Chrome Entertainment signs contract with Sony Music

Idol group Crayon Pop’s agency, Chrome Entertainment, signed an official label contract with Sony Music Entertainment Korea on Monday. As a label under Sony Music Entertainment Korea, Chrome Entertainment can discover and sign artists to produce music.The two corporations have previously formed license and strategic partnerships, which led to the debuts of four Chrome artists under Sony Music: Crayon Pop, K-Much, Bob Girls and Zan Zan. With the label contract, Chrome Entertainment is now recogni

July 8, 2014

Like a juror: Madonna does NYC jury duty, briefly

NEW YORK (AP) ― Madonna has spent a little time living in the judicial world. The pop superstar turned up for jury duty Monday at a Manhattan state courthouse, quickly getting dismissed. She had gotten excused from a jury service date in May. This time, she was finished within two hours and wasn’t questioned for any case, spending the wait in a clerk’s office instead of in the sprawling juror waiting room. State court system spokesman David Bookstaver said officials cut Madonna loose because the

PerformanceJuly 8, 2014

g.o.d. makes grand return with new LP ‘Chapter 8’

Veteran K-pop idol group g.o.d. unveiled its much-anticipated LP “Chapter 8” on Tuesday, officially marking the return of the five original members and their reunion after being apart for 12 years.Immediately upon its release, the new album swept the nation’s music charts. Title track “Story of Our Lives (feat. Megan Lee)” became the No. 1 song and several others made the top 10 list on major music websites such as Melon, Bugs Music, Naver Music and more. “Chapter 8” was released in commemoratio

July 8, 2014

Shinhwa’s Shin Hye-sung to return in duet with Lyn

Shin Hye-sung, main vocalist of Korea’s longest running K-pop boy group, Shinhwa, is to reunite with ballad singer Lyn six years after their first duet in 2008.Lyn participated in Shin’s project album “He Said... She Said...” which amplified Shin’s true talent as a vocalist. Since the duo has been keeping in tune for many years, the upcoming album is to capture more soulful and expressive vocals.The song, “Once Again #1 Buen Camino” will be a rearrangement of “Buen Camino.” The full orchestra bo

July 8, 2014

Choi Si-won rescues stray dog

Super Junior member Choi Si-won rescued a stray dog from the roadside in the rain, Chinese news agencies reported on Monday.According to news reports, Choi stopped the car and ran to save the dog without an umbrella. Following the rescue, Choi posted a photo of the dog on Twitter.  (Weibo / Twitter)“I met a new friend in the heavy rain, I gave her the name ‘Lost,’” the celebrity wrote.Various news outlets complimented his selfless action, saying “Super Junior’s Choi Si-won touched people’s heart

July 8, 2014

Secret to make comeback in August

K-pop girl group Secret is to release its fifth EP this summer. The four members will reunite in August, eight months after the release of their latest single “I Do I Do” in December.  (TS Entertainment)The details have yet to be disclosed, but the title track on the new album will be an “addictive” song that can show the feminine and sensual side of Secret, according to the group’s agency TS Entertainment.Meanwhile, the members have been actively pursuing solo activities. Two members -- Sunhwa

July 8, 2014

Reunited K-pop legend g.o.d. tops the charts

The latest album of veteran K-pop group g.o.d. dominated local charts just hours after its release online Tuesday, proving its steadfast popularity despite a nine-year-long hiatus. Shortly after the release at midnight, the song “Stories We’ve Lived” from the band’s long-awaited eighth studio album “Chapter 8” topped local music streaming charts, including Melon, Olleh Music, Mnet, Naver Music and Daum Music.Other tracks such as “Sky Blue Promise” and “5+4+1+5=15” were also ranked No. 1 on Monke

July 8, 2014

Akdong Musician talks about tough childhood

South Korean brother-sister duo Akdong Musician talked about their impoverished upbringing in Mongolia in a television program on Monday.  (SBS) “After my parents said that they couldn’t afford to send us to school, we gave up on school and started homeschooling,” the duo said on SBS show “Healing Camp.”  “We don’t have friends and we have never worn school uniforms because we didn’t go to school.”  Bot

July 8, 2014

Tang Wei and Kim Tae-yong spotted on summer night date

World-famous Chinese actress Tang Wei and her fiance Kim Tae-yong, South Korean film director, were sighted together in front of an apartment building in Beijing, Chinese media outlets reported Tuesday. Tang and Kim have stayed in the Chinese capital since the two announced they would wed this fall on July 2. They allegedly met with Tang’s parents to pay their respects. The Asian celebrity couple stepped out of an apartment building near Beijing Chaoyang Park late Monday night. They were holding

