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Kim Jun-su dresses for androgyny
May 17 2012
Kim Jun-su won't be defined by gender norms, he said at a press conference to promote his new album "Xia Tarantallegra" yesterday.
The entertainer, best known for being a part of K-pop trio JYJ, said that he was tired of being perceived as "cute" by the public, and that he will completely reverse his efforts to be perceived as masculine by dressing up as a woman.
"By nature I'm quiet and reserved. Until now, I've tried hard to be seen as masculine to do away with the cute image", Kim said at a hotel in Sogong-dong, central Seoul. "I know that to dress up as a girl will be controversial to say the least at first".
A desire to break away from his JYJ group identity and pursue a career as a solo performer partially motivated his desire to cross gender lines, Kim said.
In a photo to promote his new solo album "Xia Tarantallegra", he is pictured with ghost-white skin and nearly colorless hair.
"The concept of the new album is an androgynous wizard", the artist explained.
CN Blue Take Taiwanese Charts by Storm
May 17 2012
Korean boy band CN Blue have raced to the top of Taiwan's major music charts with their new album, "Ear Fun." The album swept the top spot on six charts including the J-Pop weekly chart of G-Music, the country's largest music site, as well as the Chia Chia Records chart and ezPeer, the group's agency FNC Entertainment said on Wednesday.
The album also ranked first on the monthly album sales chart, according to data compiled by Taiwan's online bookstore Books.com.tw from April 13 to Sunday.
CN Blue are gaining an immense following in Taiwan, with all 10,000 tickets for their "Bluestorm" concert in Taipei on Feb. 28 selling out in less than 15 minutes of being made available to the public.
Chosun Ilbo
Tuesday, May 15, 2012 Japan
Source: Oricon | allkpop
Shared at sup3rjunior.wordpress.com by uksujusid
TAKE OUT WITH FULL AND PROPER CREDITS
Super Junior has topped Japan’s Oricon Daily Singles Chart! After placing #3 on the chart immediately after the release, they have continued their streak and have topped the charts!
The boys released their latest single, “Opera“, on May 9th, and ranked in the top 3 on the Oricon daily chart for five days straight. After reaching as high as second, “Opera” finally topped the chart on May 13th by selling 36,297 copies. Breakdown of the daily sales: day 1 sold 54,331 copies, day 2 sold 15,608 copies, day 3 sold 6,320, day 4 sold 4,036 copies, day 5 sold 39,367 copies and day 6 sold 36,227 copies. Altogether, “Opera” sold a total of 155,603 copies.
Super Junior also performed in front of 110,000 people at the Tokyo Dome for their ‘Super Show 4‘ world tour on May 12th and 13th.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gx24MlQPJw0[/media]
Girls' Generation member Jessica has captured the limelight recently, not with her performance on-stage but rather due to her gaffe on the baseball field.
She was invited to throw the first pitch at a professional baseball game between LG Twins and Samsung Lions last Friday, and turned up sporting a uniform with her name on it, skinny jeans, pink sneakers and a baseball glove with pink feathers.
Jessica wound up her pitch with a perfect pose and looked set to hurl a fastball. However, she ended up accidentally dumping the ball on the ground immediately in front of her, drawing laughter from the fans while she cringed with embarrassment.
As videos of her throw went viral online, one commentator on American sports outlet Sports Grid said, "This incredible example of how not to throw out the ceremonial first pitch comes to us from South Korea."
Chosun Ilbo
Song Seung-heon returns to small screen
May 15 2012
Heartthrob Song Seung-heon is coming back to his fans through the small screen.
Despite 16 years passing since his debut, Song, 35, remains as handsome and single as ever, coupled now with better acting ability. As one of the pioneers of “hallyu,” or the Korean wave, his popularity continues to the rise, both in Korea and overseas.
Song began his career in 1995 as a model and then starred in dramas such as “A¬ utumn in My Heart” (2000) and “Summer Scent” (2003). He tried taking on a tough image in the 2008 drama “East of Eden” then turned into the perfect man in the romantic comedy “My Princess” (2011).
Returning from a year hiatus, Song is ready to rock the small screen again by appearing in the MBC drama “Time Slip Dr. Jin,” which will begin airing on May 26. Based on the original comic by Japanese Murakami Motokai, it has been previously dramatized in Japan.
The actor plays Jin Hyeok, a smart and cold-hearted surgeon who takes a journey back through time to the late 19th century Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910). This time warp will be portrayed in his costumes that will change from a modern doctor’s white gown to wearing “hanbok,” or Korean traditional costume. His passion for medicine will remain the same throughout time.
Song is excited about playing a new doctor character and appearing in an epic drama for the first time.
