Se7en, "Rain and I are not rivals"

"To tell you the truth, since the beginning, there has not been a rivalry issue between me and Rain", Se7en said when asked about him being compared with also singer Rain. Se7en also continued that the media have falsely reported about the issue but it seems that it is just natural for things like this to come out.

"Palace S" cast had a press conference on January 4 at the Seoul Imperial Palace Hotel.

"Aside from both of us performing abroad as Korean singers, there are no other large points in which we are similar. It seems that we are now being compared because of our acting careers but I hope people will see us with different personalities. ", Se7en said.

The singer-actor also expressed his sadness for cutting short his activities as a singer. After the drama, Se7en will immediately prepare for his concert.

"I did 100% of the action, motorcycle, fighting scenes in the drama. Aside from the skateboard scene, I did all the stunts which are not dangerous. I also learned Taekwondo and tire replacement", Se7en shared.

"Palace S" starts airing on January 10.

Source: Innolife + Digital YTN + Joynews24 + Inews24
Credits: http://z12.invisionfree.com/Se7enth_Heaven/ + kpopkingdom.com

Se7en, handphone model

Singer-actor Se7en was selected as the top model for Daewoo's handphone brand.

"Se7en already signed the contract and finished his advertisment shoot. Se7en will be receiving 350,000,000 won as a model for 6 months", revealed KTF Technology (KTFT). Song Hye Gyo and Se7en are both image models of this brand and receiving the highest talent fees.

"Se7en's sporty image is compatible with the brand's image. Se7en will give a new vitality to the brand", expressed an "Ever" official.

Se7en, who is currently active as a clothing brand model, will be seen with his new handphone advertisement simultaneously on television and print media starting at the end of January.

Source: mydaily
Credits: http://z12.invisionfree.com/Se7enth_Heaven/ + kpopkingdom.com

BoA Starts New Year Poised for Another Record

Asia-wide star BoA is starting the New year on a High Note. She is to release her fifth album in Japan on Jan. 17 and has already proved her huge popularity by coming top in the real-time ranking charts of HMV and Amazon, where customers can pre-order albums. Her fifth album titled “Made in Twenty” is the first to come out after she came of age, and fans are dying to hear what kind of music she is to offer. Already, “The prayer,” which is included on the album, is available on several websites here, and reactions have been positive. “This is something new,” one fan wrote online.“I didn’t expect this at all.”

It remains to be seen if BoA can keep up her series of record-setting releases. BoA was the first foreign singer to have four regular albums at the top of Japan’s Oricon Chart. Among Japanese singers, Ayumi Hamasaki did best with seven consecutive regular albums at the top. If BoA's fifth album does the same, she will be a step closer to the top. The album, which comes 11 months after her fourth, “Outgrow,” contains 13 songs including the previously released singles “Winter Love” and “Key of Heart.”

The Korean singer won the gold prize in the 48th Japan Record Award, the nation's most prestigious music award, on Dec. 30. She was also a headline act on Kouhaku Utagassen (literally “Red and White Song Festival”), a popular program on NHK for a fifth year running. BoA is to start her nationwide concert tour in late March.


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credits: Tour2Korea

Se7en Evolves as Actor in New TV Drama

From left, Se7en, Huh I-jae, Kang Du and Park Shin-hye pose
for the camera during a news conference at the Imperial Palace
Hotel in Seoul, Thursday. They star in new television drama
“Kung S,” a sequel to last year’s hit drama “Kung.”
/ Korea Times Photo by Park Chul-joong

K-pop star Se7en, with his signature upside-number-seven dance move, has proven that he can sing and dance. He now faces a daunting question: Can he act? He has taken on the daunting task of playing the new lead role of the television drama ``Kung (Palace) S,’’ a sequel to the widely popular original that aired last year on MBC.
The 22-year-old is his usual cheerful and positive self, when he talks about his hopes for the new drama.

