Korean Wedding Planners and/or Wedding outlets

The number of weddings in the period this year was the lowest since 2004, with 188,200. At this rate, this year may fall short of 2015, which had a record-low 302,828 weddings. Experts say this year’s figure may not reach 300,000.

For many young singles in South Korea, they think marriage is a sort of luxury that they have lots of other things to do first. Before tying the knot with their ideal partners, they want to achieve career goals, receive more education and consider themselves still too young to get married. Economic reasons, such as a small income and lacking funds for wedding expenses, were ranked second. Since this social atmosphere continues, recently people are focusing on a ‘reasonable wedding’. It is not easy to prepare an affordable wedding for busy modern people. Including wedding halls, dresses and makeup, wedding photography and honeymoon as well, everybody knows this is a once in a lifetime event, but sadly weddings cannot be afforded because of the expenses and the time to be taken off for the honeymoon.

Thus, it increased that people prepare their wedding through wedding fairs or do their own leg work to save money. If wedding planners are used, it can be more convenient to prepare, but price bubbles such as extra options after wedding contracts are still contentious social problem in South Korea.

[Trendy small wedding at Seoul Forest Park in Seoul]

According to the ‘2016 Status Report about wedding expenses’, the average wedding cost amounts to 274.2 million won. The wedding ceremony costs around 82.4 million won except for housing funds. Therefore, to reduce the burden of these excessive costs, soon-to-be married couples have chosen to have a ‘small wedding’. They reduce the scale of ceremony such as inviting people, but host a very unique and special wedding. That’s the point of this conception’s wedding.

But a small wedding with good facilities at an affordable price are difficult to find since they are already booked like six months to a year ahead. In addition, small wedding halls located in cheongdam-dong or Gangnam district are too expensive to use. Those small wedding venue fees are more expensive than regular venue fees.

Q. Who’s normally responsible for paying for the wedding?
Traditionally a few days before the wedding in South Korea, the families will go through exchange of several kinds of gifts. It called ‘honsu’ and ‘yedan’. They include many things such as gifts of household goods, clothing and jewelry between the bride and groom.

Q. How do the bride and groom prepare for the wedding?
1. Create a list of wedding preparations and set up budgets
For marriage check-list, it is easy to research on websites or via married friends or through information about what wedding planners can provide.
And it’s better to do market research for venue, attire, makeup, honeymoon and etc.

2. Venue
When the date is determined, the next thing you have to do is make a reservation to visit the venues.
If your hometown is provinces, you have to consider about this fact.

3. Honeymoon
And the groom and the bride determine duration of honeymoon.
(And if working, check availability of vacation.)

4. Photography, Attire and Makeup
Those three avengers, Studio / dress / makeup, are one of the most important preparation for the bride.
1) Studio (Photography)
Select your favorite studio that has your taste and good atmosphere.
And then make a reservation.
2) Attire Korean Women rarely buy wedding dresses/hanbok (Korean traditional costumes) but rather rent them. Same goes for men as well.
Prices also vary widely, so definitely plan specific budget for it.
3) Hair / Makeup
Even though it is within the same shop, prices can vary by designers. Check carefully.

5. Yedan (gifts)
Originally, the gifts given by bride’s family to the groom and his family, are called ‘yedan’.
But these days that gift is presented by greeting the groom’s family and entering his home. Normally, you have to check out what that groom’s family wants such as only cash or in kind, then right before marriage like one month before, send them the ‘yedan’ by having courtesy and wrapping them with ‘yedan’ envelope and ‘yedan’ cloth.

Q. The top 5 most popular places to have a traditional and non-traditional wedding.

1. Popular non-traditional wedding places

[Typical non-traditional wedding at wedding hall]

1. $ – Resident Hall / Church / Cathedral
2. $$ – Novotel wedding (https://novotel.ambatel.com/gangnam/weddings )
3. $$$ – Hotels (The Shilla Seoul – http://www.shilla.net )
4. $$$ – Hotels (The Chapel at Cheongdam – http://www.thechapel.co.kr )

2. Popular traditional wedding places

[Traditional wedding at Unhyeon palace in Seoul]

1) At Unhyeon Palace (Unhyeongung)
In Unhyeongung Palace, to hold a traditional wedding ceremony, you can pay as much as $800 US Dollars. (0.9million won). You can hold the wedding at relatively low cost.
2) At Lotte World Folk Museum
They have easy access to airport and downtown in Seoul.
They won’t allow you to get bored at your wedding as they provide various activities like performances and playing Korean traditional music instruments. Lotte World’s traditional wedding cost around $1,500 US Dollars. (1.7million won) And, the groom and the bride can rent traditional wedding costume, Hanbok. They offer free tour of the Folk Museum to every wedding guest.
3. Top 5 Wedding planners in South Korea
1) i-Wedding http://www.ifamily.co.kr/
2) Vernovia in Cheongdam http://www.vernovia.kr/
It is an open gallery wedding shop. It means you can choose wedding dresses or dresses to wear anytime. 80% of wedding dresses are all brand-new ones.
3) Denam since 1994 http://www.denam.com/
4) Hannah Wedding http://www.hannawedding.co.kr
5) Wooa Wedding http://www.wooawedding.com/
Do you know anyone getting married in Korea or Who will you marry in Korea?

Kоrеа has еаrliеr tооk thе lеаd аѕ hаving thе hоttеѕt fаѕhiоn trеnd аnd iѕ рrоbаblу going tо hоld that lеаd fоr a vеrу lоng timе.

Bеfоrе Kоrеа tооk thе lеаd, thе hоttеѕt fаѕhiоn trеnd in Aѕiа wаѕ Jараn. But it ѕееmѕ likе Jараn hаѕ lоѕt itѕ titlе to Korea in the раѕt couple оf уеаrѕ.

Sо, whаt hаѕ Kоrеа intrоduсеd tо thе wоrld whiсh mаdе it ѕuсh a ѕuссеѕѕful fаѕhiоn trеndѕеttеr? Thеrе аrе a numbеr оf роѕѕiblе rеаѕоnѕ whiсh led tо their ѕuссеѕѕ whiсh I will bе diѕсuѕѕing аbоut in thе nеxt few раrаgrарhѕ.

Firѕtlу, Asia’s еx-lеаding fаѕhiоn trеndѕеttеr hаѕ intrоduсеd, if not mаdе bеttеr, ѕоmе оf thе most fаѕhiоnаblе lаdiеѕ’ blоuѕеѕ аnd drеѕѕеѕ fоr ԛuitе ѕоmе time. It iѕ оnlу nаturаl thаt thеу wоuld run out оf idеаѕ аftеr tаking such a lоng lеаd. Thеrеfоrе, Korea tооk thiѕ орроrtunitу tо ѕnаtсh thе lеаd frоm Japan аftеr itѕ fаѕhiоn сrеаtivitу hаѕ run drу.
Sесоndlу, it соuld bе due tо thе ѕurgе in рорulаritу оf Kоrеаn рор grоuрѕ whiсh has lеd tо thеir fаѕhiоn ѕuссеѕѕ. As уоu аll might knоw, рорulаr рор grоuрѕ uѕuаllу ѕеt thе lаtеѕt trеnd аѕ thеу аrе thе frоntlinе оf thе еntеrtаinmеnt ѕсеnе аnd wоuld hаvе tо drеѕѕ uniԛuеlу tо idеntifу thеmѕеlvеѕ. Yоu hаvе рrоbаblу hеаrd muсh аbоut thе lаtеѕt Korean pop grоuрѕ ѕuсh as Big Bаng, Suреr Junior аnd Girl’s Gеnеrаtiоn (SNSD). All thеѕе рор grоuрѕ аrе nоw thе mоѕt tаlkеd аbоut in thе еntеrtаinmеnt wоrld. And ѕinсе thеу are ѕuсh hоt tорiсѕ, it iѕ nо wоndеr thаt реорlе wоuld wаnt tо imitаtе their idols аnd wоuld thеrеfоrе drеѕѕ ѕimilаrlу tо their idоlѕ. I bеliеvе that thiѕ iѕ thе mоѕt сruсiаl роint whiсh lеd Kоrеа tо оvеrtаkе thе lаtеѕt Aѕiаn trеnd.