“I saw the Japanese version of ’Dr. Jin’ and am glad to be offered the role when it came to Korea,” Song said in an e-mail interview with The Korea Times. “I loved the fresh theme of a time slip, in which a present day doctor ..... (article cut to save bandwidth)
Top star Lee Byeong-Heon will continue to work in Hollywood.
According to BH Entertainment on the 10th, Lee Byeong-Heon will star in the movie "Red 2". This movie will be about retired CIA agents and their mission. Bruce Willis will be working with Lee Byeong-Heon this time.
Other members of the cast include Catherine Zeta Jones, John Malkovich, Helen Mirren, Mary Louis Parker and more. Producer Lorenzo De Bonaveturane showed his likings for Lee Byeong-Heon from "G.I.Joe".
Lee Byeong-Heon has been given a chance to increase his reputation in the movie "Red 2" this time. This movie will be released in August next year.
HanCinema
Star.co.kr
Osaka police on Thursday arrested Hitoshi Nishimura, the head of a right-wing nationalist group, and three others for threatening a Japanese cosmetics company that hired Korean actress Kim Tae-hee as an advertising model. The group, established in 2007, led rallies protesting against a flood of Korean TV programs on Japan's Fuji TV.
The group visited Rohto Pharmaceutical in Osaka on March 2 to protest against its hiring of Kim as the model of a cosmetics line. The group took issue with Kim and her brother, actor Lee Wan, being named in 2005 as advocates of Korea's territorial sovereignty over the Dokdo islets, to which Japan lays a dubious claim.
Rohto had planned a press conference unveiling the new line featuring Kim on Feb. 21 but canceled the event due to safety concerns.
Chosun Ilbo
There are rumors going around that actress Lee Young-ae will be coming back with "Dae Jang Geum 2".
Officials of a broadcasting company mentioned that, "Lee Young-ae is likely to come back with "Dae Jang Geum 2" which is being planned out to air this coming September or October. It seems that many things are being done to have Lee Young-ae back on board".
In some parts of the entertainment business, they say, "Lee Young-ae is considering "Dae Jang Geum 2" as her come back project".
Others say that her husband Jeong Ho-yeong is in contact with several entertainment related people as he is known to be in close relationships with many of them. Therefore, speculations of Lee Young-ae's appearance in the drama "Dae Jang Geum 2" is slowly becoming the truth.
However, looking at her pace recently, even if she does star in "Dae Jang Geum 2", it is most likely that she does early next year.
Lee Young-ae has been keeping a low profile these days so it is unlikely she will suddenly decide to star in "Dae Jang Geum 2" and even if she does, it's possible she will do it next year.
On the other hand, a reason why it's likely she will star in "Dae Jang Geum 2" is because of the writer Kim Yeong-hyeon. He still has a valid contract of 50 MBC dramas. Therefore, rumors of "Dae Jang Geum 2" have been continuously going on. However, it is said that Kim Yeong-yeon has been skeptical about writing the script for "Dae Jang Geum 2".
Of course, whenever he feels like it, ,if he just put his mind to it, he could create the scenario ..... (article cut to save bandwidth)
Hallyu star Jang Geun Seok will sing the theme song for a Japanese animation. According to Jang Geun Seok’s official website in Japan, Jang will sing the song entitled “200 Miles” and it will be the opening song of the animation “Fairy Tale - Priestess of the Phoenix,” which will be released on August 18. The song “200 Miles” will also be featured on his first album “Just Crazy,” which will be released on May 30.
The animation “Fairy Tale - Priestess of the Phoenix” is a popular Japanese manga that has a circulation of 20 million since it was first published in a weekly magazine from 2006. It is a fantasy animation about magicians who freely practice the mysterious black arts to help people. It has been broadcast on TV, but it will be the first time it is screened in a movie theater.
Jang Geun Seok revealed his feelings, saying, “My song has been selected as the theme song for an animation for the first time. I hope that many people will enjoy the movie as well as my song.”
KBS Global
SEOUL: Korean boy band B2ST's lead vocalist Jang Hyun Seung will be making his theatre debut as the main character in the musical "Mozart!" on July 10, at Seoul's Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, reported Korean media.
Jang is the second K-pop idol after JYJ's Kim Junsu to be cast as a modern Mozart who sports dreadlocks and ripped jeans in the musical, which was first staged in South Korea in 2010.
"I am really glad to be able to make my musical debut with the best production. I'm currently focusing on portraying the charming character of Mozart," said Jang in a media statement released by his entertainment agency Cube Entertainment.
"As (JYJ's) Junsu had already shown such a perfect performance and (musical actor) Park Eun Tae, whom I'll be working with for this musical, is so talented, I feel a little burdened by my first musical challenge," he added.
"However, I will do my best since this is an opportunity that I have been yearning for.
CNA
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