South Korea to restrict operations of Eateries

South Korea has decided to restrict operations of bakeries, restaurants and coffee places in the Seoul area from this weekend to lessen the fast spread of COVID-19.

This will take effect from this Sunday – restaurants and bakeries can operate until 9 p.m., while only delivery will be allowed from 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. Customers cannot eat food at restaurants in Seoul after 9 p.m.

Seoul’s franchised coffee shops can only take delivery and take-out orders – this measure was due to the recent cluster infections related to coffee franchise stores.

This is set to last until September 6 (for 8 days), as the Korean government is making an effort to put a stop to rising virus cases.

South Korea’s health minister asked the public to cancel gatherings and stay home during the second wave of the coronavirus.

J. Chung.

Hello, thank you for taking the time out for a KCrush interview. Would you introduce yourself to our readers please?

Hello, I am Yoo Ga-ram and I am the national representative of Inline Speed Skating team of Anyang City Hall.

Please let us know about your sport for those who may not be aware.

Inline roller speed skating is a sport where participants compete by racing and setting records on 200m bank tracks and 400m road tracks. Inline race formats include the T200m, 500m, 1000m, EP10000m, and E10000m.

Do you have any advice for beginners?

There is always a chance of injury when it comes to sports. Please relax your body well before starting. Wearing safety equipment is a must too!

How much do you train for a day?

On average, I train for 3 hours in the morning and 4 hours in the afternoon. So, I think I train for about 7 to 8 hours in total.

What is the secret for being great at the sport?

I don’t think there is a secret but doing the best you can at training. My secret – if there is one – is to do the best that I can when I’m training then resting well when I do.

What do you do for a hobby?

I like to bake bread for a hobby and like to browse for pretty coffee places. And watch handball.

What kind of food or beverage do you consume the most?

I love all kinds of stuff to eat, but especially like bread-types, rice cakes, stir-fried meat, chicken and tteok-bokki.

Name a movie, book or a musical that you enjoyed recently.

Aladdin and Over the Moon.

Where do you think is the best location in Korea for travel?

Jeju Island.

Tell us about your goals and plans for the future?

I plan to participate in the Asian Games in 2022, and win a medal.

–J.Chung.

Korean boyband TVXQ’s Changmin will be postponing his September wedding due to the coronavirus.

Following the recent surge of COVID-19 cases, the Korean government has banned weddings in the metropolitan area that exceeds over 50 guests to be held.

SM Entertainment confirmed that Changmin has decided to postpone his wedding (originally scheduled to take place on September 5) following the recent surge in COVID-19 cases and that he is planning to decide on a new date following discussions with [his and his fiancée’s] family.

Other Korean celebrities have also recently made changes to their upcoming wedding plans due to the coronavirus: Actress Kang Sora canceled her wedding ceremony for a small family gathering and Actor Ryu Deok-hwan has decided to postpone his October wedding until 2021.

J.Chung.

itzy

On August 17, Korean girl group ITZY released their third mini album “Not Shy” and the record’s doing immensely by selling 144,355 copies in its first week.

This is a new record for the girl group, whose first week sales more than doubled from “IT’z ME,” which sold 64,659 copies in its first week.

The music video for “Not Shy” surpassed 10 million views on YouTube around 17 hours after release and currently has 28 million views.

“Not Shy” has been charting well on South Korean music streaming charts and also doing well internationally.

ITZY is notably the band to watch out for – Yeji, Ryujin, Lia, Chaeryeong, and Yuna are making a name for themselves since having won the most Rookie of the Year awards of any girl group during South Korea’s awards period.

J.Chung.

According to a former aide of South Korea’s late president Kim Dae-jung, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is currrently in a coma and his younger sister Kim Yo-jong will be ruling the nation in his place.

Chang Song-min – who served Kim Dae-jung as a political affairs secretary and as head of the state affairs monitoring office – expressed that no North Korean leader would entrust his authority to another unless he was too sick.

“I assess him to be in a coma, but his life has not ended,” he told the media. “A complete succession structure has not been formed, so Kim Yo-jong is being brought to the fore as the vacuum cannot be maintained for a prolonged period.”

Kim has only been seen in public a few times this year after rumors spread that he was clinging to life in April due to a heart operation failure.

-J.Chung.

On August 21 at 1 p.m. KST, BTS released the music video for their English single “Dynamite.” At around 1:21 p.m. KST, the new music video exceeded 10 million views, setting a new record.

“Dynamite” is the first single from BTS’s forthcoming album, though the set doesn’t yet have a release date or a title. Big Hit Entertainment did reveal that a new full-length should arrive by the end of the year.

The boys have a busy schedule line up for the rest of the year and will perform during MTV’s Video Music Awards on August 30.

J.Chung.

Announcing her marriage to a non-celebrity boyfriend – Korean Actress Kang Sora shared a handwritten letter for her fans on her official fan café called Bling Bling.

Hello, this is Kang Sora.

It’s been a while since I’ve said hello to the Bling Bling family.

I’m worried and nervous about greeting you, but I wanted to personally share this news with you first, so I’m writing each word with courage.