Aѕ a fаѕhiоn аdviѕоr, I uѕuаllу аdviѕе mу сliеntѕ tо hаvе a сlоѕеr lооk аt thе fаѕhiоn in Aѕiа. The арраrеl in Aѕiа lооks mоrе арреаling tо thе еуеѕ аnd thе rаngе оf арраrеl аrе сlоѕе tо unlimitеd. I lоvе how сrеаtivitу is expressed thrоugh fаѕhiоn. Fоr сliеntѕ whо hаvе dоubtеd mу аdviсе, I wоuld buу thеm a niсе рiесе оf арраrеl frоm thе lаtеѕt Kоrеаn fаѕhiоn. Aftеr wеаring thе арраrеl I bоught thеm, mоѕt оf thеm wоuld bе in awe аt hоw a рiесе оf сlоthе could bring оut ѕо much in thеm.

Sо, tо уоu people оut thеrе, tаkе mу аdviсе and gеt уоurѕеlvеѕ thе lаtеѕt Kоrеаn fаѕhiоn сlоthеѕ аnd bе amazed at hоw ѕuсh littlе things саn dо уоu much good.

If you are visiting Korea without plans to visit the spas, saunas or jjimjilbang that the country has to offer, then you would be missing out a very fun cultural experience.

Over the recent years, spas, saunas and jjimjilbangs have quickly turned into social hubs for couples, friends and families of all age ranges. These favorite places to hang-out offer detox options that range from purification to anti-aging to enhance your skin and benefit your well-being.

Most of the spas’ services are open for 24 hours, offering facial and body massages, scrubs, manicures and meals. Compared to hotels or guest houses, the fees are extremely low and to stay for a night or two or longer would be very a convenient and enjoyable experience for tourists and travellers.

Each place will provide unique services that market certain clients; most spas and saunas would have clear instructions in English, Japanese and Chinese, which would assist foreigners enjoy the experience in convenience.

First, you collect your locker key at the front desk, after purchasing the basic entry fee that usually covers up to 12 hours of unlimited use of all the baths and saunas.

The next step is to shower thoroughly before you step inside a hot or cold tub; you are free to pick and choose which tubs to get and in which rooms to relax in. Most spas allow customers to sleep over for the night for extra cost.

One of the reasons why spas, saunas and jjimjilbangs are visited frequently by locals and tourists is because the heat is known to soothe tired muscles, loosen sore bones and cleanse pores. However, excessive heat and high temperature can be overwhelming to individuals with high blood pressure or other physical weaknesses and those who have never been inside a bulgama/heated pool should play safe and be cautious. Just because someone else next to you is lying for hours inside the temperature of over 40 degrees, it does not in any way indicate everyone else has to do the same.

Regular spas offer unique and diverse types of hot baths (e.g: green tea, rose, salt, ginseng) and basic necessities like soaps, shampoo, toothpaste and toothbrushes are available with hair dryers, lotions and perfumes. There are assistants who scrub your back and give you a foot massage.

Korean spas are usually created separately for men and women in the bath area but the main facilities including some spas, sauna and jjimjilbangs are for both genders to share.

Below, I listed five popular and unique Korean spas/saunas.

Spa Land Centum City

Located inside the world’s biggest department store, the “Shinsaegae Centumcity Department” in Haeundae, Busan – Spa Land has all the benefits of a traditional spa, Korean-style.

Spa Land consists of 22 spas of all-natural spring water from 1000m underground, 13 diverse ‘Jjimjilbangs’ and saunas themes and an open-air foot spa.

The first floor consists of the Korean traditional ‘Jjimjilbang’ and traditional saunas from all over the world. Finnish Sauna, Roman Sauna, Wave-Dream Room, Body Sauna Room, SEV Room, Roman Room, Milky Bath, Steam Sauna, Open-air Spa, Pyramid Room, Yellow Earth Room, Hard Wood Charcoal Room, Salt Room, Dry Sauna, Ice Room, Attraction Pool and many more. The Entertainment Zone on the second floor provides a range of beautification programs, a PC room, a restaurant, and a conference room.

Spa Lei http://www.spalei.co.kr/

Spa Lei is a female-only spa which provides an immaculate and stylish service and environment, from various cosmetic treatment, nail art, tanning room, sports massages and etc services females demand. The décor is made of a range of materials including stained wood, marble and rock in tones of warm colors.

The spa has Joseon-generation styled furniture, candelabras hanging over mirrors in an antique fashion. The saunas include pinewood, saltwater pool to ginseng, mineral and rose baths. A restaurant and coffee places are also available.

Dragon Hill Spa http://www.dragonhillspa.co.kr/

Dragon Hill Spa is one of the most visited and highest rated saunas in Seoul. The spa boasts of its eight floors fully equipped with various de-stressing zones and entertainment facilities, from fitness areas, spas, saunas, and rooftop gardens.

This spa features outdoor baths, charcoal saunas, crystal salt rooms and ginseng and cedar baths. This spa also has a great movie theater. There is a golf driving range, cinema and rooftop garden that offers an Indian barbecue. The outdoor heated pool for both genders; making this a perfect gathering place for family and friends for parties and meetings.

This spa will get over-crowded on weekends, but it is definitely one of the first spa places to check out when it comes to Seoul-style jjimjilbang.

The Spa in Garden 5 http://eng.spagarden5.co.kr/

The Spa in Garden 5 is one of the newest spas in Seoul with a large scale. It boasts of great views of the outdoor scenery. Located on the 10th floor of Garden 5 shopping center, this modern spa offers the well-known features, as well as with extra-ordinary themes like a library, arcade, internet cafe and yoga classes.

This spa has specialized atopy treatment room, DVD room, restaurants, various sauna rooms separate for women and men, ice room and etc.

Hanhwa Resort Baegam Spa http://www.hanwharesort.co.kr/irsweb/resort2/eng

Baegam Hot Spring is one of the oldest spring spas in Korea, since it existed since the Shilla Dynasty (57 B.C.E.- 935 C.E.). This natural spring is situated on Korea’s east coast, Baegam Hot Spring is one of the most popular tourist attractions within the Hanhwa resort. The resort is located close to several beaches and it has the view of Baegam Mountain.

The spring spa is sulfuric, thus the thermal waters have fragrance and color are quite unique. The sulfur is known to have effect in healing chronic dermatitis, endometritis and arteriosclerosis, so that healing factor alone has drawn numerous visitors each year. Baegam Hot Spring also offers a theme park.

You will be mildly surprised to find that each spa, sauna and jjimjilbang in Korea has its unique asset and specialty for its clients the experience the best of service during their stay.

And last but not least, Hurshimchung spa in Busan is one of my personal favorite spas in Korea. The link of th spa/sauna and its facilities and the hotel it is located in is provided in English.

http://www.hotelnongshim.com/eng/html/03_spa/spa_01.php

Before deciding on the place to visit, please take the time to do a thorough research on the spa/sauna that you are interested in, since most web sites are available in English and other languages translation, it should not be too intricate. It would also be helpful to be informed of the additional services that you can utilize, the cost and its opening hours of it services.

It is mostly recommended to visit a spa/sauna during the season of winter, however spas and saunas agreeable to utilize at any time or season of the year. There are countless numbers of spas/saunas to select in Korea and if you spend the time with family members and friends, then the enjoyment will be greater still.

— J.Chung

Blood Type A

People with the blood type A are generally known to be kind and compassionate individuals who regard others peoples’ interests and needs first.

These people may seem calm from their outer appearance but they often suffer from turmoil and anxiety. People with blood type A personality are great listeners who tend to make good friends with strangers.

They like to be accepted by other people, but since many of them have introverted personality, they sometimes find it hard to trust and make new acquaintances.

