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?
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.
On August 31, 2019, Amber Liu announced that she has left SM Entertainment following the expiration of her exclusive contract.
In a handwritten letter posted on her Twitter page, Liu said:
Hey everyone,
I would like to announce my contract with SM Entertainment has ended today, and I have decided to part ways with the company. From the bottom of my heart, I’d like to thank everyone who believed in me and have been patient with me all these years. I can’t wait to show you what’s in store in this next chapter of my career. Again and always, thank you!!
Love, peace, and Boba
–Llama
— Amber J. Liu 刘逸云 (@llama_ajol) September 1, 2019
Liu has been with SM since 2008 when she auditioned for the company via a global open audition in Los Angeles. In 2009, she debuted as a member of the quintet f(x). The group was active from 2009 until 2015 when they last released 4 Walls. While f(x) hasn’t officially disbanded, Sulli and now Liu have departed; it is also assumed Krystal is no longer a member as she has expressed that she no longer wants to engage in the singing and dancing portions of her career. Victoria has been promoting in China as an actress, while Luna has been performing solo.
Krystal, Amber, and Sulli reunited to perform as f(x) in August during the SM Town Live concert in Tokyo. As it seems, this performance may have been the group’s last.
Since 2015, Amber has been busy with individual activities both in Korea and in the United States. In 2018, she released her dual singles “White Noise” and “Lost at Sea” along with “Lower,” a track she did with Luna. She’s also been featured on different tracks including Superfruit’s (a sub-unit of Pentatonix) track “Fantasy.” She’s also written numerous songs during her time with f(x) and away from f(x) that others, including Eric Nam and Ailee, have performed.
Liu is not without an agency, however. In 2018, she signed with the American label Steel Wool Entertainment which handles her American promotions. United Talent Agency, where she signed in 2018, represents her global activities.
Given Liu’s connections in the industry (like Kevin Bacon, you can easily play the “Six Degrees of Separation” game with Amber Liu), she’ll be in a goo position moving forward with her future endeavors.
—-Olivia Murray
The last week of August brought some good news as three free agent K-Pop artists signed with new agencies!
On August 29, 2019, B.A.P’s Yoo Youngjae signed on with Dmost Entertainment. The signing comes after he released his solo debut album, Fancy, on April 19, 2019. For his Fancy release, which included the lead single “Another Night,” Youngjae was under his own label, J WORLD Entertainment. However, Dmost will now be Youngjae’s home.
“We are so thankful toward Youngjae for his decision to work with DMOST, trusting in our company,” Dmost Entertainment said in a statement. “We will not withhold any of your fullest support in Youngjae’s musical activities so that he can unfold his abilities to his heart’s content. We ask for your abundant expectations and encouragements toward Youngjae’s new beginning as a solo artist.”
Along with the signing, Youngjae revealed he is currently working on his second solo album.
“I am happy to work with good people and I am excited to be able to show more to fans and the public,” Youngjae said on Instagram. “Please wait for your next album. Ah! Beyond the album, I can tell you good news, so look forward to it.”
Meanwhile, former KARA member Park Gyuri signed with TheCNT Global as an actress. Prior to debuting with KARA in 2007, Gyuri was a child actress.
In July 2019, the former girl group singer became a free agent when her exclusive contract with Dain Entertainment ended. She signed with Dain Entertainment following the expiration of her DSP Entertainment contract in 2016.
TheCNT Global said, “We are honored to work with actress Park Gyuri. We will be working hard so that she will promote and work through different activities. Please keep an eye out for this talented actress.”
Finally, Melody Day’s Yeo Eun signed with SG Made on August 20, 2019.
“We recently signed an exclusive contract with Yeo Eun,” SG Made said. “We promise to provide our fullest support so that Yeo Eun, who previously garnered attention as the main vocalist of Melody Day as well as through her various OSTs, can display her talents and vocals in numerous fields.”
While under the label, Yeo Eun plans to promote as a solo artist. She has an album planned for September.
Whose signing excites you the most? Let us know in the comments!
—-Olivia Murray
On August 28, 2019, FNC Entertainment revealed that FTISLAND’s Lee Hongki will be enlisting as an active duty soldier soon.
“Lee Hong-Ki will be enlisting as an active duty soldier on September 30,” FNC Entertainment said.
