Alrighty folks, if you love Korean home cooking, we’ve got some great news for you!
Korean BBQ Han Sung Restaurant and K-popped! are giving you, our faithful readers, a 10% discount off dinner at the restaurant in Desa Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur.
Welcome!: Dinner is (partly) on us at Han Sung :-)
The offer starts tomorrow (Nov 1) and ends on Dec 31. All you have to do is... ...click the image below and print out the voucher. Bring it along to the restaurant, tell the waiter that you’ll be using the voucher and voila, you’ll get 10% off your dinner bill!
Star of My Fair LadyYoon Eun Hye arrives at the 4th Love Your W (a breast cancer fund-raising event in Seoul) dressed in an atrocious lacy revealing outfit. The funds raised at the event will be channeled to provide free breast cancer screening for women in the lower income group.
Oh, and apparently "W" stands for breasts in Korea.
Rain's interview on CNN Talk Asia will be aired at 9:30pm, 28 October 2009. CNN anchor woman Ana Coren will be interviewing the 27 year-old Korean pop sensation.
In the interview, Rain will talk about being selected as 2007 100 Most Influential People on Time magazine. Rain said "I was so surprised to hear of the news and could not believe it. I was very excited. I think my involvement in Hollywood movies have given me many opportunities."
Rain also talks about his 2008 movie Speed Racer and up and coming movie (in which is stars in the lead role) - Ninja Assassin.
Rain (real name Jung Ji-hoon) came from humble beginnings. He was a shy child and suffered difficult times especially when his mother died when he was 18. Even at a young age, Rain loved to dance and used to study the moves of his idol - the late Michael Jackson. Times were tough and he went for so many unsuccessful auditions. But things finally changed when he met producer Park Jin-young (JYP).
Rain last appeared on CNN's Talk Asia in 2005. At that time, he could not speak English fluently and had to use a translator. From the stills, it sure looks as if Rain spoke in English in the interview. Find out tomorrow...
Rain's dream of conducting an interview on CNN's Talk Asia in English... has become a reality?
UPDATE : 29 OCTOBER 2009
For those of you who missed Rain's Interview on CNN, here are the links:
Even though the K-popped! Trio did not make it to the fan meeting at the Etude House outlet at Sungai Wang Plaza, Kuala Lumpur on the 25th October @6pm, we have scouted these excellent pics for you.
More pics after the jump...
Radiant Min-ho : view from the top Photo courtesy of Wanie Anuar
Because i'm a hopeless romantic, here are pictures of Tablo and Kang Hye-jeong's wedding. The (relatively) young couple - Tablo's 29 while Hye-jeong is 27 looked really cute in their wedding pics.
The pair was spotted at Incheon airport at 8am on 27 October, leaving for Europe for their honeymoon.
Celebrity love birds Tablo (real name Yi Seon-ung) and actress Kang Hye-jeong tied the knot today. The couple announced their relationship earlier this year and intended to get married in 2010. However, last month, they announced that they were expecting their first child and thus the wedding has been pushed forward to October 26, 2009.
The wedding ceremony was closed to the public and took place at the Bailey House, Samsung-dong, Seoul. The couple's family members and only close friends attended the wedding.
Tablo and Hye-jeong will spend their honeymoon in Europe.
After heading to the US to make his lacklustre debut there, Se7en (pic, right) is finally returning to the K-pop scene. Hallelujah!
The 25-year-old is reportedly working on a new album, which will be released next year.
On Oct 23, the singer’s agency YG Entertainment (YGE) said: “After Se7en finishes recording, he will unveil the new songs in the early part of next year.” Se7en has been missing from the K-pop scene for a while. The talent, who is dating Park Han-byul, devoted the past two years to breaking into the US music scene. His debut single Girls, produced by Dark Child, kinda…er, bombed. *Liz ducks from the sticks and stones hurled at her*
YGE added: “As for the type of record, we haven't decided yet. It would be either a single, or a mini album.”
I hope this means Se7en has gotten his American aspirations out of his system. While we realise the importance of chasing after one’s dreams, we are not really in favour of Se7en’s below par activities in the US.
Club appearances in the States when he could easily fill stadiums in South Korea? Supercilious lyrics? ‘Lil Kim?? Ai yai yai what were his managers thinking?
Se7en, we’re glad you’re finally resuming your activities back in South Korea. You…and your loyal fans deserve better.
For old time's sake, here's one of my fave Se7en tracks - the sexy La La La
Gee, I wonder how many power crunches he did to get them. Model/ actor Marco Lee shows off his six packs in the Nov 2009 issue of Arena.
