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?
Another artist has decided to depart JYP Entertainment.
On September 16, 2019, Baek A Yeon posted an Instagram story featuring the JYP Entertainment building. In the caption, she said goodbye.
In a statement, JYP confirmed her departure from the agency (along with confirmation that 15&’s Baek Ye-Rin and Park Jimin also departed) following her contract expiration August 30.
Hello, this is JYP Entertainment.
We would like to inform you that the exclusive contracts of our artists Baek A Yeon and Baek Yerin (15&) expired on August 30 and September 14 respectively.
By seeking their own musical color while trying various genres, Baek A Yeon and Baek Yerin have moved listeners with their beautiful vocals and music. Although we are now parting ways, JYP will continue to sincerely support these two artists and their bright futures.
Thank you to the fans who have sent so much love to these two artists. We ask for your continued support so that they can become even more beloved artists who give happiness to others.
Thank you.
Baek A Yeon debuted under JYP in 2012 with her track “Shouldn’t Have.” Prior to signing with the agency, she appeared on 2011’s TV show K-Pop Star. The songstress has had a string of hit songs including 2015’s “Shouldn’t Have” and 2016’s “So-So.”
Baek A Yeon has also leant her voice to several drama OSTs. She’s also a talented song writer, so her skills will get her far wherever she signs.
—-Olivia Murray
iHeartRadio recently announced the lineups for this year’s iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour!
For the second consecutive year, Monsta X will join the tour. This year, Monsta X will join the following artists at these locations:
|
Monday December 9, 2019 |
Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota |
Katy Perry, Camila Cabello, 5SOS, Why Don’t We, Monsta X, Lauv |
Xcel Energy Center |
|
Wednesday December 11, 2019 |
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
Halsey, 5SOS, Lizzo, Niall Horan, Why Don’t We, Monsta X, Lewis Capaldi |
Wells Fargo Center |
|
Friday December 13, 2019 |
New York City, New York |
Taylor Swift, Jonas Brothers, Camila Cabello, Halsey, 5SOS, Niall Horan, Lizzo, Dan+Shay, Monsta X, Lewis Capaldi, Fletcher |
Madison Square Garden |
BTS will be making their iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour debut this year when they perform in Los Angeles, California Friday December 6 at the Forum. BTS will join Halsey, Katy Perry, Billie Eilish, Sam Smith, Camila Cabello, French Montana, Lizzo, and Normani.
This year, the New York City show on December 13 will broadcast across 100 iHeartRadio stations and livestream on the CW App and CWTV.com.On December 19, the CW Network will air the concert at 8pm CST, so if you can’t catch Monsta X live, you can see them on TV.
Unfortunately for ARMY, BTS’ tour date is not expected to be recorded or air on TV.
Tickets for the concert go on sale Monday October 7 at 10am local time until Wednesday October 9 at 10am local time for Capital One cardholders. General public tickets go on sale Friday October 11 at noon local time. Tickets for the general public can be purchased on the iHeartRadio website or TicketMaster.
—-Olivia Murray
Like her 15& mate, Baek Ye-Rin opted to depart JYP Entertainment when her exclusive contract with the company expired September 14, 2019. Her duo partner, Park Jimin, left the label in August.
In a message posted on her Instagram (which is set to private), Ye-Rin said:
Hello, this is Yerin!
It’s suddenly become very cold out, are you doing well?
Sadly, my contract with JYP is ending as of September 14.
I have worked hard while at JYP for the long time of 12 years, ever since I was in elementary school. I received the gift of great and precious opportunities, and although I’m still lacking now, they taught me many things as I became the person I am and gave me gifts. I am so grateful to the president who worked together with me for a long time and played a role that was sometimes like my parent and sometimes like my teacher and guardian, to Park Jin Young (we’ve decided to be best friends now), and to everyone at JYP.
Also, with the help of those around me, I’m going to start an independent label! I feel sadness too because we’ve been together for a long time and doing something on my own is a bit scary, but I want to gather up strength and let you hear a lot of great things!
