Ex-BONUSbaby Member Talks About Idol Experience

 

Back in August 2019, former BONUSbaby leader, Kong Yoo-Jin, spoke with The Korea Times about her experiences as a K-Pop idol. Kong signed with Maroo Entertainment when she was 15 years old, and she trained for six months prior to debut.

Kong, who left the group in 2018 due to depression and to focus on her studies, debuted with BONUSbaby January 1, 2017. The girl group, known for the songs “Urikiri” and “If I Become an Adult,” has been on hiatus since Kong’s leave, but as of 2019, they are still together.

 

 

During her Korea Times interview, Kong discussed some of the strict rules she had to follow with dieting and how she and her fellow members had limited contact with their families.

“There are TV programs that show how harsh it is to live as a K-Pop idol,” Kong said. “It’s a lot more difficult that I thought it would be.”

She added that the members were weighed often, sometimes up to ten times a day.

“We had to get on the scale whenever we got back into the office,” Kong said. “The compared the weight before and after going out. Sometimes, we had to step on the scale up to ten times a day.”

Kong mentioned how the company confiscated the members’ phones and that they weren’t allowed access to them not even to contact their families. She said that they had limited time to meet with their families, especially if the members couldn’t control their appetites.

“We had a hard time controlling our appetite, so the agency would later even prohibit outdoor meetings with our parents.” she said. “We had to meet our family for an hour only inside the office building.” She added, “At first the company let us see our parents but later they banned this, as we gained weight after going out and having meals with them. It was difficult to control our appetite.”

Kong also said that her company had a strict no-dating policy and they weren’t even allowed to be with any males.

“We had to leave the room whenever male trainees came,” Kong said, adding that the group was secluded from any of the males in the company and that they could not make eye contact with any men.

After leaving the company, Kong said she struggled with depression and a social anxiety disorder. She also stated how she has a cervical disk injury due to training. She said she is slowly overcoming her anxiety. While she points these issues out as negatives—along with issues she faces due to damaged vocal chords—she said the experience has given her confidence that is now helping her with her college entrance process.

Currently, Kong hopes to become a music teacher so she can help others achieve their dreams. Of her idol experience, though, she said it was worth the experience, but she wouldn’t want to go through it again.

Kong  isn’t the first idol to speak out about her idol experiences. Crayon Pop’s Way, Grazy Gracie, and Dal*Shabet’s Serri have all shared their experiences with idol life through talk show appearances and YouTube channels. Through their discussions, they share some of the unpleasantries of idol life, exposing it for some of the issues the entertainment industry would like to keep hidden.

Check out Kong Yoo-Jin’s Korea Times interview below.

 

 

Related:

Check out Way’s Asian Boss interview where she discusses her idol experience.

 

 

—-Olivia Murray

Trigger alert: Death and song lyrics of a potentially triggering nature discussed.

 

On September 21, 2019, singer Woo Hye-Mi, 31, who went by the stage name Miwoo, was found dead in her apartment after she failed to appear to a meeting according to her agency, Downtown ENM. The label announced her passing on September 22, 2019.

“We don’t know what to think after her passing. Yesterday, she didn’t show up to her meeting with the director for her new single’s MV, and we couldn’t get into contact with her,” the company said.

Woo, who is known for her appearance and top four finish on 2012’s Voice of Korea, recently released an EP titled s.s.t (sweet short time) along with two singles, “s.s.t” and “Rotten Flower.”

 

 

 

While the cause of death has not been officially reported, Netizens point to the songstress’ Instagram and a post featuring Cuco’s “Hydrocodone.” The lyrics point to feelings of loneliness and  hopelessness. Another post on July 17 featured an image of the text reading “’Baby, I don’t feel so good.’ 6 words you’ll never understand. ‘I’ll never let you go.’ 5 words you never say.” Netizens point out how these posts now seem ominous after Woo’s death, especially since her account mostly featured her with animals, family, friends, and music promotions.

On September 22, ENM Entertainment released another statement regarding plans for Woo’s funeral.

 

Hello, this is Woo Hye-Mi’s agency Downtown ENM.

Woo Hye-Mi passed away in her home on September 21. We are worried to announce the sad news.

Her funeral has been set up at Sunsim Hospital in Gangdong, Seoul. The funeral will be held privately according to the wishes of her family. We sincerely hope that you pray for the memory of the deceased whose life ended too soon.

 

The agency added that a memorial would be held for the public at Gangdong Sacred Heart Hospital. A private burial will follow the memorial.

We send our condolences to Woo Hye-Mi’s family and friends.

 

 

—-Olivia Murray

Most of us are very aware that maintaining a well-balanced, moisturized skin is a tiresome business and, in worse scenarios, severe dryness of the skin can result in skin infection or inflammation. Since maintaining a hydrated skin complexion is a challenge for so many, I’ll be introducing a list of K-Beauty moisturizing items that I’d personally recommend. Check out my list of seriously amazing “K-Beauty’s highly moisturizing products” that you can truly depend on for ample moisture all year round.

 

VELY VELY Madecassoside Repair Toner

 

Used as the first step to a healthy and hygienic skincare routine, the Madecassoside toner is created to completely satisfy the user in both the quality and its performance.

The toner is made of 75% of chamomile water and thoroughly removes all impurities, excessive grease/oils, and thick makeup, leaving you with fully-balanced moisturized skin tone, and an immaculate skin. The product was especially formulated to support oil-moisture balance and add a protective skin barrier. This skin toner will guarantee a result in a crystal-clear complexion for the user. Madecassoside Repair Toner provides much goodness and love to the skin. Yay!

 

The History of Whoo Gongjinhyang Soo Sooyeon Essence

 

Whoo Gongjinhyang Soo Sooyeon Essence is a fantastic example of ancient medicinal formula combined with modern science! This inspired ingredients from a secret royal court formula was initially created from the ancient Korean royal court. Red wild ginseng is the key ingredient that effectively penetrates the inner depth of the skin and delivers the nutrition that your skin needs. The revitalizing properties will soon transform your skin into glassy radiance – leaving no oily residue behind. You’ll find there is a definite reason for its steep price – try it out yourself.

 

VELY VELY Artemisia Return Ampoule

 

VELY VELY’s Artemisia Return Ampoule is “a shockingly-effective K-Beauty product” that empowers the skin’s moisture deepest barrier and keep hydration from leaking out of your pores. This cute ampoule actually consists of 94% of top-quality Artemisia extract, and we know you rarely get a higher percentage than that anywhere else.

Please note: An ampoule is an enhanced version of a serum but with a higher concentration of ingredients. It’s beneficial for treating all kinds of skin troubles. It’s soothing, productive, silky-smooth; leaving ZERO feeling of greasiness and does so much more. This is why this precious skincare necessity is frequently sold-out. We recommend you to try it for yourself, because seeing is believing.

 

Innisfree Tangerine Vita C Mist

 

We know the change-of-season is knocking “thump, thump” on our door when we to use a mist spray multiple times of the day. Innisfree’s Tangerine Vita C mist contains all the stuff your skin needs to its inner barrier, in order to stay perfectly-moisturized. The cooling effect also performs well in preventing skin anti-aging; among other countless top factors to benefit any type of skin. This must-have orangey tangerine mist is perfect to use any season of the year. Spray this with or without makeup, any time of the day.

