KCRUSH [Color Code] Red Velvet – Feel The Rhythm

This Wednesday only series will provide KCRUSH [Color Code] Red Velvet – Feel The Rhythm. We hope you will enjoy.

 

Nippon Broadcasting System and PONYCANYON USA are pleased to announce the launch of “Anime Roomy,” a podcast for international anime fans!

Anime Roomy” is an all-English audio content for anime fans around the world hosted by Mikan, Yuzu, Yuri, and Sakura, who are anime fans living in North America and also members of PONYCANYON USA’s “World Otafy Project”. It features a lot of anime, from well-known classics to the latest titles, as well as “Funny Nihongo” and “Oshi-kai” that goes beyond anime, based on the concept of a fun otaku chat between roomies. Cast profiles and character voices are available on World Otafy Project official website.

The podcast is available on various distribution sites and PONYCANYON USA YouTube, and new episodes go up every Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. (Japan Time). Moreover, special guests are now being arranged. It will be a super exciting podcast for those who love Japanese anime and pop culture. Follow the official Twitter and subscribe to the channel, and look forward to the updates.

<Distribution URL>

https://lnk.to/Anime_Roomy
(Apple Music/Spotify/Amazon Music/Google Podcasts /YouTube)

https://podcast.1242.com/show/anime-roomy/

(Nippon Broadcasting System PODCAST STATION)

 

<Cast Profiles >

 

Mikan (Character Color: Orange):
A wholesome girl whose cute smile is her trademark. An accomplished fan artist who loves to share her work with friends. Loves shonen manga and anime based on them. Working toward her dream of becoming a designer.

 

Yuzu (Character Color: Yellow)

A cool beauty who’s also the group’s youngest member. Quick-witted and often serves as the MC of the program. Loves cats and anime. A self-proclaimed fujoshi.

 

 

Yuri (Character Color: Blue)

Her kindhearted, nurturing personality makes her the oneesan of the Roomies. Possesses a calming aura. Loves SF and hot-blooded anime. When she gets fired up about one of her many interests, she’s unstoppable.

 

 

Sakura (Character Color: Pink)

A multifaceted comedienne, by turns sexy and hilarious. Loves magical girl anime more than anything. The chameleon of the group, known for her sudden funny interjections.

 

 

 

<What is “World Otafy Project”?>

A project by PONYCANYON USA that aims to “otaku-fy” the world with the main focus on “translation by otaku for otaku”. The members are native English-speaking anime fans who are fluent in Japanese, and are involved in anime-related translation and research from their otaku perspectives. If you’re interested in being a part of “Otafy”, please check the website for the details and achievements. https://worldotafy.com

 

<Information>

Anime Roomy official Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnimeRoomy

World Otafy Project official website: https://worldotafy.com

Nippon Broadcasting System PODCAST STATION: https://podcast.1242.com

PONYCANYON USA official website: https://ponycanyon.us/

PONYCANYON official Twitter for overseas: https://twitter.com/PONYCANYON_EN

PONYCANYON official Instagram for overseas: https://www.instagram.com/ponycanyon_en/

PONYCANYON Official Facebook for overseas: https://www.facebook.com/PonycanUSA/

 

#Anime #podcast #JapaneseAnime #PONYCANYON #English #AnimeRoomy #Englishpodcast #WorldOtafyProject #Otaku #englishtranslation #Sakura #Mikan #Yuzu #Yuri #oneesan #fujoshi #NipponBroadcastingSystem #PonyCanyonUSA

 

 

Dreamcatcher Returns to the Live Stage With Their 2022 Album Mini Concert Seoul, South Korea (March 25, 2022) – Dreamcatcher, the dark horse and concept shattering girl group of K-pop has returned with news of a comeback and mini concert. The girl group is set to take the stage with a simultaneous offline and online event. Dreamcatcher 2nd Album [Apocalypse : Save us] Mini Concert is set to take place on April 12th at 7:30PM KST.

This mini concert revolves around their 2nd Album, [Apocalypse : Save us], marking this as another milestone in their growth as the queens of online concerts and live performances. The full-length album is set to have a tracklist of more than eight songs, introducing a new side of themselves and the start of a new era – ‘Apocalypse’ after their previous ‘Nightmare’ and ‘Dystopia’ series storylines.

From their live band concerts to their themed events with Halloween and dystopian aesthetics, the girls have evolved with online concerts in using groundbreaking XR technology for new stages. They’re gearing up for another mind blowing concert with the added joy of having fans present in-person, taking the stage to another level.

With their previous online concert bringing in over 10,000 fans, the girls are expected to break barriers once again with their in-person concert being streamed globally for their fans from all over the world to tune into.

They’ve garnered attention with their Billboard World Digital Song Sales Chart hit “Odd Eye” and their previous releases of chart-topping hits like “BOCA”, “Scream”, and “BEcause”. From strong dynamic tracks with powerful vocals to beautiful soft ballads, Dreamcatcher has captured the hearts of music fans both domestically and internationally.

As with the start of a new series, ‘Apocalypse’ is gaining attention from just the release of the mysterious teaser that revealed the full album release set for the same day as the live mini concert, exciting fans who marked off their calendars for the day in preparation for the next beginning of a narrative only Dreamcatcher can create with their music.

The group is preparing to meet their fans face-to-face with their concert on April 12th 7:30PM KST in Seoul, but global fans can also tune into the concert online to meet Dreamcatcher and enjoy the show together in real-time. Dreamcatcher 2nd Album [Apocalypse : Save us] Mini Concert is set to reunite InSomnia (fandom name) with Dreamcatcher once again, as they start off the year of activities alongside their next new series.

For this concert, Dreamcatcher continues their collaboration with MyMusicTaste, a technology forward platform that breaks the barriers set by the pandemic and brings fans and artists together to create a new way of connection.

All offline in–person events follow local jurisdiction protocols to ensure a safe environment for the artist, fans, and staff present at the venue.

Dreamcatcher’s seven members: JI U, SU A, SIYEON, HANDONG, YOOHYEON, DAMI, GAHYEON

Further information regarding online ticketing and the show itself can be found through https://mmt.fans/hEVn or through MyMusicTaste’s other social media channels.

For fanclub offline tickets, information can be found on Melon Tickets: https://mmt.fans/hE3B For general offline tickets, information can be found on Yes24. (Sales for general offline ticketing begin on March 31 at 8PM KST.)

Dreamcatcher 2nd Album [Apocalypse : Save us] Mini Concert April 12, 2022, 7:30PM (KST) – Streaming only on MyMusicTaste

 

About MyMusicTaste:

MyMusicTaste is a fan initiated live event making service that brings fans, artists and promoters from all over the world together in one place to create a valuable and meaningful concert experience for everyone involved. MyMusicTaste puts the power in the fans’ hands, allowing fans to request their favorite artist’s concert in their city. With the mission to connect and amplify the voices of fans all over the world, MyMusicTaste successfully promoted concerts of artists such as EXO, GOT7, MONSTA X, The xx, Machine Gun Kelly, and more in over 57 different cities. With the simple idea–empowering fans to bring their favorite artist’s concert in the city of their choice based on fan demand–MyMusicTaste is challenging the $27 billion concert market through cutting-edge technology and sophisticated, user-friendly service. Currently, www.mymusictaste.com supports more than 30 countries and offers 15 different languages.

 

About DREAMCATCHER COMPANY:

Established in 2008, DREAMCATCHER COMPANY is a South Korean record label and entertainment agency founded by the prominent production duo E-tribe. Since the debut of its first artist Nassun, the company has grown in size over the years, producing artists and idol groups under its own name. V.O.S, Dalshabet, and DREAMCATCHER are the major artists that are currently associated with the label. Recently, the company also launched subsidiary labels HF Music Company, Dreamcatcher Company, and D1CE Entertainment and is garnering much attention and recognition from the public as the rising creator of future K-pop artists.

The Northern Hemisphere’s spring season is just a few days away. Pretty soon, warmer weather will greet us. Why not prepare for the season with our Spotify…

 

Post contains spoilers

Turning Red, a film about a 13-year-old Chinese-Canadian girl Meilin Lee (Rosalie Chiang), is a groundbreaking film on many levels. It’s the first time a woman solo-directed a film in Pixar’s history woman (Domee Shi, who was also the first woman to direct a Pixar short film with Bao). Turning Red is also the second Pixar film to feature an Asian lead character since 2009’s Up (Russell). The cast, too, also features people of Asian descent voicing the characters, a rarity in the film industry. Turning Red provides the long overdue diversity needed today!

Set in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 2002, Turning Red follows Meilin as she navigates middle school, puberty, and becoming her own person while dealing with the expectations of her loving but overbearing mother, Ming (Sandra Oh) and the need to be “perfect” in her family’s eyes. While navigating the start of her teenage life, she also has to learn how to control her red panda spirit inherited from her ancestors.

 

 

From the start, Disney/Pixar’s new film is a nostalgia-filled romp for those of us who were teens (especially teen girls) in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The colors, fashion, Tamagotchi, and boy band references are enough to connect to the 30-and-40-somethings who now have kids in the age-range Turning Red targets. They also serve as a reminder of the now-cringe-but-simpler lives we led before being jaded by adulthood.

Along with the nostalgia trip, we’re introduced to Meilin’s diverse-yet-relatable friend group consisting of Priya (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), Abby (Hyein Park), Miriam (Ava Morse), and bully-turned-friend Tyler (Tristan Allerick) who each represent someone we all might have been friends with in school. Meilin’s core friend group of Abby, Miriam, and Priya are the types of friends we all wish we could have had in school as they are a source of love and support Meilin needs in her times of trouble. They provide Meilin the encouragement and acceptance she needs to help her find her voice and identity.

Of course, we need to address the red panda in the room as Turning Red is about Meilin’s journey to quell the panda within. While many kids will look at Meilin’s red panda persona as funny and cute, the red panda provides many metaphors throughout the film. First, the red panda symbolizes puberty and growing up. Many adults will see the panda as a symbol of a first menstruation cycle (as noted by Ming coming in the bathroom with a variety of tampons and pads to help Meilin). Meanwhile, the red panda rage Meilin experiences represents teen hormones and mood changes. Taming the human-to-panda changes represents trying to find oneself as well a deeper, more problematic meaning which will be touched on shortly. Younger audiences may miss the symbolism, but teens and adults could see it and relate.

