Boyfriend returns with “I’ll Be There” on ‘Music Core’

After making an impressive debut with “Boyfriend” back in May and continuing their success with “Don’t Touch My Girl“, Boyfriend is back with a romantic new song called “I’ll Be There“.

The boys wanted to leave a strong impression on the industry for the remaining days of 2011, and put a lot of effort into this single. They once again collaborated with hit producer SWEETUNE to bring a dance track with sweet lyrics that reflect Boyfriend’s pure image.



Choreography team DQ (who’s worked with MBLAQ and SISTAR in the past) has put together a charming choreography for Boyfriend that matches well with the song’s emotional context, which you can check out for yourself in their ‘Music Core‘ performance below.







source: allkpop

Performances from December 17th’s ‘Music Core’

MBC’s ‘Music Core‘ is back once again with another fun and exciting show!

This week, Trouble Maker‘s HyunA and Hyunseung filled in as temporary MCs for Yuri and Tiffany. The mischievous duo brought a playful energy to the set, while simultaneously introducing each artist.



Dynamic Duo and Park Hyun Bin made their comebacks, while Boyfriend and Chocolat returned with their follow-up songs.

Other performances from today’s show include Wonder Girls, Trouble Maker, Bang & Zelo, RaNia, M.I.B., TRAX, A Pink, C-Real, Tim, M Signal, Plain Note, X-Cross, F1RST, LEDApple, Crispi Crunch and Beige.



Check them out below!



























source: allkpop

IU hand-feeds a male fan on MBC Radio’s ‘Shim Shim Tapa’

Previously, we reported that singer IU made some delicious Korean rice balls while guesting on MBC Radio‘s ‘Shim Shim Tapa‘. As it turns out, the rice balls were part of a special fan event, where IU would hand-feed a homemade rice ball to a lucky fan.



Once fans found out about the event, a flood of calls began to rain down on the radio station. Although it was midnight, the winner made his way over to the station to be fed by his beloved idol, who was dressed adorably in a chicken costume.

Netizens expressed their envy as they wrote, “I am so jealous of that guy right now…“, “This is the best Christmas present a man could ask for“, and “I would cherish that rice ball and never eat it.”



source: allkpop

Big Bang to release a new album in March 2012!

Big Bang has announced that they’ll be releasing a new album in March!

On December 16th, representatives of YG Entertainment confirmed, “Big Bang has decided to hold their ‘Big Show‘ concert in March of 2012. Ahead of the concert, they’ll be releasing a new album. They had halted their activities this year because of unpredicted accidents, but they’ll be returning to their official activities for the first time in nearly a year through their ‘Big Show’ next year.”



Big Bang will also be performing at the YG Family concerts next month in Osaka and Saitama.

According to representatives, G-Dragon is currently concentrating on the production of the songs for the new album. Without rest, he is at the company recording studio every day to ensure it’s prompt release.



source: allkpop

Wonder Girls reveal their true height and weight on ‘Weekly Idol’

Wonder Girls‘ Yubin and Hyerim have decided to reveal the true stats of their heights and weights.

On December 17th, the girls will guest on MBC Everyone‘s ‘Weekly Idol‘ for the show’s Christmas special.

MC Jung Hyung Don remarked to Yubin, “[From the old profile], you probably grew.” To which Yubin replied, “I shrank a little. In my profile, it states I’m 163 cm (64.2 in.), but I’m actually 161 cm. (63.4 in.). As I grew older, it seems my spine shrank.”



Sunye confessed, “I’m a little shorter than what’s stated on my profile“, while Hyerim also revealed, “My height and weight are both different. I’m a littler taller than what’s stated in my profile as I am 165 cm (65 in.), and I am actually 50 kg. (110 lbs.)”

MCs Jung Hyung Dong and Defconn are rumored to have been caught off guard by the confessions as they were surprised by the girls’ honesty.



source: allkpop

YouTube officially lists ‘K-Pop’ as a music genre

On December 15th, YouTube officially added the ‘K-Pop’ genre to its Music category.

‘K-Pop’ is now joining the likes of other popular musical genres such as Pop, Rock, R&B, Rap, Folk, Latin, and more. Furthermore, it is the first country-specific musical genre to be added to the list. You can visit the page here.



This addition to YouTube is part of a special project with Google, titled ‘Korea Go Global‘, which was discussed with Eric Schmidt, the executive chairman of Google, while visiting Korea back on November 7th.

As a result, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism and Google Korea came together to sign a business agreement stating that through YouTube, many activities will occur in order to promote Korean culture to the fullest.