 

AMORE PACIFIC MOISTURE BOUND Rejuvenating Eye Treatment Gel

 

Looking for that perfect eye cream to fix/treat wrinkly eye areas or prevent it from further aging? This MOISTURE BOUND Rejuvenating Eye Treatment Gel may well be that winning skincare item for you. And, the “MOISTURE” is in capital letters for a good reason. This lightweight gel-cream formula provides rich hydration to the delicate eye area for a renewed and vitalized skin effect to minimize and diminish any puffiness or dark circles. This useful K-Beauty eye cream helps to repair skin damage due to its renovative repair technology and promotes emanating radiance to the eye area. This MOISTURE BOUND eye cream’s a problem solver for many.

 

Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Emulsion

 

Some of you may not be aware that an emulsion contains high level of dewy moisture, so it is quite crucial when it comes to a skincare routine. Although some choose to skip using this necessary skin product – using the right kind of emulsion IMMENSELY contributes to the skin’s moisturizing. Sulwhasoo’s Essential Balancing Emulsion immediately absorbs into the skin and don’t linger and become sticky on the skin’s surface as many other products do. This promotes pure oxygen water into your skin for soft, moisturized skin. to hydrate and smoothen your skin, diminishing wrinkles and leaving your face moisturized, as you want it.

 

HERA Aquabolic Hydro-Gel Cream

 

Last but not least, Aquabolic Hydro-Gel Cream makes our list – and the name says it all. This rich-in-moisture cream with a lovely scent, is a moisturizing gel-type cream with lotus extract, betaine and natural moisturizing factors to soothe and replenish the skin with its hydro-gel moisture. This silky-smooth cream instantly adds refreshing moisture for a brighter and flawless skintone and complexion. The hydro-gel cream’s luscious texture feels incredible to the touch of the skin; leaving it lightly to feel like it has been coated with a thin layer of dewy moisture.

 

 

— J. Chung.

 

Yukika Teramoto – a.k.a Yukika – is a Japanese singer, former model and voice actress. Since 2006, she worked as an exclusive model for Nicola magazine until 2009.

In 2007, Yukika began acting and released music under the name Choco & Mimi with Kayano Masuyama, a former member of Japanese idol group AKB48. Yukika also delved into voice acting in several anime and video games. She took a break from work in 2012, in order to focus on her education. In 2016, Yukika appeared in the Korean TV series The Idolmaster KR and debuted in the tie-in Korean idol girl group Real Girls Project.  Yukika has since turned into a solo artist and sings mostly in Korean and covers City Pop genre in her music. We’d like to express a massive thank you towards Yukika for the great interview and wish our readers would also enjoying reading about this extra diverse singer.

 

Hello! Thank you for taking the time out for a KCrush interview. Would you kindly introduce yourself to us?

Hello, I am a Japanese pop singer named Yukika, and I’ve been living in Korea for 4 years now. I came to Korea after taking an audition for a drama called Idolmaster KR and after that, I was in a Real Girl, which was a girl group project. I made my debut as a solo artist this year.

 

You’ve been in the entertainment industry since a young age, how did this come about for you? Was it initially your dream to become a celebrity?

Yes, I wanted to be a celebrity since I was little. I came to start working as a model in a fashion magazine that I was a fan of, which got me into the entertainment industry.

 

After moving to Korea, did you experience any culture shock?

Since living in Korea is somewhat quite similar to Japan, I don’t think I experienced any particular culture shock or anything like that. The few things that are different is that in Korea, the people seem to use Kakaotalk and other messengers a lot, and the internet here is incredibly fast!

 

We read that you’re known by several nicknames. Explain to us how you attained those nicknames.

My nickname was Yuka (ゆっか) since I was born, then it turned into Kika (きか) when I began residing in Korea. Ever since I became good at speaking in Korean, I was told that “Yu” seemed a Korean surname. So, Kika became my nickname here.

 

How much has changed for you personally, after turning into a solo artist?

I get to have more concerns and things to think about than I did back when I was active in a group. Because I don’t have the other members around me and have to do things all on my own, I think I get to think more nowadays than ever before.

 

What do you do first when you get out of bed in the mornings?

I tend to get up quite early and when I do get up… I use mouth wash, then brush my teeth. Afterwards, I plan out what to have for breakfast.

 

Can you share which one of your songs that you’re the most attached to?

I would say that NEON, which is my debut single is the one that I am probably the most attached to. I’m really immersed in retro-style City Pop, so I had a really great time preparing and as soon as I heard the demo for this song, I thought to myself that this is a soundtrack for my life. I was also very happy and felt gratified due to the fact that so many people seem to respond well to the song’s image and all that.

 

Please introduce to us any music that you’re playing the most frequently.

On my way to do this interview, I listed to an old City Pop song Adventure – Momoko Kikuchi. I also listen to a lot of BOL4 – Workaholic, which has recently been released.

 

What kind of food or beverage do you like or dislike? State the reasons as well.

These days, I enjoy eating veggie and pork tripe (돼지 곱창). For beverage, I like soda but I try not to drink that too much because I’m trying to lose weight currently, because I gained so much.

I’ve lately gotten to really love eating egg stir-fried small octopus while I’m at a PC room.

 

Do you have a particular color preference? How do you like to dress normally?

I don’t have any colors that I don’t like or hate, but I like colors red, light purple/violet, pink and yellow. I also like to wear long dresses.

 

 

Do you have any special interests or hobbies?

I have a dog as a pet, and I enjoy playing online games and love going to visit pretty cafes.

 

Who would be the one person that you admire in the world?

I used to have a lot of admiration for Audrey Hepburn. But I currently don’t have anyone I can think of right now!

 

Please recommend us any books, musicals or films that you enjoyed lately.

The most recent movie that I enjoyed watching very much is Exit (2009) the Korean movie.

 

Where do you wish to perform in the future?

Places near to Korea, except Japan because that’s where I’m from. I would love to perform in Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia and Singapore!

 

How do you like to release stress from work?

I like to consume spicy food because it helps to release stress and also, I have a pet dog that I take on walks with me near the Han river. I love going to pet cafes as well. I play games too!

 

What kind of person is your ideal?

I like someone who thinks considerate of other people who works hard at what he does. I don’t really look at the outer appearance, because once you get to like someone, you’ll start to think they’re good-looking. I am okay with someone unless they are dirty and don’t wash.

 

What do you think you’ll be doing in 10 years-time?

If by that time I’ve become successful, I would like to have more than 10 dogs and tour abroad or will be doing a pet-related business!

 

Please tell us about your future hopes and plans. Add something nice to the fans as well.

I want to do my best to release more music so I can get to the countries that I want to visit and perform there! I plan to continually work on creating City Pop music, so please stay with me. Thank you!

 

Listen to this interview or article on your Alexa device or app: https://amzn.to/2NcLtQ5 

 

— J. Chung.

B.A.P performs on stage/via Wikipedia Commons

 

Earth Needs You Looking for Volunteers for B.A.P Charity  –  Joelle Halon

If you had an opportunity to create a charity for your favorite celebrity, would you? What would you do?   Who would you help What would drive you to want to start a charity?

Over the years, there have been fandoms who’ve done just that, and we read about the good deeds of fans who come together to create forests in the name of their favorite celebrities or donate money to a favorite cause.   Often, these actions are done by domestic fans and fans dotted across Asia.   The United States are often left out.

Enter Earth Needs You (ENU), a B.A.P charity started by Dana Crone.   Based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, ENU has hopes of going global.   According to their website, they are “a charity-based (non-profit) ‘fan’ group of the Korean music group, B.A.P.    The goals of [the] organization follow the vision of B.A.P’s leader, Bang Yongguk: Making the world a better place by helping to improve the lives of children around the world.”