It has already been 11 years since I debuted. Thank you to all of you who congratulated me and were happier for me than even I was for myself, I felt gratitude that cannot be expressed in words. Thanks to the support and love you gave me during the 11 years, I was able to stay strong and come this far. I sincerely thank you for always staying by my side and making me feel secure.

I, Kang Sora, who a lot of you at Bling Bling have considered their younger sister, friend, or older sister, am getting married in late August. You are probably surprised by the sudden news. I found a good person that I want to spend the rest of my life with, so I am sharing this good news with you through this letter.

I will work hard to show a happy married life and many more sides as an actress so that I can return [what I’ve received] to all of you who believe in and support me. Please continue to watch over me.

Though everyone is having a difficult time these days, I genuinely hope that you are staying healthy. Thank you for reading this long letter.

From Kang Sora.

—-J.Chung

For new international fans all over the world, could you introduce the meaning of your stage name, ‘MAIL’?

Hello, this is MAIL from Korea. I’m so glad to have a chance to send my greetings to you guys. MAIL came from that of E-MAIL, but the letter M stands for ‘music’. My stage name shows my hope to send great songs to everyone.

Your emotional voice is getting more widely known with TV programs such as <Voice Korea 2020>. What is the most valuable experience you remember to have from this competitive program?

I found everything there so new and fresh, first experience ever in life. The most impressive one was the blind audition; I can’t forget the feelings when coach Kim Jong-Kook turned his chair to give a ‘pass’.

What kind of story and emotion did you want to convey with your new album launched on May, “Fly High”?

The title song of this Album, “Fly High” is in alternative pop genre, with acoustic guitar melodies accompanied. This song contains hope, console and encouragement to everyone in the course of growth, with the message of ‘reflecting & loving myself’.

After the final episode of <Voice Korea> and recent comeback, how are your days like? Is there any special method of yours to relieve stress?

I am now preparing my new song release on the last week of August. The new song will be a duet, which is quite new to me. Before I have featured on ‘Starry Night’ with Rapper Kim Soo Jin of ‘PAXCHILD’, or other songs of Rapper DK; but this is the first time I release a duet song.

When stressed, I go out for a drive. Listening to music that fits my feelings of that day, when I drive I forget all my worries and problems in that moment.

What do you think you would have become if not a singer, something as a childhood dream?

I always dreamed to be a singer from my childhood, but in high school I thought about being a teacher in Day Care center-I like being with children so much! But I must have regretted, whatever way I choose instead of being a singer.

Four years after ‘THE ARK’ was disbanded, it was stated that you have gone through recovery within this period. What kind of activities gave you energy and resolution to restart as a solo artist?

All the performances I did, all the stages I made other than THE ARK group were solo stages. I feel like I always dreamed to be a solo artist. My current agency has recognized my dream, and we made in-depth discuss about re-debut as a solo artist. It was a bit challenging, but overcoming obstacles were part of my plans. I think all such resolutions gave birth to MAIL as I am now.

Solo concert where I can communicate with my fans is the main source of my energy. It gave me extreme excitement and realization about the true reason I always wanted to sing.

Are there any words you would want to say if you met yourself in childhood?

I was a timid and thoughtful child, so I missed a lot of chances in life. I want to tell little me to experience as many things as possible.

MAIL’s songs are known to convey strong emotion with beautiful & unique voice tones, how much do you emphasize to your songs’ lyrics when you actually sing?

Yes, I give weight to lyrics the most. Of course, when I practice, I need to polish details and technique more; but on stage I solely concentrate on lyrics. For me music is not about showing off, but about sharing emotions.

Could you give 3 songs of other artists you enjoy listening, or would recommend?

Recently, when I was competing in <The Voice Korea>, I browsed all the songs of coach Kim Jong-Kook. Among all of his songs, three most noteworthy songs are <One Man>, <It’s this person> and <Letter>. It is comfortable to listen to, but for singers Kim Jong-Kook’s songs are extremely difficult to sing.

Are there any episodes with, or comments from international fans you keep in mind?

When I performed on stage, I got so many international fans from far away. I thank them so much for coming to see me only; but on top of that, they learned Korean and tried to speak with me in my native language! We have the same hope to communicate, and It must’ve been difficult for them to learn different language. I was so touched to find their effort for me.

What is your favorite movie genre? Are there any movies that gave you inspiration to sing with emotion?

I love romance movies-my favorite is <About Time>. Every time I watch it I find new attractive aspects of it. When I sing, if the lyric is about things I haven’t experienced before, I recall feelings I had while watching movies.

What is the favorite line from your solo album song lyrics?

I like the line in ‘Fly High’, saying ‘Yesterday I was afraid of opening eyes every morning, but today I am ready to fly’. It represents MAIL as a solo artist on the start line; also it gives power and hope to people just like me.

You’re actively & successfully running your Youtube channel with cover song videos. if you ever have plans to upload special contents on your own, what would it be?

I think high note is my strongest point. So, I think if I create ‘Defeat MAIL with higher note’ competition with amateur challengers, it can be memorable and interesting.

