Rain Voted Most Likely to Dominate 2007

The singer-actor Rain has been named the male celebrity most likely to make 2007 his year. In an online poll by the Sports Chosun, a sister publication of the Chosun Ilbo, between Dec. 25 and Jan. 1 asking which male celebrity will make the year his own, Rain came top with 32 percent. In 2006, he rose to stardom on the global stage beyond Asia, making it onto the list of TIME Magazine's 100 most influential people as the first Korean entertainer, and performing at Madison Square Garden in New York in February, a first for an Asian singer. His popularity is to continue this year, too, as he has embarked on world tour he named "Rain's Coming" to coincide with the release of his fourth album.
The nos. 2 and 3 were Song Seung-hun with 24.1 percent and Yoon Kye-sang with 17.2 percent; both just completed their military service. Song started his schedule officially when he visited Japan in December and is currently looking at screeplays. He is expected to stage his comeback either in a drama or a movie soon. Yoon already decided on his first show after his discharge. He is to co-star with Lee Mi-yeon in the SBS drama "Crazy for You", which starts airing in February. Seven, another singer who has taken up acting, was ranked fourth with 12.5 percent. He will star in the MBC drama "Palace S-Prince House", to be aired in October this year, alongside Heo I-jae and Park Shin-hye.

Source: englishnews @ chosun.com
Credit: kpopkingdom.com

BoA Set to Sweep Japan Again with New Album

Pan-Asian star BoA is likely to sweep all music charts once again with her new album scheduled to be released in Japan on Jan. 17, as it has already topped the advance order charts of HMV and Amazon.

Coming out 11 months after her fourth album “Outgrow,” her latest album “Made in Twenty” contains 13 songs, including the previously-released singles “Winter Love” and “Key of Heart.” The album has also been drawing attention because it is the first album to be released since her coming of age. There is much interest in whether she will be able to continue to set new records with the new release.

BoA is the only foreign singer to top the Oricon Chart in the feature album category four consecutive times. When including Japanese singers, Ayumi Hamasaki is ahead of her with seven consecutive feature albums at the top. If her fifth album makes it to the top once again, she will be a step closer to becoming the best singer in Japan.

BoA won the gold prize at the 48th Japan Record Award, Japan’s most prestigious music award, on Dec. 30, and was invited to NHK’s year-end song festival on Dec. 31 for the fifth straight year.

The Korean singer plans to start a nationwide concert tour in Japan in March.

credits : KBS Global

Actor Jeong Offered Hollywood Film Role

Actor Jeong Woo-seong has reportedly been offered to appear in the Hollywood blockbuster "Battle of Red Cliff."

In an interview with the Associate Press, the movie's producer Terence Chang said they conveyed the offer to the Korean actor. 'Battle' is Hong Kong filmmaker John Woo's latest motion picture.

Chow Yun-Fat is set to play the role of Liu Bei and Tony Leung Chiu Wai will play Zhuge Liang.

Chang said they are discussing the matter with Jeong but nothing is decided as Jeong hasn't read the script yet.

Chang did not elaborate on Jeong's role while he denied reports that "Last Samurai" star Ken Watanabe was also cast.

The Battle of Red Cliff is one of the highlights from the Chinese classic novel, Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Filming will start early March.

credits : KBS Global

TVXQ on Vacation

TVXQ who had won 4 Daesang at Various Korea Music Awards during the year end of 2006, will be resting from 1st of January to 20th of January. They will be having complete rest during that period. This is to encourage them to have more achievements in 2007 where they will be targeting the Japan's Music industry.

TVXQ leader; U-Know Yoon Ho wishes that he will be able to spend some time with his family members in his birthplace,Gwangju in 2007; whereas the other members also wishes to be able to have some free time with their own friends and family. TVXQ'S Agent;

SM Ent expressed: 'TVXQ had been receiving quite a number of awards and attending various events since they had debut in 2003. As they had quite been busy during the past year, We thought to allow them to have some rest and spend times with their friends.' On the other hand, TVXQ will be heading to Japan at the start of 2007. TVXQ will be filming some Japan CFs in 2007 and will be in Japan from the mid-of-January.