Currently, ENU is looking for volunteers within seven hours of the Pittsburgh area to help develop the charity for advertising, web and social media design, and assistant directors, so you can help build the charity and help get its vision off the ground!

Dana Crone took the time to respond to some questions regarding ENU, why she plans on developing the foundation, and what plans are in place for accomplishing its goals.

 

It seems clear you’re a B.A.P fan.  What made you become a fan and why? 

DC:  I am a fan of good music first and foremost, and I feel that whatever B.A.P seems to produce is of a high standard musically and lyrically.   I find each member to be individually talented and, while some are stronger in certain areas than others, their music highlights their abilities as singers and performers.  They also put on a great live performance.   I have seen them twice now.

 

What about their mission connected to you and why?

DC: I think what really struck me the most was the interview where Bang Yongguk explained what he would do with $100,000 (support children & their education basically).  I was already a fan at that point, but I gained a lot of respect for him and the group at that moment; also, other interviews where he [Bang Yongguk] would explain how he and the other members save or cut down on excessive spending to be able to support charity.   They are still establishing themselves as artists, yet are already thinking of ways to help others.   It’s quite amazing to me.   I am a teacher of students with special needs so their efforts really touch my heart.

 

What made you decide to start a charity in B.A.P’s name?

DC: I have always wanted to give back to others, especially children in need, but never had an outlet to do so.   I am not a religious person nor do I have any connection to persons supporting a cause, and I think there are other people like me who also want to help, but don’t know how.   B.A.P’s concert message this year was that earth needed us, so I thought to myself, why not?   B.A.P called and we will answer. 

 

What goals do you have for ENU, and how do you plan on fulfilling B.A.P’s mission through ENU?

DC: ENU’s focus is service as opposed to straight donations to a cause.   While we will have donation drives and accept donations, I feel the fansites already do a great job in those areas.   Our job is to help people. We recently had a meeting where we outlined goals both short term and long-term.   We have a lot of ideas, but something that we will be working on soon is creating a safe place for children and teens with disabilities to chat (online) with kids without disabilities about everyday kid stuff.   Even with the push for inclusion in US and Canadian schools, this population is often very isolated from their peers.   Likewise, kids without disabilities don’t know how to interact with this population and it results in a lot of misconceptions that carry on into adulthood.  Currently, we are working out logistics and investigating the legal side of this, but this will be our first major project.

 

You mention on the B.A.P forum that there are plans for ENU to expand and go international. What plans do you have for ENU during the expansion process?  

We would like to bring similar programs to other countries and have volunteers from a variety of different backgrounds and cultures.   Right now we have volunteers from all over the world, but we are in need of leaders in these areas.   Long term, we would like to visit other countries in need.

 

For people looking to join and help your organization, what would you like them to bring to the table in terms of ideas for growth, planning, and reaching out to different communities?

Motivation and commitment is what we need; leadership would be an added bonus as we are in need of leaders.   For those who think they are too inexperienced:  Most of us are very inexperienced and are learning the roles and rules of a nonprofit as we go.   Learn with us and make a difference!

 

There are multiple B.A.P fan clubs who are planning different “good deed” projects in honor of B.A.P’s 1000th day anniversary Oct. 22.   Do you have any plans to do anything on this date?   Is so, what do you have planned?

For the anniversary event, we ask fans to reach out to their favorite fansite and make a donation or submit a good deed (like at BYS*).   We feel like that event like this is best serviced by fansites.  I recommend BYS (I personally have some “good deeds” to submit), but there are a few other fansites/fangroups out there doing good as well.

*BYS: B.A.P Yessir

 

 

[The charity may no longer exist. Just a reprinting] .

(Photo credit goes to our friend and photographer: Ye Ryu)

 

On September 16, we caught up with Kim Jae-hwan while he was leaving Korea’s Incheon International Airport for Sapporo, Japan to take part in KMF (Korean Music Festival) 2019, which will be held on September 22 and 23 in Japan’s capital city of Tokyo. The organizer for 12th KMF 2019, announced that this year’s concept will be ‘LOVE KMF!’.

For 12 long years, this festival has been extremely successful and well-received by K-Pop lovers in Japan. Each September, various K-Pop festivals are held in Sapporo and Tokyo to introduce Korean Pop’s fans the hottest, emerging acts.

Kim Jae-hwan (born May 27, 1996) is a South Korean singer, who finished fourth in Season 2 of Produce 101. He’s a former member and main vocalist of the Korean boy group Wanna One. The Wanna One members officially made their debut on August 7, 2017, while signed under Swing Entertainment and CJ E&M. The group’s contract abruptly ended on December 31, 2018 – they had their last farewell concert on January 24–27 of 2019 – at Gocheok Sky Dome Seoul; the same venue where they held their first ever showcase. Kim Jae-hwan’s first extended play, Another, was released in May 2019. The following K-Pop groups will be performing at this festival, find out if your favs are on the list.

 

12th KMF (Korean Music Festival) 2019 – Lineup:

 

Sep. 16, Monday- Zepp Sapporo

Kim Jae-hwan

Jeong Se-woon

NATURE

X1

 

Sep. 22, Sunday- Toyosu PIT

NCT DREAM

NATURE

X1

 

Sep. 23, Monday- Toyosu PIT

Jeong Se-woon

X1

 

—-J.Chung

 

Seoul, South Korea (September 16, 2019) – Popular Kpop rookie group ONEUS has announced their first U.S. tour:

2019 ONEUS ‘FLY WITH US’ TOUR IN USA. ONEUS will bring full-fledged live performances to six U.S. cities beginning this November. 

ONEUS’ first U.S. tour was initiated by fans who created a viral movement on www.mymusictaste.com, an online service that brings together music fans to request their favorite artist’s concert. In order to meet the ever-growing demand of ONEUS’ fans, the group partnered with MyMusicTaste to meet with their avid fans from the USA. 

Debuted this past January, the rookie sextet quickly became Kpop heartthrobs through their striking physical appearances and vocal prowess. Debuted under RBW Entertainment, the agency that houses one of the biggest Korean girl groups of all time, MAMAMOO, ONEUS has gained worldwide attention from the start.  Their debut mini album “LIGHT US” hit no.1 on iTunes Top K-Pop Albums Charts and charted within the Top 10 in Canada, Germany, England, Spain, and Italy. Its title track “Valkyrie” hit 17 million views on YouTube, an impressive feat for a rookie group. Without losing momentum, their second mini album “RAISE US” debuted no.1 on the iTunes Top K-Pop Albums Charts in Finland and charted within the Top 5 in four other countries. Its title track “Twilight” hit 10 million views within four days of its release.

Presale tickets will go on sale on September 23 at 18:00 local time. Fans who requested ONEUS in those 6 cities on MyMusicTaste will have access to presale and 10% discount off 2 tickets! 

Further information on the tour and ticket purchase can be found through https://mmt.fans/m8jy/ or other social media channels of MyMusicTaste.

 

2019 ONEUS ‘FLY WITH US’ TOUR IN USA – Tour Dates

11/3 – New York – The Town Hall

11/6 – Chicago – The Vic

11/8 – Atlanta – Center Stage

11/10 – Dallas – Granada Theater

11/13 – Minneapolis – Pantages Theatre

11/15 – Los Angeles – Belasco Theatre

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.

  

END

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As Saturday Night Live (SNL) enters its 45^th season, for the first time in the show’s history, a comic of full-Asian descent will join the cast. In the past, SNL has had cast members of Asian descent, but these individuals were only partial Asian or Middle Eastern including Rob Schneider (quarter Filipino), Fred Armisen (quarter Korean), and Nasim Pedrad (Iranian).