Jong-kook Kim

Jong-kook Kim is a Korean singer and TV personality. In 1995, Kim joined a duo called Turbo with Jung-nam Kim, which was hugely popular with their up-beat songs for several years until the Jung-nam left after a conflict with their management company. He was replaced by Mikey and the group later disbanded in 2001. Since then, Kim has been a solo act focusing mostly on ballads for his music.

Over the years, Kim has actively participated as a guest or an entertainer in many variety shows including, ‘X-man’ and ‘Family Outing’ and most notably the ‘Running Man’. He is also known to host a documentary program called ‘Escape Crisis No.1’ as well as co-hosting the show, ‘Everybody’.

Sumi Jo

Su-gyeong Jo is a Grammy Award winning Korean soprano singer. Jo was born in Seoul, Korea. Her mother was an amateur singer and pianist who was unable to pursue music professionally, Jo’s mother made her daughter take piano lessons at age 4 and voice lessons at 6. Jo would spend up to eight hours a day, practicing music. When she was a music student at Seoul National University, Jo made her professional recital debut, appeared in several concerts with the Korean Broadcasting System, made her professional operatic debut as Susanna in ‘The Marriage of Figaro’ with the Seoul Opera. In 1983, Jo left her school, to study at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome, where she performed in concerts in Italy and on national radio and TV frequently. Jo decided to use “Sumi” as her stage name around this era. In 1986, she was unanimously awarded the first prize in the Carlo Alberto Cappelli International Competition; open exclusively to first-prize winners from major competitions.

Jo has over 50 recordings to her credit, including ten solo albums for Erato Records of Warner Classics. These include complete operas, oratorio, operetta, orchestral works and etc. Sumi Jo is one of Korea’s top soprano singers, actively performing in important events in Korea and abroad.

Utada Hikaru

Utada is a Japanese-American singer and songwriter. Since the release of her Japanese debut album, ‘First Love’ became the best-selling album in Oricon history in 1997. Three of her Japanese studio albums listed Top 10 best-selling albums ever in Japan and six of her albums.

In total, Hikaru has a record of holding twelve number-one singles in the Oricon Singles chart. She has five million-sellers and four Top 100 All-Time Best-selling Singles. It is estimated that Utada has sold more than 52 million records worldwide.

Si-kyung Sung

Sung Si-kyung is a Korean ballad singer and actor. Sung’s debut was in 2001 when he released his first album, mainly consisting of ballads. Sung achieved three top hits that year making him the best newcomer singer of the year.

His second album released in 2002 was also a massive success, selling more than 650,000 copies. In September 2011, after coming back from the military service Sung returned to the music scene with his seventh album. Sung is often regarded has the emperor of ballads in Korea, the singer Seung-hoon Shin who was known previously as a ballad king for years is said to state Sung as his successor.

Ji-won Eun

Ji-won Eun is a Korean rapper, host, composer and former member of the 90’s group, Sechs Kies. After the group disbanded in 2000, Eun pursued a solo career a year later with the first solo single (“A-Ha”).

In 2007, Eun released a hip-hop single called “Adios”. The following year, he released an album entitled ‘G Code’ and a single called ‘Dangerous.’

Eun has appeared on numerous TV shows including, Happy Sunday: 1 Night 2 Days and currently co-hosts the health program Vitamin and the network’s song-contest program Saturday Freedom: Immortal Songs 2 on KBS World TV 2.

Yunho (DBSK)

Jung Yun-ho is a Korean singer, actor and a member of the pop duo DBSK, a.k.a TVXQ. After winning a prize at the 1st Annual SM Best Competition in 1999, Yunho signed with S.M. Entertainment, officially started his training in 2000.

Yun-ho spent most of his high school vacations in Seoul as a trainee, returning to his hometown, Kwangju for school. In 2002, Yunho was chosen to be part of the project boy band Four Seasons; this project was later dropped when Yunho and Jaejoong joined TVXQ in 2003. Yunho was put as its leader.

Regarding his dancing ability, Yunho has been given the title as “K-pop’s dancing king” by critics. He was the only Asian artist to be invited to Michael Jackson’s tribute concert held in 2010.

Taebin Im

Danny Im who is also known by his Korean name Taebin, is a Korean-American singer. Since 1998, he was an active member as the lead vocal for the hip hop group, 1TYM; the group was managed under YG Entertainment. 1TYM produced many hits and six albums.

During 2006, 1TYM was on a hiatus due to member, Jin Hwan’s military service. 1TYM has not officially broken up; however they have been inactive as a group since 2005. In 2004, Im released his first solo album. In September 2012, he began his own TV show, “Danny from LA”, which premiered on Mnet America. In the show, he covers topics of the latest trends in Korean pop, music and culture.

Hyun-Suk Yang

Yang Hyun-Suk is a Korean music mogul, musician and record producer. He rose to fame as a member of ‘Seo Taiji and Boys’ during the 90’s. Yang was well-known for his dancing skills even before he joined the group, along with his band-mate, Juno. The band disbanded in 1996.

In 1998, Yang established YG Entertainment and became its CEO, the company is currently one of the most successful recording companies in Korea. Around that time, Yang released his first solo album which featured a song composed by Seo Taiji. Yang Hyun-Suk has since produced numerous successful artists under his entertainment label, focusing mainly on Hip Hop genre and the various.

Blood Type B

People with the Blood type B are outwardly outgoing and friendly. They are naturally friendly and hospitable to most people. They are great leaders who can deal with working under pressure with anyone.

The males have a stereotype of being unpredictably temperamental at times and like to rely on themselves and their own judgment. Especially in Asia, men of this blood type are regarded by women to have a difficult or complicated personality; they are often known to be excessively stubborn, unpredictable and unsuitably flirtatious.

Wan-sun Kim

Kim I-seon is a Korean female singer. Her sensational debut was at the age of 17 in 1986. She is known for her dancing skills and charismatic presence.

In 1990, her fifth studio album, she achieved three consecutive No.1 singles and sold more than 1 million copies. In the mid-1990s, she retired from the Korean music scene to start a new career in Hong Kong due to complications with her family’s debt and etc. She managed to achieve success in Taiwan, released three albums in Mandarin under the name Jin Yuan-Xuan.

From 2006, she lived in Hawaii for three years, studying digital arts at the University of Hawaii. She returned to Korean music scene in April 2011, releasing the Super Love EP. Kim currently owns her entertainment company.

Jang-hoon Kim

Kim dropped out of school at an early age and worked as a D.J. at cafes.

In 1991, he released his debut album which included, “On A Sunny Day”, written by Heeyul Yoo, “Always Between You And I”, and “To The Tomorrow” written by Cho Dongik. His second album, including “Now”, was released in 1993. Kim debuted in 1991, but it was not until Kim’s 4th album, ‘Fool’ that got him recognized for his musical ability and gained him popularity.

Kim is well-known for his charity work for over ten years; he is particularly known for his activities in the Liancourt Rocks territorial dispute between Japan and Korea.

Ha-neul Kim

Ha-neul Kim is a Korean actress and model. Kim started her career by modeling for a clothing brand ‘Storm’ in 1996, appearing in magazines.

She made her acting debut in the 1998 film, ‘Bye June’ – over the years, she has been best noted for her lead roles in the romantic comedies ‘My Tutor Friend’ (2003), ‘Too Beautiful to Lie’ (2004), ‘My Girlfriend Is an Agent’ (2009) and Blind (2011).

Eric (Shinhwa)

Eric Mun is a Korean-American singer, actor and a member of the Korean boy band Shinhwa that was formed by S.M Entertainment in 1998.

In 2014, Eric teamed up with is long time manager of ten years to set up a new management agency E&J Entertainment for his individual activities. Eric is currently the CEO of Shinhwa Company with Lee Min-woo since 2011, with the remaining Shinwha members; Kim Dong-wan, Shin Hye-sung, Jun Jin and Andy Lee as its shareholders.

Jae-suk Yoo

Jae-suk Yoo is a Korean actor, comedian and television comedy show host.

His debut was on the KBS Comedian Festival, which was held for college students in 1991.