What is your favorite dish among Korean food? One menu you would recommend to your international fans?

I love Kimchi Stew; love the spicy taste, scent of garlic in harmony with Kimchi and hot rice. I strongly recommend this menu to my international fans!

In spite of COVID 19 in the year 2020, seems like MAIL is getting more active & ready to fly higher. Could you give some hints about your next steps and activities?

I get my new song released on August 31st. This duet song is with sweet melody! Before I used to sing tragic songs with breakup scenes; sweet romance could’ve been awkward… but my counterpart has such a sweet voice, making our duet even more touchy. Please look forward to the new release!

What do you dream to achieve as a solo artist, the biggest dream you have?

My biggest dream is to continue music work for long, communicating with my fans. This does not seem big enough, but in fact it’s the most difficult one to achieve. I have to put all my heart, unchanging heart to my music for long run. I hope to be happy with my music and my fans for so long. 🙂

Could you leave any words or messages to your fans here, waiting for your new albums and activities?

After THE ARK disbanded, I made a late comeback after a 4 year-long break. Thank you so much for waiting for me and supporting me as always. I will try to reward your precious support and expectations, with more activities, beautiful music and more active communication with you all.

Thank you for your love and support, I love you all❤️

—-Uimn Peng

Chie Izuno works full time at an office Branch. Though she’s 30, she’s very young at heart and kind of innocent. She tries hard to go into the dating field but finds herself struggling due to her weight and self-esteem issues. She meets up with one of the company’s investors, Jin Harada, a super sucessful and young business man. However Jin has a severe lack of social skills. Chie strives to make a deal with Jin in order to aide her in her goal to lose weight and gain confidence, she tells Jin she can help him with his own flaws. Where will this agreement lead them to, and can two total opposites and flawed individuals overcome their personal demons?

Subkulture has come along side TREASURE, YG’s new boy group that is slated to be a major force within the industry, to offer TREASURE’s first ever single album video call event taking place Sunday, August 16, 2020, starting 6AM PDT*

Even though the entries for the Video Call Event have ended, you are still able to pick-up a copy of their very first album, “TREASURE [The First Step: Chapter One]” at the SUBKSHOP at www.subkshop.com.

For those who already purchase during the entry period, winners will be announced Friday, August 14, 2020 after 6AM PDT. Winners will be granted one minute with each member (total of 12 minutes) during the VIDEO CALL EVENT. All video calls will be held through the LINE app.

*Schedule subject to change. In the case of any schedule changes, winners will be contacted separately on the day of the event.

– The album(s) you order during this entry period will be shipped after the winners announcement is made.

– Only one album from the winner’s order will be signed and shipped separately after the VIDEO CALL EVENT.

All SUBK SHOP album sales are reflected on Hanteo and Gaon charts.

Official trailer just released: https://youtu.be/hz9_jkrrptU

● Limited screenings starting September 10 in various territories worldwide, with more screenings available in additional territories beginning September 24

London, UK – August 13, 2020

Big Hit Entertainment and Trafalgar Releasing announced today that tickets for BREAK THE SILENCE: THE MOVIE will become available in select territories starting today. The latest film finds the band at the end of the BTS WORLD TOUR ‘LOVE YOURSELF: SPEAK YOURSELF’, with the seven members beginning to candidly tell personal stories they have never voiced before.

There will be limited screenings of BREAK THE SILENCE: THE MOVIE starting September 10 in various territories worldwide with tickets now on sale. More screenings in additional territories beginning September 24 will go on sale starting August 27.

To find a full list of dates, visit www.BTSincinemas.com. Event and ticket on-sale dates vary per territory and subject to change based on the status of local cinema re-openings.

Tickets are on sale from the official film website (www.BTSincinemas.com). Those who have signed up can receive updates regarding tickets, participating theaters and more information.

The movie’s official trailer has just been released via the Big Hit Entertainment social channels and can be found here: https://youtu.be/hz9_jkrrptU.

Last year’s BRING THE SOUL: THE MOVIE will also be returning to theaters around the world for a limited engagement on August 28, 29 & 30. Viewers will also be treated to an exclusive sneak peek from the latest film. Tickets for BRING THE SOUL: THE MOVIE re-release will be on sale from Tuesday, August 18, 9AM EST.

About BTS

BTS, an acronym of Bangtan Sonyeondan or “Beyond the Scene,” is a South Korean boyband that has been capturing the hearts of millions of fans globally since their debut in June 2013. The members of BTS are RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook. Gaining recognition for their authentic and self-produced music, top-notch performances, and the way they interact with their fans, the band has established themselves as global superstars breaking countless world records. While imparting a positive influence through activities such as the LOVE MYSELF campaign and the UN ‘Speak Yourself’ speech, BTS has mobilized millions of fans across the world (named ARMY), topped prominent music charts, performed multiple sold-out stadium shows across the world and has been named as one of TIME 100: The Most Influential People of 2019. The band has also been recognized with numerous prestigious awards like the Billboard Music Awards and American Music Awards.