``I really enjoyed watching the `Kung’ series _ its interesting story, the beautiful scenes. But because it was such a huge success, I felt a lot of pressure in the beginning,’’ Se7en said Thursday during a news conference at the Imperial Palace Hotel in Seoul. ``But I hope the audience will watch `Kung S’ without comparing the two as it is a totally different new work.’’

The only similarity between the two is that they take place in a palace, he said.

Based on a popular Korean comic series, the MBC TV drama ``Kung’’ is a story about fictionalized contemporary royal family in Korea.

The original revolved around an ordinary high school girl (played by Yoon Eun-hye), who learns about royal traditions when she marries a prince (Joo Ji-hoon).

In the sequel, Se7en plays a 20-year-old Kang Hu, a Chinese food deliveryman who finds out that he is one of the king’s closest relations. He eventually succeeds the king.

The series is the singer’s first outing as an actor. Director Hwang In-roe said that he cast the K-pop super star because he needed a new actor who could break away from the image of the lead actor in the original.

Se7en originally planned to focus on acting during weekdays and singing during weekends, but he changed his mind to keep focusing on the drama to make the best out of it.

``I didn’t rule out acting or anything. I thought I would star in a drama and challenge myself if the role is just right for me. I like my funny and cheerful character in the drama,’’ he said.

But after the drama, Se7ven plans to develop his career as a singer. He will sing a duet with American pop singer Amerie for her first single album, which will be released March next year.

Se7en, in real life, is much of the cheerful person with positive thinking, as his role in the drama. The piece of advice that the director had for the singer was ``Just do as you would do in your real life,’’ Se7en said.

Se7en sings a duet with American pop singer Amerie for her first single album,
which will be released in March next year.
/Courtesy of YG Entertainment

The singer’s skill in taekwondo helped him with action scenes. He likes riding ``anything with wheels,’’ so riding the motorcycle in the drama was not a problem.
``I shot almost 100 percent of all the action and fighting scenes myself without a stuntman as well as those involving me riding a bike. The only exceptions are when I had to shoot the scenes where I had to show off brilliant skateboard skills,’’ Se7en said.

Although he feels nervous about his first acting role, he said that he wanted to show a new side of self.

``Through the drama, I’d like to show the better side of me. I’ll work hard to make a feel-so-good drama. I hope people will see my character a little bit seriously. And now I’m just happy as I can wear the clothes that I don’t normally wear,’’ he said, smiling.

The pilot of ``Kung S’’ is slated for 9:55 p.m. on Jan. 10. The 20-episode series will be aired at the same time every Wednesday and Thursday.


Source: Korea times
Credit: kpopkingdom.com

Rain, MTV Asia's "Artist of the Month"

Rain was chosen as MTV Asia's January "Artist of the Month".

Rain became the "Artist of the Month" for January because of his his world tour's effect in the Asian region.

"Rain gained popularity in Japan and Taiwan with his drama 'Full House' and became a star in Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore with his 3rd album 'It's Raining'. He is the most-sought after popstar in East Asia", expressed MTV Asia.

As "Artist of the Month", his performance in MTV New York Times Square will be aired at MTV Asia for 5 times in January.

Source: starnews
credit : kpopper.com + kpopkingdom.com

U;nee, returns after 20 months

Sexy singer U;nee, who is also busy with her Japanese debut, comes back with her 3rd album after approximately 2 years.

U;nee released her 2nd album with the hit song "Call Call Call" in March 2005. She now makes a comeback with "Honey", a dance song which have oriental and hop hop sounds.

The singer will start performing in television music programs starting at the end of January.

Source: kplaza
credit: kpopper.com + kpopkingdom.com

Go Hyun Jung leads the MBC drama “Hit (히트)”

On 1/5, the production company “Kim Jong Hak Production” announces that Go Hyun Jung will costar with movie star Ha Jung Woo (하정우) in the Monday-Tuesday drama “Hit (히트)” scheduled to be aired by MBC in March following the final episode of “Joo Mong”.