In 2002, after spending about nine years as a low profile comedian, he got a chance to host a program called Live and Enjoy Together, which was recommended to him by the actress, Jinsil Choi. The program became instant hit, since then Yoo hosted many programs.

Yoo is often dubbed as the “MC of the nation”- a survey by the Korean netizens proved he was the country’s most popular comedian for five consecutive years, from 2004 to 2008. Yoo has hosted several variety TV shows, including the popular programs Infinite Challenge and Running Man.

Seung Hwan Lee

Seung-Hwan Lee is a Korean singer songwriter who is often quoted as ‘the emperor of live performances’ – produces all his records himself since his debut album was released in 1989. He won the New Artist’s Gold Disc in the year of 1991.

Lee has released more than ten singles, albums and EPs that all reached the top of the charts. Lee is a first musician who is also the president of his company. His entertainment company, Dream Factory estimated that Lee has sold over 10 million records. Lee has so far held more than 1000 solo concerts.

“Chakage Salja (Let’s Live a Good Life in Korean)” is a fund-raising concert Lee hosts every year, partial of the donation goes to the Korean Childhood Leukemia Foundation.

Tae-hee Kim

Tae-hee Kim is a Korean actress who is known to be one of the most popular actresses of her generation. Kim was born in Busan and was brought up in Ulsan. She later moved to Seoul to attend the Seoul National University, majoring Fashion design.

Kim started her career in TV commercials, later appearing in supporting roles in dramas as Stairway to Heaven in 2003. In the start of her career, her lack of acting ability was very much criticized was later acclaimed when she starred in one of the leading roles, ‘Iris’ (2009); which was one of the most expensive Korean TV dramas to be ever produced. Kim famous for being the face of various commercials, from make-up brands to IT-related devices and etc. Kim’s younger brother, Hwan Lee is also an actor.

Blood Type O

This type is described as responsible individuals who are extremely organized. They are outgoing and sociable, love to gain attention and popularity from others.

They make excellent leaders and conversationalists, they are usually liked and promoted by people in general.

At times, they like to be alone and need to spend time by themselves.

Blood type O people are very creative and confident, but since they are not very persistent; they do not always meet their goals and plans.

Sang-woo Kwon

Sang-woo Kwon is a South Korean actor. He rose to stardom in 2003 with the romantic comedy film, ‘My Tutor Friend’ and ‘Once Upon A Time In High School’ released in 2004.

Kwon started his career as a model in the late 90s. He had his first acting experience in the TV drama, ‘Delicious Proposal’. For few years of his entertainment career he received only minor roles, before making his big-screen debut in the martial arts film ‘Volcano High’ (2001). The following year he played his first lead role in the comedy ‘Make It Big’ (2002).

Gun-mo Kim

Gun-mo Kim is a Korean singer and musician who has released twelve albums.

Kim debuted with an album, ‘Kim Gun Mo 1’ in 1992, which was followed by his second album ‘Excuse’ in 1993. His third album ‘Mis-Encounter’ came out in 1995. Kim holds the record for having the biggest selling album in Korea; his third studio album sold over 3.3 million copies. Kim’s 8th album, ‘He-story,’ was the best-selling album in the year of 2003. His most recent work was released in 2008, entitled, ‘Soul Groove.’

Siwon Ryu

Si-won Ryu is a Korean actor, singer and professional car racer. After his debut in the KBS drama, ‘Feeling’ in 1994, Ryu has been in countless TV dramas and commercials. Ryu also pursued a singing career and was active both as an actor and a singer in Japan.

He was the first Korean artist to hold two live concerts at the Tokyo Dome, in December 2008. Then in November 2011, he held his 100th solo concert in Japan.

Ri-na Chae

Hyun-ju Park is a Korean singer and rapper. Her stage name is Ri-na Chae.

Ri-na is a former member of Roo’ra, Diva and later a project team called Bros. She officially joined Roo’ra as its youngest member in 1995, while still in her teens when the group released their second album. As soon as the group disbanded she formed a trio group called, ‘Diva’ and the released three albums until they disbanded. Roo’ra members were reunited but the reunification was short lived due to complications and personal issues between the members. The group released nine albums in total. Ri-na herself has released one solo album, ‘The First Step’ in 2002. As of 2006, she and Yuri from the K-pop group, ‘Cool’ formed a duo called Girl Friends, after releasing two albums before they disbanded.

Woo-sung Jung

Woo-sung Jung is a Korean actor and model. He grew up in a very under-privileged region in Seoul, so he had to undertake many jobs since he was young to earn his living. He later dropped out of high school in order to pursue his career in acting. Jung made his film debut in the 1994 movie, ‘The Fox with Nine Tails’. In 1997, Jung found widespread fame in Director Sung-su Kim’s film, ‘Beat’, playing a role of a high school student who becomes caught up in gang life.

Since his acting debut in 1994, Jung has featured and did numerous work on films, TV commercials, dramas, directing short films and music videos; winning and being nominated for many major awards as one of Korea’s top actors.

Joo-hyun Ock

Joo-hyun is a singer and theatre actress, best known for being the main singer for the 90’s girl group Fin.K.L. After the group disbanded in 2002, Ock released three solo albums and has participated in musicals, Chicago, Cats, 42nd Street to name a few. In 2003, Ock came out with a solo single called “Nan…”, meaning “I…” in Korean, which entered the top 10 of Korean music charts.

In addition to launching three albums, she has worked as a radio DJ for several years, as well as an emcee for SBS, MBC, and KBS. She has also received an award for “Best Radio DJ” during the MBC awards of 2005. Ock has appeared on various television works and since 2005, she has appeared in various musicals like Cats, Chicago, Rebecca, Guys and Dolls and etc.

Takuya Kimura

Takuya Kimura is a Japanese singer and actor. He is a member of the well-known Japanese group, SMAP. The numerous TV dramas he starred in produced high ratings in Japan. Born in Tokyo, Kimura attended elementary school and junior high school in Chiba. In 1987, his aunt sent an application to the Johnny & Associates talent agency, where he became a member of Johnny’s Juniors which was a group for trainees.

In 1988, SMAP was created, and Kimura joined as its member. The members began to host a weekly Japanese TV variety show SMAP×SMAP. Kimura is currently regarded as one of the most successful entertainers in Japan and Asia.

Blood Type AB

AB types are strong-willed and rational people. They don’t care too much about tedious things and accept life’s challenges without their emotions getting in the way. AB types are popular people who enjoy freedom and hate being ordered around by others. They are also known to have split personalities. AB types are regarded as either prodigies or clowns; they are extremely complicated in terms of their personality and character.

Around five percent of the world’s population is known to be of this blood type, which makes AB the rarest out of all four blood types.

Soo-yeon Kang

Soo-yeon Kang is a Korean actress born in Seoul. She was one of the best known and internationally acclaimed stars during the 80s and the 90’s era.

Kang made her acting debut as a child actor in the 1977, acting in a number of low profile movies before making a breakthrough performance in Director, Im Kwon-taek’s movie, ‘The Surrogate Woman’ – she received the Volpi Cup Best Actress award at the 1987 Venice International Film Festival and Best Actress Award at the Nantes International Film Festival. She won the Best Actress award at the 16th Moscow International Film Festival for her role in the 1989’s movie, ‘Come, Come, Come Upward.’

In 2001, Kang starred in the TV Drama aired on SBS TV titled ‘Ladies Of The Palace‘ and this performance enabled her to win the Performance Award awarded by SBS TV.

Hyun-jung Kim

Kim is a Korean singer and musical actress; best known for her powerful voice and up-beat songs that has influence of foxtrot music.

Since her official debut in 1998, she is known to compose and produce most of her songs. Most of her singles hit the top of the music charts.

Kim also holds the title of being the third female solo artist to sell the most records in Korea, selling more than 500,000 copies for each of her released album and won as many as 30 music awards.

After having being involved in a car accident more than once, Kim has managed to get back on track to run a successful business for her own jeans brand, a company for pet supplies, as well as working on her new music.