About Trafalgar Releasing

Trafalgar Releasing is the global leader in event cinema distribution. A subsidiary of Trafalgar Entertainment, Trafalgar Releasing’s global operations include production, acquisition, marketing and distribution of specialised content to over 8,000 cinemas in more than 120 countries worldwide.

A full spectrum of releases includes high arts (The Metropolitan Opera, Bolshoi Ballet, Royal Opera House), award winning theatre (The King and I: from the London Palladium, An American In Paris, Les Misérables: The Staged Concert), iconic moments (Monty Python’s Life of Brian 40th Anniversary, David Bowie is happening now, They Shall Not Grow Old), heritage music acts (Roger Waters The Wall, David Gilmour Live in Pompeii, Metallica & San Francisco Symphony: S&M2, Depeche Mode: SPIRITS in the Forest) and contemporary music sensations (BTS’ BRING THE SOUL: THE MOVIE, Gorillaz: REJECT FALSE ICONS, Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams).

Headquartered in London, the company also has offices in New York, Los Angeles and Denver. More information about Trafalgar Releasing can be found at www.Trafalgar-Releasing.com.

Lee Michelle’s new mini-album, RELEASED August 7, 2020, offers a mixture of genres that will meet the interest of different music lovers, from Kpop, KR&B to KHipHop. Look for her new mini-album on iTunes here: https://bit.ly/2PG6apc and Spotify here: https://spoti.fi/3irFaq0

This new album marks the first fresh music from Lee since the release of her mini-album ‘I Can Sing’ in 2015. ‘I Can Sing’ was Lee’s breakout solo album and featured material primarily written by her. Just a year before, she debuted her single “Without You”, which captivated audiences everywhere.

Watch her title song music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z8C6eTOiTA

Lee Michelle fans, show her lots of love!!

About Wildest Dream Entertainment

Wildest Dream Entertainment is a music production company developed to give a voice to those global talents wanting to be heard musically and professionally in making a difference in the world through music and cultural diversity. Wildest Dream Entertainment is a division of KCrush American Magazine.

ONF, South Korean boy band is ready to captivate global music lovers with their upcoming 5th mini-album ‘SPIN-OFF,’ composed with high participation by the band members.

ONF, praised by the fans for their distinctive style, is ready to raise the bar with their upcoming album. While fans all over the world are eagerly waiting for the official release, ONF’s management, WM Entertainment has been teasing the audience with various intriguing content shared through the band’s official social media accounts. Thus, a highlight medley released on August 5, gives the perfect first impression of the album. The highlight provides not only a very intriguing initial listen of seven songs that will make it to the track list but also draws closer attention to members’ unique identities visualized by individual concept photos.

The 5th mini-album ‘SPIN-OFF’ is set to be released and distributed via various music platforms on August 10, 2020, at 18:00 KST. The album will include 7 tracks “‘Belle Epoque,” “Geppetto, ”“Good Good,” “Cactus,” “New World,” “Message,” and the highly anticipated title song “Sukhumvit Swimming,” produced by Hwang Hyun and Yoon Jong Sung of Korea’s music production and publishing company ‘MonoTree.’The title song surpasses even the wildest imagination as ONF’s members MK took part in the song’s composition and WYATT wrote the lyrics. True to the album name , all the songs in the album will showcase the different paths and ways through which ONF were able to prove their growth over the course of years.

‘Sukhumvit Swimming’ is a mixture of K-POP and Reggae styles, carrying a story about ‘Falling into an unknown space which will connect us together’ as relayed by the artists’ management.

To celebrate their grand comeback ONF announced an online fanmeeting titled , which will let ONF and their fans stay connected even in the pandemic age.

ONF have prepared various performances to showcase at their online fanmeeting along with the first stage performances of the new songs.

And as a celebration of their return, an online fanmeeting titled will be held on August 10, 2020, 00:00 KST at mymusictaste.com. Tickets are still available onhttps://mmt.fans/iRiP.

All fans are encouraged to purchase tickets to the online fanmeeting, as ONF will have an exclusive live stream rehearsal available to those who purchase tickets to the online fanmeeting before the start of the rehearsal session at 00:00 KST on August 8, 2020. This exclusive rehearsal session will provide a sneak peak into the band’s preparations for the fanmeeting and will not be available for a replay.

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 52 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 a sophisticated, user-friendly service. Currently, www.mymusictaste.com supports more than 30 countries and offers 15 different languages.

First trainee creations lay the foundations for a new K-pop genre

SG Entertainment, the first Korean entertainment company founded by European producers, today announced the release of three music videos from each one of its creator trainees, including one original creation and two cover videos.

These three video productions will demonstrate SG Entertainment’s mission to produce content expressing its artists’ own personalities and inner worlds.

Yelin Lee, the first member of SG Entertainment to release a music video, will cover “Maniac” by Conan Grey. The video takes place in a recreated universe of the Korean 1980s while portraying a“newtro” style combining both Western and Eastern elements.

Yelin has great potential as a composer and script writer and she is gifted with a charming and powerful voice. The teaser will be released on August 10, and the full video on August 12.