Regardless of the announcement, Hongki has been busy with different promotions and is expected to continue with those promotions up until the day before his enlistment date. Currently, he is rehearsing for his role in the musical I Loved You, a show that runs from September 20 to October 27. He is scheduled to perform up until September 29, then he will rescind from the role. His FTISLAND bandmate, Jaejin, is expected to take over for him.
Meanwhile, FTISLAND has hit the studio to prepare for a new album to be released prior to Hongki’s enlistment. Teasers came out August 29, 2019.
FTISLAND NEW ALBUM SPOILER
YOUTUBE – https://t.co/WApUG92IxO#FT아일랜드 #FTISLAND #NEW_ALBUM_SPOILER pic.twitter.com/ciSwmVZ75f
— FT_FANCLUB (@FT_FANCLUB) August 29, 2019
Additionally, on September 8, 2019, the group will hold their FTFT fan event.
FTISLAND have a lot planned prior to Hongki’s enlistment. We wish them and Hongki the best.
—-Olivia Murray
Being wrapped up in Jung Joon Young’s KakaoTalk controversy wasn’t enough for CNBLUE’s Jonghyun to leave the group, but apparently being caught sliding into someone’s DMs was convinced the embattled lead singer and guitarist to depart the group.
Earlier in 2019, Lee Jonghyun admitted to receiving and viewing lewd images and videos via a secret KakaoTalk messaging group tied to former singer Jung and other celebrities. At the time, Jonghyun elected to not leave the group but instead stated he would reflect on his actions.
“He is reflecting and is [aware] he deserves criticism as he watched the videos via KakaoTalk, had inappropriate sexual conversations, and inappropriate conversations degrading women as reported,” FNC Entertainment said at the time. “Feeling embarrassed and horrible, Lee Jong Hyun accepts the criticism of the public regarding his wrong sexual morality and values and is deeply regretful and criticizing himself. He will be careful about all of his words and actions as a public figure, and he will reflect and accept the consequences of his wrongdoings.”
On August 28, 2019, YouTuber Park Min Jung posted messages she received from the singer-actor after he allegedly slid into her DMs. As shown in the now-deleted screenshots of the DMs, Jonghyun, who is currently serving his mandatory military assignment, used his official CNBLUE account to contact Park, who said she initially ignored the message. However, when she received another message, she felt uncomfortable.
Hello, this is Park Min Jung. I’m sorry about how there has been much controversy because of the [Instagram] story I uploaded last night. Firstly, I received the first direct message from CNBLUE’s Lee Jong Hyun around last week, and as I was aware that he was self-reflecting, I just ignored it. When I received the next direct message, to be honest I felt a bit uncomfortable. I also thought that he might message other women and something bad might happen, and I wanted to prevent that. Those reasons are why I uploaded the story, and I want to say that I’m very sorry to have revealed a private conversation. I have now removed the story and in the future, I will be careful not to act so rashly. I apologize.
Following Park’s release of the messages, Jonghyun released a statement stating he would depart CNBLUE.
Hello. This is Lee Jonghyun.
I once again apologize to the people I’ve hurt through my inappropriate words and actions and to all the people that I’ve greatly disappointed.
Also, although it’s late, I am informing you that I’m withdrawing from CNBLUE. I feel sorry that I have caused harm for the members, and I have told the members as well that I am withdrawing. I am ashamed to have disappointed the fans who believed in me.
Since all of us including me are currently doing our military service, it took a while to convey opinions and announce this. I feel sorry and grateful to our company who waited.
I feel great regret over my wrong-doing and I am willing to accept criticism from many people. I’m sorry for evoking criticism over a shameful matter.
Following his announcement, Jonghyun also deleted his Instagram page.
What do you think of the situation?
—-Olivia Murray
-What are they offering and How to access them-
Just got your Roku and don’t have a clue about how to access Asian channels and what to watch? You have come to the right place 😀
What is Roku?
Similar to AppleTV, Roku devices are essentially boxes or flash drives that you plug into your TV and thus gain access to over 3000 channels, which Roku is currently offering. Some are free, some are not, but Roku’s broad selection of content and features like voice control are why many are arguing that it is the best service for those who would like to go with a cable-free TV.
You can think of Roku as a mobile phone. It comes with a few free channels (like default apps on phones), but you can also download new channels on Roku and enjoy the content they are offering (much like downloading an app from the AppStore). You can see the list of channels that Roku is offering here, including the most popular like Hulu, Netflix, AsianCrush. Roku also has its own free channel, The Roku channel, offering some of the most popular movies and series free of charge.
