Park Yong-ha returns to the big screen after six years away, following up his comeback in the recent drama success On Air with a film role. Prior to that, his last kdrama was 2002’s Loving You, while his last film was 2002’s Love Me Once Again (he had worked on his singing career in Japan in the intervening years). Now he’s set to star in the film Bond [작전; translation mine -- the eventual English title may differ] opposite Kim Min-jung, which plans to start shooting in September and recently begun test shoots. The title refers to financial parlance, as the crime thriller revolves around a stock scam plot. Although rumors in Chungmuro say the script is strong, production company Silk Road has kept relatively mum about the plot, casting, and other details. But given the success of Silk Road’s previous film, hit thriller The Chaser, focus has heightened on this project as well. Park Yong-ha plays a man whose fearless trading on the stock market led him to complete ruin, who spends the next five years studying the stock charts. After becoming a day trader, he is scouted and unwittingly becomes embroiled in crime. Sounds like just the type of dark thriller to follow in The Chaser’s footsteps, but we’ll have to see if it can fill those shoes. source: dramabeans credit: is plus

As you can see that many stars made comebacks this year! Like Seo Taiji, Lee Hyori, Seo InYoung, Brown Eyes, and Uhm Jung Hwa. BUT! This year hasn’t ended yet! There’s still more to come! The focus is now on the younger idols!

Idol groups such as DBSK(TVXQ), SS501, SNSD, Big Bang, SHINee, and Wonder Girls have all promised to make big comebacks to the scene in this half of the year. And in October, we all will get to witness a mind-blowning scene when all these groups will be active and competing for the top.

Wonder Girls, returned with their third project single ‘So Hot,’ which heated things up in the music scene. And without any promotional activity of a second song, the girls will return in early September with a new single. Under the direction of JYP, who recently made a discrete return to Korea, the girls finished the recording process of the new single that will portray a different image from ‘So Hot.’ Interesting huh?

And Wonder Girls’ rivals, Girls’ Generation, are also planning a return in this half of the year. The girls who were busy with promotional activities until January, have been fairly inactive in recent months with the exception of a few individual activities. But in October, they plan to return to the stage with a new album featuring songs by composer Yu Youngsuk and many others. Wow! Let’s see if they can turn the antis around!

DBSK(TVXQ) and SS501 who have both been active in Japan, are also planning to return to Korea with new albums this year! Woah! DBSK and SS501?! Wow! This is feirce! For DBSK(TVXQ), this will be their first album in Korea since 2006’s ‘Oh Jung Bahn Hab.’ On the 15th of August, they took the stage at ‘SM Town Live 08.’

Though being busy with other activities overseas, SS501 have kept in touch with Korea with ‘Deja Vu’ and special album ‘Find.’ In October, they will make their actual comeback with a new album.

Along with the rest of the stars, JYP’s new group 2AM/2PM, and Kara featuring a new member also plan on a very active in this cherry half of the year.

Source: kpopstars@multiply

FT Island will be releasing their 2nd album ‘colorful sensibility’ on 25th August. The preview of the MV of the title song “After Love” was also revealed.

Debuted last year with the song, “Sarang Alhee”, after which they occupied on and offline chart within a month into debut and also took home the best newcomer award during the year-end music awards, FT Island will be back on 23rd and 24th August in Seoul Melon AX for their commemoration concert for their 2nd album.

A part to the MV of the title song “After Love” of this new album was revealed on 18th August on Mnet site (www.mnet.com).

A 60-members-strong orchestra participated in the song “After Love”, and is said to be a magnificent and powerful song. With this, FT Island will also be showing more maturity in their music this time.

The MV is directed by Jo Soo Hyun, who also directed MVs for artistes like Seo In Young, Big Bang, MC Mong, Rain etc. And all FT Island members will be featured in the MV, talking about 5 different stories of love and separation.

And while filming for the MV, leader Choi Jong Hyun hurt himself while filming a scene hitting the sandbag. But Choi Jong Hyun had continued with the filming with professionalism and finished the filming smoothly.

The 2nd album ‘colorful sensibility” plus the full version of the MV will be released together on 25th August.

Preview of “After Love”:

source: kbites
credit: kimmysaur@YT

Sa Jae Hyouk became the first Korean weightlifter to win an Olympic gold last Wednesday since Chun Byung Kwan in 1992 and only the second in Korean weightlifting history. He must be really happy for he posted photos of himself with Wonder Girls Sun Ye and So Hee at a celebratory concert for the Korean athletes on 9th July. This has led to another round of discussion over the friendly links between athletes and celebrities once more.

The photos caught the attention of netizens after it was posted with some expressing, “Really like Jae Hyouk oppa, so envious of So Hee and Sun Ye…”.