Beneath the cute façade and symbolism, Turning Red also deals with deeper issues of acceptance and generational trauma, much like Disney’s Encanto did months prior. Like Encanto, Turning Red deals with the expectations parents and grandparents place on their children and the need for perfection while the younger generation wants to have room to breathe, thrive, and find themselves on their own terms. In Turning Red, we see Meilin torn between her duties as a good daughter helping her family run their shrine, maintaining good grades, and engaging in academic clubs and activities while also trying to be a typical 13-year-old who wants to hang out with friends, have crushes, and engage in fandom life. The latter part of her identity needs to be hidden away to avoid disappointing her mother. She’s eventually found out, leading to embarrassing results. Throughout the movie, there’s a strong sense that Ming doesn’t want Meilin to grow up to be her own person; instead, Ming wants Meilin to become someone she sculpted to fulfill the impossible desire for perfection. Here, Ming’s expectations mirror the expectations her own mother had for her, leading to the theme of generational trauma and breaking the cycle.

Unfortunately, Turning Red also sends a message that young people should hide and control their emotions. There is a scene early in the movie where Ming and Jin Lee (Meilin’s father) test Meilin to determine if she can control the red panda changes. Throughout the scene, Meilin must contain her emotions to where she’s practically emotionless. While the scene features calming techniques such as Meilin imagining the love of her friends, the whole message can be interpreted to mean that showing any emotion is bad and should be avoided.

 

 

Stepping away from the deeper elements of the film, Turning Red does have fun, irrelevant flair.

While it focuses on a Chinese-Canadian family, the movie does a great job including elements from different Asian pop culture scenes. 4*Town and their fandom reflect today’s K-Pop scene (Domee Shi states the influences behind 4*Town include BIGBANG and 2PM) while somewhat fitting into the early 2000s boyband-box (the name 4*Town may make some viewers recall the 2000s’ group O-Town). Similarly, there is a point in the film where Meilin’s family had to perform a ritual while chanting in Cantonese. The musical elements infuse different cultures in interesting ways, adding to the fun!

If you’re a fan of anime, Turning Red provides some anime-esque moments that will be familiar to fans including sexy food shots, “anime glasses,” and Meilin and company’s exaggerated facial expressions. Of course, there is a moment that may look familiar to fans of Sailor Moon that may garner a giggle. The anime allusions aren’t an accident, as Domee Shi admits she is a fan of Japanese anime, especially Sailor Moon and Hayao Miyazaki films. As you watch the film, challenge yourself to find the different references to different East and South Asian cultures as this is a neat extra layer to the movie.

 

 

Despite some feeling like Turning Red isn’t relatable beyond the Toronto Asian community, the film is successful in focusing on the struggles of teenage life and finding oneself. At several points, I found myself laughing and saying “that was so me” as Meilin and her friends navigated the world around them. From hiding boyband-love to random “sexy” sketches in a notebook to even hiding bad grades to not disappoint my family, almost every moment in Turning Red has something I and most teenagers have done. Ideally, these moments should serve as a bonding moment and talking points between parents and kids, especially when it is revealed Ming had similar experiences as a child.

Even the adults have relatable moments. For me, Meilin’s parents had shades of my own family with her dad being a supportive, quiet being while her mom being a force that can either build you up or tear you down depending on the situation. Like Meilin, the moment of sheer terror as her mother flipped threw her notebook to find questionable things and Ming flipping out reminded me of a similar instance I had in high school with my own mom. The anger and embarrassment I felt then came flooding back in this scene. Additionally, Ming’s questioning of 4*Town and why the group’s named 4*Town is something many parents may do. Kudos to Domee Shi and the writers for fleshing out the parents enough to make them feel realistic!

Meilin’s explosive tendencies toward her mother are also relatable although somewhat unrealistic. Meilin grows bold about sharing her feeling and lashing out against her mother as the film unfolds. While many teens may have moments of talking back to a parent, the speeches and clarity between exchanges is a dream for many as back-and-forth conversations can sometimes be volatile and unproductive, which isn’t always the case for Meilin. Of course, in the beginning, Ming dominated the conversations, but the dynamic shifted toward the end. Perhaps the messaging here is parents should not argue and listen to their children’s needs, but the message may be an unrealistic expectation for many children. This also brings up other issues that make Turning Red an imperfect film.

The acceptance Meilin experienced during her red panda change was too positive. Realistically, people might be judgmental with some resorting to bullying and ostracization if a fellow classmate went through an extreme change (naturally, we’re not talking about being a red panda!). Everyone seemingly accepted Meilin’s red panda persona and treated her better than before she was a panda. The only exception is Tyler who bullied her pre-panda but then used Meilin for his own gain until she lashed out against him. Some added nuances regarding some negative experiences would have added more depth to Meilin’s growing pains, especially in contrast to the conflicts she faces at home.

While the story and content are relatable, the movie feels frantic sometimes. The frenzied narrative Meilin starts the story with does create an issue with trying to connect to her, but as she learns to control herself and finds some inner peace, she does become less polarizing. The fast action and communication style can draw children in effectively. For older individuals, the pacing may be a turn-off and impact the overall likeability.

[Spoiler alert] Along with the above, the climax of the movie also made me laugh, but not in a good way. Without giving anything way, Meilin makes a choice that was expected throughout the movie, leading to a cheesy moment where she acts on the decision (here is where you see the Sailor Moon/magical girl references). This decision leads to a battle and destruction that caused an audible “what the f…” to escape with my awkward laughter. The moment here is cringey, but it does fit in with the overall scope of a movie that embraces awkwardness.

Turning Red is not without its flaws, but it’s a cute film sure to delight audiences. For some audiences, they will relate to the theme of growing up. For others, the fun-filled nostalgia trip might trigger some strong emotions of what it was like to grow up in simpler times and what it was like to grow up in a strict family.

Turning Red earns a respectable 3.5/5.

 

—-Olivia Murray

 

#TurningRed #Disney #TurningRedReview #ChineseCanadian #nostalgia #kpop #MeilinLee #RosalieChiang #DomeeShi #Pixar  #MaitreyiRamakrishnan #kpopdance #HyeinPark #TristanAllerick #panda #kcrushreview #innerpeace #growingup #growingpain #Asiancommunity #EastAsia #SouthAsia #Japanese #Anime #SailorMoon #HayaoMiyazakifilms

 

K-pop supergroup BTS beat its own record again at the 36th Japan Gold Disc Award by winning 10 awards, following 8 awards at the same awards in 2021.

The Recording Industry Association of Japan announced the winners of this year’s “The Japan Gold Disc Award” on Monday, and these awards are based on sales from January 1, 2021, until December 31, 2021.

K-pop supergroup BTS won Best Asian Artist, Album of the Year, Music Video of the Year, Song of the Year by Download, Song of the Year by Download, Best 5 Songs by Download, Song of the Year by Streaming, two of the Best 5 Songs by Streaming and one of the Best 3 Albums.

Since BTS had the biggest win of the night with 10 trophies from nine categories, the Korean septet is also the first non-Japanese act to take home that many awards in Japan Gold Disc’s history. BTS is also the first act to win Best Asian Artist for four consecutive years.

The global K-pop band released a statement to say,

“We thank ARMY who always give us a lot of love and for these amazing awards. Thank you so much. We will continue working hard in the future so that we can provide you with great music.”

This year’s Best 3 Albums (Asia) awards were awarded to SEVENTEEN’s “Attacca,” TXT’s “Chaotic Wonderland,” and BTS’s “BTS, THE BEST.”

 

 

For the new artist category, ENHYPEN, a joint venture between CJ ENM and HYBE, won the New Artist of the Year or Asia category.

This year’s Best 3 New Artists (Asia) awards went to ITZY, ENHYPEN, and TREASURE, who made their Japanese debut last year in 2021.

 

 

You can check the full list of the winners via this link: https://www.golddisc.jp/award/36/

Congratulations to all the winners of the 36th Japan Gold Disc Awards.

 

–J.Chung.

 

#BTS #BTSGoldDiscAward #JapanGoldDiscAwards #BTS10Awards #ITZY #ENHYPEN #TREASURE #TheRecordingIndustryAssociationofJapan #Kpop #BestAsianArtist #AlbumOfTheYear #kcrushnews #kcrushmedia #AsianAwards #BIGHIT #HYBE #SEVENTEEN #MusicVideoOfTheYear #BTSARMY

 

We’d like to thank LOUDI and his team for this interview, and we wish them all the best in all his upcoming ventures.

 

Hello, thank you for sitting down for an interview with us. Please introduce yourself to our readers!

Hi, everyone, I’m Loudi! Nice to meet you!

 

Many are curious to know the origin of LOUDI and what it means to you.

It actually comes from the Greek word ”louloudi” (λουλούδι), which means blooming flower like a new start, hope, beauty… The name is full of amazing and deep meanings for me.

I was searching and not sleeping for days thinking about my stage name and after a long search I found it and since “Louloudi” was a bit too long I decided to only use Loudi.

 

Tell us when and how you came to South Korea initially from Indonesia.

I came to Korea a couple of times before, but the year 2014 was when I actually moved here. At first, it was to study and enter university, and I was also working as an intern in the fashion industry, so that’s how I got into the entertainment industry.

 

How did you get yourself into music and was it your childhood dream to pursue a career in music? Tell us about the concept and direction of your music as well.

Actually, music is always been around since I was a kid.

My sister is a really great piano player, me on the other hand, I played the violin since I was a kid, did some shows at school, and once I directed a musical for my whole year in high school, doing music editing chores, script, etc. Of course, with the help of friends but I find it really challenging and fun!

Growing up, I listen to a lot of genres of music starting from Destiny’s Child, Westlife, Lady Gaga, Rihanna, John Lennon, Sam Smith, BoA, SHINee, etc.  Looking back, I think they have given me a lot of influences until now.

 

Name some of the music are you into these days.

These days, I tried to widen my spectrum so I literally would just play a random song I found and kinda get to know myself more on what do I like and what I didn’t like. When I’m just chilling, I usually listen to RnB or old K-pop songs.

 

How would you describe your personality in one word?