Sora Lee

Lee So-ra is a Korean ballad and pop singer. Lee released her first album in 1995. Her sixth album, Nunsseopdal, won her the Korean Music Awards for Best Female Vocalist in 2005. Lee has in total eight studio albums.

Lee hosted her talk show on TV called, ‘Lee Sora’s Propose Show’ which show-cased live performances of artists active in those day. The first show aired in 1995 until 2002.

Ji-hoon Lee

Ji-hoon Lee is a Korean singer and actor. He made his debut on 15 October 1996, with the single “Why the Heaven” while he was still in High school.

In 2001, Lee and former H.O.T member and solo-artist, Kangta formed a project group called the “S” with close friend and group, Shinhwa’s lead-singer, Shin Hye-sung. In May 2004, Lee released a new album as a solo vocalist. The title song of the new album was “Trinity”. Lee Ji-hoon has been featured in numerous TV series and films for years as an actor.

Mirae Yoon

Natasha Shanta Reid is an American-born Korean rapper and singer. Mirae Yoon is her Korean name, she is also known as Tasha or T. Mirae was born in Texas to a Korean mother and a African-Scottish father.

In 1995, Mirae accompanied her friend to a World Records audition, a staff member heard her singing outside of the audition room; she got casted for an ‘Uptown’ member. Uptown debuted in 1997, when Mirae was about 15 years old.

In 1999, she formed a duo, Tashannie with a former member of Uptown, Annie Lee. Uptown disbanded later in 2000. A year later, Tasha debuted as a solo artist with the name T, releasing her 1.5 album, ‘Gemini.’ Her album was the first Korean hip-hop album to debut in Japanese. Mirae joined Jungle Entertainment, founded by Tiger JK whom she married in 2007. She is currently a member of ‘MFBTY’ with her husband, JK Tiger and Bizzy.

Mirae is an advocate against child abuse, she and her husband were commended by the Korea’s Ministry of Health and Welfare for promoting child abuse prevention.

Ji-tae Yoo

Ji-tae Yoo is a Korean actor and director. Yoo started as a fashion model since Yoo’s noticeable trademark was his tall height.

In 1998, he began acting in films like, ‘Attack the Gas Station’ (1999) and ‘Ditto’ (2000). Yoo garnered recognition and fame by working with top Directors like Hur Jin-ho ‘One Fine Spring Day’ (2001) and Park Chan-wook’s ‘Oldboy’ (2003). Yoo began directing his short films in 2003, which were well received by film critiques. His feature directorial debut, ‘Mai Ratima’ was released in 2013.

Jung-hwan Ahn

Ahn Jung-hwan is a Korean former football/soccer player. Ahn played for teams in Japan, France, Germany and China. Ahn was selected for three World Cups, in 2002, 2006 and 2010. Starting his career with K League’s Busan Daewoo Royals, Ahn joined Serie A’s AC Perugia in 2000–01, on a loan.

During the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Ahn scored against Italy that sent Korea through to the quarter-finals. The next day, the Perugia owner cancelled Ahn’s contract, quoting, “I have no intention of paying a salary to someone who has ruined Italian football.” The South Korean national coach, ‘Guus Hiddink’ critized the decision; Perugia took back the claims and offered to buy Ahn’s contract, but the Ahn rejected that he would no longer discuss a transfer to Perugia since they attacked his character instead of congratulating his win on the game. Ahn was chosen for South Korea’s 2006 FIFA World Cup team in Germany, he is also the Asian football player to have scored the most goals in the World Cup games.

Young-Ae Lee

Lee Young-ae is a Korean actress. Lee made her debut in a TV commercial in 1991. This later paved way for her to feature in TV dramas and movies.

She is internationally known for her leading role in the Korean historical drama ‘Dae Jang Geum’ (2003). In 2004, she was appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador by UNICEF and has held several charity fundraisers for schools and hospitals in Harbin and an elementary school in China; renamed as Lee Young-Ae Elementary School.

Lee’s most notable role in film is, Director Park Chan-wook’s crime thriller, ‘Sympathy for Lady Vengeance’ which released in 2005 – Lee was awarded Best Actress in the 2005 Blue Dragon Film Awards and 2006 Baeksang Art Awards for her performance. In 2007, she received the Merit of Medal of Culture for her contribution to Korean Wave from the Korean government.

— J. Chung

SHINee is easily one of KPOP’s most recognizable boy groups. Their appearances outside of Asia are extremely rare so it was a real treat for Shawols(SHINee’s fanclub) in Dallas when it was announced that SHINee would be holding a fan meeting there, their 3^rd US appearance this year. SHINee previously performed in Chicago at another fan meeting and were the headlining act at day 1 of KCON LA 2016.

Attendees began lining up for the show hours before doors opened, with fans handing out banners and other support items despite the high temperatures.

Once inside, the excitement hit a fever pitch as fans sang along to the tracks playing over the sound system. A sea of Pearl Aqua Green was visible as the lights dropped and SHINee took the stage, starting off the fan meeting with ‘Everybody’. The crowd was deafening, screaming along to the song.

After this song, SHINee went off stage and the MC introduced himself and talked with the crowd while the group did a costume change. During this portion it was discovered that several fans travelled very long distances to attend, including several from Mexico, Japan, Norway, and Singapore. SHINee returned to the stage to applause and introduced themselves individually.

Before their performing their next song, they were shown a video made up of clips of fans from around the world. Minho could be seen dancing to a pair of girls imitating his iconic rap from ‘SHINee World’ while the others laughed at cute moments. After this, they performed ‘Hello’.

As this was a fan meeting, there was a portion of the show where a group of lucky fans got to play charades onstage with SHINee. Some of the highlights of this were Key imitating Golum from Lord of the Rings and watching Taemin struggle to act out some of the more difficult words. Onew’s team won the game and were given prizes.

The rest of the show went off without a hitch with the group performing ‘Replay’, ‘Lucifer’ and ‘Sherlock’ back to back. Fans of all ages sang along and danced to these older hits. There was a final costume change while a VCR for ‘View’ played. It was particularly impressive at how much stamina the group had to perform this song despite the previous block of choreography heavy songs.

SHINee are a highly animated group who obviously care about their fans worldwide. Key even mentioned that one of his favorite things to do is watch fan reaction videos. It is easy to see why SHINee have survived for the past 8 years and continue to rise to the top.

Thanks to Subkulture Entertainment and SM Entertainment for bringing SHINee to Dallas!

—-Ke’Anna Bullard

American KPOP fans were given a real treat when it was announced GOT7 would be bringing their Fly concert tour to the US after touring in Asia. GOT7 previously held a fan meeting tour in May of 2015, visiting 3 cities. For the Fly series 5 cities were announced, with 7 shows taking place. First on the list was Dallas, one of the cities included on the fan meeting tour last year.

The concert started off on a bit of a sad note, as it was announced that due to illness Youngjae would not be performing in Dallas. However, the remaining 6 started off the show without a hitch, performing their Intro, ‘Put Them Up’, ‘Turn Up The Music’, and ‘Girls, Girls, Girls’.

The boys kept the energy up most of the show, slowing it down for ‘This.Star’, ‘Playground’, and a few other ballad type songs. Near the middle of the show GOT7 featured 3 special stages: First, ‘1:31 A.M’, JB and Youngjae’s duet, ‘Higher’, Mark and Junior’s upbeat feature, and ‘WOLO’, Jackson, Bambam and Yugyeom’s performance.

The group also performed many fan favorites like ‘I Like You’, ‘Follow Me’ and their most recent releases, ‘Fly’ and ‘Home Run’. Fans were also excited when they went into the crowd to perform ‘Confession Song’, hi-fiving and shaking hands with fans.

Each member expressed how happy they were to be back in Dallas, with Mark displaying his excitement over selling out the entire venue. Bambam also took the time to talk about ignoring those who have negative things about him.

The amount of stamina GOT7 have to keep the crowd hyped up is seriously impressive. Even JB, who is still recovering from a back injury, had an incredible amount of energy, exploding with charisma during their performance of ‘If You Do’.