Google Korea CEO Yum Dong Hoon revealed, “It’s exciting to see YouTube teaming up to promote K-pop, and spreading the genre to the rest of the world. K-pop’s popularity is extremely strong that it is now added as its own musical genre on YouTube. We are continuing to plan various activities and events to further spread the Korean culture, including K-pop, to the rest of the world via ‘Korea Go Global‘”.



source: allkpop

U-KISS places 3rd on the Oricon Daily Single Chart

U-KISS placed 3rd on the Oricon Daily Singles Chart with the release of their album.

The boys released their first single in Japan, ‘Tick Tack‘, selling 17,207 albums on the first day.

U-KISS’s agency, NH Media, revealed, “On the first day of the release, hundreds of fans gathered at the opening sales event at Tokyo Shibuya Tower Records. We are planning promotional events throughout Japan until the end of the year. We are expecting that the pre-orders for their other debut singles will gain momentum.”



U-KISS will be releasing their 2nd Japanese single next February, and embark on a Japan tour in March with the 45,000 seats already sold out.



source: allkpop

T-ara’s Eunjung visits ‘We Got Married’ husband on his drama set

T-ara‘s Eunjung paid a surprise visit to the film set of ‘Man of Honor‘ for her ‘We Got Married‘ husband, Lee Jang Woo. Lee Jang Woo is currently starring in the drama as ‘Seo In Woo’, a cynical chaebol [heir to a rich company] who’s both arrogant and rude. Eunjung decided to show her support for her husband, much to the envy of his co-stars, Chun Jung Myung and Kim Yoon Sung.



Lee Jang Woo immediately greeted her with a wide smile and couldn’t hide his joy at seeing her on set. Reportedly, he fretted about her health because of the cold weather, and made sure to keep her warm.

Producers stated, “The atmosphere on set was lifted by Eunjung’s visit for Lee Jang Woo. We’re sure that it provided a great source of strength for him. Please continue to look forward to Lee Jang Woo’s role in the drama.”



source: allkpop

T-ara to run a new reality show, ‘T-ara’s Flower Boys’

The girls of T-ara will personally be picking out “flower boys” in a new reality show.

T-ara will be choosing the best contestant to run a “flower boy” street shop with them on SBS E!‘s ‘T-ara’s Flower Boys’. The contestants will be judged by the members, who will be working as “donation staff” in the shop.



Reportedly, the members are determined to choose the best guy since the show will be running under their name. To be determined as the best, the contestants will have to go through games and missions; there will also be hidden cameras around the boys.

The first episode of ‘T-ara’s Flower Boys’ will be broadcast on December 17th at 11PM KST.







source: allkpop

After School reveals Japanese MV preview for “Rambling Girls”

After School is on a roll, as they’re priming to release their 3rd single, “Rambling Girls/Because of You“. To boost anticipation for the double-A release, the girl group unveiled a PV preview for “Rambling Girls”.



In the video, the girls showed off the ‘S-line dance’ against a sleek disco setting.



After School’s new single will hit stores on January 18th, but until then, check out their PV preview below:







source: allkpop

B2ST’s Yoseob voted as most “huggable” in recent poll

B2ST‘s Yoseob was voted as the star that fans wanted to hug most in a recent poll.

To celebrate the unofficial ‘Hug Day’ in Korea, SNS site UFO Town recently held a poll asking “The star I want most to give me a warm hug during the cold winter.”



Yoseob received 25% of the votes, with B1A4‘s Jinyoung and Baro coming in at 2nd and 3rd respectively. Meanwhile, INFINITE‘s L got 4th. As for the runner-ups, TEEN TOP‘s L. Joe, F.T. Island‘s Hongki, Boyfriend‘s Young Min, and T-ara‘s Hyomin also received a lot of votes.

The poll ran from November 17th to December 11th, earning a total of 1200 votes through text messages.



source: allkpop

Siwon, Minho, & Sohee spotted filming for ‘Running Man’

On December 13th, various SNS accounts and online community boards bombarded the Internet with teaser photos of Super Junior‘s Siwon, SHINee‘s Minho, and Wonder Girls‘ Sohee as the new surprise guests for SBS‘s ‘Running Man‘.



Taken directly from the show’s recording by fans who happened to be there (or for some other reasons), the three idol stars are seen mingling with the cast members and staff. According to accounts, the pictures were taken during the opening filming at Gimpo Airport.



Netizens commented, “The three are a fresh new combination, totally watching it live!” “Looking forward to Minho show is competitive side”, “The visuals of each respective team have gathered together”, and “I think Sohee will be better at varieties than we think”.