Credits to:
http://post.baidu.com/f?kz=160087788; iknowyoohon.com
Full Translation : love*knots @ http://asianfanatics.net
okhor@kpopkingdom
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I'm super glad that Dong Bang boys are taking a 20 days break. They've been working non-stop for awhile. Hope that they'll be back with more goodies. Hwaiting Dong Bang!

PROFILES : SS501

Kim Hyun Joong (leader)


Birthday : June 6, 1986
Height : 180 cm
Weight : 68 kg
Blood Type : B
Hobbies/Interests : Swimming, Basketball, Soccer
Motto : "Life is one drop"

Heo Young Saeng


Birthday : November 3, 1986
Height : 178 cm
Weight : 63 kg
Blood Type : O
Hobbies/Interests : Listening to music, piano, games, basketball
Motto : "Do your best at everything and don't look back. Look at things in front of you and keep going on"
Appearance : Emo

Kim Kyu Jong


Birthday : February 24, 1987
Height : 181 kg
Weight : 65 kg
Blood Type : A
Hobbies/Interests : Listening to music, basketball, reading, magic
Motto : "Don't regret and let's try"

Park Jung Min


Birthday : April 3, 1987
Height : 181 cm
Weight : 67 kg
Blood Type : O
Hobbies/Interests : Writing songs, tap dance, climbing
Motto : "Always live with gratitude"
Nickname : Sexy Charisma

Kim Hyung Joon


Birthday : August 3, 1987
Height : 180 cm
Weight : 68 kg
Blood Type : O
Hobbies/Interests : Writing songs, swimming, dance
Motto : "Walk and walk again"
Fan Nickname : Baby
Appearance : Adorable Prep


Concerts
*Step Up (2006)

Radio Shows
*Youngstreet

TV Shows* M! Pick
* Thank you for Waking Us Up
* Thank you For Raising Me
* SS501 in LA
* SS501 Japan Making
* SS501 in Osaka

CFs
* Elite
* Lotte Seh Lim Im (Milkshake)

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credits : AllExperts

LA Times: Korea Seeks Next Asian Stars in US

The leading Western U.S. newspaper published an article on Jan. 1 about SM Entertainment president Lee Soo-man and his efforts to find new potential stars to lead the Korean pop culture in the U.S.

The LA Times reported on the audition that SM Entertainment held in the city in the article entitled “Called to Star in Asia,” where a picture of Lee was also posted, courtesy of the JoongAng Ilbo U.S.

“The language doesn’t matter. We can teach them that,” the paper quoted Lee. “What we need is people who understand American culture. That is what will make them stars in Asia.”

The newspaper said that SM has held auditions in 11 U.S. cities for the past several years to search for aspiring singers, actors and models who can make their way to stardom in Asia. Some of them have found real success to become celebrities in Korea, meeting Korea’s demand for stars familiar with American culture.

The paper cited Francis Hur, the president of SkyLight Entertainment, a Los Angeles company promoting Korean music, as saying, “[Korean youths] can't rap. There are just things that only Americans can do.”

Timothy Tangherlini, a UCLA Korean culture professor, told the paper, "There’s been a strange inversion, an almost fetishization of the foreign, whereas before it was almost shunned. The 'street cred' in Korea, the new types of voices and styles, are all coming from L.A. now."

credits : KBS Global

SS501 - UNLOCK

credits : youtube
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Hey all SS501 fans..I just added this MV..I thought it is a great song + a great MV too...They are like superb in dancing! Watch it! =)

Song Hye-gyo, Rain Top Popularity Charts

Arirang TV conducted a global online survey on the popularity of Korean celebrities abroad in mid-December. The survey asked a total of 775 people from 46 countries with whom they would like to watch the first sunrise of the new year.