Ihwa Bae will follow as the next trainee to release a MV. She will cover “A Million Dreams” out of the original soundtrack of “A Great Showman”, thereby taking her first step as an artist through dance expression.

Ihwa is an exceptional dancer with great freestyle dance and choreography creation skills. With this dance cover video, she expresses her aspirations through a lively and elegant choreography. The teaser video will be released on August 17, and the full video on August 19.

Lastly, a music video of an original rap creation written by Jiyeon Kim will be released, in which she will relate her own life experience, and deliver a message of love and hope for her audience.

Jiyeon, the youngest trainee, already shows great potential as a rapper. Starting with the teaser video on August 24, the full version of the video will be released on August 26.

“By introducing the world’s first system of creator trainees, we will produce varied original content under the direction of our visual art director Seoyeon Kim and our videography director Joon-Beom Park” said SG Entertainment’s CEO Joon-Hae Spielmann. “Our ambition is to create a fresh and stylish K-pop genre where trainees create music that suits their personality. We encourage them to build personal universes into which fans can project themselves and find strength for their own lives.”

All music videos will be released at 1pm KST. The teaser videos will be uploaded on both SG Entertainment’s YouTube and Instagram channels, while the full videos will be available on the YouTube channel.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqfkHWeUQdFzYzT0EXxIoFg

https://www.instagram.com/sgentertainment_agency/

About SG Entertainment:

Part of SG Group, SG Entertainment is the first Korean cultural content production company founded by French producers. With a strong focus on creativity, SG Entertainment strives to produce engaging and appealing content to inspire the younger generations to develop a positive attitude towards their future and take their lives in their own hands. The company’s mission is to find, train and empower performers, creators, models and thought leaders to define the way forward so that everyone can find their place and envision a harmonious tomorrow for all. www.sg-ent.com

About SG Group:

In a world troubled by anxiety and uncertainty, SG Group values creativity, responsibility, as well as a strong focus on physical and mental health as the path forward to a bright, confident, and prosperous future. The company operates through three entities: SG Academy trains tomorrow’s creators and influencers with strong values and a focus on leadership and self-confidence. SG Entertainment develops talent and distributes content. SG Unity leverages all of SG Group’s competencies to offer solutions to other businesses in the areas of creative marketing and business consulting. SG Group was founded in 2018 by Joon-Hae Spielmann and Thomas Sommer and is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. www.sparkgategroup.com

BREAK THE SILENCE: THE MOVIE

Coming to Theaters Worldwide Starting September 10

The fourth BTS film sees the global superstars on their first international stadium tour and provides audiences with unprecedented access to each member of the band
Set for Global Cinema Release from Trafalgar Releasing
Limited screenings starting September 10 in various territories worldwide, with more screenings available in additional territories beginning September 24
Last year’s record-breaking BRING THE SOUL: THE MOVIE also set to return to theaters worldwide for a limited engagement

London, UK – August 6, 2020

The worldwide release date for BREAK THE SILENCE: THE MOVIE, the latest film from global superstars BTS, has been confirmed beginning September 10, together with the unveiling of the movie’s official poster.

There will be limited screenings of BREAK THE SILENCE: THE MOVIE starting September 10 in various territories worldwide, with more screenings in additional territories beginning September 24. To find a full list of dates, visit www.BTSincinemas.com. Dates vary per territory and subject to change based on the status of local cinema re-openings.

BREAK THE SILENCE: THE MOVIE is the fourth film from BTS following 2019’s record-breaking release of BRING THE SOUL: THE MOVIE, which reached a box office of $24.3m and saw 2.55m tickets sold across 112 territories around the world.

The BTS WORLD TOUR ‘LOVE YOURSELF: SPEAK YOURSELF’ is now over. The worldwide stadium tour topped the Billboard Boxscore, and marked BTS as the first Korean group to perform at Wembley Stadium. The tour took place across Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, São Paulo, London, Paris, Osaka, Shizuoka, Riyadh, and Seoul.

With unprecedented access, BREAK THE SILENCE: THE MOVIE travels with BTS throughout the tour, exploring each band member behind the curtain. Off stage, we see another side of BTS. The seven members begin to candidly tell personal stories they have never voiced before.

Facing my other self ‘PERSONA’

Marc Allenby, CEO of Trafalgar Releasing has said on the release: “We’re delighted to partner with Big Hit Entertainment on the release of BREAK THE SILENCE: THE MOVIE, which gives fans extraordinary access to both their first international stadium tour and all seven members of BTS. We look forward to welcoming the ARMY back to cinemas for a fourth time for this must- see BTS big screen experience.”

In addition, last year’s BRING THE SOUL: THE MOVIE will be returning to theaters around the world for a limited engagement on August 28, August 29 and August 30. Fans in theaters will also be treated to an exclusive sneak peek from the latest film.

Tickets for BREAK THE SILENCE: THE MOVIE will be on sale from the official film website from Thursday, August 13.

Tickets for BRING THE SOUL: THE MOVIE re-release featuring the exclusive sneak peek will be on sale from Tuesday, August 18.