OMG, this is the hardest question I think, okay, so my MBTI is INFJ but people around me always told me to retake the test because they are quite sure I’m an “E”. (I retook it hundreds of times, but it’s still “I”, lol)

 

 

What do you enjoy doing for your leisure or pastime?

I love to do a lot of stuff that has to do with my hands, cooking, drawing, painting, re-forming clothes, etc., or if I’m just too lazy, I usually like to watch movies or read books or play my piano.

 

What is your fav food/beverage?

I LOVE sweet foods, desserts, meat, and CHEESE. Yes, I do love cheese a lot, lol. And as for drinks, I don’t really have a preference but I do love tea and coffee (without sugar), and when it comes to tea and coffee, I really don’t like it sweet, it’s weird, isn’t it?

 

When do you feel the most rewarded or happy?

I can’t describe it but every time I got to perform and see all of my fans happy, it really the happiest time for me. However, if I had to choose one, one of the most unforgettable moments was on my birthday at a concert in Japan, which was amazing. I cried a river, lol.

 

Which artists or musicians do you currently most respect, and who would you like to work with in the future?

As always, SHINee is the top of my list but I think I would pass out a couple of hundred times first to actually be able to work with them. Lol, I am joking.

I really love to work with Jamie, Junny, global artists like Pink Sweats, Doja Cat, Lady Gaga, and that’d be a dream come true tho.

But actually, for now, I’m not limiting myself to only working in music but also in other aspects like fashion, art, etc.

 

Let’s wrap this interview with you sharing what your goals, plans and hopes are for this year.

My current biggest goal is to finish my album, promote and meet with all of the fans! I hope this year I can also give y’all more content and more music… And for the rest, I would love to go with the flow, well that’s for now, I think.

Oh, and most importantly, I wish the pandemic would be over by this year, so we all can freely see each other and be happy and be healthy. <3

 

 

-J.Chung.

 

 

#LOUDI #Indonesia #Kpop #ShiNee #art #fashion #violin #piano #kpopidol #kpopartist #Indonesianidol #kcrushinterview #interview #kcrushnews #newalbum #newkpomusic #musician #AIMERS Entertainment #predebutJNboygroup #Bleu #14U.

 

Trigger Warning: Article discusses sex crimes and violence

March is Women’s History Month. The month commemorates women’s cultural, political, and socioeconomic achievements. To honor Women’s History Month, we celebrate some of the badass women of Asian descent and the contributions they made to “herstory.”

Kim Bok-dong (April 19, 1926 – January 28, 2019)

Prior to her passing in 2019, Kim Bok-dong was a well-known human rights activist who spoke out against sexual slavery and sexual abuse during war. Kim, who was a comfort woman during the Japanese Imperial Army occupation in Korea before and during WWII, fought for a state-level apology, reparations, and the correction of Japanese history from and by the Japanese. Kim encouraged other comfort women and sex slaves to come forward to tell their stories. She was also a co-founder of The Butterfly Fund, which is aimed toward helping female victims of conflict-zone sex crimes in not just Korea but around the globe.

In 1941 when Kim was 14, Japanese authorities told her mother that in order to support the war efforts, Kim would need to work in a military clothing factory or else the family would be considered traitors. Kim, however, was not sent to a factory: she was placed in militarized sexual slavery in Japanese-occupied territories for eight years where she was forced to perform daily sex acts. During her time as a comfort woman, Kim was sent to Guangdong, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia to provide services to the Japanese army.

Kim returned to her hometown after WWII, opened a restaurant after the Korean War, and eventually got married. It wasn’t until after her husband died that she began speaking about her experiences as a sex slave. In 1992, her life as a human rights activist began to flourish as she publicly shared details about her time as a sex slave, participating in Wednesday Demonstrations, and testified at the United Nations and World Human Rights Conference in Vienna, Austria. During the Wednesday Demonstrations, she would demand a formal apology from the Japanese while asking for reparations for the Korean women impacted by sexual slavery. She also wished for Japan to change their history to include the truth about sexual slavery instead of stating comfort women entered the trade willingly. Over time, she gained recognition, honors, and support for her activism.

 

 

Following her passing in 2019 at 92-years old, the film My Name Is Kim Bok-dong was released. The film covers the last 27 years of Kim’s life as an advocate including her 1992 testimony revealing her harrowing experience as a comfort woman and the legacy for change she hoped to create.

 

 

Neerja Bhanot (September 7, 1963-September 5, 1986)

On September 5, 1986, Pan Am Flight 73 was hijacked by four Palestinian men while stopped in Karachi, Pakistan. The flight, which was headed to New York from Bombay, India, had 360 passengers on board including Indian nationals and passengers from the United States, Pakistan, and Mexico.

The hijackers engaged in gunfire outside of the plane, killing two Kuwait Airlines staff members before entering the Pan American World Airways   plane with grenades and shooting at a flight attendant, forcing him to close the plane’s door. Neerja Bhanot, the flight’s purser, managed to alert the flight crew so they could escape from the cockpit hatch.

The hijackers targeted Americans and American assets on the flight and initially killed an Indian-American man and throwing his body on the tarmac. The hijackers instructed Bhanot and the other flight attendants to collect the passengers’ passports so they could find the Americans. Bhanot and the other flight attendants, however, managed to hide the passports so the terrorists could not differentiate between non-American and American passengers.

After 17 hours, the terrorists started setting explosives off on the plane. Bhanot then opened the plane doors and helped passengers, especially children, off the plane so they wouldn’t be killed. As she helped people to safety, one of the terrorists grabbed her and killed her.

Bhanot and her flight attendant crew’s efforts saved several passengers—around 300 in total— and prevented the plane from ever leaving the tarmac.

She posthumously received several awards including India’s Ashoka Chakra Award for bravery in 1987, making her the youngest recipient of the award and the first woman to earn it. She also received Pakistan’s Tamgha-e-Pakistan award for showing “great human kindness.” In 2004, the Indian Postal Service released a commemorative stamp honoring Bhanot’s bravery. In 2016, the biopic Neerja was released. The film starred Sonam Kapoor as Bhanot and was directed by Ram Madhvani.

 

 

Ōyama Sutematsu (February 24, 1860 – February 18, 1919)

Ōyama Sutematsu was a champion for women’s education in Japan.

Born Yamakawa Sakiko, Sutematsu became Japan’s first college-educated woman. While her degree path started against her will, Sutematsu’s journey helped to shape women’s education in Japan.

Born to a traditional Japanese samurai family, she survived the Battle of Aizu in 1868, a battle that claimed the life of her sister and marked the end of the Aizu domain. Following the end of the battle, Sutematsu briefly lived as a refugee before being selected as one of five young women to go overseas to America to receive an American education.

During her ten years in America, Sutematsu, who went by the name Stematz Yamakawa, lived in New Haven, Connecticut within the Leonard Bacon household where she became close to Bacon’s youngest daughter, Alice Mabel. Sutematsu graduated from Hillhouse High School then attended Vassar College as the first minority at the women’s college. She earned a B.A and graduated magna cum laude. Before returning to Japan, Sutematsu studied nursing.

Unfortunately, Sutematsu faced limited career opportunities due to no longer knowing Japanese. However, in 1882, after accepting a marriage proposal from Ōyama Iwao— the general on the opposing side during the Battle of Aizu—Sutematsu moved up the social ladder to become Princess Ōyama in 1905. As she climbed the social ladder, Sutematsu used her position to advocate for women’s education. She later became one of the founders of the Peeresses’ School that educated high-ranking women. She, along with a fellow American-educated friend Umeko Tsuda, was also one of the founders of the Women’s Home School of English, which is currently known as Tsuda University.

In addition to promoting women’s education and volunteer nursing in Japan, Sutematsu also promoted the idea of philanthropy to high-ranking Japanese women despite it being seen as “not lady-like” at the time. However, the first charity bazaar Sutematsu held was successful and became an annual event.

While Sutematsu experienced success and helped champion women’s education in Japan, she was painted as a “wicked stepmother” in the book Nami-ko (The Cuckoo) by Kenjirō Tokutomi (pen name Rōka Tokutomi). The story was based on Ōyama Nobuko, Sutematsu’s stepdaughter, and her illness and death. In the story, the character based on Sutematsu was portrayed as jealous and cruel.

Sutematsu died in 1919 of pneumonia after contracting the flu during the Spanish Flu pandemic.

 

 

Alakhai Beki (1191-estimated 1230)

Genghis Kahn wasn’t the only powerful member of his family: His daughter, Alakhai Beki, has some street credentials herself!

According to the scant information about Alakhai, she prevented the genocide of the Ongud people, the tribe she became part of when she married their leader. As the leader’s wife, she became one of her father’s advance guards to assist in the spread of the Mongol Empire.

After several years of marriage, Genghis Kahn’s conquests caught up with Alakhai and her husband, causing the Ongud people to overthrow their leader with plans to kill Alakhai as well. However, she and her stepsons managed to escape, saving their claim to the Ongud tribe. She escaped back to her father’s empire where he planned to wipe out the Ongud people. However, Alakhai dissuaded him. Instead, those who killed her husband were punished. Alakhai returned to the Ongud tribe and ruled over her people.

Additionally, Alakhai was one of only a few of Genghis Kahn’s children to be literate. Not only did she study medicine, she also developed her own government system that hired women as policy staff. Her government system was adopted by her brothers which assisted them in their respective empires.

 

 

 

Komako Kimura (July 29, 1887-July 10, 1980)

Actress, writer, editor, dancer, theatre manager, and a suffragist: Is there anything Komako Kimura didn’t do?

At the beginning of the 20th Century, Komako was one of Japan’s leading women for the suffrage movement. Starting from her youth, Komako marched to her own beat starting from when she supported her family by joining a touring theater to running away from an arranged marriage. She also had a child out of wedlock, which caused her issues finding work and caused her to lose her position writing for Kumamoto hyóron, a socialist journal. However, Komako landed on her feet and paved a path toward history.

Komako managed two theaters in her lifetime: The Kimura Komako Theater and the Tokiwaza. As an actress, she performed in 500 plays, and her theater work helped her abilities to communicate with powerful men, something many Japanese women couldn’t do at the time.

