not really much of a surprise here.
In 2nd place was 2PM's Nichkhun who got 401 votes (13.8%). Despite his limited Korean language ability on variety shows, Nichkhun has been receiving lots of love from viewers thanks to his strong adaptability and cute appearance.
In 3rd place was 2AM's Jo Kwon (I thought he would give Heechul a run for his money!). Despite his usual sentimental way of singing ballad songs on stage, Jo Kwon's hilarious antics on variety shows has gained more attention from everyone, hinting that perhaps he is more suited for variety than singing. This is especially so after his outrageous performance in the Abracadabra parody, Dirty Eyed Girls music video.
Others who were on the list include Big Bang's Daesung, SHINee's Key, Super Junior's Lee Teuk and 2PM's Wooyoung. There might be others, but do you agree with the poll?
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