Apart from the trio, f(x)’s Sulli will also be appearing on the episode.









source: allkpop

Jang Geun Suk & YoonA’s drama ‘Love Rain’ holds press conference

On December 13th, co-stars Jang Geun Suk and SNSD‘s YoonA attended the press conference for their upcoming drama, ‘Love Rain‘, and discussed its production with PD Yoon Suk Ho.

PD Yoon is best known for his hit seasonal melodramas like ‘Autumn Tale‘, ‘Winter Sonata’, ‘Summer’s Scent’, and ‘Spring Waltz’, all of which created the Hallyu boom in Japan.



‘Love Rain’ marks his first return after a five year hiatus, and the PD revealed that he “couldn’t ignore the influence of Hallyu when casting actors.” He stated, “The term ‘Hallyu’ follows me wherever I go; it was impossible to ignore. I hemmed and hawed over how to create a new drama that could be popular all over the world, and I think this played a factor in my decision to cast Jang Geun Suk and YoonA.”



YoonA was asked what it was like to get back into acting after her two year break. She replied, “I’ve been overcome with a desire to act again over these past two years. When I saw ‘Love Rain’, I knew that I had to do it, so I’m grateful that I’m able to join the cast. Honestly, there is some pressure — although I could find a connection to the modern character, but I worried over ‘Yoon Hee’, who comes from the ’70s. Still, the director leads all of us very well, so I’m able to film in a comfortable environment.”



She continued, “We’re currently filming the final scenes of the ’70s, and I think I did better than I thought. I’m looking forward to the final product myself.”



Commenting on working with her co-star, Jang Geun Suk, YoonA said, “I was surprised to see the way he conversed with fans that visited the set. I’m shy, so it’s hard for me to approach them but he treated them so comfortably. It was fun to watch.”



Jang Geun Suk responded by revealing that he was a fan of SNSD. “I’m YoonA’s personal fan. I’m a Sone. In order to improve her condition, I’ll always secretly leave a cup of coffee on the hood of her car every morning. I think I’m diligently doing my part as a Sone.”



On his actual role, he stated, “In the drama, I play the role of an art student from the ’70s. I think it’s ironic how a lot of the roles I’ve been in require that I sing.”



source: allkpop

SHINee celebrates the release of their Barcelona travel book

On December 13th, SHINee‘s Onew, Key, and Taemin held a book release conference for their Barcelona travel book, ‘Children of the Sun‘.

The book is a photo essay documenting the trio’s experience during their week-long stay in Barcelona, Spain. It features journal-like entries from the members as they delve into personal stories and thoughts. As of the 13th, the book ranked in the top 10 bestsellers list.



At the press conference, the boys began, “We wrote down what we felt and experienced together in a diary format that we think many people will be able to connect to. We experienced a lot of things and felt a lot of passion as we learned about the culture of another country; it was also an opportunity for us to see a reflection of ourselves off stage.”



When asked why they chose Barcelona, they replied, “It was our first break in a while, and we wanted to choose a location far away. All three of us were immediately attracted to Barcelona. We ate and hung out in the streets as much as we could, and we hope that more people visit Barcelona. For those that can’t, we hope that they’ll indirectly experience the joy through our book.”



Key revealed, “Ever since our debut, I wanted to show this particular side of us. I think it’s a book that aptly captures our natural side off stage. My mom bought about 40 copies for herself to share with her friends. I think it is a fun book, and I hope that people will take an interest in it.”



The boys also touched on some habits they discovered about one another. Onew began, “Key has always liked shopping, so while on vacation, he was walking around everywhere, without even a minute of rest. Although we’ve promoted together for such a long time, the three of us had different things we wanted to do. For example, I had a hard time understanding why Taemin was so adamant about buying a soccer uniform.”



He continued, “We had some free time in the middle of our vacation, and Key went shopping while Taemin went to swim. All three of us have very different hobbies.”



Key added, “I saw Onew hyung cooking and felt like I discovered a new side to him. I was surprised to see him cook, but even more surprised with the taste. Why? Because I chewed on raw rice when I tasted his dish.”







source: allkpop

SMTOWN releases MV for Super Junior’s “Santa U Are the One”

SM Entertainment has finally unveiled the title track music video from their 2011 SMTOWN winter album, “The Warmest Gift“!

Sung by Super Junior, “Santa U Are the One“ features fun scenes from the label’s “The Warmest Gift” album jacket photoshoot. Fans will get to see their favorite artists looking natural and in their element as they snap photos and record songs in the studio.



As previously reported, the album contains 11 tracks all sung in English to cater to SM’s growing global brand.



Check it out below!







source: allkpop

Performances from 2NE1′s MTV live concert in New York

On December 12th, 2NE1 rocked Times Square with a mini-concert at MTV’s recording studio. The group was invited to New York City to perform a celebratory live honoring their achievement as ‘2011 Best New Band in the World‘.