In 1912, Komako created the True New Women’s Association with Nishikawa Fumiko and Miyazaki Mitsuko. The three women also developed The New True Woman, a lecture series and magazine geared toward promoting feminism to women in Japan, North America, and Europe. Between 1912-1917, Komako tried to promote the suffrage movement in Japan but failed to do so.

In 1917, Komako came to North America to learn more about the American suffrage movement. On October 27, 1917, Komako participated in New York’s suffrage march.

Starting in 1918, Komako found herself becoming a controversial figure in Japanese society. That year, the Japanese government suppressed The New True Woman and Komako’s public lectures due to their controversial topics such as birth control and marriage criticism. In protest, Komako wrote and starred in the play titled Ignorance, further angering the government which asked her to play demure women. Instead, Komako made all performances free which eventually led to her arrest. During her trial, Komako represented herself and won. The government also promoted her cause and let her fight for women’s rights.

Soon after the trial, Komako, her husband, and their surviving child moved to America where she continued to advocate for women’s rights while continuing to act. She and her husband also promoted traditional Japanese disciplines and religious ceremonies.

 

 

Captain Nieves Fernandez (1906-1996 or 1997)

Captain Fernandez was the Philippines’ only female guerrilla leader during WWII. The petite schoolteacher and wholesale business owner was responsible for a group of fighters known as the “Gas Pipe Gang” that helped kill 200 Japanese soldiers during the Japanese Occupation of the Philippines.

During the Japanese Occupation, Captain Fernandez gathered 110 Filipino men to join her fight against the Japanese. Despite not having any combat training of her own, she trained them in combat by showing them how to use knives and make shotguns and grenades. In Tacloban, Captain Fernandez—often barefoot and in a black dress—used a bolo knife to kill Japanese soldiers. She earned the moniker “The Silent Killer” due to her skills with her knife and her marksmanship. After two years of success, the Japanese put a bounty on her head; she was never caught.

Captain Fernandez and her team are said to be responsible for liberating villages and saving several comfort women. Her efforts are mentioned in Remedio Fallas’ book The Hidden Battle of Leyte: The Picture Diary of a Girl Taken by the Japanese Military.

In 1945, Captain Fernandez received an honorable discharge from service. She earned the rank of Sergeant under the unit of Headquarters and Headquarters & Service Company, 95th Infantry, Leyte Area Command.

These are only a handful of women who had an impact on history! Of course, there are more women we can highlight. If you like this feature, let us know in the comments! We’ll continue to highlight some more badass women of Asian descent in future installments!

Want to learn more? Check out the links throughout the article to find out more information about each woman featured!

 

 

—-Olivia Murray

 

The complete edition, with the title, “FAIRY TAIL SOUNDTRACK ARCHIVES 2009-2013”, is the first album. This album has 181 songs all together which includes the soundtrack which was created by Yasuharu Takanashi for all 4 works of the first season of the anime “FAIRY TAIL” and has been remastered for this occasion. Also, this album includes 30 songs which have never been included in the CD before. Yasuharu Takanashi has been making music for a lot of popular anime.

The second album is “CHARACTER SONGS COLLECTION”, which gathered 20 character songs which were created during the same period of time.

The final album is called “FAIRY TAIL LIVE, Music Festival Of The Dragon King”.

This album includes songs from a live performance show in 2019 called, “FAIRY TAIL LIVE, Music Festival Of The Dragon King 2019”, where only FAIRY TAIL songs were performed.

The CD, “FAIRY TAIL ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK VOL. 1”, was released in January 2010 and since then this CD has been constantly popular and the number of sales is still growing.　This CD includes the famous ‘FAIRY TAIL Main Theme’ which has been loved and still listened to all over the world.

Yasuharu Takanashi created a very unique symphonic sound which was a mix of heavy sounds based on metal and Celtic music.

This time, some very precious sounds like the demo version of ‘FAIRY TAIL Main Theme’ were digitally restored and will be released in the album called, “Unreleased Music Collection”. This demo version was the first take of the FAIRY TAIL Main Theme which was done by Yasuharu Takanashi who was in charge of the BGM for the anime.

The album “FAIRY TAIL ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK VOL. 4” includes 49 BGM songs for “FAIRY TAIL” and is now available via subscription services for the first time. These 49 songs were originally included in the CD which was released in 2013. The soundtrack is planned to be released in high resolution.

The album, “FAIRY TAIL CHARACTER SONGS COLLECTION” includes 20 character songs which were made around the same period of time. The two songs now added as new songs for the “FAIRY TAIL ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK VOL. 4” will be available via subscription services for the first time.

Also, the sound of the live performance from, “Music Festival Of The Dragon King” was digitally restored for the first time. The Live show was done by Yasuharu Takanashi at Shinjuku ReNY on the 28th of September 2019, and he performed only songs from “FAIRY TAIL”. We hope that people will experience it as if they are at the live show which was legendary and has been much talked about passionately among anime fans.

 

“FAIRY TAIL SOUNDTRACK ARCHIVES 2009-2013” – includes 181 songs

https://lnk.to/FT_OST_ARCHIVES

“VOL.1” (released in 2010), ”VOL.2” (released in 2010), “VOL.3” (released in 2011),

“Unreleased Music Collection” (remastered in 2022 )

 

“FAIRY TAIL ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK VOL. 1”

(remastered in 2017, released originally January in 2010)

1 FAIRY TAIL Main Theme

2 Erza

3 Magic Invocation

4 Dragon Slayer

5 Tower of Heaven

6 Dark Guild

7 Mirajane

8 Lively Town

9 Fairy Tail

10 Celestial Magic

11 Good Luck, Lucy

12 Gray

13 Natsu

14 Destiny

15 Creeping Shadow

16 Laxus’s Runaway

17 Fairy Law

18 Comrades

19 Hometown

20 Lucy

21 Maelstrom of Ice

22 Revenant

23 Oh Darkness, Foregather!

24 Eisenwald

25 Black Wizard

26 Salamander

27 Ice Blade Swirling

28 Magic Duel

29 Sorrowful Past

30 Deliora the Demon

31 Titania’s Armor

32 Blazing Fist

33 Last-Minute Magic

34 Burning Rage

35 Pomp and Circumstance (Rock ver.)

36 FAIRY TAIL Main Theme (Slow ver.)

 

 

“FAIRY TAIL ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK VOL. 2”

(remastered in 2017, released originally in July of 2010)

1 Kurogane

2 Leo

3 Wicked Hammering

4 Reminiscence ~Awaking Soul~

5 New Friendship

6 Happy

7 Suspicious Wizard

8 Makarov

9 Fantasia

10 A Song For The Road

11 Phantom Lord

12 Magic Challenger

13 Baneslayer Storm

14 Tragic

15 FAIRY TAIL Main Theme (Piano ver.)

16 Natsu’s Magic 1 ~Fire Dragon’s Roar~

17 Natsu’s Magic 2 ~Fire Dragon’s Sword Edge~

18 Natsu’s Magic 3 ~Fire Dragon’s Fist~

19 Gray’s Magic 1 ~Ice-Make~

20 Gray’s Magic 2 ~Ice Geyser~

21 Gray’s Magic 3 ~Ice Blade: Seven Slice Dance~

22 Erza’s Magic 1 ~Adamantine Armor~

23 Erza’s Magic 2 ~Heaven’s Wheel Armor~

24 Erza’s Magic 3 ~Purgatory Armor~

25 Dark Afterglow

26 King of the Celestial Spirits

27 Tower of Heaven ~ from Piano Concerto No.2 in C Minor Op.18

28 Released Power

29 Bonds

30 Reminiscence ~Sad Soul~

31 Lacrima Crystal

32 Satan Soul

33 Fierce Battle Against Evil

34 Eternal Magic

35 The Fiore Kingdom

36 FAIRY TAIL Main Theme (Metal ver.)

 

“FAIRY TAIL ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK VOL. 3”

(remastered in 2017, released originally in July of 2011 )

1 The Magical Land’s Traveler

2 Three Dragon Slayers

3 Swiftly

4 Furious Fight of Steel

5 Allied Forces, Assemble!

6 Carla’s Confession

7 Oración Seis Appears!

8 Leader Against Leader

9 Midnight Awakens

10 Poison Dragon of Cobra

11 Nirvana’s Light

12 Parallel World Edolas

13 People of the Floating Islands

14 Mystogan

15 The Sky Maiden

16 Winged One

17 The Ultra-Subspace Magic Anima

18 Exceeds

19 Disappearing Magic Power

20 Ice Boy

21 Angel Annihilation Plan

22 Angel’s Anguish

23 Panther Lily

24 Draconic Chain Cannon

25 Fierce Fight and Magic

26 Celestial Fight

27 The Power of Justice

28 Erza vs. Erza

29 Dragon Force

30 Ancient Magic

 

“FAIRY TAIL ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK VOL. 4”

(remastered in 2017, released originally in March of 2013)

 

1 The Thunder-Fire Dragon Roars

2 The Seven Kin of Purgatory

3 Malice of the Black Mage

4 Hidden Feelings

5 To the Beloved One

6 The S-Class Wizard Qualification Test

7 Tenrou Island

8 Grimoire Heart

9 Black Flames

10 Fire Dragon vs. Flame God

11 The Light of a Past Day

12 The Tomb of Mavis

13 Blue Note, the Great Wizard

14 Invincible Azuma

15 The Melancholy of Zeref

16 Crime Sorcière

17 Ultear and Gray

18 Fairy Glitter

19 Tenrou Tree

20 Makarov vs. Hades

21 Prelude to Destruction

22 The Strongest of the Last Battles

23 Best Partner

24 FAIRY TAIL Main Theme (Tenrou Island ver.)

25 Saber Tooth

26 Third Generation Dragon Slayer

27 White & Black Dragons

28 Time Labyrinth

29 Distant Promised Land

30 The Grand Magic Games

31 Risk Your Pride

32 The Game Begins

33 A Formidable Foe Shows Up

34 Magic Game Battle

35 One Hit for Victory

36 Lucy and the Power of Celestial Spirits

37 Those Behind the Scenes

38 Ultear

39 Juvia

40 The Guild’s Pride

41 Frosch and Lector

42 Carla’s Nightmare

43 The Eclipse Plan

44 We, Fairy Tail

45 The Worst Rival Appears

46 Aim to the Top!

47 Magic Battle of Experts

48 Endless Fight

49 The Champion of Magic

 