Flex: 'Count 'em...all six are there.'
The 32-year-old dons Emporio Armani’s Autumn/Winter underwear collection for the fashion glossy’s photo spread.
The talent, who has had bit parts in dramas such as Dream (2009), I Love You, Don’t Cry (2008) and Air City (2007), lost 2.5kg for the photoshoot. The 3rd generation ethnic Korean from Argentina adhered to a strict diet and exercise regime to get his sculpted physique. The up and coming talent, who wants to make it big as an actor in South Korea, appeared as singer Son Dam-bi’s “husband” in MBC’s pseudo-married couple show We Got Married.
Actor: Marco practices brooding
Marco’s dream is to star in his own rom-com one day.
"To be honest, what I really want to do is acting. I know I have to speak (Korean) better. I am taking acting and pronunciation classes for that.”
No complains here. With Marco’s star on the rise, we will be seeing more of the talent…and his chocolate abs. Whoo hoo!
Wanna be a star? Korean entertainment companies are on their annual hunt for fresh talents.
S.M. Entertainment (SME) – the company that has churned out BoA, Girls Generation (pic below), SHINee, f(x), Super Junior and, of course, TVXQ – is giving you the opportunity to sign an exclusive contract with them. All costs before you debut as an entertainer will be borne by the company.
Ooh la la: I wanna be a star!
SME is looking for singers, actors/actresses, models, dancers and composers/lyricists. It doesn’t matter what nationality, age or gender you are, you’ll just have to be Asian to participate.
Your may find your ticket to stardom at one of these audition dates: Nov 15 (Sun) in Los Angeles Time: 1pm – 7pm Venue: Wilshire Plaza Hotel, 3515 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90010
Nov 22 (Sun) in Toronto Time: 1pm – 7pm Venue: Toronto Korean Center (Hanin Center), 1133 Leslie St. North York. ON. Canada. M3C 2J6
Nov 22 (Sun) in Vancouver Time: 1pm – 7pm Venue: Executive Plaza Hotel in Coquitlam, 405 North Road, Coquitlam, British Columbia V3K 3V9, Canada
Nov 27 (Fri) in New York Time: 3pm – 8pm Venue: Korea Village (At Open Center, B1), 150-24 Northern Blvd. Flushing, NY 11354
Nov 28 (Sat) in New York Time: 1pm – 7pm Venue: Korea Village (At Open Center, B1), 150-24 Northern Blvd. Flushing, NY 11354
JYP's Wonder Girls are back in Korea after 7 months in the US. After a wonderful experience touring parts of the United States and Canada as the opening act for the Jonas Brother, they are now back in Korea and held a press conference on the 23 October. The Wonder Girls' popularity in Korea rose after their first solo concert in March 2009. After a very successful stint in the States, Park Jin-young (or better known as JYP), head of JYP Entertainment is now very proud of his girls. JYP revealed that he intends to take the girls' career in the States further, but has no immediate plans for the Korean market.
Here are a couple of questions from the press conference:
What was the first thing the girls wanted to do when they returned to Korea?
They wanted to eat good ole authentic Korean food! Ye-eun wanted to eat dwen-jang jiggae for breakfast while So-hee asked her dad to make miso soup.
What are the Wonder Girl's plans for the future?
According to JYP, his girls will be appearing in leading U.S. newspapers and magazines in November 2009. They will also be interviewed on television programs. Next year, there are plans to make a regular album in the United States. JYP says that there is no artiste in the states doing the "retro singer" concept.
Looking fresh and hip after their 7 month stint in the USA
Actor Lee Min-ho of Boys Before Flowers is set to go on a promotional tour for Korean beauty brand Etude House and Malaysia is on his list of stops!
The 22-year-old, who is the face of the brand, will be stopping by Taiwan (Oct 23), Singapore (Oct 24) and finally, Malaysia (Oct 25).
Lee Min-ho surprise: Hello Malaysia, I'm visiting you real soon!
We don’t know which Etude House outlet he’ll be at when he comes to our country, and the information at the official Etude House website doesn’t help at all. “Check local listings for the times and places.” – What on earth does that mean?
Is Lee Min-ho’s visit such a regular thing that we have “showtimes” for it? I don’t know where to look. If you do, please point us in the right direction. 감사합니다.
They’ve shed their bubblegum image for a more mature, edgier look. SHINee, a quintet from South Korea, is back with their third mini album entitled 2009, Year of Us.