The most popular Asian channels on Roku
We are talking about 3000 channels here, so we can’t list them all, but here are some of the Asian streaming channels you definitely want to check out:
You can literally bring China to you small screen with this one. Including live TV from the most populated country in the world, as well as movies, dramas, kids content and the latest variety shows. All that for $9.99/month, with one month free trial.
Live stream of Korean and Chinese broadcast channels with a variety of movies, clips, television shows, series and more. Cheapest on the list, starting at $2.99 per month.
Otakus’ legal favorite, with the largest selection of existing anime and manga. You can now enjoy your favorite waifus on TV for $6.95 per month, after a 14-day free trial period.
People always seem to exclude India, but here is the channel where you can watch your favorite Bollywood movies in HD.
Viki and AsianCrush
Both offering Asian movies, dramas and shows. We listed our best picks from the two channels in our previous article about AppleTV. Check it out here.
How to add a channel to your Roku
If you don’t currently have these channels on your Roku, you can easily download them. Here is a step by step instruction on how to download anything from Roku’s channels store. Also, if you do already have a subscription to any of the channels, you can link your existing account to them.
Top Asian picks on Roku
The channels we mentioned have an endless amount of shows you can explore and play with, but here are some great ones to kick start your Roku experience.
The thing is that you can search pretty much any movie or show on Roku and it will show you all channels that you can stream that show/movie from, so that you can choose to watch it on the channel you are possibly subscribed to. As multiple channels may have the same show, we listed our favs on Roku itself, and you can pick from which exact channel you want to watch.
Anime
Listen, we all know the mainstream giants of anime. So, here are some of the not so famous series from Crunchyroll:
Terror in Resonance
This one is seriously an amazing thriller. The story of two not so good guys and their painful pasts will make you rethink human reasoning and truly possibly empathize with them. Heartbreaking story, following two incredibly intelligent teens trying not to be forgotten.
Kakegurui
What if you went to school where grades do not really matter. Instead, school’s hierarchy is determined by how well you can gamble. Follow Yumeko as she rises to the top of the school engaging in all sorts of strategies and cheats. This lunatic, or a genius, will put everything, even her life, on the line for the sake of feeding her obsession with gambling.
The Promised Neverland
This one deserves so much love. The story of an orphanage and its brightest children who are revealing the dark secrets behind the smile of their “Mamma”. Will they be able to escape from this twisted facility whilst leaving no kids behind?
Drama
My Love From The Star 
Interested in a sci-fi Kdrama portraying teleportation with a pinch (or 10) of romance and a ton of sense of humor, watch this one. The drama is following a story of an alien trapped on Earth. Desperate, he tries to find a way to escape, but he might change his mind after he meets a famous actress.
The Legend of Hao Lan
If you are a type of person who cannot resist watching a classic Chinese history drama, check out this one. Following a real story of a woman sold to slavery, with her wit as the only tool she can use to survive.
Pinocchio
A beautiful love story of a man forgetting revenge for the sake of love. The girl has Pinocchio Syndrome, every time she lies, she hiccups. Thus she always has to tell the truth. Will the love between the two grow stronger than his desire for revenge, watch this Korean drama and find out.
*For more dramas you can watch on Roku, click here, as they are referenced in our AppleTV article.
Movies
The Dude in Me
With the classic trope of switching bodies adapted to a hilarious comedy of a weak, bullied high school boy who finds himself in the body of a mighty gangster, this 2019 Korean comedy will make you laugh so hard you will cry.
Battle Royale
Here is your Japanese version of the Hunger Games, but more horrifying. The Hunger Games movie is an adaptation of Battle Royale. If you want to watch a bunch of kids and young adults fight to the very end until there is only one man standing, this might be the movie for you.
Always
He has closed himself off from the world. She loves the world, but the world is slowly closing her away from it, for she is losing her sight. Will the two find salvation in each other, and how long might their relationship last?
—-Tina Mihajlovic
Despite the recent news that she was diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, TWICE’s Mina reportedly participated in the MV filming for TWICE’s upcoming comeback!
According to a JYP Entertainment representative, Mina filmed her MV portions for the group’s upcoming single.
“It’s true that Mina participated in the comeback MV filming. She relied on the members a lot but was able to get through her portion of filming” the representative said.
Initially, JYP Entertainment did not confirm or deny Mina’s participation in the new MV, telling Newsen, “We are not able to confirm such a report at this time. We will release an official statement when the time is right.”