“FAIRY TAIL Unreleased Music Collection”

(with songs which were have never been released before)

1 Fairy Tail Main Theme (Rock ver.) (2009)

2 The Fiore Kingdom (Short ver.) (2009)

3 Prologue (2009)

4 FAIRY TAIL Subtitle,FAIRY TAIL Catch A,FAIRY TAIL Catch B, FAIRY TAIL Catch C (2009)

5 Siegrain’s Intrigue (2009)

6 Jellal (2009)

7 Baram Alliance(2010)

8 The Naked Mummy Challenge (2010)

9 Natsu and Lucy (2009)

10 I Don’t Like Rides (2009)

11 Loke (2009)

12 The Trimens Appearance (2010)

13 Carla Kawaii (2010)

14 Wendy (2010)

15 Jellal Is Back (2010)

16 Prologue 2, FAIRY TAIL Catch 2 A, FAIRY TAIL Catch 2 B, FAIRY TAIL Catch 2 C (2010)

17 Nirvana’s Creation (2010)

18 Brain’s Strategy (2010)

19 Arousal of Zero (2010)

20 Guild for Just One (2010)

21 The Return of Gildarts (2011)

22 Gajeel Searching for a Cat (2011)

23 Mysterious Mystogan (2011)

24 Fairy Hunting (2011)

25 Carla and Happy’s Secret (2011)

26 The Sound of the Earth (2011)

27 Make a Breakthrough (2011)

28 Clash in the Dust (2011)

29 Ancient Magic (Piano Solo ver.) (2011)

30 FAIRY TAIL Main Theme (2009 First Demo)

 

 

“FAIRY TAIL CHARACTER SONGS COLLECTION” – includes 20 songs

https://lnk.to/FT_CSC

1 Blaze Up／Natsu (CV: Tetsuya Kakihara)

2 Frozen Soul／Gray (CV: Yuichi Nakamura)

3 OPEN THE GATE／Lucy (CV: Aya Hirano)

4 Happy Day／Happy (CV: Rie Kugimiya)

5 Eternal Fellows／Natsu (CV: Tetsuya Kakihara)

6 Wings of Liberty／Erza (CV: Sayaka Oohara)

7 METALLIC KISS／Gajeel (CV: Wataru Hatano)

8 Have a nice day!／Happy ＆ Carla (CV: Rie Kugimiya,Yui Horie)

9 Amazing Blessings／Wendy (CV: Satomi Sato)

10 TRUE PRIDE／Gray (CV: Yuichi Nakamura)

11 Nichijou Sanka – This Place -／Lucy (CV: Aya Hirano)

12 Kizuna Darou!!／Natsu (CV: Tetsuya Kakihara)

13 Scarlet／Erza (CV: Sayaka Oohara)

14 Naked dream／Gray (CV: Yuichi Nakamura)

15 Zutto Issho／Wendy＆Carla (CV: Satomi Sato, Yui Horie)

16 Ore no IRON Blues／Gajeel (CV: Wataru Hatano)

17 Happy Holiday／Lucy (CV: Aya Hirano)

18 Itsumo Zenkaida／Natsu ＆ Happy (CV: Tetsuya Kakihara,Rie Kugimiya)

19 BLOW AWAY／Natsu ＆ Gray (CV: Tetsuya Kakihara, Yuichi Nakamura)

20 Happy Tale／Lucy, Erza ＆ Wendy (CV: Aya Hirano,Sayaka Oohara, Satomi Sato)

 

“FAIRY TAIL FAIRY TAIL Music Live, Music Festival Of The Dragon King” – includes 24 songs

https://lnk.to/FT_MusicFestival

1 Dragon Force

2 Three Dragon Slayer

3 Dragon Slayer

4 Kurogane

5 Natsu vs. Future Rogue

6 Erza

7 Kyouka Attacks

8 The Magical Land’s Traveler

9 Doujigiri Ezel

10 Released Power

11 Mirajane

12 Drops of Time

13 Gray

14 FAIRY TAIL Main Theme 2014

15 The Dragon’s Flame

16 Erza, Slicer of Fate

17 Mystogan

18 Death Fight Against the Executors

19 Magic Duel

20 Erza vs. Erza

21 The Thunder-Fire Dragon Roars

22 FAIRY TAIL Main Theme

23 Last-Minute Magic

24 Fairy Tail – A New Adventure

 

member: Yasuharu Takanashi (Keyboards), Kenji Fujisawa (Guitar), Showtaro Mitsuzono (Bass), Shun Minari (Drums), Funta7 (Synthesizer), Mizuki Mizutani (Violin), Miki Masuda (Chorus), Remi (Chorus).

The Live show was recorded at Shinjuku ReNY on the 28th of September 2019.

 

<Profile of Yasuharu Takanashi in Team-MAX>

Yasuharu Takahashi is a musician who has the specialty of creating heavy and glorious sounds. His unique sound mixes hard rock and orchestra, with his main roots of inspiration for music being in rock.

His masterpiece includes the opening theme song for the martial arts “PRIDE” (2000), “Naruto Shippuden” (2007～), “Pretty Cure” series (2009～2012), “FAIRY TAIL” (2009～), “Sailor Moon Crystal, Eternal” (2014～), “Ge Ge Ge no Kitarou” (2018~) and more.

He has been very active performing overseas and he won the JASRAC International awards in 2013, 2014, 2017, 2020, and 2021.

http://team-max.co.jp/artists/yasuharu-takanashi/

 

 

#YasuharuTakanashi #TeamMax #Pride #PrettyCure #FairryTail #JASRAC #Japanese #NarutoShippuden #ShinjukuReNY #KojiTakanashi #FairyTailSoundtrackArchive #kcrushnews #kcrushamerica #kcrushmedia #jpartists #singer #songwriter #musician #concert #liveconcert #internationalartist #globalmusician

 

 

 

 

Yoon Suk-yeol, a politician, former public prosecutor and lawyer, is the new president-elect of South Korea, having defeated his chief liberal rival Lee Jae-myung in the most closely fought ever in South Korea’s presidential election history.

Yoon narrowly achieved victory for the top office after getting 48.6 percent of the votes against his rival Lee Jae-myung’s 47.8 percent.

In his speech on Thursday, Yoon stated, “Our competition is over for now. We have to join hands and unite into one for the people and the country.” And he went on to add that he would honor the constitution and the parliament to work with opposition parties when he takes office as the Republic of Korea’s next president.

Yoon also empathized that he would place “national unity” as the top priority and that all citizens should be treated equally regardless of their political backgrounds and economical differences.

“I will focus on people’s livelihoods, provide warm welfare services to those who are in need, in order to make utmost efforts so that our country serves as a proud, responsible member of the international community and the free world,” he said.

President-elect, Yoon Seok-yeol will be serving a single five-year term from May in leading South Korea – currently, the world’s 10th largest economy, which was hit hard financially due to COVID-19 in the last couple of years, and still getting frequent threats from North Korea.

Yoon Suk-yeol (Korean: 윤석열), was born December 18, 1960, and served as Prosecutor-General of South Korea from 2019 until 202.

Born in Seoul, South Korea, Yoon attended Seoul National University, where he majored in law. As the chief prosecutor of South Korea, Yoon is well-known for playing a key role in convicting former President Park Geun-hye for abuse of power.

Yoon and his wife Kim Kun-hee have been married since 2012. Kim is the President of Covana Contents, which mostly specializes in art exhibitions. Yoon is known to be an animal advocate and a member of an animal rescue organization. He has 7 pets, 5 of them adopted.

 

-J.Chung.

 

#Koreanpresident #YoonSeok-yeol #Korea #SouthKorea #animaladvocate #lawyer #SeoulNationalUniversity #chiefprosecutor #KoreasNewPresidentElect #kcrushnews #YoonSeokYeol

 

South Korean dancer, singer, producer, and DJ Koo Jun-yup and Taiwanese actress Barbie Hsu (or Hsu Hsi Yuan) surprised their fans by getting married, as the newlyweds released via their Instagram on Tuesday.

Koo wrote, “I intend to continue the relationship that was left unfinished 20 years ago. I heard the news of her divorce and contacted her through the number that I had 20 years ago. Thankfully, that was still her number and we were able to get in touch with one another.”

The 52-year-old Korean entertainer went on to say that the pair could not waste any more time and decided to get married without going through a wedding ceremony.

“We have decided to just legally register as wife and husband and live together from now on.” Koo added that he will soon be leaving for Taiwan, where Barbie Hsu, his wife, is currently living.

In 2010, Koo revealed that he was in a romantic relationship with Barbie Hsu for a year, a decade prior.

Koo tagged his wife Barbie Hsu’s Instagram account. Hsu also posted the same letter on her Instagram page but in Mandarin.

Koo started his career off as a member of a two-member dance duo ‘Clon,’ which rocketed him and his best friend and bandmate Kang Won Rae to fame in the mid-90s. The duo also found immense success in Asia, especially in Taiwan with hits like “Kung Ddari Sha Bah Rah” and “First Love” back in the group’s heyday.

Barbie Hsu is considered a mega star in her country Taiwan, since rising to fame in Asia through her role in the Taiwanese version of the drama series “Boys Over Flowers” in 2001.  She married a Chinese businessman Wang Xiaofei in 2011, and recently got divorced last year. This is Hsu’s second marriage, while Koo’s first.

 

Congratulations to the married couple!

 

 

-J.Chung. 

 

#DjKoo #KooJunyup #BarbieHsu #KoreanDJ #Mandarin #TaiwaneseActress #Koreansinger #Koreandancer #kcrushnews #kcrushmedia #Clon #FirstLove #KungDdariShaBahRah #KangWonRae #TaiwaneseBoysOverFlowers #KooJunyupBarbieHsuMarried

(Images provided by LMPE Company and Oh Min)

 

Luxury powerhouse Louis Vuitton will be holding its ‘Legendary Trunks Exhibition’ in collaboration with Korean beauty director and designer ‘Oh Min’ in KOTE, Insa-dong, Seoul, South Korea, premiering from March 18.

‘Legendary Trunks Exhibition’ is all about providing the viewers a fun interactive experience for viewers to explore the trunks of world’s most beloved fashion designer Louis Vuitton, and the Golden Age of Travel that the prestigious French brand represents.