Bowen Yang is one of three new recruits that will appear on the sketch comedy series when the new season starts. Yang, who is of Chinese heritage and part of the LGBTQA+ community, joined the show as a staff writer last season, but now he will be the first full East Asian cast member. In addition to SNL, Yang co-hosts the Podcast Las Culturistas and performs on the comedy club circuit. He also contributed his writing talent to the Golden Globes and appeared on Broad City. He’s also known for his lip-sync videos posted on Twitter.

 

 

During SNL’s 44^th season, in addition to writing for the show, Yang did appear in a sketch where he played North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Yang will be joined by fellow newbies Shane Gillis and Chloe Fineman. Gillis is a controversial addition to the cast given his alleged racist past with joking about Chinese people, but NBC has yet to comment on the issue, but Gillis has apologized.

SNL’s new season begins September 28, 2019. Are you looking forward to Yang’s new role?

 

—-Olivia Murray

 

Chuseok (literally meaning the Autumn Evening), or Hangawi (the Middle of Autumn), is one of the most important holidays in Korean culture. It is, in essence, a form of Thanksgiving for the harvesting season. Held on the fifteenth day of the eighth month – a day of the full moon – the holiday of Chuseok lasts for several days, typically three weekdays next to the weekend. As it is based on the Lunar calendar, the exact date of Chuseok varies from year to year.

This particular year’s Chuseok is Friday 13th October. Climate-wise, the Chuseok holiday usually represents the end of summer and the beginning of autumn; in Korea, it is often the case that the last of the summer hot days comes just before Chuseok.

The origins of Chuseok can be traced back as far as the period of Silla, a kingdom based in the southern parts of the Korean peninsula from approximately 57 B.C. to 935 A.D. In those ancient days Chuseok, or Gabae as it was known back then, is said to have been celebrated as a month-long event where people formed two teams to compete in areas of special significance, such as archery, combat (martial arts), or weaving. There must have been Shamanistic aspects to these festivities too, because the very point of harvest celebrations is to wish for fertility of the land.

 

Stylized Songpyeon, photos by Kimchi House

 

The festival spirit of Chuseok is kept alive unto this day, as a family event. As Chuseok means several days off work for most Korean people, it allows them to take the time to visit their hometowns for great family gatherings. Following the tradition, the members of one’s larger family meet up, usually at the home of the parents or the eldest sibling.

There are several Chuseok dishes, including Songpyeon(steamed rice cakes filled with honey and sesame), Jeon(fried pastries made of meat or vegetables), or Sanjeok(skewered meat and other edibles). The main purpose of these gatherings has to be the Charye, meaning a ritual to pay respects to one’s ancestors. It is perhaps the most important part of Chuseok for many people, especially the older generation. However, because of its aspect of worship, it is not a tradition adhered to by a lot of the population, especially the Christians. For those taking part in Charye, the Chuseok food is first laid out for the spirits of their ancestors and therefore has a special meaning. For those families that keep in with a very traditional form of Chuseok, it is crucial to have certain foods placed on certain sides of the Charye table.

As the most common form of family becomes smaller and smaller, and as modern family values keep changing, Chuseok for a lot of people in this day and age is also undergoing a change. More and more people see it as a time to take trips nearby or relaxing vacations abroad, as opposed to the more traditional occasion to spend time with their families. And since the majority of the Korean population lives in Seoul, the traffic is extreme around Chuseok holidays – people are going and coming back from home, or taking long trips. Chuseok is, along with New Year’s Eve, the greatest national holiday in Korea.

 

J. Chung.

 

After a successful tour in Europe, MyMusicTaste is happy to announce 2019 PLANETARIUM RECORDS 1ST TOUR “WE GO HOLIC” IN USA.

This will mark PLT’s second tour with MyMusicTaste, a global online service that allows fans to request their favorite artists to their city.  

South Korea’s records label PLT (Planetarium Records) embarks on their first US tour starting October 18.

South Korea’s emerging record label, Planetarium Records is coming to the US as part of their first tour 2019 PLANETARIUM RECORDS 1ST TOUR “WE GO HOLIC” IN USA. After successfully performing in 5 European cities in February this year, PLT is continuing their journey stateside through   New Jersey, Atlanta, Dallas, Los Angeles and Chicago this upcoming October.

PLT is composed of five artists: Villain, Gaho, Moti, June and Jung Jinwoo who gathered together to generate musical synergy and released a number of hits including IGOHOLIC, Blah, Hocus Pocus and Blind. Check out their Planetarium Records’ Youtube channel to experience their musical universe: https://mmt.fans/OzKJ/.

Presale tickets, which are available exclusively to MyMusicTaste users who requested PLT’s show in the cities below, open September 18 3PM local time. General tickets will be available from September 21 at 3PM local time. 

PLT’s fans based in the US have been longing for these shows through MyMusicTaste.com, an online service that brings together music fans to request their favourite artist’s concert.

2019 PLANETARIUM RECORDS 1ST TOUR “WE GO HOLIC” IN USA Schedule:

• October 18 New Jersey @White Eagle Hall
• October 20 Atlanta @The Loft at Center Stage
• October 22 Dallas @The Cambridge Room at House of Blues
• October 23 Los Angeles @El Rey Theatre
• October 26 Chicago @Logan Square Auditorium

Further information about the tour and tickets can be found on https://mmt.fans/mKu6/ and MyMusicTaste’s social media channels.

 

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 GOT7, MONSTA X, The xx, Kehlani, 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.

 

In celebration of Korea’s Thanksgiving holiday – Chuseok (Autumn Eve), we’re introducing a healthy and fun-to-make Korean dessert recipe for all the adventurous cooks out there.

Omija is a Korean word for Magnolia berries or Schizandra – these wondrous, medicinal berries provide five diverse flavors in one berry: sourness, bitterness, spiciness, saltiness and pungent sweetness! Omija berries are completely natural, untouched by modern mechanisms, and maintains all the healing properties. These amazing red berries can effectively stabilize both body and mind, the antioxidant can also fight harmful reactions and bacteria in the body, and assist to revive the consumer’s youth too! Yes, it goes beyond what the majority of other super foods claim to do…

Other amazing benefits of Omija include but not limited to: Treatment of respiratory ailments/respiratory system functioning, enhancement of the immune system, anti-aging, longevity, treatment of flus/coughs/insomnia/exhaustion/depression/high blood pressure/asthma, lowers cholesterol, increase blood circulation, enhance vision, hearing…

This fun and simple Omija-flavored Jelly (Omijapyeon) recipe was put together by Prof. Sookja Yoon, the Director of Institute of Traditional Korean Food.

 

Ingredients & Quantity

• 33g (1/3 cup) Omija, and 400g (2cups) water
• 32g (4 tbsp) mung bean starch
• 53g (1/3 cups) sugar
• 1g of salt

 

Preparation

1. Rinse 33g of Omija thoroughly and soak in water for 12 hours. Sieve the water through a cotton cloth as shown in picture.
2. Mix mung bean starch with 100g of Omija water well.

 

Recipe

1. Put sugar and salt into the 200g (1 cup) of Omija water, boil for 5 min on medium heat. Add the mung bean starch dissolved in Omija water and boil while stirring for 5 min on low heat.
2. When the liquid concentrates into droplet viscosity, steam for 2 min. Pour into a square container and leave it to solidify.
3. When the liquid turns to jelly, cut into square shapes.
4. Decorate as you wish and serve. 