One of the most memorable portions of the show was the encore when the group performed a remixed version of Fly. There was no set choreography and it was very cool to see Yugyeom freestyling. It felt more like a party than a concert and it ended sooner than anyone would have liked.

GOT7’s Fly tour will continue in Asia after the US set of dates. If you are able to go to a show anywhere it will definitely be worth your while. GOT7 have grown exponentially as a group in the year since their last US appearances and will leave you in anticipation for their future concerts.

Thanks to JYP Entertainment and Subkulture Entertainment for bringing GOT7 back to America!

—-Ke’Anna Bullard

There are roughly thirty amusement parks that are currently listed throughout South Korea. Since we are going through the hottest season of the year where people like to spend more time out-of-doors, an amusement park is a great place to be, to knock off some heat.

It’s the holiday season for many of us, so there will be big crowds visiting these parks and it is true that queuing up to get on the rides would be longer but the good part is that these places are more exciting when it’s packed with many other people. I’ve been inside a practically empty theme park a few times and it’s definitely less fun.

Some of these theme parks may be more known to the public and because there are quite a few of them in Korea, I will be covering just the three of the most popular amusement/theme parks, Seoul Land, Lotte World and Everland for this article.

Each theme park has their own definite characteristics and philosophy when it comes to bringing entertainment to people of all ages from all across the globe. You’ll soon see why these theme parks have been loved by the public for many years.

(I’ve also linked up the English websites, for those who might be interested in looking into the places.)

Seoul Land

Seoul Land (a.k.a SeoulLand) is one of the most visited amusement parks in Korea, located in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi province at the Seoul Grand Park Complex. This theme park first opened its doors in 1987.

Despite the name of the theme park, “Seoul Land” is technically located outside of Seoul but it is moderately close to downtown Seoul, making it very convenient to visit by subway or car.

It is estimated that over 3 million people visit Seoul Land annually. The natural environment of Seoul Land is green compared to other parks of this nature; the theme park attracts many visitors during the cherry blossom season.

I personally have fond childhood memories of Seoul Land. My mother used to often drop me and my sister to spend the day by ourselves at the theme park when she had business to attend.

I was still in pre-school so I wasn’t old enough to get on most of the rides; however I recall that it was still very entertaining to walk around the park and view the surroundings and enjoy the less intense rides for children. It’s a good thing I didn’t consider the merry-go-around boring back then. The park got crowded during the afternoon until it got dark, but we had the place to ourselves and didn’t have to queue up for long to get on the rides we could during the mornings. We would stay there for hours until my mother came to pick us up.

When visiting Seoul Land, you need to look up the schedule from their website calendar and check on the time of opening and the closing time. The park would close around 9pm but on some days at 5pm. The opening hours are usually from 9.30 am.

The characters that represent Seoul Land are two adorable turtles called, “Darong and A-rong.” The cute pair would be often spotted around the theme park with other fluffy characters, wearing differently themed-attire depending on the concept of the event or parade.

Seoul Land has obviously gone through many rapid changes and improvements since it first opened its doors to the public in the late 80s and is still evolving and changing today.

It currently boasts of 40 amusement rides and it has increased the number of restaurants and stores to let the visitors dine and take rests between the rides, plus holding different events and festivals throughout the year.

Visitors can get general admission tickets or a one-day unlimited pass. The general admission allows free entry to most of the rides. The unlimited passes allow almost all rides for free except for performances and other attractions may charge additional fees. There is also an annual free pass that can be used for a year. Children under the age of 2 are allowed to enter the amusement park free of charge.

I visited the Seoul Grand Park Complex sometime last year, not to get on the rides in Seoul Land but I went to visit the main branch of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, which is also located in the Seoul Grand Park complex next to Seoul Land.

For those who don’t like to go on rides at the amusement park, this could be a great of spending quality time at the museum with your loved ones.

http://eng.seoulland.co.kr/eng/index.asp

National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art

Lotte World Adventure & Magic Island

My favorite theme park in Korea would be without a shadow of a doubt, Lotte World mostly because of all the diverse entertainment it offers. This amusement park opened its doors in the year of 1989, after being under construction for four years.

It is reported to receive approximately 7.6 million visitors each year, which makes Lotte World Adventure and Magic Island the most visited or the second most visited theme park in Korea, the numbers really depend on the year.

Lotte World is split into mainly two theme parks, “Lotte World Adventure” and “Magic Island.”

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, “Lotte World Adventure” is the largest indoor amusement park in the world.

And the outdoor amusement park “Magic Island” is also unique for being built on a man-made island on a lake.

Lotte World is located in Songpa-gu, Seoul. My family moved to the area when I was about five years old, so I frequently visited the Lotte world Adventure and the Magic Island which was built a couple of years after the indoor amusement park was built.

My favorite ride on the Lotte Magic Island is the Gyro Drop. There is something very addicting about this ride and it’s amazing how you get a mixed feeling of both excitement and fear during the few minutes as you experience the massive drop after a height of 70 meters (230 ft.), in a speed of 100km (62 miles) an hour. The ride doesn’t take up more than five minutes but it’s probably the most fun ride there for me, personally.

Lotte World’s mascots are a pair of raccoons that go by the names, “Lotty and Lorry.” They are said to be one of the most successful theme park characters to be created, selling over a record breaking number of stuffed versions of themselves and various merchandise.

Like all the intense rides in theme parks generally, there are restrictions – if you are over 190cm (6.2 feet) tall or over 65 years old, according to their protocol, you would not be admitted to get on certain rides for safety reasons.

Overall, Lotte World has more to offer to its visitors compared to other amusement parks; it also gives access to shopping malls, Korean folk museum, aquarium, ice skating rink and much besides.

The Lotte World ice rink is said to be the largest rink in Korea; situated indoors on basement level 3, open all throughout the year. People can also sign up to get skating lessons. The ice rink facilities include restaurants, snack bars, a skate rental service and etc.

Lotte World opens every single day of the year – there won’t be any days that this amusement park is not open for the public. You’d need more than a day to really experience it all.

Lotte World’s amusement park’s opening hours from Monday to Thursday is 9:30 a.m. until 10 p.m. From Friday to Sunday, the hours of operation are from 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

Lotte World Folk Museum is one of the most popular museums in Korea among tourists who want to get a glimpse into the Korean culture and history. The displayed items date back 5,000 years of Korean history.

http://global.lotteworld.com

Everland

Everland is a theme park located at the Everland Resort in Yongin, Gyeonggi-do province, Korea. Even though the location is further out in the outskirts of Seoul, this theme park has been extremely successful, especially since after its renovation and expansion.

Everland is known for being the largest theme park in South Korea in terms of the scale. And it currently ranks 16^th most visited theme park in the world.

Along with its main attractions, Everland includes a large zoo and an outdoor water park named, Caribbean Bay.

This year of 2016, marks Everland’s 40^th anniversary since it opened in 1976 and it also celebrates its 20^th anniversary since changing the name from Jayeon Nongwon (Meaning ‘Farm land’ in English) to Everland, after a lot of controversy in the year of 1996. The name change was primarily sought out to reach the foreign market and to gain global recognition.

When this amusement park was first constructed, its theme was more of an animal zoo/safari park with only a few rides. In order to keep up and compete with the rival theme parks, Everland went under a new construction and many intricate amusement rides, golf course and Everland Resort began dominating the theme park.

Everland is largely made up of five zones, Global Fair, Zoo-Topia, European Adventure, Magic Land and American Adventure.

Everland has come a long way since they launched themselves as “Farm Land” and the fact that a theme park of this scale offers more than just fun rides, it’s also packed with zoos, safaris, water parks where people can be entertained in both man-made and natural environment which is quite fabulous.

http://www.everland.com/web/multi/english/everland/main.html

T Express is a wooden roller coaster launched at Everland in 2008 as Korea’s first and the largest wooden coaster and the first to utilize three trains in Asia. It is the world’s fourth steepest wooden roller coaster by 77 degrees and ranked as the world’s best wooden coaster in Mitch Hawker’s online poll in 2008 and 2010.