Fans will be able to find their closest screening and ticket information at the official website (www.BTSincinemas.com) and are encouraged to sign-up for updates regarding tickets, participating theaters and more information.

About BREAK THE SILENCE: THE MOVIE

Title: BREAK THE SILENCE: THE MOVIE

Director: Park Jun-soo

Cast: RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V, Jung Kook

Provided by: Big Hit Entertainment

Production: Big Hit Three Sixty

Distributed by: Trafalgar Releasing

Release date: September 10

About BTS

About Trafalgar Releasing

A full spectrum of releases includes high arts (The Metropolitan Opera, Bolshoi Ballet, Royal Opera House), award- winning theatre (The King and I: from the London Palladium, An American In Paris, Les Misérables: The Staged Concert), iconic moments (Monty Python’s Life of Brian 40th Anniversary, David Bowie is happening now, They Shall Not Grow Old), heritage music acts (Roger Waters The Wall, David Gilmour Live in Pompeii, Metallica & San Francisco Symphony: S&M2, Depeche Mode: SPIRITS in the Forest) and contemporary music sensations (BTS’ BRING THE SOUL: THE MOVIE, Gorillaz: REJECT FALSE ICONS, Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams).

Headquartered in London, the company also has offices in New York, Los Angeles and Denver. More information about Trafalgar Releasing can be found at www.Trafalgar-Releasing.com.

New album will feature seven fresh singles from Lee

Korean pop artist Lee Michelle, in conjunction with Wildest Dream Entertainment, has announced the upcoming release of her new mini-album, ‘Day-By-Day’.

Lee got her start as a South Korean Singer as a contestant on the first season of ‘K-pop Star’, which showcased talent from across South Korea. She gained high acclaim for her powerhouse vocals and wide range. After the show, Lee joined an all girl group called SuPearls, but the band soon after disbanded. At that time, Lee began to focus on her solo career, which has brought about exciting collaborations with other artists, such as South Korean rapper Double K, and a growing fan base.

Most recently, Lee was featured on ‘Tribe of Hip Hop 2’ in 2016, where she earned the nickname “Korean Missy Elliott”.

Since her time on ‘Tribe of Hip Hop 2’, Lee has stepped away from the limelight for a bit to enjoy life as she knows it. Recently, however, she decided it was time to come back to her fans. Lee began writing the songs that would soon be known as past of the ‘Day-By-Day’ track list.

‘Day-By-Day’ will feature seven brand new songs, primarily written by Lee. The new mini album is scheduled for an official release on August 7, 2020, at 7pm. KST

The album is being released in conjunction with Wildest Dream Entertainment, which is a division of KCrush America Magazine. KCrush America Magazine offers digital and printed publications, as well as events, that connect audiences with the latest Asian entertainment. KCrush America Magazine and Wildest Dream Entertainment are both committed to bringing the best of Asian entertainment to fans everywhere.

More information can be found at www.kcrush.com

About Wildest Dream Entertainment

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Global hit-maker James Lee returns to music’s forefront with emotional 7-track release

Rising star James Lee continues his road to recovery and healing with the release of his second EP CASTLES! Woven with sad boy/girl songs perfect for late-night summer drives, CASTLES, consisting of 7 tracks, is an intimate look into the mind of James, as he navigates through themes of heartbreak, goodbyes, and holding onto loved ones quickly slipping through your fingers like sand.

LISTEN TO JAMES LEE’S CASTLES EP

With the raw emotion of Yellowcard and Lauv and sounds reminiscent of Zedd and The Chainsmokers, CASTLES is an artistic blend of acoustic-pop/rock and EDM, with a little something for everyone.

On the creation of CASTLES, James shares, “CASTLES is a milestone in my career that expresses the growth I’ve had as a writer and a producer. When I wrote The Light EP, I relied on the help from some fantastic producers, but for CASTLES I trusted myself. Even though it was based on the thought of sand castles washing away, I still find myself reflecting on the process and journey of creating rather than sulking over what’s lost. I’ve become a realistic optimist.”

He hopes that listeners not only recognize the beauty in the intricacy of the album, but also the urgency in cherishing every moment, saying, “I hope people that listen to CASTLES will hear everything, from the details in every single arrangement choice, to the way the words are expressed in each song. I decided to lean into the music I grew up loving so much. Though the tone of the album is emotional and sad, the greater takeaway for people is to appreciate the moments we have because nothing lasts forever.”

To make the release of his second EP even more special, James provided various offers on his Patreon for fans to have their names included in the credits of his upcoming music video for “Liar” as well as on the physical copy of the CASTLES EP – a small gesture to show his fans that they are just as much part of this journey as he is.

In addition to his much-anticipated second EP, James most recently released collaboration track “Alright” with former f(x) singer Amber Liu (5.5 million followers) and the lyric video for “Over Us“, putting him on track to become a playlist-favorite of Gen Z and Millennials alike.