 

*Omija cookies can be served with shredded chestnuts or fruits.

 

J. Chung.

 

Lee Sun-ho (age 29), the only son and heir of CJ Corporation’s CEO Lee Jay-hyun, was caught smuggling marijuana into Korea at Incheon International Airport on September 1, – this incident is obviously forecasted to cause great damage to domestic and international businesses even remotely linked to CJ Group. Smuggling or distribution of marijuana is considered a serious offence in South Korea.

CJ Corporation is a South Korean conglomerate holding company that owns multiple businesses and ventures in industries from food, pharmaceutics, entertainment media, home shopping and the long list goes on. CJ used to be a branch of Samsung until the 90s – and Lee is the great-grandson of late Lee Byungchul, the founder of Samsung and CJ. CJ’s revenue was estimated to 59 billion USD in 2018.

Lee, after graduating from Columbia University, joined CJ Corporation in 2013, and was promoted to executive manager early this year, for the role of handling mid and long-term strategy decisions for the company.

 

 

On the first day of this month, he was embarrassingly caught during customs at Incheon International Airport with dozens of liquid marijuana cartridges that he had purchased from Los Angeles, USA when he made a stop there coming back from a business trip. He had them in his backpack that he was wearing. He was not arrested on the spot but was sent home after questioning. This infuriated some people who saw this as leniency.

On September 4, Lee came by a taxi alone and turned himself in to the police, stating that he could no longer bear to hurt his family and people around him. He added that he was more than willing to pay the price for smuggling illegal drugs. Thus, the Prosecutors’ Office are currently looking into Lee’s current charges.

Back in April of this year, a number of young heirs of Korean conglomerate families (including SK and Hyundai) were also arrested and investigated on charges of buying the same kind of marijuana – the two men (in their 20s and 30s) are both sentenced to 1 year in jail and 2 years of probation but they’ve since made an appeal, as reported a few days ago. Marihuana is generally very hard to attain and costly in South Korea, so there is an evident cycle seen here with the wealthy and their use/smuggling of illegal drugs.

 

 

Meanwhile, Lee reportedly admitted to all current charges after being tested positive from a urine test. It’s been judged by the court that the investigation will be extended for further questioning, including analyzing Lee’s phone and so on.

In 2016, Lee was married to the daughter of a member of Korean pop band Koreana, but the 22-year-old wife was found dead at their home in the States, just 7 months after the wedding due to an unrevealed cause. His wife’s death may have been a reason why Lee turned to drugs. Nevertheless, Lee remarried in October of 2018, to Lee Da-hee, a relatively unknown former TV host/anchor.

Like in many countries around the world, conglomerate family members in Korea have often had history of walking free from legal obligations/punishments, but this is not always the case. But people aren’t usually sorry until they’ve been caught red-handed. We’ll keep an eye on how this/these trials all turn out.

 

– J. Chung.

 

D-CRUNCH (디크런치 in Korean) is a 9-member Korean hip-hop group signed under All-S Company led by Lee Jong-seok, the producer of now disbanded girl group Girl’s Day. The group officially debuted on August 6 of 2018, with the single album 0806. The group released its first mini-album M1112 (4colors) three months later. D-Crunch went on to receive the Focus Award at the Asia Artist Awards just four months since their debut, and their second mini-album M0527 dropped in May of 2019.

D-Crunch explores many genres in creating music and O.V, Hyunwook, and Hyunoh form a songwriting team, G.I.G. All 9 members take part in providing ideas and concept for their music and cite Bangtan Boys (BTS) as their role model. A massive thanks goes out to all the members of D-Crunch and their staff, for making this interview happen. KCrush America Magazine wishes you the best!

 

*Please introduce yourselves to our readers.

Hyunwook: Hello, this is Hyunwook. I am the main vocalist of D-Crunch!

Hyunho: Hi, everyone. I’m Hyunho, the oldest member and rapper in D-Crunch.

O.V: Hello, I am O.V, the leader of D-Crunch, who is in charge of managing the various.

Hyunoh: My name is Hyunoh. I am the sexy one of D-Crunch and the vocalist.

Hyunwoo: Hey, I’m the world’s strongest, Hyunwoo the vocalist in D-Crunch.

Minhyuk: I’m Minhyuk and I’m the rapper and reactionist of D-Crunch.

Chanyoung: Hello, this is Chanyoung and I’m the rapper and in charge of the performance.

Jungseung: Hello, my name is Jungseung and I am the rapper of D-Crunch.

Dylan: Hello everyone! My name is Dylan. I’m the rapper and I’m the maknae and the cutest member. � 

 

*How did you debut as a band and what were your dreams growing up?

Hyunwook: I’ve always dreamt of becoming a pop singer since I was very young. As I enrolled into an arts high school, I naturally began to pursue that dream. 

Hyunho: I wanted to be a model when I was younger. But by chance, I was asked to audition for a spot in an idol group and gradually, so I began craving to become a singer after spending time on rapping and dancing with the other members.

O.V: I think I wanted to be a rapper when I was very young. But I really got immersed in dancing, so I made the decision to become an idol singer. I took numerous auditions that were held at my hometown and flunked in all of them. I started to wonder if this wasn’t the route I should be heading. I got to audition at our company when I had just begun to give up my dream, and got in. I’ve now made it in the group and debuted as a D-Crunch member after training with the other members.

Hyunoh: I am still at a point where I am steadily heading – one foot at a time – towards my dreams. It was a dream of mine to be a singer when I was growing up. I auditioned many times and failed many times. I felt devasted while pursuing my dreams, but I persevered and kept telling myself that I wanted to become a singer so I can tell my story and comfort other people… Then I met D-Crunch.

Hyunwoo: I wished to be a singer since I was growing up but wasn’t able to prepare for it, due to the circumstances at home. I had to take up jobs when I got into high school and began taking lessons on singing, dancing and all that. I was really lucky to pass the audition to become a D-Crunch member at an early stage.

Minhyuk: Since I was young, I wanted to be an actor, so I enrolled into Hanlim Multi Art School, to later take up an acting career. I was initially interested in acting and all that but after making friends at school who were singers or in idol groups, I gained interest in that field too. I auditioned for a place in an idol group and got accepted at All-S Company, which is our current company. 

Chanyoung: I was into dancing since I was young, so I wanted to become a dancer at first. I really enjoyed being on stage and loved communicating with the people who like and support me, so I got to debut as a singer in this band.

Jungseung: My goal was to be an actor when I was young, which was also what my mother advised me to be. I started learning how to sing and dance later on, and began to admire all the singers who were on music shows ~ that’s when I made the decision to become a singer.

Dylan: I was born in New Zealand and I was there until I was age 5. Then I came back to Korea and graduated Primary school here. I decided to go back to New Zealand and graduated intermediate school there. I happened to watch BTS’s performance at Mnet Asian Music Awards and started dreaming of becoming a K-pop artist.

 

 

 

 

*How would you describe D-Crunch’s musical sound and the band’s uniqueness?

Hyunwook: I think our music has the kind of energy that only D-Crunch can showcase.

Hyunho: The fact that all 9 members have our own special uniqueness. 

O.V: I guess, we concentrate more on creating explosive music than just focusing on expressing a lot of energy. Our uniqueness as a band is that we have different tastes when it comes to music and we’re all good at different things.

Hyunoh: Our uniqueness is the fact that all 9 of our members all write lyrics and compose; in result, we come up with very diverse ideas.