– J. Chung

May 2016 presented a much better month song-wise, so much so that it’s impossible to rank a top ten. Instead, we present you a list of the best songs that should find their way onto your K-Pop playlists as soon as possible! Let’s take a look.

ICIA “Time Bomb” | May 10 | DAM Entertainment

https://youtu.be/RP1hMjmxFnc

ICIA debuted in 2015 as the unfortunately named SIDA (French and Spanish for AIDS). In 2016, the SIDA name has been dropped (as well as a few members who have been replaced) in favor of ICIA. With the change comes an upgraded sound with personality.

“Time Bomb” is, in no way, an in-your-face, runaway hit, but it’s a catchy bop that ushers in the summer nicely. While the MV is low-quality, it shows off ICIA’s cute, fun sides just as much as the song does. The song’s catchy, addictive chorus gets better with each listen to make a song that is much like a time bomb. The song is not a top-tier one, but it’s enough to earn some notice.

AGirls “Uhoo” | May 16 | Star Bay

https://youtu.be/fAKbyj3I5h4

Like with “Time Bomb,” “Uhoo” isn’t a top-tier song, nor is it a runaway hit. However, it’s a sunny song that has a summery feel to it that makes it a fun, listenable song. The likeable AGirls ladies show off their cute and charming vibes. If you watch the MV and YouTube and comment, the members—specifically Jane—do take the time to reply. What’s not to love?

The winning portions of the song exist in the beat and chorus. For some, the “AGirls” chant and the “Uhoo” shouts may come across as obnoxious, but these portions are quirks that make the song fun.

Fiestar “Apple Pie” | May 31 | LOEN Entertainment

Fiestar did a 180 and went back to their cute sexiness that wasn’t exhibited in their severely underrated song “Mirror.” With hints of SNSD’s “Run Devil Run” mixed in with Fiestar’s effortless cuteness and sexiness makes the song stronger than it actually is. The chorus has a great beat with strong melodies, and the instrumentals make the song appealing.

CLC “No Oh Oh” | May 30 | Cube Entertainment

https://youtu.be/GoV7B9K23ts

CLC’s new members seem to working out just fine as “No Oh Oh” is a return to the potential CLC showed in “Pepe.” The song is strong from beginning to end in its arrangement and composition. The chorus has a good beat and catchy lyrics that make it a playlist-worthy tune. While it’s cute and a step up from their previous songs and one of the strongest releases for the month, it does lack an overall memorable quality that will help “No Oh Oh” stand out for years to come.

Tiffany “I Just Wanna Dance” | May 11 | SM Entertainment

Tiffany’s “I Just Wanna Dance” is a nice, nostalgic song that is reminiscent of music from the late 1980s to early 1990s. The song has hints of repetition that captures the era as well as vocal strength and a high dance-ability factor. Through the release, Tiffany showed she is a capable soloist just as much as fellow SNSD-member Taeyeon, but she really needs to work on her lip-syncing in order to put forth a stronger stage presence and prove she is capable of live performance.

AOA “Good Luck” | May 16 | FNC Entertainment

While it has a similar sound to BoA’s “Addiction,” “Good Luck” is a strong comeback for AOA even though promotions were short-lived. The song is lively and summery with suitable sexiness and brightness for the AOA girls. While it’s not a wholly memorable song, it’s a great song to usher in the summer season.

Baek A-Yeon “So So” | May 23 | JYP Entertainment

“So So” is a different take on the standard love song as it covers being lovelorn and wondering why everyone is just so-so. Baek does a great job carrying the emotion presented in the song while making it wistful, charming, and tenderly sweet. It’s no wonder the song was popular on the charts!

Luna “Free Somebody” | May 31 | SM Entertainment

“Free Somebody” is the 1980s hit we didn’t know we needed. The vibe suits Luna’s vocals well and highlights her personality. While it does come across as repetitive at times, the setup and framing works for the song to make it a standout.

BTS “Save Me” | May 15 | Big Hit Entertainment

BTS’s “Save Me” is a stronger song than their other May release, “Fire.” “Save Me” highlights more of their talents while “Fire” shows off their fun, in-your-face personalities. However, “Fire” is over-hyped and not that impressive, while “Save Me” has stronger staying power due to how it focuses on talent over gimmicks. It had to be said.

AKMU “How People Move” |May 3 | YG Entertainment

“How People Move” is the perfect song for the brother-sister duo as it’s cute, fun, and full of energy. This song is suited better for their vocal range than “Re-Bye,” which is registered higher than their vocal capabilities. The fun-factor is what helped this song become a strong hit for AKMU even though promotions were short.

What were some of your favorite songs from May? Let us know!

—Joelle Halon

In May, Buzzfeed published an article of “18 Korean Beauty Products You Need in Your Life.” One of the products, Benton Snail Bee High Content Serum, caught our attention. The product promises to help alleviate breakouts and acne scars as well as brighten skin. Since it was considered a must-have, we tried the Snail Bee Serum to see if it lives up to the hype.

Ingredients

With any beauty product, perform a spot-test on an inconspicuous spot to perform an allergy test. Individuals with bee allergies are advised to do this to make sure there are no reactions.

Paraben Free, Mineral Oil Free, Alcohol Free, Benzophenone Free, Steroid Free, Synthetic Perfume Free, Artificial Dyes Free, and Artificial Preservatives Free.

Ingredients: Snail Secretion Filtrate (90%), Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Glycerin, Arbutin, Bee Venom, Plantago Asiatica Extract, Laminaria Digitata Extract, Diospyros Kaki Leaf Extract, Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract, Ulmus Campestris Extract, Bacillus Ferment, Azelaic Acid, Althaea Rosea Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Butylene Glycol, Human Oligopeptide-1, Beta-Glucan, Betaine, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Adenosine,Panthenol, Allantoin, Zanthoxylum Piperitum Fruit Extract, Usnea Barbata (Lichen) Extract, Pulsatilla Koreana Extract, Arginine.

Use

After cleansing skin, squirt two-to-three drops of the serum and spread evenly onto your fingertips. Then, tap the serum into skin, taking extra care around the eyes, T-zone, and jawline. Tap more product into skin if needed. Layer another snail or Snail Bee moisturizer on top to help enhance the benefits. The serum can be used under makeup or as part of a nightly routine with a water pack.

Impressions

One of the pros of the Snail Bee Serum is that it isn’t messy and it absorbs quickly into skin. The product leaves skin feeling soft and supple when it’s initially applied, but the softness does wear as the day goes on, which is why it’s preferred as part of a nightly moisturizing routine. When used during the day, it does help makeup glide on easily for a smoother appearance.

Within the first week of use, there wasn’t a lot of noticeable improvement. There are plenty of reviews online that suggest the product works within the first day to reduce redness and blemishes, but I did not find this to be the case. However, the product did seem to work with continued use, so within two-to-three weeks, there were slight improvements to my skin.

Among the noticeable improvements include how my skin appeared smoother. There were improvements to redness, so this is a plus. However, the redness reduction was really visible following a sunburn because the product did help alleviate the negative effects. With normal skin redness and irritation, this product didn’t seem like it worked quickly, but it is one I would keep on-tap for sunburn relief.

The serum promises to brighten skin also. During the trial period, there was some brightening, but it wasn’t drastic. I did feel like I looked more refreshed and awake. I will point out, at least in my experience, that if you skip a few days, skin will begin to breakout and look rundown once more. Apparently, it gets better with each use and does enhance skin more than anticipated. Results may not be typical.

For a small bottle, a little does go a long way. After a month, there is still over half a bottle left, so you can go the distance with this serum.

The Verdict

The Benton Snail Bee High Content Serum is a nice addition to a skincare routine. It’s easy-to-use, and a little goes a long way. Some consider it to be a miracle product. It’s a good serum, but it’s not a miracle.

The Verdict: It’s a keeper, but don’t expect miracles.