SHINee boys are from left: Onew, Tae-min, Min-ho, Jong-hyun and Key
The album drops tomorrow (Oct 19) with a track that has a major hook. Ring Ding Dong will cause fan girls and boys to either spontaneously burst out into the ultracool dance moves or go: Ring ding dong/Ring ding dong/ Ring diggi dingdiggi/ Ding ding ding.... Oh yeah, SHINee is rockin’ the house with the groovy “Afro-electro” number that is driven by a snazzy drum rhythm and electro beat.
The latest album also reportedly focuses on each individual’s distinctive style. Onew duets with veteran ballad singer Kim Youn-woo in The Name I Loved while Minho and Key are set to mesmerise fans with their rap battle track Get Down.
Yes folks, SHINee is so FUN-tastic and Ella-stic that you’d want to Ring ding dong, ding dinggi ding ding, dong dong, ping pong and king kong with the boys.
Korean stars are making their way to Singapore for the Seoul’d Out 2009 celebration in conjunction with the Sundown Festival (http://www.sundownfestival.sg/).
Performing live at the event are T-Max, Brown Eyed Girls, F.T. Island, Mario and Lee Ji-su. Early bird tickets are priced at $65. The k-pop event will be held at the Fort Canning Park on Dec 12.
Why is it that K-pop stars love going to other South East Asian countries and not Malaysia? Are our local event organisers that incompetent?
Is anyone flying over to Singapore to catch this event?
If you’re not, then maybe we can appease your kpop craving with this sexy video by Brown Eyed Girls: Abracadabra -- exactly what K-popped! Malaysians need, a little magic to make Kpop entertainment happen in our country :-P.
Now you don’t have to slave in the kitchen to make Korean side dishes. All you need to do is pop into selected Cold Storage outlets and pick up a container - or two - of readily-made banchan!
Han Sung is selling their homemade kimchi and banchan at selected Cold Storage stores in the Klang Valley.
Choices, choices: Six banchan to choose from
“This weekend (Oct 17), we will be at the Cold Storage at IKANO Power Centre,” says Daisy Choi, public relations manager of Han Sung. “The following weekend, we will be at the Cold Storage outlet in Mid Valley.” <-- Oct 17 update: Change of plans, folks. Han Sung will be at the Cold Storage in Mid Valley today.- Liz
Say 'kimchi': Choi (left) and her hubby Yu-han during the Han Sung banchan promotion at Cold Storage, KLCC on Oct 10.
You can’t miss Choi and her crew as the ladies will be decked out in the traditional Hanbok. Apart from that, you can sample the banchan that are on sale.
Try me!: Sample some of the delights before buying
Here is the list of what’s on the shelves: 멸치 (myeol-chi) – Fried anchovies! There are two types of banchan made with anchovies – spicy and non-spicy.
마른 생선 (ma-reun saeng-seon) – Dried fish, which is a rather chewy side dish.
오징 오채 (o-jing o-chae) – Fried cuttlefish - rather chewy as well.
콩장 (kong-jang) – Seasoned black beans (my personal favourite!)
And last but definitely not the least, 김치 (kimchi), the cabbage kind, which is a must-have at every Korean meal.
The banchan are selling at RM9.90 each. Currently, if you buy 5 banchan, you’ll get 1 free. You can choose either the Seasoned Black Beans or Kimchi as your free gift.
Promotion: Buy 5, get 1 free!
Han Sung also has plans to offer their homemade banchan at Jusco and Isetan outlets in the Klang Valley. Stay tuned to K-popped! as we bring you more yummilicious news in the future.
SNSD's Jessica, actress Kim Ji-woo and Miss Korea Lee Ha Ni will be cast in the musical "Legally Blonde" (Korean version). The musical "Legally Blonde" opened in the American box office in 2001, grossing 90 million U.S. dollars.
In Korea, Legally Blonde the musical opens on November 14, 2009 at COEX theater, Seoul.
After his recent bout of flu, SS501 band leader Kim Hyun Joong is back looking extremely healthy and handsome in the new Tony Moly photo shoot.
The KBS2 TV Boys Over Flowers actor shot a CF for the cosmetics brand Tony Moly, appearing with a beautiful model. The shoot begn early in the morning and dragged on till late at night. Despite the long hours, Kim was in good spirits through-out the shoot.
SS501 will be performing at Taipei, Taiwan's Super Arena for their Asia concert tour. They will also release a mini album called "REBIRTH".
Mariah Carey is currently in Seoul to promote her new album "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel". Carey, one of the world's top pop singer, arrived at Seoul's Incheon International Airport on 12 October.
