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July 31, 2012
T-ara case reveals K-pop's sinister side
By Cho Chung-un The Korea Herald
Industry experts criticize CEO for mishandling the case, pushing artists to compete against each other
The on-going controversy over bullying rumors involving girl group T-ara is the result of excessive competition among members and their agency’s failure in management, industry critics said.
Young singers from idol groups are under huge pressure to steal attention from other members in order to survive in the entertainment industry, they added.
“They know their groups will be disbanded in a few years and they have to compete with other members in the group to get the public’s attention before the groups break up. They are, in fact, in a survival game to move up to the next level such as pursuing an acting career or becoming a solo artist,” said Lee Dong-yun, professor at Korea National University of Arts.
T-ara’s fans have been expressing frustration after controversial tweets by five members of the group allegedly directed at one member, Hwa-young, raised rumors that she has been bullied by the members. On Monday, T-ara’s agency Core Content Media terminated its contract with Hwa-young, calling her “troublesome” but ironically denied the bullying rumors.
The group’s biggest online fanclub, www.T-arafan.com, shut down operations on Tuesday while some advertisers canceled contracts with T-ara members.
The number of members registered for an internet community “T-Jinyo,” which stands for “We demand the truth from T-ara,” quickly rose to over 290,000 as of Tuesday afternoon. T-Jinyo members collect and share video footage and photos of T-ara members allegedly mistreating Hwa-young and the young singer looking depressed, trying to find evidence to argue against the agency, which has denied the rumors about bullying. An online petition has also been launched, demanding the group be disbanded. The petition states that T-ara has abandoned their responsibility as top stars and are at the center of an escalating social problem -- bullying.
4Minute
KARA
Girls’ Generation
Insiders said there are many other idol groups such as Girls’ Generation, KARA and 4MINUTE that suffer from similar conflicts. Even Yesung of Super Junior said in a recent press conference that 99 percent of the idol groups have internal conflicts among members and that Super Junior also went through a series of fights and arguments.
Meanwhile, professor Lee pinned the blame on Kim Kwang-soo, CEO of T-ara’s agency, saying he completely mishandled the case and neglected the growing internal conflict within the group.
“He might have thought that ditching Hwa-young would save the entire group. He should have embraced all members and tried to resolve the problem in advance,” he said.
T-ara’s case seems to have started from Kim’s misguided notion of pushing the group members to compete against each other.
Previously, Kim said he would adopt a nine-member system that would replace old members in order to maintain the group’s popularity and to survive in a fiercely competitive pop music market. Kim then admitted that some members have changed since their debut, making less effort and becoming arrogant.
Despite the heated criticism, T-ara will release its new single “Sexy Love” and will resume the group’s schedule on Aug. 15 as planned, Kim said.
Other agencies also admitted that young idol stars are under enormous stress.
“The problem is that young singers are not mature enough to recognize just how much stress they are under and how to handle it,” said Ahn Hyo-jin, a publicist for Cube Entertainment. Ahn said the company runs psychotherapy programs every two weeks to prevent singers from misbehaving because of stress. Last edited by katt on 31-7-2012 10:51 PM \n\n |
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July 31, 2012
Lee Tae-sung volunteers in Sri Lanka
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
Actor Lee Tae-sung took some time off recently to volunteer in Sri Lanka.
According to Lee’s agency on July 31, Lee left for the central Asian nation to take part in the MBC goodwill program “Sharing Is Happiness.”
While there, Lee will take part in constructing a water-pipes system for the refugees who were displaced following an earthquake in 2005.
“I have a lot of strength,” Lee said, “bring on the intensive labor.”
As he was departing, Lee used his Twitter to alert fans that he was off and that he’d let them know of his whereabouts when he gets the chance while abroad.
“Sri Lanka . . . my first step toward rescuing hope,” Lee tweeted.
Lee starred in this year’s SBS program “Rooftop Prince” alongside JYJ’s Park Yu-chun. |
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July 31, 2012
Lim Joo-eun to model with Kim Soo-hyun
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
Actress Lim Joo-eun has been picked to be the female model for the cosmetics brand Beyond.
Lim’s agency said on July 31 that its talent was picked to represent the brand alongside Kim Soo-hyun, who is currently the face of the brand.
Lim starred in the horror drama “Hon” (2009) and in this year’s drama “Wild Romance” alongside Lee Si-young and Lee Dong-wook.
Meanwhile, Kim is currently the face of more than 15 products nationwide.
portfolio includes apparel brands and electronic devices in addition to alcoholic beverage.
Put together, product endorsements signed by Kim are thought to bring in more than 5 billion won ($4.5 million) for the young star, who skyrocketed to fame while appearing in the MBC drama “The Moon that Embraces the Sun” (2012). |
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July 31, 2012
Jang Keun-suk is the prince of Weibo.com
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
Jang Keun-suk has more than five million followers on the Chinese SNS Web site Weibo.com.
According to his agency on July 31, the five million-mark was crossed the day before.