Referred to as the “Lauv of Asia” for his emotionally-charged songwriting and on-trend beat production, James has had a number of successful collaborations with various international pop stars in the realm of K-pop and Asian pop music, including Sooyoung Choi of Girls Generation (5.4 million followers), Angelababy (7.8 million followers), Jannine Weigel (1.7 million followers), Kevin Woo (705,000 followers), and Jason Zhang (452,000 followers). In addition to his own music, James is also a much-sought-after songwriter/producer by Asian artists and has had two #1 singles (Angelababy’s “Takeoff”, Jason Zhang’s “Fast”) and one #1 EP (Gao Jia Lang’s I Am Me) in China since 2018.

James secured his position as a multi-talented force to be reckoned with, modeling for Sony, Samsung, and LANEIGE (alongside legendary South Korean actress Song Hye-Kyo). He’s also graced the covers of Men’s Folio and Citta Bella, and featured in popular TV shows like KBS’s Let’s Go Dream Team Season 2, Law of the Jungle: Indian Ocean, SBS’s Star King and Fashion King, MBC’s Idol School, Immortal Song, and even the U.S. hit series America’s Next Top Model: Cycle 21.

Featured in Hypebeast, Billboard, Earmilk, UPI, and Rolling Stone India, and with over 42,000 monthly listeners on Spotify and almost 1 million views on YouTube, James has steadily grown a loyal following from scratch — a testament to his authenticity and ability to connect with his fans through honest and relatable music. James continues to stay in touch with his growing fanbase on the daily through his socials, with a reach of almost 300,000 worldwide.

ABOUT JAMES LEE:

Born and raised in Southern California, James Lee has 13 years of bass-playing experience and was a member of K-pop band Royal Pirates. Kickstarting his career as a musician in local metalcore favorite AZUSA at just 16-years-old, James eventually moved to South Korea with Royal Pirates, a Korean-American band with viral success and a loyal following.

In addition to several international tours and TV show appearances, Royal Pirates peaked at #8 on Billboard’s World Albums chart with their EP Drawing The Line, while their 3.3 EP hit #15, gaining international attention and interest – something that wasn’t as common for a Korean rock band during that time.

On June 10, 2015, a debilitating accident severed James’ left hand and left him unable to play the bass any longer. After a brief stint playing synth for Royal Pirates, he called it quits because of the worsening condition of his health. After 5 surgeries, James moved back to Los Angeles and decided to release music written post-accident in a debut solo project called The Light EP. Funding a Kickstarter campaign of $90,000 (over 300% of the initial target) has been fundamental to his rehabilitation and restarting his hopes as a musician. The Light EP hit #1 on the iTunes chart in the Philippines, #2 in Singapore, and placed within the top 10 in various countries.

James Lee is no stranger to the international stage as he’s toured worldwide and performed on stages of various international festivals and concerts including Vans Warped Tour, Supersonic Festival, and Hyundai Card City Break amongst others, alongside bands including Maroon 5, Earth Wind & Fire and the Pet Shop Boys.

He is currently writing and recovering and continues to create as his passion.

FOLLOW JAMES LEE:

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Back in June, while planning the debut of SSAK3 – with Yoo Jae-suk and Rain on “How Do You Play?” – Singer and former girl grouper Lee Hyori revealed that she wanted to form a dream girl group with Jessi, Hwasa, and veteran singer Uhm Jung-hwa. The mentioned three expressed excitement about the idea that the four singers could get together for a project girl group.

Within a few weeks, a representative of “How Do You Play?” officially then confirmed that the four women would be holding their first meeting to negotiate the details of the new project.

The source also stated that “It’s true that they will be coming together for their first meeting on July 31. They have not yet come to a decision on whether they will be appearing on the show. It seems that they will be discussing matters like that at this meeting.”

Is anyone excited about Hyori, Jessi, Hwasa and Uhm Jung-hwa being a girl group?

J.Chung.

Vitamin is a children’s idol group signed under Clevr E&M. The girls made their debut on May 7, 2017 with “Happy Day”. The group consists of 5 members: NaYe, Jaehee, Sarang, Siyoon, and Chaemin.

Please introduce yourselves to our readers.

NaYe: Hello, I am NaYe and I am 14 years old and the leader of VITAMIN.

Jaehee: Hello, I am 13-year-old Lee Jaehee.

Sarang: Hello, I am the refreshing member of VITAMIN, Jung Sarang.

Siyoon: Hello, I am the lovely 12-year-old Oh Siyoon.

Chaemin: Hello, and the cute member, Hwang Chaemin.

How would you describe your everyday routine?

NaYe: I take my dog Nuroongi for a walk when I come back home from school. I practice dance, acting, vocalizing – depending what I am lacking in the most. Then I do my school work at night, since I can do my work better at night.

Jaehee: I spend a great time at school, then I play with my friends after school or go to the studio.

Sarang: I study, cook, and enjoy my time in the studio.

Siyoon: After school, I practice vocals and dance at Clevr before returning home.

Chaemin: When I finish my lessons at school, I come to Clevr for practice.

Which musician or artist do you admire the most?

NaYe: Erm, I like BTS!! I also like IU! Because there is no reason why. They are just so good at singing, for real!

Jaehee: I respect and admire IU sunbaenim. Some of my favorite songs are what IU wrote, so I want to take after her and write songs myself.