‘The Golden Age of Travel’ began 150 or so years ago and lasted through the 20th century, back when extraordinary innovations in transportation paved the way for exploration, and LV trunks came up with a never-seen-before model of travel trunks.

Oh Min, the beauty director will be lending his knowledge and expertise in this collaboration with Louis Vuitton ‘Legendary Trunks Exhibition’ in Insa-dong, Seoul this month of March.

Oh Min is well-known as the first ever iconic beauty director in the Korea’s fashion industry for having directed over 4,200 shows including, Hera Seoul Fashion Week, 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics Asian Traditional Costume Fashion Show, 2016 Paul Gaultier Couture Show, 212 London Olympics Opening Celebration Fashion Show, 2002 World Cup and countless others throughout his 30-year career in beauty and fashion.

 

 

The exhibition will also provide multimedia recreation adorned with classic trains, airplanes, vehicles, ships and so on depending on the section of the category and setting. The exhibition hall is said to resemble a movie or a stage set that will certainly leave quite an unforgettable impression on the visitors.

Also, the trunks exhibition will highlight some of the well-known public figures that owned unique or one-of-a-kind Louis Vuitton trunks including Franklin D Roosevelt, Ernest Hemingway, Judy Garland, Sharon Stone, Tommy Hifiger, Justin Beiber – offering its visitors the rare glimpse to view their history and connection with the brand.

Through Louis Vuitton’s remarkable attentiveness to details, its crafts tell countless stories of adventure, elegance, and modernity, ready to inspire and touch the minds of the exhibition’s visitors through their art and heritage.

The Legendary Louis Vuitton Trunks Exhibition collaboration between Oh Min and Louis Vuitton at KOTE, Insa-dong, Seoul, is set to launch this month on March 18 and open until May 31, and will certainly provide a unique and unforgettable experience.

 

 

 

-J.Chung.

 

 

#LouisVuitton #OhMin #Trunksexhibition #Trunks #Seoul #BeautyDirector #OhMinSunglasses #KOTE #FashionWeek #SeoulFashionWeek #TheGoldenAgeOfTravel #fashioncollaboration #kcrushnews #kcrushmedia #FrenchBrand #LuxuryBrand #LV #LVTrunks

The Northern Hemisphere’s spring season is just a few days away. Pretty soon, warmer weather will greet us. Why not prepare for the season with our Spotify playlist featuring a mellow, springy vibe? We have 11 hours of music for your listening pleasure!

 

 

Don’t have Spotify? Check out our YouTube playlist!

 

What are some of your favorite songs that put you in a spring mood? Let us know in the comments and on Facebook!

 

While the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues for the second week, humanitarian aid to Ukraine has been trickling in to assist the country.

On March 1, 2022, actress Lee Young-ae (Inspector Koo, Jewel in the Palace) donated  100 million KRW ($83,225 USD) humanitarian aid to the country.

“We are very excited and touched by the letter and the great financial contribution of the famous Korean actress Lee Young-ae in support of Ukraine and the demand to end the war as soon as possible,” the Ukrainian ambassador to South Korea, Dmytro Ponomarenko, said in a Twitter post sharing Lee’s donation and a letter she sent.

 

🇺🇦❤️🇰🇷We are very excited and touched by the letter and the great financial contribution of the famous Korean actress Lee Young-Ae in support of Ukraine and the demand to end the war as soon as possible! The donations will be transferred to the needs of victims of 🇷🇺 aggression. pic.twitter.com/YAmiMQTwjx

— Dmytro Ponomarenko (@DP_UA1972) March 1, 2022

Lee, 51, said, “As a family of veterans who have experienced war, I sympathize with the horrors of the current situation more than anyone else.”

She added, “I dearly hope the war in Ukraine comes to an end soon and pray for everyone’s well-being and safety. To all the Ukrainian citizens who are calling for freedom and peace, I hope you do not lose your courage and hope. As a citizen of Korea who is also for peace and freedom, I would like to convey my heart through this small gift. May God always be with you.”

Following Lee’s donation, U-KISS members Soohyun, Kiseop, and Hoon also donated 10 million KRW (about $8,200 USD) on March 3, 2022.

Ponomarenko, once again, posted his thanks on Twitter.

“Just met with the famous K-pop band U-Kiss. The talented boys expressed their solidarity with Ukraine & donated [money] for humanitarian aid to Ukrainian people. So grateful for the support!”

 

Just met with the 🇰🇷 famous K-pop band U-Kiss. The talented boys expressed their solidarity with 🇺🇦 & donated 💵 for humanitarian aid to Ukrainian people. So grateful for the support! 🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/J6QuM40dFY

— Dmytro Ponomarenko (@DP_UA1972) March 3, 2022

 

U-KISS is the first K-Pop group to publicly announce and provide support for Ukraine.

 

 

Meanwhile, actor and former ZE:A member Siwan (Im Si-wan) participated in the “no show” movement where people book AirBnB lodging in the Ukraine in order to provide monetary support directly to residents. Siwan (The Attorney, Hell is Other People) booked a two-bedroom apartment in Kyiv for a month. Under the reservation, Siwan wrote, “Hello, I just booked your hotel for a month, and of course, I’m not gonna be visiting, hope you and the people in [Kyiv]* to be safe.”

PLUM A&C, Siwan’s agency, said “We are aware that Siwan took part in this “No Show” movement because he thought it was a good idea to participate.”

In addition to the apartment booking, Siwan also donated 20 million KRW ($16399 USD) to the Ukrainian embassy in Korea according to his agency.

Additionally, actor and singer Yang Dong-geun also donated 10 million KRW to the Ukrainian embassy, while Brown-Eyed Girls member Narsha donated 10 million KRW to the Korean Red Cross.

Yang said, “It was shocking to see the news about a six-year-old Ukrainian girl, who was killed in Russian gunfire. The news truly broke my heart … I want to send love and support to the victims and their families in Ukraine.”

“I decided to make a donation to help Ukrainian people and children, who suddenly lost their homes,” Narsha said of her donation.

According to the Embassy of Ukraine in Korea, it has received more than 2.3 billion won in donations as of March 4, 2022.

Regarding the war, we hope peace will prevail soon.

Slava Ukraini!

*Kyiv is the Ukrainian spelling of the city; Kiev is the Russian spelling.

Sources: (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9)

 

—-Olivia

 

 

#humanitarianaid #kcelebritiesdonatetoUkraine #LeeYoungae #Yangdonggeun #Narsha #ZEASiwan #kpop #SohyunUKISS #kpopstars #kpopidols #kcrushnews #kdramaactress #kdramaactor #donation #internationalaidtoUkraine #EmbassyofUkraineinKorea

BTS at New Jersey’s Met Life Stadium (Big Hit Entertainment)

 

Tickets for BTS’ upcoming “Permission To Dance On Stage – Seoul” concerts were sold out on the first day as were those for the group’s Las Vegas shows earlier, which is no surprise.

The tickets for all three BTS in-person concerts were sold out in a few hours after they went on sale exclusively for BTS fan base ARMY at 8 p.m. a day prior to the public sale.

The K-pop supergroup’s management did not reveal how many seats are available for the shows, but it is expected to be around 45,000 given that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism allowed the group to have 15,000 spectators to each of the planned three concerts at a 70,000-capacity stadium to provide some physical distancing due to COVID-19.

Meanwhile, tickets for the group’s four shows at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on April 8, 9, 15 and 16 were also sold out on the first day of booking.

Ticketmaster tweeted, “All shows are now sold out. There will not be a General Verified Fan Presale or General Public Onsale.”

All of the tickets were bought by ARMY – so there will be no tickets left for the general public for the four Las Vegas shows. Those wishing to see the Las Vegas concert will have to seek second-party sellers at a much higher price.

 

Ukrainians taking cover in front of J-Hope’s birthday billboard at Kyiv Metro Station

 

ARMYs who Failed to get Tickets for BTS Concert, chose to Donate the Money to Ukraine

BTS fans have yet again donated for a great cause – this time to the people in Ukraine during their time of Russian invasion.

Since the group’s fan base can be found all around the world, the Ukrainian BTS ARMYs reached out online about the troubles Ukraine is currently facing, and the International Army immediately took action in order to help.

BTS was holding several shows in Seoul and Las Vegas, so those who did not get to purchase tickets for any of the shows, decided to donate the money to Ukraine instead.

ARMYs united to actively raise funds to support the people of Ukraine to raise a donation goal of $1 million, which is the same amount they raised for the Black Lives Matter movement back in 2020. Some are even going beyond their means to help out the fellow ARMYS who had to flee from Ukraine.

 

-J.Chung.

 

#BTS #BTSARMY #soldoutconcert #BTSARMYdonationtoUkraine #kpop #HYBE #BIGHIT #BTSFans #PermissionToDanceOnStage #ARMYmembers #JHOPEkyivmetrostation #kcrushnews #kpopboygroup #BTSSeoulConcert #BTSLasVegas #BTSAllegiantStadium #kpopidol

 

Won Soju, the first alcoholic beverage launched by singer-songwriter and entrepreneur Jay Park, was introduced last month on Feb. 25 at the brand’s pop-up store at The Hyundai Seoul in Yeouido, Seoul.

Visitors to the department store will be able to try the Won Million, a cocktail made by mixing soju with sparkling water and topping it with lime slices, and the Won Toddy, a mix of hot water, apple, cinnamon syrup and the company’s soju.

After the one-week promotion at The Hyundai Seoul, Won Soju will be available via the company’s website from the end of March.

Although it has only been available for a minute, Jay Park’s brand drink is already considered a hot commodity and high in-demand for soju lovers – due to being sold out whenever the bottles are stocked.

Won Spirits was established in 2021, and the company attracted an investment from TA Ventures, the investment arm of California-based entertainment company Transparent Arts.

Won Soju contains 22 percent alcohol content and the price is 14,900 won (approximately $12) for a 12.7 fluid ounce bottle.

The price is several times more costly than a regular soju in South Korea, and Jay Park has said to have initially envisioned creating a premium soju brand that could be served in posh bars all around the world.

Soju is a traditional distilled soju made of Korean rice, and other starches like potato and sweet potato, which dates back to the 13th century Goryeo era.