Carey will be holding a press conference at KBS 2TV building in Yeouido and will appear on the show Yu Hui Yeol Sketchbook. She will also perform on the show. This is the first time Mariah Carey will appear on a South Korean domestic terrestrial TV music program.
On the 14th October, Carey will appear on the cable music channel MTV. There will also be a meet the fans session.
Mariah Carey will leave Seoul on 15th October after a 2 nights 3 days promotional visit.
Rain (비) performed in Seoul for his Legend of Rainism Asia Tour at the Gymnastics Stadium at Seoul Olympic Park on the 9th and 10th October, 2009. Rain paid tribute to the late "King of Pop" Michael Jackson by singing Billie Jean and dancing to it donning the signature fedora.
Rain pays tribute to the late Michael Jackson...
Rain sang a total of 25 songs (including encores) and the concert lasted two and a half hours. According to J. Tune Entertainment, Rain has been working out and rehearsing for the concert for the past six months.
In a special interview, Rain revealed that before a concert begins, Rain sizes up the audience by giving it a quick glance when he first appears on stage. Nothing escapes his cursory view, and he confesses that he notices beautiful women in the audience. Why of course, he's a hot-blooded male after all.
Rain kicked off his Asian Tour in Japan (29 & 30 Aug), performed in Seoul on 9 & 10 Oct, and will be performing in Hong Kong in Dec 12 and 13, 2009.
Video clip on Legend of Rainism 2009 (Rain's Asia Tour) : Seoul
Have you been to DramaFever lately? While we Malaysians are still unable to stream from the site (it has to do with the licensing agreement, folks), our K-popped! friends in the US and Canada will now be able to enjoy SBS dramas!
Now showing:Cain and Abel at DramaFever.com
“DramaFever is now officially licensing SBS dramas. With KBS and MBC, that brings all three major Korean broadcasters to DramaFever.com,” says David Hou, Vice President of DramaFever.com.
Kicking off this week’s SBS titles are Tazza and Cain and Abel. The former is adapted from Hur Yeong-man’s manhwa and revolves around gambling, while the latter is a story about two brilliant surgeons and sibling rivalry.
Now showing:Tazza
“As always, all dramas are presented in uncut and uninterrupted episodes, high quality streaming, English subtitles and free viewing,” adds Hou.
Alrighty, you lucky Americans and Canadians, what are you waiting for? Just go to www.dramafever.com for your dose of K-dramas. 아싸!
To show their undying support for 2PM, Malaysian Hottest has taken a leaf out of the Korean Hottest’s book and organised a flash mob dance of their own.
Fans of the Korean boyband, who call themselves Hottest, gathered at Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur on Oct 4 for the event. They danced to 2PM’s Again and Again. Hit the play button to watch the video now!
Leader of the group Park Jaebeom quit the band on Sept 8 following a controversy arising from some old derogatory comments he made about Koreans at his MySpace website. Fans all over the world have been showing their unfailing love and support for the group in many ways – a silent protest, flash mob dances, flash mob freezes, online petitions etc.
If you’re interested, check out the Korean Hottest flash mob dance below too.
Hey you, ever thought of yourself as a superstar? Fancy basking in the limelight and leading the glamorous life?
Well, if you can sing, dance, act, host or model, make sure you don’t miss your opportunity to audition for Mr. Park Jin-young.
Yep, the famous JYP a.k.a. the The Asian Soul is on the prowl again for fresh talents and if you’re residing in the USA or Canada, you’re in luck.
Make me a star, JYP!
The man behind the Wonder Girls (and of course, the mentor for Korean sensation Rain) is looking for diamonds in the rough to hone and polish. If you’re a gem waiting to be discovered, moonwalk your way to one of these cities below:
Year 2009
Oct 25: Hawaii
Oct 31: Los Angeles (Happy Halloween!)
Nov 4: San Francisco
Nov 7: Seattle
Nov 11: Vancouver
Nov 13: Denver
Nov 15: Chicago
Nov 18: Washington D.C.
Nov 21: New York
Nov 24: Toronto
ANY resident in the US and Canada are eligible to participate regardless of nationality and gender. However, candidates should be born in the year 1982 to 2000.
D i s c l a i m e r :
All photos belong to their rightful owners and K-popped! does not claim copyright to them, unless clearly stated. Copyright infringement is not intended. The photos here are strictly for the enjoyment of the public and to promote the Hallyu in Cyberworld. If we've unintentionally offended any party, please direct your questions and concerns to us.
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Welcome!: Dinner is (partly) on us at Han Sung :-)
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