“Jang Keun-suk is the most followed non-Chinese entertainer on Weibo,” the agency said. Jang has a clear lead among his foreigner compatriots as actor Tom Cruise lags in at second place with just 4.4 million followers.
The feat is more remarkable due to the fact that Jang only set up his Weibo account last August. In June, his followers had already exceeded 3 million.
Jang’s fame seems to know no bounds in China. When a special episode of the Chinese television program "Que Rak Dae Bon Young" ("Happy Camp") featuring Jang aired in June, it had the most viewers of any program in its time slot. More than 350,000 viewers tuned in to see the show on the Internet TV channel PPS.
The Hallyu actor, who also has made a name for himself as a singer, is currently on a tour of Asia. He is set to perform in Shanghai on Aug. 11. |
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July 31, 2012
Keyeast Entertainment heads to China
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
Actor Bae Yong-joon of agency Keyeast Entertainment is set to take his business to China.
The agency announced on Monday that it has signed a contract with a Hallyu content management company called Star Lake Agency as part of efforts to extend its reach in Asia.
“Through the mutual contract, stars belonging to Keyeast will be able to take on roles in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan,” a spokesperson from Keyeast said.
Some of the agency’s stars include Kim Soo-hyun, Kim Hyun-joong and Lim Soo-jung.
Star Lake Agency had previously distributed Bae’s photo essay on Korean tourist destinations in China.
Kim Soo-hyun will also take an active role in promoting himself in Japan. Amid speculation by entertainment insiders as to whether Kim’s fame in Korea will catch on in Japan, Keyeast said it is confident that Kim will appeal to the Japanese public.
“He has a unique style that sets him apart from all the other Hallyu stars who are popular in Japan,” the agency said. |
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August 1, 2012
'The Thieves' a hit at local box office
YonhapNews
SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- The Korean heist film "The Thieves" continued its local box office reign in its second week after taking in an opening week record as many holidaymakers seek to escape hot summer weather at cool theaters.
The movie, starring top actors and actresses Jun Ji-hyun, Kim Hye-soo, Kim Yun-seok and Lee Jung-jae, broke the 3 million mark in audience number on Monday, the sixth day since its release, drawing 3.35 million viewers.
It drew nearly 500,000 moviegoers across the country on that day alone, according to official box-office tallies, meaning many of the viewers are those on summer vacation.
The films is drawing moviegoers at a faster pace than director Bong Jun-ho's box-office hit "The Host "(2006) and "D-War" (2007), a sci-fi monster flick by director Shim Hyeong-rae, which drew 3.19 million and 3.09 million, respectively, during the first six days of opening.
"The Thieves," if this trend continues, is expected to easily break the 5 million mark within this week.
During the same period, the movie raked in more than 50 percent of local box revenues, beating the Hollywood blockbuster "The Dark Knight Rises."
"The ticket sales for 'The Thieves' is showing a rare pattern, drawing larger audiences each day as time goes by," an official at the movie's distributor Showbox said.
Directed by Choe Dong-hoon, known for "Tazza: the High Rollers" and "The Big Swindle," "The Thieves" is about 10 South Korean and Chinese thieves teaming up to steal a valuable diamond necklace at a Macao casino. |
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August 1, 2012
T-ara's Hwayoung apologizes for causing trouble amid bullying controversy
By Shim Sun-ah YonhapNews
SEOUL, Aug. 1 (Yonhap) -- The controversy over top South Korean girl group T-ara's surprise shedding of one of its members is showing signs of abating as the member apologized for causing trouble on her personal Twitter account.
The controversy began when five members of the group on Saturday left tweets in unison apparently critical of Hwayoung's attitude, giving an impression that she may have been bullied by fellow group members. On Monday, the group's management agency, Core Content Media, announced a decision to terminate its contract with Hwayoung, calling her troublesome.
Despite the agency's denial of the bullying rumors, the abrupt announcement sparked public speculation that it may be linked to the rumors.
Backed by a series of claims by those close to Hwayoung that she was bullied, this speculation led to mounting demand by her fans to unveil the truth behind the incident.
The case caught wide media attention in a country where rising suicides by students bullied by their classmates constitutes a major social problem.
"I'm sorry for giving only disappointment to you, fans who loved me," Hwayoung said on her personal twitter account on Tuesday. "Now please stop and expect a more mature and developed attitude from me."
In a reversal from her earlier comments, she also apologized to the company for "causing trouble."
The apology may defuse confusion among T-ara fans over the incident, but the group, still reeling from the bullying controversy, is unlikely to easily recover.
T-ara's official fan club "Qeen's" lost about 6,000 members, while some other online fan communities have turned on the group, which is at the center of K-pop's popularity in the world.
On Sunday, an Internet community "T-Jinyo," which stands for "We demand the truth from T-ara," opened. The number of subscribers to the community quickly broke the 250,000 mark just two days after opening. The number is massively larger than the official fan club's 16,000.
T-Jinyo members are collecting and sharing video footage and photos of T-ara members allegedly proving the bullying rumors, and posting messages of support to Hwayoung.