 

 

According to the Liquor Tax Act, it is illegal to sell alcoholic beverages online in Korea, but since Won Soju is categorized as traditional liquor, it will be available online.

Park said, “I’m so happy to introduce a premium soju brand that can represent Korea. Starting with the launch, we plan to globalize soju by introducing the specialties of soju not only in Korea but abroad as well.”

On top of his soju venture, Jay Park recently launched another entertainment label called MORE VISION.

Jay Park debuted in the K-entertainment industry in 2008, and has founded music labels AOMG (Above Ordinary Music Group), H1GHR MUSIC, and More Vision.

Covering music from hip-hop to R&B, AOMG houses rappers, vocalists, producers and DJs, including Code Kunst, Loco, Gray, and Lee Hi. Park is also signed with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation for his promotions in the States.

 

-J.Chung.

 

#WonSoju #JayPark #newventure #H1GHRMusic #AOMG #MoreVision #kpopidol #kpop #soju #traditionaldrinkofkorea #koreanrapper #TheHyundaiSeoul #kcrushnews #kcrushmedia #DJ #Internationalentrepreneur #kpoprapper #founderofAOMG #JayParkSongs #JayParksSojuBrand

 

The 26th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN, Festival Director Shin Chul) is recruiting participants for its Fantastic Film School program until midnight May 1 (KST).

Applications can be submitted at BIFAN’s online entry site (http://entry.bifan.kr/en). Both active and aspiring genre filmmakers are welcome to apply. Even if you are not selected to take part in the program as a student, you may still be selected to audit the classes and attend all the lectures online.

The final list of participants will be posted on the BIFAN website on May 30, and each participant will be contacted individually. More information can be found under the Submission section of BIFAN’s website (http://www.bifan.kr/eng). Inquiries can be made to the BIFAN’s Industry Program Team by phone (032-327-6313/ext.143) or e-mail (naff.ffs@bifan.kr).

This year’s Fantastic Film School program will be taking place on and offline for 7 days, from July 7 to 13, while the film festival is in session (July 7 to 17, 2022). The program will be celebrating its 15th anniversary this year. On hand to serve as dean will be Brian YUZNA, the director, producer, writer, and actor who is well-known for his splatter films.

Fantastic Film School is a genre film production education and networking program for emerging Asian filmmakers. Experts from various fields within the global film industry are invited each year to give lectures on everything from the planning and development phase of filmmaking, to distribution and marketing strategies for completed films. Participants enrolled in the program are also given an opportunity to pitch their projects and receive mentoring.

Over the years, masters within the genre space, such as Ted CHIANG (science-fiction writer), Joko ANWAR (director and producer), Wayne WANG (director), Christian L. SCHEURER (visual artist), Mick GARRIS (director and producer), William FRIEDKIN (director), and Tony KAYE (director), have taken part in the program to teach in-depth master classes.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a metaverse space called the Bucheon Fantastic Castle (via gather.town) was built for Fantastic Film School last year. This space, along with an offline community room, allowed for the program to take place both online and offline.

“Over the years, Fantastic Film School has produced 325 genre filmmakers, who are making films all over the world,” said BIFAN’s NAFF managing director, Jongsuk Thomas NAM. He revealed, “We have high expectations for this year’s dean, Brian YUZNA. A master of horror film, Brian YUZNA has worked in the US, Italy, Spain, Canada, and Mexico as a producer, director, and writer, and the students will have a chance to explore his creative expertise and cinematic world.” NAM went on to add, “We hope to get many applications from participants who dream of making genre films.”

 

 

 

–J.Chung.

 

 

#Bucheon #BucheonInternationalFantasticFilmFestival #BucheonFilmFestival #FantasticFilmSchool #filmwriting #BIFAN #ShinChul #aspiringfilmaker #application #filmmakerapplication #Korea #KoreanFilmSchool #newfilm #BucheonFantasticCastleMetaverse #metaversespace #NFF #JongsukThomasNam #BrianYuzna #filmproducer #WayneWang #TonyKaye #MickGarris #kcrushnews

 

Korean actors Lee Jung-jae and Jung Ho-yeon have won for best male actor and female actor in the TV drama category at the Screen Actors Guild Awards for their roles in the Netflix drama “Squid Game.”

At the ceremony held at Santa Monica, California, Lee Jung-jae was honored as the winner of Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series, over Brian Cox, Kieran Culkin and Jeremy Strong of “Succession,” and Billy Crudup of “The Morning Show.”

Jung Ho-yeon received the prize of Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series over Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon of “The Morning Show,” Elisabeth Moss of “The Handmaid’s Tale” and Sarah Snook of “Succession.”

The two became the second Korean actors ever to win the SAG Awards – since Youn Yuh-jung’s win for “Minari” last year.

 

 

Created and directed by Hwang Dong-hyuk, the global hit Korean drama “Squid Game” earned three top honors, including Outstanding Action Performance as a Stunt Ensemble, during the Sunday night celebration.

The drama was also nominated for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series, but lost out to HBO’s “Succession.”

Since the early 90s, Lee Jung-jae has been an acclaimed actor in South Korea, starring in numerous works including New World, The Face Reader and The Housemaid.

Lee accepted the SAG Award on stage and spoke with the help of an interpreter. “Thank you so much! This is truly huge that it’s happened to me. Thank you so much SAG-AFTRA awards and thank you to the global audience for all of your love for “Squid Game.” And thank you to the “Squid Game” team.”

For Jung, this moment was even more special as she won the trophy for her acting debut. Her role in the drama was to play a North Korean defector Kang Sae-byeok who participates in the Squid games for very heartbreaking reasons.

“First and foremost, thank you so much. I have sat many times watching you on the big screen dreaming of one day becoming an actor. I just want to say thank you so much,” the model-turned actress expressed her words via the interpreter.

She added in English, “Thank you for making my dream and opening the door for me. I love my Squid Game crew!”

Veteran actor O Yeong-su, who played the role of Oh Il-nam and the mastermind of the Squid game, won a Golden Globe January of this year for Supporting Actor.

The Korean drama has broken numerous records as the first Korean TV series and first foreign-language show to be nominated for SAG Awards, and became Netflix’s biggest series launch with 111 million views.

 

 

The writer and the director of the hit series, Hwang Dong-hyuk said that “today has to be the happiest moment” from winning the SAG Awards.

“I am reminded of all the days spent on first meetings with the cast, the auditions, visiting theaters to see their performances, the script readings, rehearsals and the days on set.

“I want to truly thank not only the cast who have been nominated today but also all of the supporting and the near-300 background talent. “Squid Game” would never have been what it became without the devotion and hard work of every single one of you. You deserve all the glory and credit,” Hwang said during a statement to E! Online.

To the delight of the survival drama fans, “Squid Game” is said to be returning for a second season and a potential third chapter.

 

 

-J.Chung.

 

#SAG #SAGAwards #LeeJungJae #JungHoYeon #SquidGame #Netflix #kdrama #Asiandrama #NetflixKoreanDrama #koreanactor #topkoreanactress #AsianNetflixshow #SAGawardwinner #topratednetflixshow

 

JYP Entertainment’s newly launched girl group “NMIXX” recorded the highest debut album sales by a girl group ever in K-pop history.

NMIXX sold 227,399 copies of its debut album “Ad Mare” since its release one week prior, on February 22 – which definitely made a statement that the group is definitely the “it” girl group to look out for this year.

“Ad Mare,” means “from sea to sea” in Latin.

The much-talked-about music video for the EP’s title track “O.O” also marked over 20 million views on Youtube since the first day of release, and went on to gain 40 million views in five days.

 

 

The viewers’ reaction to NMIXX’s music video was mixed, however, what the majority of the viewers need to understand is that, the title track music videos are often created to mainly showcase what the act is capable of, so the whole concept and visuals may not be consistent and may leave many perplexed.

Some netizens commented that the concept and certain images of “O.O” music video plagiarized ATEEZ and AESPA videos.

Overseas, the EP topped iTunes albums charts in countries like Taiwan, Brazil and Mexico, and also scored high in Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, Hong Kong, Canada and others.

On March 1, NMIXX attended a press showcase for their debut album.

Since they are a part of JYP Entertainment that also manages TWICE, and ITZY, NMIXX members have received a lot of attention and comparisons to the mentioned girl groups.

When asked about it during the showcase, NIXX’s leader Haewon said, “It is such an honor to be able to debut under JYP Entertainment, following in the footsteps of our sunbae artists who truly represent K-pop. It still doesn’t feel real, but we are trying to approach it not as a burden, but as a driving force.”

She added, “We were able to receive so much love and anticipation for our debut because we are new JYP Entertainment artists. To repay the fans for their faith in our sunbae artists, we constantly monitored the music, performances, and variety shows of theirs, so that we could take after their strong points. We will do our best so that we can also contribute to JYPE’s lasting title as the girl group powerhouse.”

NMIXX (Korean: 엔믹스 in Korean, and pronounced N Mix) is a South Korean seven-member girl group formed by SQU4D, a sub-label of JYP Entertainment.

The members go by the names: Haewon, Bae, Lily, Jiwoo, Sullyoon, Jinni, and Kyujin. All the members are Korean, and Lily is speculated to hold dual citizenship, since she is half Korean and half Australian, who grew up in both countries and trained under JYP since the age of 12.

 

 

 

-J.Chung.

 

 

#NMIXX #JYP #Girlgroup #Kpop #AdMare #Koreangirlgroup #kpopmusic #kcrushnews #SQU4D #Haewon #Bae #Lily #Jiwoo #Sullyoon #Jinni #Kyujin #AdMare #kcrushmedia #girlgroup #newmusic #topofcharts #newEP #kpopidol #kpopfan #kpopnewgroup #kpopdebut

 

After ten years, Nu’est have announced their disbandment set for March 14, 2022.

On February 28, 2022, Pledis Entertainment announced on HYBE’s Weverse* page that Aron, Ren, and JR will not renew their contracts with the agency, setting the stage for Nu’est’s disbandment. Baekho and Minhyun opted to renew their contracts according to Pledis’ announcement.

 

Hello.

This is PLEDIS Entertainment.

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all the fans who have shown boundless and unwavering support for NU’EST over the past ten years.

The exclusive artist contract with NU’EST will conclude as of March 14. Our company and the members of NU’EST went through careful consideration and discussions on the future of the individual members, what would be the best path for everyone, and how they can present their best selves.