I’ll try to keep improving.
I’m always grateful for the support and love you give me!
Following her announcement, K-Netizens criticized the artist by stating her alleged negative attitude was the reason for her departure, but it appears the split was amicable following the contract expiration.
Ye-Rin plans on creating her own independent label. Her last comeback was with her City-Pop track “Suddenly.”
—-Olivia Murray
Former 15& member Park Jimin didn’t have much down time since her departure from JYP Entertainment!
Via Twitter, DIVE Studios announced on September 24, 2019 that Park—who is now using her English name, Jamie Park—will has a Podcast titled What Would Jamie Do?
DIVE Studios’ newest show ‘What Would Jamie Do?’ hosted by the one and only @jiminpark07 is coming very soon!
Want some life advice from Queen Jamie? #WWJD #parkjimin #jamiepark #divestudios #kpop pic.twitter.com/7T8EOSoKbx
— DIVE Studios (@thedivestudios) September 24, 2019
For her Podcast, Park will answer questions from listeners and give advice based on what she would do in each situation.
Park isn’t a stranger to hosting shows, which is a skill that will work in her favor. She is one of the hosts of After School Club, a gig she’s had since 2014.
While DIVE Studios—which also produces Tablo and Eric Nam’s Podcasts—hasn’t stated when the show will begin, in the show’s teaser, Park asks people to send her questions, and that the show will start very soon.
Will you be tuning in to Jamie Park’s Podcast when it begins?
—-Olivia Murray
Kcrush K-Pop Top 30: August 2019
Sorry for the delay in posting the video. Sometimes personal life matters come first. BUT, here is who you voted for for August 2019. The poll for September 2019 will be available early next week. #Up10tion #Target #Fantasy #KIndie #Kpop #Crush #KRandB #RnB #Irene #RedVelvet #Raiden #WekiMeki #X1 #MyNameisRedHairedAnne #015B #Zelo #BAP #Sunmi #Hatfelt #Ravi #VIXX #Wyne #Mamamoo #Solar #In2It #CelebFive #Venus #Everglow #OMG #OhMyGirl #TRCNG #IZ #Onewe #Yoonmirae #Bizzy #SNSD #GirlsGeneration #TiffanyYoung #BIG #Benji #TheRose #PinkFantasy #KoreanPop #Korea #SouthKorea #Music #AsianPop #Hallyu #KoreanWave #August2019 #August #KpopList
Earlier in September, a photo featuring five Sonamoo members—Minjae, D.ana, Eujin, High.D, and Newsun—circulated the Internet, leading to speculation that Sumin and Nahyun have departed the group. As it turns out, the pair are on the outs due to issues with TS Entertainment.
On September 23, 2019, Korean media reported that Sonamoo’s Sumin and Nahyun have filed a request to have their exclusive contracts with TS Entertainment terminated. The news comes on the heels of Sleepy’s (Untouchable) request to do the same.
Sumin and Nahyun have been on hiatus from the group since earlier this year. The company announced the pair would not participate in the Makestar campaign that was created to fund their next album due to “personal issues.” They did record the album that was supposed to be released this spring but has been inexplicably delayed. Fans have expressed their displeasure at the delays as they funded the Makestar for Sonamoo’s Happy Box Part 2 album only to be left albumless and without indications regarding the girls’ comeback. The delays have even caught the ire of Makestar as they have offered to create rewards for donators at their own expense due to TS Entertainment’s negligence to do so.
[INFO/UPDATE] [MAKESTAR] Notice Regarding Rewards for SONAMOO Album Project Part 2 (8/30) #소나무 pic.twitter.com/rOia7ZoTww
— SonAmoo World #SONAMOOISBACK (@sonamoo_world) August 30, 2019
TRCNG had another comeback in the meantime.
According to sources, Sumin and Nahyun filed their initial termination suit in May 2019. TS Entertainment failed to respond to the initial filing, so Sumin and Nahyun sought legal representation in August.