July 8, 2014

Eunhyuk: f(x) are breathtakingly pretty

Super Junior member Eunhyuk has revealed a photo taken with K-pop girl band f(x).“Wow, I saw f(x)! (They) even took a photo with me! So nice. So pretty. Can’t breathe. Oh, oh” Eunhyuk wrote on his Twitter as the photo showed five members of f(x) in sparkly stage outfits and Eunhyuk posing.Following the photo of the group and Eunhyuk, he went on to take pictures with individual members, showing his tight bond with f(x), which is under the same management company as Super Junior.Eunhyuk visited th

July 8, 2014

IU gave up college because of bad grades

Korean singer IU gave up on college because her high school grades were below average, she said Monday on television program Healing Camp. “My mentor told me that it is very easy to get into Seoul National University but there were no colleges available with my grades,” she said. “I don’t think I liked school that much. I was just waiting for freedom from school.” IU began working as a singer during high school, she added as another factor. The program hosts good-naturedly told her that it was a

July 8, 2014

Not an ordinary chair

Along the “design promenade,” the curved, flowing passageway inside the Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul, visitors pass by stylish, unique chairs. Some take a look, while others hardly notice them and go straight into the exhibition space. The DDP staff recommends visitors pay attention to the chairs, designed by 112 furniture designers from 30 countries around the world. “Visitors are not sure whether the chairs are just decor objects or real chairs that they can sit on. The chairs displayed he

Arts & DesignJuly 7, 2014

Catholic celebrities sing for the pope

More than 20 A-list celebrities gathered at Seoul’s Myeongdong Cathedral last month sing in a music video for Pope Francis, who’s due to visit here next month. The video was released Monday. The single “Koinonia” celebrates the Holy Father’s Aug. 14-18 visit to Korea. The title is the Greek word for fellowship, sharing in common and communion. “So many people live just for themselves. If more people prayed for others, the world would be a better place to live,” Noh Young-sim, the song’s composer

PerformanceJuly 7, 2014

Historical films set to cool off summer

Joseon era (1392-1910), $17 million, star-studded casts and historical films are some of the defining words of the Korean film industry for the summer of 2014.It is no coincidence that three large-scale period movies will open in theaters in July and August, only weeks apart from each other. “Kundo: Age of the Rampant” will be the first to open on July 23, followed by “Roaring Currents” on July 30 and then “The Pirates” on Aug. 6. These films are part of the box-office trend in which historical

July 7, 2014

Paris Hilton to DJ at SuperX Summer Festival

The international fashion icon and notorious socialite Paris Hilton will be packing her bikini and DJ set and performing live at the upcoming SuperX Summer Festival in Seoul next month. The SuperX Summer Festival is the first all-day poolside party to hit South Korea and will be held at the Walkerhill River Park from Aug. 15-16. Although the starlet is best known as the heiress of the Hilton Hotel franchise, her frequent appearances on reality TV shows launched her into superstardom and made her

PerformanceJuly 7, 2014

f(x) releases new studio album

K-pop girl group f(x) has made a long-awaited return to the local music scene, equipped with fresh electro-pop sounds and eclectic musical styles.The five girls of f(x) ― Victoria, Krystal, Amber, Sulli and Luna ― officially released their new 11-track studio album “Red Light” on Monday, with the eponymous title track “Red Light” immediately climbing up to the top of local music charts.f(x). (SM Entertainment)The lead single “Red Light” is a funky electro-pop tune that opens with a rap-like chan

July 7, 2014

YG’s hip-hop boy band Winner to debut Aug. 1

YG Entertainment will debut Winner, a new five-member hip-hop boy band, on Aug. 1. This will be the first time in eight years that YG has debuted a male idol group. The agency has completed a three-week promotional campaign for the group that began on June 16. Winner. (YG Entertainment)In the three weeks, dubbed “Test Week,” “New York Week” and “Winner Week,” it released new individual and group teasers every day. “Winner Week” featured a total of six movie clip teasers, with the last one releas

July 7, 2014

EXO’s Chen to sing on drama soundtrack

K-pop sensation EXO’s Chen will contribute a song to the soundtrack for the drama “It’s Okay, That’s Love” in his first solo activity since his debut in 2012.  (EXO's Chen)The news about Chen’s participation on the album has excited EXO fans who viewed it as a move to back fellow member D.O., who has a role in the TV series. D.O is to play an innocent high school student who dreams of becoming a best-selling author to make his mother happy.  (EXO's D.O)The SBS-TV drama will also feature top-clas

July 7, 2014