Hyunwoo: I think D-Crunch’s uniqueness is that we can express whatever genre of music – in our own special way.

Minhyuk: D-Crunch can cover choreography and song lyrics in diverse ways – and I also believe there’s a sense of honesty and sincerity in how we perform. 

Chan young: I think D-Crunch will be able to show different genres of music in many different styles.

Jungseung: Rather than just focusing on one thing, we all make the effort to make various types of music and sound.  

Dylan: I would say that D-crunch can show a lot of genres of music. Our goal is to make songs that everyone enjoys and likes.

 

*Which Crunch-D song are you the most attached to?

Hyunwook: I’m OK – It’s the first track that we ever worked on since we were trainees.

Hyunho: STEALER is an upbeat song that showcases our explosive performance.

O.V: It’s I want. I like the song especially because it’s what most people can relate to out of all our songs that we’ve written the lyrics to or composed. I like how it has the playful side of emotions that only we can express.  

Hyunoh: I am very attached to all of our songs since we actually worked on creating them all. But if I were to choose just one, it’ll be I’m OK. Because it’s the first ever song that our members wrote, right after D-Crunch was formed as a band.

Hyunwoo: I’m OK is the song that I can reminiscence and recall the time when we created that song, so I like it a lot.

Minhyuk: I’m OK is what I listen to quite often still. It’s because the song is full of emotions, its lyrics are so great, and it’s actually the first song we ever recorded.

Chanyoung: D-Crunch – Love Letter – because it’s a song that tells a story about what we want to express to our fans.

Jungseung: Love Letter for me too. The song has a peaceful sound and the lyrics are about consoling others. 

Dylan: The song called Love Letter. Because I always feel touched when I listen to the song and read the lyrics.

 

*Which artist/musician do you respect the most and what song/album do you listen to the most often nowadays?

Hyunwook: Bruno Mars. I listen to Love Letter a lot these days, which is one of our songs.

Hyunho: WINNER sunbaenims. And I listen to their song AH YEAH frequently.

O.V: Beenzino sunbaenim. The record that I enjoy the most these days is IU – Palette. I love all the listed tracks, the more I listen to it.

Hyunoh: I respect BTS sunbaenims’ way of working hard and their musicality. I especially have an utmost respect towards Jimin sunbaenim of BTS. The song that I listen to a lot is BTS – Home.

Hyunwoo: I really respect BTS and BOL4 sunbaenims and the song that I enjoy listening to is BOL4 – Travel.

Minhyuk: Anne-Marie. I listen to Paul Kim’s So Long a lot.

Chanyoung: BTS sunbaenims. I listen to a lot of Taeyeon – All About You.

Jungseung: I really respect V Sunbaenim! Yoon Jong-shin – From January to June is what I listen to a lot these days.

Dylan: V from BTS. I often listen to Taeyeon – All About You.

 

*Let us know what your specialty or interests are, and why…

Hyunwook: I have a lot of diverse interests… Sports is one of them, and my hobby is watching sports.

Hyunho: I’m interested in many different sports: Darts and billiards is especially what I enjoy.

O.V: What I’m really interested in these days is human psychology. When I compose and write lyrics, I would select one topic which got me very curious about what other people think and how they act. My specialty is gaming and I consider myself to have a natural talent in that. Lol.

Hyunoh: I don’t get to do it that often lately, but I’m really into photography. I can clear my head and take the time to focus on myself when I go around and take photos on my own. I usually take photography when I need to release any stress that I have.

Hyunwoo: Playing musical instruments, soccer games and many others.

Minhyuk: I love listening to music by all kinds of artists. I can get rid of stress and gain serenity from listening to new and diverse songs.

Chanyoung: It’s sports and games. I can’t play that much games these days but I’ve gained new interest in working out.

Jungseung: Games for me! I really got into games while communicating and having fun with other gamers.

Dylan: My interests are watching dramas and playing football. My specialty is speaking English, as you can see 🙂

 

 

 

 

*Describe your personality in one word?

Hyunwook: My personality is “gentle”. *^^*

Hyunho: Hu-dang. *Hu-dang refers to a person who seems perfect from the outside but is actually clumsy in reality.

O.V: I’m “tiresome.” I can make life hard for people in the group.

Hyunoh: Lovey-dovey??

Hyunwoo: Simplicity.

Minhyuk: Active. ^^

Chanyoung: I think I’m quite Beagle-like!

Jungseung: Everyone calls me a country boy. They say it’s because I am so innocent but I don’t believe that is the case. *^^*

Dylan: Cute.

 

*Which color describes your personality or musicality the most?

Hyunwook: Black. Because black goes well with any colors.

Hyunho: Black and white, because they’re able to show two diverse sides.

O.V: Green? It’s somewhat very eco-friendly and I want to become an artist who is able to make music that can provide healing to the listeners.

Hyunoh: The color, purple. It’s very mysterious that gives off a feeling of warmth, the kind of vibe that I also want to give to others.

Hyunwoo: I can pretty much pull off any type of music given at any situation, so I think all existing colors describes me well.

Minhyuk: White. Because white can blend well with any color.

Chanyoung: Blue! Blue is a color that gives out a cool vibe.

Jungseung: Black and white. It’s easy to match the colors.

Dylan: Rainbow colors because I love a lot of genres of music.

 

*Where do you most like to take a trip to during the vacation season?? Have you travelled to anywhere lately?

Hyunwook: I haven’t travelled anywhere recently, and I want to visit England in the future.

Hyunho: I haven’t been travelling lately but I want to visit Italy.

O.V: I take frequent trips to the studio for rehearsals. I’d love to visit the States, especially the Grand Canyon, which Dylan strongly recommended.

Hyunoh: I haven’t been on a trip lately, but I would love to go any place where there is great scenery, with the people who are precious to me.

Hyunwoo: I’ve not been on any trips recently, but whether I am at home or out travelling, the important thing is who I’m with, rather than where I’m at.

Minhyuk: I haven’t been anywhere much recently. I want to visit Busan because I’ve never been there before.

Chanyoung: I wish to visit New Zealand, where Dylan is from!

Jungseung: I haven’t been travelling as of late but I wish to visit Iksan, my hometown.

Dylan: I haven’t taken a trip lately. In the future, I would love to visit all European countries.

 

*How do you release/relieve stress?

Hyunwook: I like to release stress by eating tasty foods!

Hyunho: I relieve stress by watching TV series while eating delicious foods at home.

O.V: Well… getting stressed depends on the mindset of the person, so I always make the effort to control my mindset.

Hyunoh: Like I’ve mentioned just now, I can really find a peace of mind when I am taking photographs and focus on myself.

Hyunwoo: I can get rid of any stress, after playing instruments or eat something nice and then take a nap afterwards. ^^

Minhyuk: Eat nice foods, then take walks while listening to music and watch movies.

Chanyoung: I release stress by working out ~!

Jungseung: I tend to deal with stress by watching TV dramas, these days.

Dylan: By watching TV dramas.

 

 

 

 

 

*Do you have any bad habits that you’d like to fix?

Hyunwook: I really want to stop focusing on one thing too much. It’s because if I focus on just one thing, I can’t really focus on other things.

Hyunho: I want to fix making droopy lips, I want to show our fans that I’m always smiling.

O.V: I can never hide my facial expressions.

Hyunoh: It’s not really a bad habit, but I love shopping for clothes because I just love adorning myself. I intend to gradually minimize my shopping spree.