Some have even launched an online campaign to oust Hwayoung's groupmates believed to have bullied her from appearing on TV entertainment shows. |
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August 1, 2012
Bae Jung-nam in screen, real dramas
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
Shooting a movie and catching a thief is all in a day’s work for actor Bae Jung-nam.
The 29-year-old star was on his way home about 2 a.m. yesterday after a day of filing the movie “Berlin” when he saw a man running away from a taxi.
Bae was sitting in his car, waiting for the light to change at an intersection near Shinhwa Hospital in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul, when he saw a taxi driver chasing a man and yelling, “Thief!”
Bae told his manager to follow the pair and after a high-speed chase, Bae caught up to the robber who had taken an alley that was a dead end. He detained the exhausted suspect until police arrived.
Model-turned-actor Bae made his screen debut this year in “Over My Dead Body.” In 2009, he appeared in the SBS drama “Dream.”
In “Berlin, Bae is working alongside Ha Jung-woo, Jun Ji-hyun and Han Suk-kyu.
The movie is being directed by Ryu Seung-wan, best known for hits like “Timeless” (2009) and “The City of Violence” (2006). |
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August 1, 2012
Lee Young-ae tormenter indicted
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
A 49-year-old man has been indicted for spreading rumors about actress Lee Young-ae. The man, surnamed Park, was charged with defamation yesterday at the Seoul Central District Court.
According to the court, Park used his blog to say Lee took drugs with a wealthy man from one of Korea’s leading conglomerates.
The post was uploaded from Jan. 16 to 17 and was one of 11 posts he made about Lee. He also claimed the actress had numerous affairs.
“Park never witnessed Lee engaging in any of the activities,” a spokesperson from the court said.
Last month, Lee made headlines for making appearing at the launch of a Louis Vuitton shop in Paris where she was invited to be the Asia-Pacific representative for the brand’s new jewelry store.
The 41-year-old Hallyu actress proved she could hold her own against fashion heavyweights, rubbing shoulders with Hollywood stars like Kirsten Dunst and Sofia Coppola, as well as Princess Charlene of Monaco. |
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August 1, 2012
Rain testimony set for next month
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
Singer Rain will be summoned next month to stand as a witness to clear his name in a two-year-old embezzlement case.
The Seoul Central District Court on Tuesday requested the presence of the Hallyu star to testify in his defamation suit against an entrepreneur who falsely claimed Rain swindled his company.
In the original trial, Rain was accused of embezzling 4.6 billion won ($4 million) from an apparel company affiliated with J-Tune Entertainment, his agency at the time.
The clothing brand’s head claimed Rain and other shareholders stole 2.5 billion won from the company by faking stock assets and claiming that Rain was owed more than 2 billion won for being the brand’s model. The court acquitted Rain in December 2010.
On Sept.11, Rain will take to the stand to explain his version of how the allegations made by the entrepreneur damaged his public image.
The K-pop superstar currently is serving his mandatory military service. |
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August 1, 2012
Actor Kil Yong-woo donates to Africa
The Korea Herald
Actor Kil Yong-woo, 57, donated the proceeds from his recent photo exhibition to “I Love Africa,” an international relief agency for Africa.
Kil’s photo exhibition, titled “Kil Yong-woo I Love Africa,” was held July 26-27 and raised more than 20 million won ($17,000).
Kil himself took the photos during his week-long volunteer trip to Tanzania in June. There he participated in a relief project called “Sharing Water of Life.” Kil dug 11 wells in three different villages and delivered relief items to children and poor families. He also took students from a school for disabled children on a trip to a national park.
“I was heartbroken by the fact that the Tanzanian people I met were deprived of even the most basic conditions for survival, which are clean water and air. Despite the harsh conditions, the local people were innocent and optimistic,” explained Kil about his decision to donate the profits.
“I plan to continue to participate in relief programs for Africa, and to visit Africa again this fall.” |
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August 1, 2012
Gong, Ha returning in road trip flick
By Claire Lee The Korea Herald
Actress Gong Hyo-jin (left) and actor Ha Jung-woo star in the upcoming film “577 Project.” (Filament Pictures)
Actor Ha Jung-woo and actress Gong Hyo-jin, who together starred in last year’s box office hit “Love Fiction,” will once again co-star in an upcoming road trip film, “577 Project.”
The film is a portrayal of Ha and Gong’s real-life walking trip from Seoul to Haenam, South Jeolla Province, which took them 20 days in total.
Ha had promised to walk cross-country at the 46th Paeksang Arts Awards in 2010, where he won best actor for “Take Off,” if he ever won best actor again. The actor was given the same Paeksang award in 2011 for his role in “The Yellow Sea.”
To keep his word, Ha got other actors and actresses, including Gong Hyo-jin, to join him on the 577 kilometer-long journey. The film will focus on the humorous moments of tension between Ha and Gong as they begin to regret their exhausting journey.
“577 Project” is slated to open in theaters on Aug. 30. |
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August 2, 2012
ChosunIlbo
Actress Jo Yeo-jeong smiles at a press event for her new TV drama in Seoul on Wednesday. |
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