JR, Aron, and Ren have decided to start afresh after leaving our company. Baekho and Minhyun will renew their contracts. We respect and support the decisions of every member as they are the result of careful and extensive consideration and discussions.

NU’EST is a valuable group that holds a special place in our company as the first boy group of PLEDIS Entertainment. The group has been loved by many with their stylish music, performances, and the way in which they write their dramatic narrative with their fearless attitude since their debut. We would like to extend our sincere and heartfelt gratitude to JR, Aron, Baekho, Minhyun, and Ren who have always put their best foot forward over the past ten years.

NU’EST will cap off their official activities as NU’EST of PLEDIS Entertainment with their album that will be released in March. PLEDIS Entertainment wishes the best for the members’ new leap forward and growth and will continue to cheer for their bright future ahead of them.

We would like to express once again our gratitude to L.O.Λ.E who have always stayed by NU’EST’s side. We ask you to give your unchanging love and support to the members as they embark upon the next chapter of their careers.

Thank you.

 

Following Pledis’ announcement, each Nu’est member release messages to their fans.

 

From JR:

Hello, this is NU’EST’s JR. Now that it’s almost spring, it seems like winter is gearing up for one final cold spell. How are L.O.Λ.E doing?

I don’t know how to say this, so I’ve been rewriting this dozens of times. After a long period of thought and discussion, the members have each decided to go their own ways. When I look back on the past 13 years, counting both the time it took for us to prepare to debut as NU’EST and the time we spent with all of you as NU’EST, there was not a single day when I didn’t feel grateful. I know very well that that was possible due to L.O.Λ.E and the members, so I’m still afraid and scared of standing alone.

I feel like there is nothing I can say to comfort the disappointment and pain of L.O.Λ.E. I also don’t think I can express in writing how much I love L.O.Λ.E and thought of them. You watched over our teens and twenties and helped us walk only the best and most beautiful paths, and I sincerely thank and love you. This love and gratitude is not in the past, but in the present and future.

I also bow my head in gratitude to the staff at Pledis, including CEO Han Sung Soo, who led and watched over a country boy who didn’t know anything so that he wouldn’t fall into the wrong path.

I intend to keep piling up the experience properly and sincerely just as I have been doing until now.

When the spring snow blossoms and a nice breeze begins to blow, I’ll greet you again with good news.

This was NU’EST’s JR.

 

Baekho wrote:

 

Hello, this is NU’EST’s Baekho.

I’ve already spent 10 years as NU’EST member Baekho. If I think about everything that happened before our debut until now, I’ve cherished new dreams, achieved those dreams, made new dreams, and experienced things I’d never imagined.

To be honest, it hasn’t been long since I even believed that we would be able to say thank you on our 10th anniversary. I’m so grateful to the members and to L.O.Λ.E and to countless other people for making me able to say it.

The time we spent together has made me who I am today and will continue to make me who I am in future.

Even though there were moments when I felt desperate or frustrated, the more time I spent with L.O.Λ.E, the more I wanted to go slowly and for a long time with them. In future, I will continue to walk step by step while sharing emotions like love and laughter with you. To the NU’EST members, I love you.

 

Aron– who, in 2021, took six months off from promotions to focus on his mental health– said:

 

Hello, our L.O.Λ.E. This is NU’EST’s Aron. Even as I write this, I’m worried about what to say.

NU’EST debuted in 2012 and we ran all the way until this year, 2022, while only looking at L.O.Λ.E. In the past 10 years, there were many hard times and moments when we wanted to give up, but we were able to overcome them thanks to L.O.Λ.E. Thanks to you, I was able to learn a lot about love, gratitude, and what’s precious. Thank you so much. It was through NU’EST that I was able to meet L.O.Λ.E, and I have spent the happiest and most precious moments of my life with L.O.Λ.E. Thank you for giving me memories that I will never forget for as long as I live. I was really happy.

I’m very scared and nervous to do things on my own, but I’m going to stay with you, so don’t be too sad. I’m going to work hard to repay the love I’ve received over the past 10 years, so I’d be grateful if you kept on walking this road with me.

Please show your love and support for the other NU’EST members, who will continue to shine in the future.

To L.O.Λ.E, I’m sorry, thank you, I love you.

 

Ren added:

 

Hello, this is NU’EST’s Ren.

First, I can only say I’m sorry to the L.O.Λ.E who must have been waiting for the news about our contract renewal.

It feels like just yesterday that I was 16 and left my parents to become a trainee in order to achieve my dream of becoming a singer, but somehow it’s already been 10 years since I debuted as NU’EST.

When I was young, I was homesick for my family and caused people around me to worry with my anxiety and nervousness about my debut, but because I was with the other members, we were able to run together toward our common goal. After we debuted, it was thanks to L.O.Λ.E, who were always with us and made happy moments with us and cheered us on, that I was able to endure everything. It was a very warm and happy time that I spent with L.O.Λ.E.

Since it’s been so long, it was that much more difficult to make this decision… but I’ve decided to leave NU’EST and walk in a slightly different direction. It’s not a path I’ve walked before, so I’m a little scared and cautious, but I want to take courage and walk it. It feels unfamiliar not to know what path will open up in front of me next, but I will use the work I’ve done until now as my driving force and be brave and walk forward.

I think that I am able to exist now because of the members and L.O.Λ.E. I won’t forget how I feel right now and walk with confidence. I am grateful for all the moments that I spent as NU’EST’s Ren.

 

Finally, Minhyun wrote:

 

Hello, L.O.Λ.E, it’s NU’EST’s Minhyun. It’s been a long time since I expressed myself through a handwritten letter, but I grabbed the pen because there was something I wanted to share.

I have a lot of worries about how to say this in front of L.O.Λ.E, who are waiting with excitement and happiness for our 10th debut anniversary. After many discussions about NU’EST’s future with the members and the agency, the members and I have decided to make a fresh start.

From our debut in 2012 to now in 2022, we only looked forward. There were many times when we were tired an exhausted and wanted to cry, but we thought of L.O.Λ.E and overcame and endured it. The reason we were able to run so far without tiring, our driving force, was L.O.Λ.E’s love and support. I will never forget the gratitude I feel for the love that you have given us.

L.O.Λ.E, thank you for giving us such warm and happy moments. I was happy. Through meeting L.O.Λ.E, I learned how to give and receive love. I will repay your love by working for a long time with sincerity.

Finally, I hope that you will also walk together with all the other NU’EST members, who are my closest friends and family, toward a bright future.

 

The quintet will release one more album prior to disbanding.

Nu’est debuted March 12, 2012 with “Face,” which was a powerful debut in a year that also featured the debuts of EXO, B.A.P, and BtoB. Over the years, Nu’est popularity ebbed with them regaining increased popularity following JR, Ren, Baekho, and Minhyun’s time on Produce 101 season two. Minhyun was later named as a member of Wanna One.

Nu’est had two sub-units: Nu’est W, which performed sans Minhyun while he was with Wanna One, and Nu’est M, which debuted in China with a sixth member, Jason, who hailed from Yuehua Entertainment.

We will certainly miss Nu’est, but we hope they’ll reunite in the future!

 

 

*HYBE became Pledis Entertainment’s majority share holder May 25, 2020.

Sources: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9)

 

 

 

—-Olivia

 

#NU’EST #NU’ESTDisband #kpop #LOVE #koreanboygroup #Pledis #HYBE #Aron #Ren #JR #Marchnewsingle #NU’ESTM #NU’ESTW #Weverse #kpopmusic #kcrushnews #kcrushmedia #kpopidol #newmusic #March2022 #koreanboygroupdisband2022 #NUEST #willbemissed

 

The treasure technique of glass blowing is said to have originate from Syria back in the 1^st century. The technique quickly found its way in the Asian peninsula thanks to the legendary silk road glass trade in South east Asia and China. Since then, glass blowing has evolved into a specialty with the products used for luxury and commercial purposes among others. In the modern day, glass blowing is seen as an artistic work given its highly intricate prerequisites, especially the know-how on various aspects such as designs and color theory among others. Various Asian countries have embraced the glass blowing culture and have refined it into a cutting-edge work of art.

 

 

Japan; although famously known for lacquerware and bamboo, got introduced to glass blowing by the Portuguese in the 18^th century. The country has heavily invested on the technique, including embodying the art into its curriculum in institutions such as University of Osaka and Niijima Glass Centre. Another investment which has facilitated the glass blowing tradition in Japan is the presence of museums including Toyama, Hakone, Kai and Nakama galleries. Consequentially, most of Japan’s glass arts–whose complexity, pattern and design differ by an artist’s theme–have become the pinnacle of highly-rated galleries globally. The Japanese glassware evolution started with the Nagasaki glassblowers as pioneers to notable glass artists such as Kyohei Fujita, Tosichi Iwata, and Jutta Page.

 

 

Having been introduced to the skill right around the same era as Japan, South Korea has also advanced its glass blowing technique. Just like Japan, South Korea has also invested in transferring the technique’s knowhow and aptitude by integrating it in educational institutions such as Kook-mi University and Joon glass studio. The presence of museums–including Jeju glass museum–and exhibitions facilitates the continual perfection of South Korea’s glass blowing art.

 

 

China is alleged to have acquired the skill of glass blowing from the West in the 3^rd century with the glass artifacts made with lime and soda. However, the discovery of Chinese-shaped glass objects dating back to the Han dynasty of 206 BC and 220 AD suggests otherwise. Regardless, China has perfected its glass blowing technique throughout generations. One of China’s most iconic promoters of glass art is the Shanghai museum of art glass where pieces of notable aesthetics and skills are displayed. Programs in institutions such as Shanghai University and Tsinghua university further spread the glass art culture. Meng Du. Tittot and LiuliGongFang are some of China’s notable glass artists. Liuli art; also known as Chinese crystal art, is China’s most cultural and authentic glass art given its ancient Chinese-influenced designs

 

—-P. Earlkh

 

#glassblowing #Asianglassblowing #Chinese #ShanghaiMuseum #KookmiUniversity #JeJuGlassMuseum #JoonGlassStudio #LiuliArt #crystalart #UniversityofOsaka #NiijimaGlassCentre #glassartmuseum #Tittot #liuliGongFang