Hyunwoo: I think my bad habits are also my charm. ^^

Minhyuk: I bite my nails and I tend to do that unconsciously. Some of the fans were actually concerned about this habit of mine. I’m planning to kick the habit while focusing on work.

Chanyoung: I don’t have any. (<3)

Jungseung: I want to fix biting my nails!

Dylan: I bite my nails when I’m nervous.

 

*Which country/venue do you want to perform at in the future?

Hyunwook: We’d love to perform in every country that we are asked to perform at!!

Hyunho: We want D-Crunch to be known all around the world.

O.V: I can guess what the other members will all say, lol. Because we believe that every venue, regardless of the scale, is all equal, we want to go anywhere to perform where our fans want us.

Hyunoh: We want to perform anywhere in the world and have great memories from the experience.

Hyunwoo: We’re ready to perform for anyone who is expecting us.

Minhyuk: There are countless venues in the world… but my goal is to perform at all those venues.

Chanyoung: D-Crunch will perform wherever you want us to!

Jungseung: We intend to go anywhere that we’re called to…

Dylan: All the countries! We really want to meet International Diana!

 

*Please tell is about your hopes and wishes for the future; add something nice for the fans too. Thank you for your precious time!

Hyunwook: In the future, I hope more people would start liking our music and that they’ll gain new hopes and dreams through our songs! We want to bring great music to everyone. We’ll work hard so our fans won’t be disappointed in us. To our fan base, Dianas!!! We appreciate you!!!

Hyunho: We want to continue to grow and only want to make good music. It is our ultimate goal to become the best that we can be for our fans who always support us, so we hope to make them really proud of D-Crunch.

O.V: We’ll do our utmost to work hard so as to not fall behind. My biggest wish is to create music to provide positive vibes and energy to make the listener both smile and cry. We “promise” to all the supporters out there that we’ll repay their love, which we’re so lucky to have. Our fans are so crucial in our lives right now!

Hyunoh: I want to thank our fans for making my 20s so special, and will do my best to improve and promote D-Crunch as much as possible. We really care about you and love you! I am so grateful to have such great people around me.

Hyunwoo: I hope that I can spend my 20s really well, before moving up to my 30s later on, and have all these precious people around me for a long, long time! To our fans, we’re always so appreciative of you, let’s stay together. ^^

Minhyuk: I plan to show you the best, healthier version of myself in the future. I promise that “Minhyuk” will work hard to improve each day, and send out the love and joy back to the fans. Please stick around to build happy, loving memories from now onwards! Thank you all, we love you!

Chanyoung: I wish everyone around me would stay extremely healthy and happy in the future! I also want the public to get to know more about our music. To all the fans, we promise to work hard! Love you all!

Jungseung: I wish that everyone would stay in great health and I also want to spend more happy times with our fans in the future. I want the public to check our music out and be happy as well. Ha ha.

Dylan: I hope a lot of people get uplifted through our music and we really want our Dianas to be happy. In the future, we wish more people would listen and get to love our music. Love you all!

 

 

 

 

– J. Chung.

 

While in B.A.P, Yoo Youngjae expressed an interest in wanting to act, and now he’s earned an opportunity to do so!

Youngjae will play the character of Kim Seok, a skilled computer hacker masquerading as a PC café worker in the upcoming drama 9.9 Billion Won Woman. He will be associated with Kim Kang Woo’s character, who will be the male lead.

9.9 Billion Won Woman is about a woman who comes into money with the premise of using her money in a “her vs. the world” manner.

The KBS2 drama will premier in November.

His role in 9.9 Billion Won Woman is not Youngjae’s first acting role overall. In May 2019, he starred as Chun Cha-Dol in the JBTC Web drama Kim Seul Gi Genius. The drama follows the strange happenings at a marketing company called Fisher-King. Youngjae’s character is illiterate, but he is known for his handsome face. The drama also starred Park Soo-Ah (Lizzy) from After School and Orange Caramel.

Are you excited for Youngjae’s acting debut?

 

—-Olivia Murray

 

A few days ago, f(x)’s Amber Liu opted to not renew her contract with SM Entertainment. On September 5, 2019, Victoria and Luna also elected to not renew their contracts.

Krystal still has some time left on her contract.

“Amber and Luna’s exclusive contracts with SM have come to an end,” SM Entertainment said in a statement. “Krystal still has contract time left with us, and we’re discussing a new way to collaborate with Victoria.”

While Luna has not commented on her departure as of publication, Victoria did confirm her departure via her Weibo account.

 

10 years have passed in the blink of an eye. September 5, 2009, I stood on stage and officially debuted. From then I already knew that as long as you put in effort you will be rewarded, though luck is important, chances are only given to those who are prepared. I only hope that I could grab hold of all the chances and leave no regrets. Now, it’s the 10-year anniversary, it is an end and also a beginning. I’m thankful for everything in these 10 years with SM; we will begin the next journey in a new manner. This is a new beginning, a restart to my journey, but I will still be me, I will continue to be myself, not forget the past and move forward. I will work hard to be a better version of myself; as long as my belief is strong, I will not be easily strayed from my path. Cherish every single chance! Cherish everyone and everything around me! I would like to thank the brave and hardworking me, who gave me everything I own today! Thank you to my family and friends, thank you to those who love me and whom I love, it is my fortune to have met all of you. Grateful for all the trust and support given, and I hope I have not disappointed anyone, I will continue to give my best. So, would you be willing to walk with me for the next 10 years?

 

With f(x) seemingly disbanded (unless they regroup later under a new agency collectively or via special collaborations while with other agency), we see another group head into K-Pop history.

Meanwhile, Amber signed a full contract with Steel Wool Entertainment for her global promotions. Liu signed with the company in 2018, and they handled her U.S promotions in conjunction with SM Entertainment. Steel Wool is now her full management company.

 

—-Olivia Murray

 

On September 3, 2019, South Korean professional basketball player Chung Jae-hong passed away following a heart attack. He was 33-years old.

Chung, who played for the SK Knights, was at Severance Hospital (Yonsei University Hospital) in Seoul awaiting surgery to repair an injured wrist. The wrist surgery was supposed to occur September 4.

According to the hospital, Chung had just finished his meal when he fainted. He reportedly showed signs of cardiac arrest. According to The Korea Times, hospital staff performed CPR for three hours before declaring him dead at 10:40pm local time.

However, according to Hani, Chung was in a five-person room at the hospital. His roommates didn’t notice anything odd with Chung as he finished dinner and was apparently resting. A nurse performing rounds realized Chung was unconscious and contacted staff to try to save his life.

An autopsy is scheduled for September 5. Lawyers are also expected to meet with Chung’s family.

Chung, who attended Dongguk University, began his professional basketball career in 2008 with the Daegu Orions. He entered the NBA draft in 2008 but was undrafted. His passion for basketball also led him to train in the United States so he could improve his skills.

Chung’s funeral has yet to be announced. He is currently housed at Severance Hospital pending the autopsy and funeral arrangements.

 

 

—-Olivia Murray

 

Viewers of Thai dramas may notice how female students sometimes wear short skirts and tight shirts as school uniforms. According to the Thai Education Ministry, the images portrayed in Thai dramas aren’t far off from how female Thai students allegedly stylize their school uniforms, but the ability to express oneself using short skirts and tight shirts has now been banned in Thailand.

On August 31, 2019, the Thai Education Minister, Nataphol Teepsuwan, announced regulation changes that govern student behavior. These changes mean stricter uniform policies that aim to suppress “sexually suggestive clothing and behavior” and “inter-school violence and rivalries.”