The girls had the house jumping with their performances of “Fire“, “Can’t Nobody“, “Lonely“, and “I Am The Best“. Thanks to the unceasing fan chants and loud screams, the VJs looked blown away by 2NE1′s international star power.



Check out their mini-concert below!







source: allkpop

What are the top 10 romance movies of all time?

South Korea is known for the popularity of its romantic dramas, but how are its movies faring?

Movie Week recently put together a list of the top 10 all-time most popular romantic movies. They noted that the genre has fallen in popularity lately to give way to more thrilling genres like action and fantasy.



Did your favorite movie make the cut? Check out the list below!



1. My Sassy Girl

2001, Directed by Kwak Jae Yong

Starring: Jun Ji Hyun, Cha Tae Hyun

1,735,692 theatergoers



2. My Tutor Friend

2003, Directed by Kim Kyung Hyung

Starring: Kim Ha Neul, Kwon Sang Woo

1,587,975 theatergoers



3. A Frozen Flower

2008, Directed by Yoo Ha

Starring: Jo In Sung, Joo Jin Mo, Song Ji Hyo

1,160,538 theatergoers



5. You Are My Sunshine

2008, Directed by Park Jin Pyo

Starring: Hwang Jung Min, Jun Do Yeon

1,063,480 theatergoers



6. Maundy Thursday

2006, Directed by Song Hae Sung

Starring: Kang Dong Won, Lee Na Young

980,772 theatergoers



7. The Servant

2010, Directed by Kim Dae Woo

Starring: Kim Joo Hyuk, Ryu Seung Bum, Jo Yeo Jung

977,012 theatergoers



8. Cyrano Agency

2010, Directed by Kim Hyun Suk

Starring: Um Tae Woong, Lee Min Jung, Choi Daniel, Park Shin Hye

914,121 theatergoers



9. All For Love

2005, Directed by Min Kyu Dong

Starring: Um Jung Hwa, Hwang Jung Min

902,189 theatergoers



10. My Little Bride

2004, Directed by Kim Ho Joon

Starring: Kim Rae Won, Moon Geun Young

876,600 theatergoers



source: allkpop

Dal Shabet holds press conference for latest pictorial in Cebu

On December 12th, Dal Shabet held a production conference at Cafe Bene for their latest ‘Star Pictorial‘ photoshoot, dressed in stylish outfits as sweet as the pictorial itself.

The girls recently took off for Cebu, Philippines to use the lush natural scenery as the backdrop to their pictorial. From cute and fresh to lovely and sexy, the six members put on a wide array of looks that brought out new charms, different from their restricted stage concepts.



While Subin, Viki, and Ga Eun emphasized their natural beauty, Serri donned a red bikini for a mysterious look while Jiyul and Ahyoung transformed into sexy cat girls.



Producers stated, “Despite the photoshoot taking place outside in the sweltering heat, the members maintained their positive, upbeat energy throughout the shoot.”



Check out photos from both the pictorial and the production conference below!















source: allkpop

Super Junior’s Sungmin makes a glamorous transformation as Marilyn Monroe

Super Junior‘s Sungmin recently made a glamorous transformation into Marilyn Monroe for ‘Super Show 4‘!

On December 12th, fellow member Donghae shared on his Twitter, “I’m finally sleeping now. ELF, you were so beautiful and lovely today, thank you so, so much. Let’s do Tokyo next, hosted by Teukie hyung. I leave you with a picture of Sungmin hyung, Eunhyuk, and Donghae.”



Taken backstage, the picture features Sungmin playing the role of Marilyn Monroe, and Eunhyuk and Donghae standing meekly by his side, looking much like his body guards. Seeing a shapely chest on Sungmin right next to his masculine arms is quite a hilarious sight.

Fans commented, “Prettier than a girl,” “Totally expressing his sexiness,” “A real Marilyn Monroe,” and “Bea~tiful~”.



source: allkpop

Super Junior’s Donghae thanks f(x) for coming to Osaka

Super Junior‘s Donghae and look-a-like hoobae Amber recently posed for a photo together.

On December 12th, Donghae sent a shoutout to f(x), thanking them for their participation in Super Junior’s ‘Super Show 4‘ concerts. He wrote, “f(x), Thank you. Me and Amber together.”



Fans immediately commented on how the ‘twins’ have reunited, since Donghae and Amber look quite similar to each other. Adorably, Donghae yanked on Amber’s hat to draw her in, giving the photos a sibling-like quality.

Netizens wrote, “We need to check their genes”, “Are we sure they’re not related?”, “They’re so cute”.



source: allkpop