Sa Jae Hyouk was actually tied with China’s Li Hongli, having both lifted 366 kg, with 163 kg in snatch and 203 kg in clean and jerk. But because Jae Hyouk weighs less than Li Hongli, the gold went to the earlier in the men’s 77-kilogram weightlifting competition and Korea’s 6th gold medal then.

The Wonder Girls are currently in Beijing to cheer on the Korean athletes.

source: wonderland

The “sexy divas” of K-pop, Lee Hyo-lee and Uhm Jung-hwa, will be performing on-stage together for the first time.
Lee Hyo-lee interviewed Uhm on the Mnet reality program which ended in May, “Off the Record with Hyo-lee.” During the candid interview, Uhm confessed her feelings about returning to the music scene and in a moment of on-air bonding, the two decided to give a joint performance.

That performance will be at the “2nd Mnet 20′s Choice” summer ceremony on August 23rd at 5 p.m. at Seoul’s Jangchung Stadium.

“I have great respect for Uhm Jung-hwa,” said Lee Hyo-lee. “I’m honored to be able to join her on-stage.

We will give you a performance that can only be made possible with Lee Hyo-lee and Uhm Jung-hwa!”

Uhm responded by explaining that she and Lee Hyo-lee were always compared as rivals in the singing business. “This will give us the opportunity to bring something completely new to the public,” she said. “I’m very curious to see how a performance featuring the two of us will turn out.”

The inside scoop from the ceremony producers is that they have a lot of interesting set-ups prepared, such as an “Uhm Jung-hwa transformation” by Lee Hyo-lee.

“Mnet 20′s Choice” is a music festival and ceremony with awards for pop culture icons chosen by the trend-setting public in their twenties.

source: kbs global

TODAY IS GDRAGON’S, A MEMBER OF BIG BANG, 20TH BIRTHDAY.

LET’S ALL WISH HIM A HAPPY BIRTHDAY,HEALTH AND ALL THE BEST THERE IS TO WISH!  

HAVE AN AWESOME BIRTHDAY PARTY AND ENJOY IT WITH YOUR LOVED ONES!

Big Bang will be going on their first variety broadcast program “Come To Play” after their 3rd album comeback.

They will participate in the telerecording of MBC “Come to play” on 20th August. With DaeSung participating in SBS “Family Outing” recently, the last time to see all 5 members on a variety program was during April where they participating in SBS “Change”.

After it was confirmed that Big Bang will be appearing on “Come to Play”, there has already been 1500 inquiries on the official site for “Come To Play” regarding their appearance. There has been a lot of interests on Big Bang’s comeback appearance on variety programs.

Big Bang had their comeback stages on 16th and 17th August on MBC MusicCore and SBS Inkigayo.
And for their comeback 3rd album, the records sales has already exceeded 70,000 copies in just a week’s time. They are definitely back, taking the Korea music scene by storm.

Source: KBites

Davichi and 2AM received the best single award and newcomer award respectively on 17th August in Seoul Jamsil LotteWorld during the Digital Music Awards.

Davichi won the best single award with their song “Love and Warfare”, they sold a total of 237,000 copies in July alone. While 2AM won the best newcomer award with the song “This Song”.

Especially for Davichi, who won the Best Newcomer award in February with the song “Hate you even though I love you”, has proven to everyone by bagging this month’s Best single award in just 5 months into their first award.

Also for 2AM who debuted only recently, proved their music capability by performing their song during the award ceremony. They also did a little rendition of their seniors WonderGirls‘ So Hot.

Source: KBites

What surgery?

Why, the Korean netizens are just too obsessed with the idea of plastic surgery. Like what one of the comments to Is this really her? said, “Nowadays netizens swear everyone is plastic.”

Solbi looks the same if we compare her childhood pictures with her pictures now. It’s just that people have good and bad camera days.
All this plastic talk is quite stale,because not everyone went under a plastick surgery.

Source: KBites

(She looks the same for me.)

Kwon Sang Woo ———– Son Tae Young

KSW and STY met each other through actor Kim Sung Soo (김성수). Son Tae Young and Kim Sung Soo belong to the same agency. When STY visited KSS at the filming site of the drama “Cruel Love”, KSS introduced STY to KSW. Since then, they have been dating. When KSW proposed to STY, he was so excited that he shed tears.

The wedding ceremony will be held at the outdoor ceremony field of “Shilla Hotel (신라호텔)”.

KSW states, “My father passed away 6 months after I was born. Thus, I have always been thinking about raising a family where I could provide a resting place for the mind of my beloved ones. My dream is to meet the person I want to marry and I won’t regret to give all my love to her.” He says that their family members get along well and Son Tae Young has been bringing lots of laughter to his family. He states, “I will always love her.” He states that he and STY will continue their entertainment careers after they get married.

In the meantime, KSW and the musician/pianist Yiruma (이루마) become in-laws due to this marriage. Yiruma is STY’s elder sister’s husband.

Kwon Sang Woo —- Yiruma

credit: cindyw88@soompi
Pictures: mydaily