According to the Thai Examiner, gang violence has increased in Thai schools, especially in Bangkok where “a number of students have been killed this year in long-standing feuds between educational establishments.” Some of the feuds include the murder of a 16-year-old student from Samut Prakan and a stabbing of another student by a student from a rival school while both were on a city bus.

In the first school regulation update since 2005, the Thai education ministry calls for students to have a more orderly appearance, but what constitutes “orderly” has yet to be explained beyond attempting to eliminate mini-skirts and “suggestive” appearances and sexually suggestive behavior. Additionally, the new regulations also suggest that students cannot be within a certain distance of other school precincts in order to avoid issues between rival campuses.

Violators of the new regulations face a 30,000 baht fine and possible jail time.

However, some argue that Thai schools already have strict uniform policies and that students already follow dress codes that are in-place. School officials also ensure students follow uniform protocol or else they risk punishment. Between 2018 and early 2019, four Thai students had their hair chopped in public after defying school appearance policies. Many consider these actions to be a human rights violation.

Some argue that Thailand’s new uniform rules target females and are an act of oppression based on archaic thoughts suggesting that how females dress lead to sexual assault and violence.

What do you think of the dress code rules?

 

—-Olivia Murray

 

With the K-Pop Wave crashing upon multiple countries’ shores, the seeds of dreams of K-Pop stardom and careers in South Korea have been implanted in the minds of many young people. Of course, this comes with potential dangers as “agents” promise to fulfill those dreams in order to lure unsuspecting K-Pop hopefuls into the darkest realms of society.

Recently, five men were arrested in connection with selling seven Brazilian women into prostitution where they were sent to live in brothels in South Korea. One of the women managed to contact the Brazilian Embassy in South Korea on August 17, which led to police raiding two brothels when the ultimately rescued all seven of the victims.

“[The] women were told they could be models, or that they would be supported to become K-Pop singers,” a Ilsan Dongbu Police spokesman said following the arrest of the men.

The victims—who are in their 20s and 30s—were contacted by the men earlier in July, then they were sent roundtrip tickets to South Korea.

According to The Korea Times, the suspects confiscated the women’s passports when they arrived and canceled their return tickets to Brazil. The women were then sent to brothels in  Goyang and Paju of Gyeonggi Province where the suspects allegedly received 2 million won ($1,650) per woman. According to reports, the suspects threatened the women and told them they needed to work to pay off the plane ticket debt. The suspects told the women they would be arrested for prostitution if they went to the police.

The police official stated that it’s rare to see South American sex trafficking victims in South Korea. In relation to the police raids, the official said, “We think that there could be more people involved in the operation and possibly someone above who was organizing.”

Currently, the women are staying in a shelter for migrant women. The police official said the women are “traumatized” by their experiences.

 

 

—-Olivia Murray

The most common question is “why do you like these boys – they’re so weird”. And yes, the western culture of masculine men with muscles and beards who can move heavy objects around and spend hours in the gym, with humor that somewhat is derogatory towards women – So, to us westerners, K-pop idols are a breath of fresh air. With teens, it’s a bit more complicated. K-pop is appealing to teens on a level of attractiveness that isn’t comprehensive to many westerners.

The overall visual of K-pop is very appealing – a man, taking care of himself: having clean skin, being dressed well, using actual cosmetic products… that Metrosexual vibe… I know it’s very primal and many people say that a guy should be having a hairy chest and all of those things that make him look tough. Taking care of yourself is a great effort and a compliment for those around you.

BTS is a great example of a lot of things, and talent is one of them. They write their own material which actually has meaning – not the general “3 words… blah-blah” thing! They invest themselves into their careers completely. You don’t get into a diva attitude on stage, get high on drugs and decide to cancel a tour date, just because they have the slightest inconvenience! Jungkook performed with a leg injury at O2 Arena and was moved around the stage by his bandmates because he had the responsibility to keep the show going! That’s remarkable as it’s rare to see in most celebrities!

Have you seen BTS perform live? Let’s say you haven’t, so I can explain how it feels while watching them do their thing. A live concert lasts two to two and a half hours, for one. Most boybands would stop at the half of that and still charge the same for a ticket. Then, the entire show direction is so well thought out that even if you’re a side spectator, who never heard of BTS before, will still leave that stadium in complete awe of what you did just watch!

The visual effects are greatly thought of, with a live feed on the huge background screens. The band members have a cameraman following them on stage, so no matter where you sit in the audience, you get that full-frontal view of each one. Their choreography is flawless, with an entire army of backup dancers, who give out a performing art on stage. It’s almost as if you’re watching an awesome musical of a sort.

 

 

Then comes the role of the audience – the Army, as their fandom is called. Each Army member has bought a so-called “Army bomb” – a specific torchlight, which you have to synchronize with the playlist of the show right before the concert. It ends up resonating with each song, to the color of the stage lights and visuals that are being projected on the back screens. By the end of the show – once the sun has set, your side spectator self will notice that those Army bombs are being used as a huge LED screen and there are actual images shown on them! It’s a very beautiful sight! I personally couldn’t keep my mouth closed as I watched the gorgeous view!

And, yes… many don’t speak Korean so they don’t understand more than a word or two throughout the entire show. BTS makes sure they convey the emotion of each song so well, that no matter if you have already submerged in their art before and researched their lyrics and videos, or not at all, you will get the message! People react to that! They get it! I apologize for what I’m about to say, but most western performers don’t really make this connection to their audience, through their music. You could connect to a song, being played on the radio or after listening to the studio recording in any way. But they would rarely ooze that magic on stage. Not to mention that many would leave you empty, with just that primal eye-level sight being fulfilled.

 

 

Lastly, I would like to give a shout out to the BTS fans. I’ve seen my fair share of boyband fandoms, yet I’ve never seen one like this before! Who gets a spot that has access to the stage front and remains in their sector?! No! Most fans would rush towards that stage and wouldn’t even care if they would block the view for the rest! Not the Army, though!

The Stade de France concert had chairs installed in probably 12 sections, down in the front-stage area. All fans were up and dancing and enjoying the show, but nobody abandoned their seat to run to the stage, as most fans would when they would see their idols just ahead! Up where I was sitting, fans were completely respectful and aware of the fact that everyone is there to enjoy equally. Whenever someone would stand up to dance, they would turn around and make sure they don’t block your view or your camera.

A huge thank you goes out to ARMY, who took notice of my friend’s kid sister and sat down so she could keep watching freely! A huge thank you to the girl who turned to me and asked me if she’s in my way of filming a song! There were no hands in the way, no elbows in your kidneys, no fingers in your eyes – and I’ve had all those at other boybands’ concerts… ARMY is the best fandom I’ve ever seen! I’m sure it’s because your idol – BTS – leads you into it! I’ve read somewhere that one of the BTS members would personally check each seat before any concert, so fans can have the best experience.

When you see them go out of your way this much for your fans, it does reflect on them in becoming better human beings! If you take a general view on K-pop celebrities, you will see that they rely much more on the actual product of their work – songs, videos, shows, content AND on showing respect and being humble; rather than on scandals, personal life issues, drug-related news, and so on, just to raise their popularity. Leading by personal example has always been a positive long-lasting outcome choice. Leading by becoming a decedent warning is only a temporary buzz.

I’m pretty sure this is what the hype is all about, BTS. And K-pop in general. Somehow, I know their art is here to stay, is going to grow an even bigger audience, evolve in time to an even more sophisticated and better version of itself.

 

 

-Anomis Ananda.