—-Joelle Halon

As we continue to look at the cute animal-game fad, we came across Crossfield’s Cute Dog’s Life (Dog’s Life). Given the obsession with Neko Atsume and Spoon Pets, Dog’s Life intrigued us enough to give it a shot because it provides similar game-play to both the aforementioned games: Take care of adorable dogs by feeding and playing with them, then reap the rewards. As playing commenced, we discovered that Dog’s Life is different from Neko Atsume and Spoon Pets in both positive and negative ways.

About

Dog’s Life became available in Google Play and iTunes’ app stores in late 2015, but it and its sister-apps, Forest Life and Cat’s Life, started to gain some download-traction in recent months.

The kid-friendly app features a host of unlockable dogs ranging from Shiba Inus, Pomeranians, Border Collies, Corgis, and many others that need played with and fed periodically, much like the critters in Neko Atsume and Spoon Pets. Dog’s Life differs from the latter games due to the inclusion of puzzles users have to clear in order to earn coins, diamonds, and dogs.

It should be noted that the game does have in-app purchasing available. If the game is given to a child, it is recommended that purchasing be turned off or password protected.

Game Play

There are two parts to Dog’s Life’s game play: House and stage.

In the house, players have a yard where up to eight dogs can roam and play. Here, users can find a shop to purchase toys, food, water, beds, and new scenery for the pups as they become available. Goods can be purchased using coins earned through daily logins, spins, and unlocking levels. The dogs interact with the toys by playing fetch, drinking water, and leaping over hurdles, and they interact with users when they throw the balls or tap on different items. This is where Dog’s Life improves upon Spoon Pets and Neko Atsume because it is more interactive.

The game’s stage area presents users with puzzles that are similar to Candy Crush boards: Users match buttons and clear stages. Some stages involve players getting rid of monkeys and panels or dropping dog food to the bottom of the screen. The games present some challenges, but they’re not frustrating challenges, which makes the games easy enough for children to play. As players clear the stages, they unlock diamonds which are used to unlock different dogs and game-used items, and they can unlock new dogs to add into the yard.

Thoughts

Dog’s Life is probably one of the cutest games available for mobile devices. The folks at Crossfield took a simple game and made it charming with the chibi dogs, cheery music, and adorable interactions. The yard portion, at first, made the game worthwhile because the dogs do interact with the user. The way the dogs eat and play has a high “awwww” factor to the point where it’s almost sickening. Cute overload comes into play.

Over time, though, the yard portion of the game grows stale. The dogs remain adorable, but there’s only so much that can be done with them. Users can only place a limited amount of toys in the yard, and after the 50^th or 500^th food refill, it’s possible the user will start to question why they’re spending so much time on virtual dogs that eat way more than real dogs do. Then, if the dogs are touched while they’re eating or drinking, they get angry and growl. No one needs that type of abuse from virtual animals.

Plus, the dogs require a lot of petting before they reach “max love” and for the user to collect diamonds. However, if the dogs are petted a lot, they get tired and the user loses lives. There’s really a no-win in the petting game.

Chances are, the yard will be checked just for the dog’s cuteness -level, but they don’t really do much of anything. It would be nice if the dogs could be trained to do things or if they can venture outside the yard to go on adventures. The game could be expanded to make the dogs more interesting. Right now, they’re just cute.

On the other hand, the puzzles make the game worthwhile long after the dogs wear thin, but even they start to become less interesting as time goes on. The levels do get more challenging with more obstacles and less moves, so they do keep users on their toes. However, the game needs more variety in order to hold someone’s interest long-term.

One of the downfalls of the game is how long it takes to level-up and earn diamonds. Diamonds are rare and they’re needed to buy dogs. With each dog added to the yard, a dog that once cost 40 diamonds jumps to 70 diamonds. There is a weekly event available where diamonds can be earned, but even then they’re earned one at a time. It also doesn’t help that in-game-used objects like hammers and stars cost diamonds, but a lot of users may not know this because the game randomly gives these objects out for free but then sneakily takes diamonds away. There needs to be improvements made to the diamond system. One suggestion is to let users use coins to buy diamonds instead of real money. Right now, diamonds are used to buy already-abundant coins.

Another issue with Dog’s Life is the atrocious English translations. While adults can make out what the game’s trying to say in the instructions, children might not be able to due to poor grammar. It should be pointed out that it is appreciated that the game has been translated into English, but it needs work to ensure clarity for users, especially for those who are younger.

Overall

Dog’s Life is so stinkin’ adorable it hurts. The game has some improvements over Hit Point’s Neko Atsume and Spoon Pets, but it needs more improvements in order to prevent it from going stale. Young children will love the game just fine, while adults who enjoy mindless activities may give up on the game after a few weeks. Dog’s Life wants to be likeable, and it is because of the cute factor, but it needs a little something for it to be a mega-hit.

—-Joelle Halon

On Sunday June 12, 2016 US time, several US K-Pop news outlets including Allkpop, Soompi, and Koreaboo reported that 4Minute will disband following their contract expirations June 15, 2016.

Korean news outlets including Xports also report that 4Minute’s disbandment is inevitable.

Earlier this year, some insiders and K-Pop bloggers predicted 4Minute may disband with some suggesting it would be because HyunA’s popularity far-surpassed the group’s. Other cited the other members’ turn toward acting as a possible reason for potential disbandment.

An industry insider broke the disbandment news by stating, “All the members have a different future in mind such as singers or actors. After months of consideration, they decided that it would be hard to maintain the team. HyunA renewed her contract, and some of them are talking about renewing as well, but some will leave the label.”

Cube Entertainment confirmed that HyunA—who is currently gearing up for her summer solo comeback—did renew her contract, but stated contract talks with the other four members—Gayoon, Jihyun, Sohyun, and Jiyoon—were still ongoing as of Sunday US time.

However, Yonhap News’ English site discussed the situation with Cube Entertainment spokesperson Cha Hee-Jin. Cha said, “It’s hard to make an official announcement about the disbandment, but at this point, there will be few chances of revoking [4Minute’s] disbandment move. Each individual member has different careers in mind, and we are trying to work it out through dialogue.”

If 4Minute do disband officially, this is another hit to Cube Entertainment following Hyunseung’s departure from BEAST and G.NA’s contract expiration. Currently, G.NA is embroiled in a prostitution scandal.

4Minute debuted in 2009 with “Hot Issue.” While popular overseas, 4Minute never gained as much traction domestically even though they have been considered one of the top-tier groups in recent years. Since 2012, 4Minute’s popularity grew with their hit songs “Volume Up,” “What’s Your Name?” (2013), “What’s Poppin’” (2013), “Whatcha Doin’ Today,” (2014), and their massively popular hit “Crazy” in 2015.

In 2016, upon the release of Act 7, 4Minute’s popularity cooled with the release of the Skrillex-produced track “Hate” and follow-up song “Canvas.” “Hate” failed to win any music show trophies.

As the story continues to break, check out our Facebook page for any potential updates. While we hope 4Minute stays together, right now, the news doesn’t sound good.

—-Joelle Halon

For the above 30-years old set, Mizon products make great additions to a skincare routine. The creams are light without being too potent or being made for people with “teenaged skin” but are also perfectly fine for more mature skin.

One Mizon line of moisturizers stands out as a positive addition to a moisturizing routine. The snail repair line of face and eye creams are rich, fast-absorbing, and luxurious. Based on a month-long trial, I found that the products are two of the most useful moisturizers on top of being some of the most affordable (around $13 each).

Packaging

Both products come in nicely packaged boxes that have the date of when the products were manufactured, so users will know if the creams are fresh. The jars are a dark brown, heavy glass with plastic lids. I like how the jars are darker to help preserve the integrity of the product.

Once the lids are removed, there is a plastic seal around the opening as well as paper and hard-plastic lids to protect the creams. If any of these are missing, it’s safe to say it’s possible the creams have been tampered with in some way (used as a tester product, opened in store, or actual tampering) because there is plenty of protection provided to ensure a pure product.