Topping the female chart were actresses Song Hye-gyo and Kim Tae-hee who tied with just over 20 percent. 156 people evenly voted for the two women. Other names included Lee Young-ae and Ha Ji-won.

In the male category, no.1 was the heartthrob singer/actor Rain, garnering 24 percent or 189 votes. Trailing behind were names like Jang Dong-gun, Lee Jun-ki and Bae Yong-joon .

- Copyrights ⓒ 2006 The Chosun Ilbo& Digital Chosun Ilbo All rights reserved –
http://english.chosun.com

credits : Tour2Korea

Rain Aims Higher for World Stardom

Korean pop superstar Rain, known as "Bi" in Korean, held a successful first concert of his world tour in Las Vegas, the United States at 8 p.m., Las Vegas time, on Saturday (Dec. 24). The 24-year-old K-pop star took the stage at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, aiming to make inroads into the North American market. It was the largest concert ever given by a Korean artist and his second outing in the U.S., following two sold-out concerts in the Madison Square Garden Theater in New York City last February.

Rain has expanded his fan base from New York in the east to Las Vegas in the west only 10 months after his debut on the U.S. stage. He was also named one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World this year.

About 3,800 fans packed the venue where world-class artist Celine Dion is a resident performer and where Elton John and Gloria Estefan have also given concerts. About 90 percent of the audiences were Asian fans from Japan, China, Singapore and Taiwan. At the concert, titled “Rain's Coming,” he successfully hosted the two-hour concert in English featuring 21 songs with stunning dance sequences. “I exist because of your support. My dream has come true,” he said in gratitude to a fervent response from his fans. “I am very proud of Rain who stood up on the stage where world-class pop stars are used to performing,” Moon Ji-hyun, 24, who saw the show, said.

The ticket price costing $98-$288 was high, but the concert was sold out just one week after ticket sales opened. Stage direction was by Jaime King renowned for Madonna's recent “Confessions Tour,” and Christina Aguilera's choreography, working with lighting specialist Roy Bennett, and visual director Dago Gonzalez. Park Jin-young, producer of Rain's music and CEO of the JYP Entertainment, and Lil Jon, producer of “Yeah” sung by Usher attended the concert.

Rain is receiving acclaim as an international celebrity as his first movie “I am a Cyborg, But That's Okay” directed by Park Chan-wook, was invited to the Berlin International Film Festival in the competitions section. He had been invited to sing at the opening ceremony of the 2006 Doha Asian Games in Qatar, but his tight schedule prevented him from attending.

His world tour will span 35 cities in 12 countries, including Hong Kong Jan. 12-13, Singapore Jan. 21, Malaysia Jan. 27, Thailand Feb. 3, Vietnam March 10-11 and Taiwan, China, Japan, the U.S. and Canada afterwards. StarM, the entertainment agency organizing the concert, is in charge of coordinating with travel agencies from different countries to make it easier for fans to watch the show.

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Article courtesy of Korea.net
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credits : Tour2Korea

Holy Daddy

Won-Tak's dad, an old-time con-man, was suddenly killed during a freak accident in the prison, just one day before his release. Having waited for so many years to be reconciled with his dad and to start a new life together, Won-Tak felt betrayed and vowed to ruin his own life and bring shame to his parents. However, unknown to him, Wong-Tak's dad has managed to strike a bargain with an angel to return to the living world as Won-Tak's new bestfriend...

Director: Kwon Seong-Guk
Also known as: Wontak's Angel / Father, Why are You Here?
Running Time: 105 minutes
Starring: Lee Min-Woo, Ha Dong-Hun, Kim Sang-Jung
Country : South Korea
Language : Korean
Subtitles : English
Genre : Comedy

credits : iloveasian.blogspot
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Hey guys..Min Woo's in this movie! So any of Min Woo fans would like to see this movie, you can download all 3 parts at iloveasian . Cheerios!
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