Originally, TS Entertainment said “making an official statement is difficult” regarding the Sonamoo girls’ lawsuit, but in a phone interview, a company representative said “It is true that SONAMOO’s Nahyun and Sumin have filed to terminate their contract with TS Entertainment. One of the reasons SONAMOO have yet to return is the lawsuit. We will release a full statement soon.”
Industry insiders stated that other Sonamoo members may be following Sumin and Nahyun with lawsuits of their own.
Meanwhile, Nahyun opened her own Instagram account in August, another indicator that she has parted way with TS Entertainment. Her caption states she is an “ordinary college student who just wants to graduate,” so it seems possible that she wants to leave the celebrity life behind her as well.
Hopefully the lawsuit between the Sonamoo girls and TS Entertainment resolves fairly and quickly and doesn’t drag on like with B.A.P and Secret’s lawsuits. But, it is TS Entertainment, so expect it to drag with many twists along the way.
—-Olivia Murray
In a shocking move to absolutely no one, Untouchable’s Sleepy departed TS Entertainment after he filed to have his contract terminated. In turn, TS Entertainment announced they will be seeking to sue Sleepy for embezzlement. Sleepy announced the moves on Instagram.
Hello, this is Sleepy.
First off, I am very sorry to be greeting you with this unfortunate news.
My exclusive contract with the agency that I spent more than 10 years at after my debut has been terminated through a legal dispute.
In the past, when my colleagues sued the agency, I believed the agency over and over again. However, after the CEO passed away last April, matters that I could not understand occurred.
I asked point-blank multiple times to be shown my account statements, but I was never shown a proper one.
After showing me a few arbitrarily written up pages, the current management told me that they had shown me everything. Even now, as I don’t know exactly how the appearance fees I earned while promoting were used, this problem is not just my own.
In fact, because the management fees and rent for my dorm were continuously pushed back seven to as much as 12 months, I lived uncomfortably with my water and electricity cut off, and I was eventually evicted.
I was afraid to sue, and because hiring a lawyer would cause a strain on my already difficult financial situation, I really worked hard to bear with it until the last moment. However, as the agency had even my broadcast appearance payments seized by creditors, I could not take it anymore and decided to sue.
I feel it is unfortunate that the current management claimed that they are going to take legal measures against me for embezzling money despite my exclusive contract already being terminated.
I did not embezzle money. I am actually trying to recover my rights through receiving the money that was withheld from me through suing the agency. I always want to greet you with good news, but because I couldn’t do that, I am sorry. However, I will not despair. I am really working hard every day. I want to overcome this, and I will.
Thank you for reading my rambling.
Sleepy filed a case in April 2019 to confirm his contract as invalid; in May, he filed a request to have his contract terminated. In his claim, Sleepy stated “The agency did not provide me with documents regarding payments and has never shown me a physical copy of our contract. My faith in them has broken down due to factors such as management issues.”
In TS Entertainment’s motion, they claim they paid Sleepy on the agreed upon dates and allegedly provided documents to support their claims.
In June, the Seoul Western District Court dismissed Sleepy’s contract nullification case, but in August, Sleepy and TS Entertainment agreed to part ways during another court mediation hearing. Through this mediation, TS Entertainment alleged Sleepy embezzled funds.
“Through the legal process, we terminated our contract with Sleepy,” a TS Entertainment representative said. “However, there are suspicions that Sleepy embezzled money from the agency such as through advertisement rates. We are planning to file a damage claim suit against him sometime between late September and early October.”
Sleepy, through Instagram and through Dispatch, denied the embezzlement claims. Following the claims, he released conversations he and TS Entertainment had along with a copy of his TS Entertainment contract to Dispatch to help show his side of the story. The contract contained information about profit splits, while the conversations addressed debts and payment issues.
Sleepy was with TS Entertainment for 13 years. On September 15, 2019, Korean media shared that Sleepy opened his own studio, PVO Entertainment, which stands for “Positive Vibes Only.” His rap crew with Liquor and JD shares the same name.