GHJ plays the role Cha Soo Kyung (차수경) who is a righteous and powerful detective collaborating with the new prosecutor Kim Jae Yoon (김재윤) played by Ha Jung Woo. This “professional drama” portrays the real life of a detective fighting alone to catch serial killers and criminals.

The PD of this drama is Yoo Chul Yong (유철용) whose previous works include “All In (SBS)” and “Sad Lave Story (SBS)”. The script writer is Kim Young Hyun (김영현) who wrote for “Dae Jang Geum” and “The Ballad of Suh Dong”. GHJ’s latest projects were the drama “What’s Up, Fox?” and the movie “Woman on the Beach”. HJW’s recent movies were “The Unforgiven (용서받지 못한 자)” and “Fox Family (구미호가족)”.

credits: news.goodday.co.kr, sports.hankooki, mydaily.co.kr

TVXQ, Super Junior Top Thailand Music Charts

Director Moon Jeong-yoon’s short film “49th Visit” has been invited to the STILL 16 section of the 36th International Film Festival Rotterdam to be held from Jan 24. to Feb. 4 in the Netherlands.

Aimed at introducing innovative and experimental 16 mm films, the section will also show works by James Benning and other famous directors this year.

At a screenplay contest organized last year by the Korea Film Council, Moon won an award with “Elvis Comeback Special,” which dealt with embryo cloning.

“49th Visit” revolves around the life of an old mother offering a 49-day prayer for the soul of her son who died a mysterious death while fulfilling his military duty.

The director said that his film examines the profound love of a mother for her child rather than the life of a young son who lost his life in the military.

credits: KBS Global

TVXQ to Tour Asia

The five-man band TVXQ will hold 14 tour concerts in seven Asian cities--Seoul in Korea, Beijing and Shanghai in China, Taipei in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Bangkok in Thailand, and Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, according to its agency SM Entertainment on Monday.

The tour will start in Seoul Feb. 23-25. Tickets for the Seoul concert will go on sale from Jan. 15 at the internet ticket sale site Interpark.

Meanwhile, the group will release its 9th single album “Step By Step” in Japan on Jan. 24.

credits: KBS Global
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arghh...they are coming down again! It's a really good news...But am not sure if i can go again after attending their July 14 concert last year..Just pray hard that i can go too this time!

Tickets for Rain's Hong Kong Concert Sold Out

Singer Rain, who is gearing up to conquer the world stage, has sold out the tickets for his Hong Kong concert as part of his world tour “Rain’s Coming.”

As a result, Lee In-kwang, the president of Star M Entertainment, which is in charge of Rain’s world tour, has expressed confidence that the tour will become successful.

“We put priority on concerts in China and the U.S. in this tour. Due to the successful concert in Las Vegas, more concerts can be planned in more U.S. cities including New York and LA, and China is one of the new markets we can explore,” Lee said. “I will do my best for the planned tour to serve as a stepping stone for Rain to rise to world stardom.”

Rain signed a partnership deal with Korean Air for his world tour on Monday. At a press conference held before the signing ceremony, the country’s largest carrier released an airplane bearing the singer’s picture, which will begin flights to coincide with his Hong Kong concert.

Having decided to sponsor Rain’s world tour as part of its win-win strategies, Korean Air will operate the flight from January to May. It will also provide free flights for some 80 tour staff members and 20 tons of concert equipment.

The “Rain’s Coming” world tour began in Seoul on Dec. 15 and 16, with the Las Vegas concert held on Dec. 23 and 24. The Hong Kong concert is scheduled for Jan. 12 and 13, followed by Singapore on Jan. 21, Malaysia on Jan. 27, Thailand on Feb.3 and Vietnam on March 10 and 11. Other nations on the tour include Taiwan, China, Japan, U.S. (LA and New York) and Canada (Toronto).

credits: KBS Global