Sarang: I admire BTS and IU. I respect the fact that BTS never gave up and made themselves known around the world. I want to take after IU because she’s so good at singing and acting.

Siyoon: IU sunbaenim.

Chaemin: BTS, because they’re so cool – great at dancing and singing.

What is your favorite VITAMIN song?

NaYe: VITAMIN – Sea. Since the song came out during the summer, it’s cool and refreshing. It drives away the hot weather! Ha ha.

Jaehee: My fav VITAMIN song is Now I know. I personally think this song is the best and we seem more mature than when we released Your Dream, My Dream.

Sarang: Exciting Sports Day! It was the first song that I recorded when I joined VITAMIN, so it sticks to my mind the most.

Siyoon: VITAMIN – Sea was my first single and the fast tempo of the song is so uplifting.

Chaemin: Exciting Sports Day – because it was my first single since starting out as a VITAMIN member.

Tell us about any funny episode that happened while on stage.

NaYe: When I was presenting a performance, I was supposed to say the question first but I skipped it and said the answer first. Does anyone else recall?

Jaehee: When I had just joined VITAMIN, we were supposed to present our greeting all at once but I went on ahead and did it by myself. It was embarrassing but a fun experience.

Sarang: I got hit by Chaemin by accident while we were dancing. Looking back, it was so funny.

Siyoon: We were in Jeju Island performing, and I thought because it’s a tourist area there won’t be that many fans for us. But there were quite a lot of our fans there and they cheered for us, which was a great experience.

Chaemin: We took some time to talk to some fans during the performance, so we played games and danced our choreography. It was really fun.

What do you like to do for a hobby?

NaYe: I like to cook!! I like making things so these days, my hobby is cooking. I am not that good but with a lot of practice I mean to improve.

Jaehee: I like to draw. I sometimes draw the cute dogs owned by the members.

Sarang: Cooking! It’s fun when someone appreciates the food you make and it makes it so worthwhile.

Siyoon: I’ve been learning the guitar these days and I practice each time I get a chance because it’s fun.

Chaemin: I play lego and do origami these days.

What is your favorite food/beverage?

NaYe: I love live octopus! I love to eat seafood and live octopus is my fav! I also love ionic drinks like Pocari Sweat.

Jaehee: I like lemonade and chicken! I love lemonade so much that I used to drink it often when used to practice cover dances. Chicken is not only tasty but I also like how the family eats it during the night and get the time to talk with one another.

Sarang: Shabu-shabu has both soup and noodles that I love. Fermented soybean paste soup is what I also love to eat. I love Natto for desert and like to drink cool plum juice and lemonade.

Siyoon: I enjoy Korean meals that my grandmother and parents cook me at home. My grandmother’s kimchi is simply the best. I also love barley tea and corn tea.

Chaemin: I love bibimbap and soda for drinks.

What is your favorite color and why?

NaYe: Purple and blue!!! Because purple is mysterious and blue is cool and refreshing lol.

Jaehee: I like mint the best. Before, I was never interested in the color but the management set it as my main color so I got interested in it and began loving it.

Sarang: Purple, because it left a big impression on me when V said “Let’s trust and love each other for a long time.” After that, purple became a special color for BTS, then it became a color I love as well.

Siyoon: Yellow, because it symbolizes me in VITAMIN.

Chaemin: Sky blue. It reminds me of looking into the sky and it soothes my mind. ^^

What movies, books and musicals have you enjoyed recently?

NaYe: I am really into actress Park Bo-young these days because she’s such an actress.

Jaehee: Peter Pan the novel stays in my mind the most. I read it when I was younger but I get a different feeling reading it this time around.

Sarang: A Resistance was a movie that I watched recently. I got to see how Ryu Gwansun protected the nation and how she was tortured for it.

Siyoon: Mal-Mo-E: The Secret Mission. I loved how the characters risked their lives in order to protect Hangul. I also enjoyed the novel Daddy-Long-Legs.

Chaemin: Little Women was a heartwarming movie about a family. It also left a big impression on me that Jo became a writer and fulfilled her dreams later on.

What would be your future goals and plans?

NaYe: Do the best like we’ve always done… and would want to try harder to show better performances. Please stay with us.

Jaehee: We want to work hard and show better performances for our fans.

Sarang: I want to do my best so that I would be able to perform on the same stage as the artists that I admire.

Siyoon: I want to learn how to play many instruments, sing and compose more in the future.

Chaemin: It is our future goal to become great singers, dancers and actors. We’re still very lacking but we think we could make it if we put in the effort.

Please say something to the fans.

NaYe: I’ll do my best to become like vitamin to you all. Please consume vitamins every day! ❤️?

Jaehee: Thank you for always being there for us and loving us. We will do our best to show you better performances.

Sarang: Thank you for loving us and hope you continue showing support in the future. We love you! ❤️

Siyoon: Thank you for always cheering me on. I will do my best to become a better musician.

Chaemin: Thank you for showing love and support. I will put in more effort to do better in the future. Please show love for VITAMIN as well. Thank you!

–J. Chung.

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