On September 22, Sleepy released “Trouble” featuring Bang Yongguk. The track, while short, addresses the issues with TS Entertainment.
With more court cases expected later this month and in October, The Sleepy-TS Entertainment saga appears to not be ending any time soon.
—-Olivia Murray
Actress Kim Tae-Hee and her husband, singer-actor Jung Ji-Hoon (Rain), welcomed their second daughter into the world!
Story J Company, Kim’s agency, confirmed the couple had their daughter Thursday September 19, 2019.
Hello, this is management company of actress Kim Tae-Hee.
We are happy to announce that the couple just welcomed a new member to her family.
On the morning of September 19 in a hospital located in Seoul, she gave birth to a healthy daughter. Both mom and baby are healthy, and they are under the care of a happy family’s love and blessings. Thank you all for your support for Kim Tae-Hee. She will do her best to return with good condition both as a mom and as an actress.
The couple’s new baby joins a big sister who was born in October 2017. The pair wed in January 2017.
Congratulations to the Kim-Jung family on their new addition!
—-Olivia Murray
Former Pristin member Kyla Massie recently opened a YouTube channel, and to commemorate the opening, the idol hosted her first #TeaTimeWithKyla session where she answered questions from fans. Prior to video’s posting, Kyla also announced the name of her fan club: Klassies.
In commemoration of starting my channel, I am finally officially announcing my fandom name. Hello my wonderful Klassies ❤ pic.twitter.com/rN2DY3sU6O
— Kyla Massie (@kylam_official) September 22, 2019
In the Q&A video, Kyla addressed questions from Klassies, many of which asked about Pristin’s disbandment and why she was on hiatus from the group. She addressed that people shouldn’t have believed the rumors regarding her hiatus as the rumors were inaccurate.
Regarding her hiatus, Kyla said:
…a lot of you guys have sort of speculated why I went on hiatus and I can tell you now that it wasn’t because of the hate comments, it wasn’t because you know of, my weight and how that affected my mental health.
I can understand why you would say that but, in actuality the reason why I went on hiatus is because I ended up getting injured. I got a concussion while filming our second music video, and the doctors and my company decided that it would be best if I took a period to rest and recover from this injury.
They all thought that it was important that I fully recovered before we continued on with any new promotions. So that’s the reason, and let me just say that I know that there have been a lot of rumors, there have been a lot of speculations, there are a lot of been, there have been a lot of articles that sort of went around. Saying oh, this is what happened or oh, this is what happened and let me just tell you. That’s not true.
Many questions also came up surrounding Pristin’s disbandment. Kyla said:
You guys can speculate what happened all you want, but ultimately, we all just thought that it was best if we disband it and although it is an unfortunate situation, we all take our best memories and our best experience from PRISTIN. And we’re just, we’re all so very grateful that it happened, and we had all of these amazing experiences together, and I think that that’s the most important part. You know, it was a very positive experience all around, and I’m gonna never trade it for the world. So, please do not listen to any rumors.
During her Q&A, Kyla also said she doesn’t regret idol life and that she would do it again if she had the chance. She also stated she still keeps in touch with her fellow Pristin members, debunking any rumors that strain existed in the group.
You can check out Kyla’s full #TeaTimeWithKyla below.
—-Olivia Murray
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
Sep. 22, Sunday- Toyosu PIT
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.
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As Saturday Night Live (SNL) enters its 45th 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 44th 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
- Rinse 33g of Omija thoroughly and soak in water for 12 hours. Sieve the water through a cotton cloth as shown in picture.
- Mix mung bean starch with 100g of Omija water well.
Recipe
- 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.
- When the liquid concentrates into droplet viscosity, steam for 2 min. Pour into a square container and leave it to solidify.
- When the liquid turns to jelly, cut into square shapes.
- Decorate as you wish and serve.
*Omija cookies can be served with shredded chestnuts or fruits.
J. Chung.