According to reports, Mina opted to appear in the MV after consulting with her agency and her fellow TWICE members. Her TWICE sisters were reportedly there as emotional support during filming.
While this is seemingly great news for ONCE (TWICE’s fanbase)—a fanbase that has been incredibly supportive of the ailing star— Mina’s filming is just one small step forward in a disorder battle that is difficult to maintain. Just because she filmed the MV, it doesn’t mean she is ready to return to the stage.
“Severe anxiety attacks can occur at any time, sporadically,” the JYP Entertainment representative said. “We cannot confirm Mina’s return to promotions until we monitor her condition further.”
We wish Mina the best during her road to recovery!
Meanwhile, TWICE will be making their comeback sometime in September 2019.
—-Olivia Murray
Former M.I.B member and current singer and TV personality, Kangnam, will be tying the knot soon!
Kangnam, who announced recently that he will be giving up his Japanese citizenship to work on becoming a Korean citizen, has been dating former Olympic speedskater, Lee Sang Hwa. Kangnam’s label, Dmost Entertainment, confirmed the news.
This is Dmost Entertainment.
We want to share joyful news today regarding Kangnam and Lee Sang Hwa.
Kangnam and Lee Sang Hwa will be tying the knot with love and trust for one another.
They will be holding their wedding on October 12 (Saturday) at a hotel in Seoul.
We ask that you send warm blessings to the days ahead for Kangnam and Lee Sang Hwa, who are awaiting their new beginning. [Kangnam] will work to give back the love and interest with positive work.
Thank you.
Lee, who has retired from speedskating, was a sprint distance skater. She is a two-time Olympic champion (2010, 2014) in the 500-meter event, and she holds the 500-meter world record and the 1000-meter South Korean records for the fastest times in the events.
Dmost Entertainment, along with Lee’s label, BONBOO Entertainment, also released a joint announcement regarding the couple’s upcoming nuptials.
The two artists have promised marriage through a background of love and loyalty. The wedding ceremony will take place this October 12 [2019] at a hotel in Seoul. We ask for your warm congratulations to the two, who will be starting a new leg of their lives, and we also promise to do our best so that they can repay your love and support by showing their good sides.
Kangnam and Lee have been dating since meeting on Laws of the Jungle. The pair went public with their relationship in March of this year.
Congratulations to the couple, and good luck with the marriage!
—-Olivia Murray
Back in June of 2019, K-pop’s leading girl group TWICE’s Japanese member Mina had been diagnosed with anxiety disorder after recently pulling out of the world tour.
This revelation got the fans worried when it was confirmed by Mina’s agency that she had been struggling with ‘extreme anxiety and insecurity towards performing on stage.
—
Anxiety disorders form a category of mental health diagnoses that can lead to excessive nervousness, fear, apprehension, concerns and the various. These disorders can alter how a person processes their emotions and behavior. An anxiety can be expressed as an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts and physical changes like increased blood pressure. Defining the standard feelings of anxiety and “an anxiety disorder” that needs medical attention can help a person identify and treat the condition. Mild anxiety may seem vague, while severe anxiety might seriously affect someone’s day-to-day living. Did you know what anxiety disorders affect around 40 million people in the United States? Although it is among the most common group of mental illnesses, only 36.9 percent of people with an anxiety disorder actually receive treatment. Treatments can normally consist of psychotherapy, behavioral therapy and medication.
—
Let’s dive back to the story. JYP Entertainment has now given the TWICE fans an update on Mina’s health, stating that the 22-year-old may be missing from group activities in the future. The agency revealed the following:
“Hello, this is JYPE.
After checking with specialized medical institutions, it was confirmed that anxiety disorder is the diagnosis for Mina’s current health condition. The major characteristics of the symptoms for this are continuous anxiety or intermittent anxiety that occurs unexpectedly and also abrupt changes in the level of anxiety. Based on this variable situation, Mina’s participation in scheduled activities is being decided through discussion with Mina herself and the members. In addition, Mina’s participation in activities has to be decided entirely based on the objective state of Mina’s health, so we ask for the understanding of fans on the decisions inevitably being partially selective. We will continuously take all possible measures for Mina’s recovery. We ask for the support and interest of fans.”
TWICE have just wrapped their TWICELIGHTS world tour, completing the dates without Mina and having their last show on 17 August in Kuala Lumpur. Mina is taking a break to focus on her mental health and overall well-being.
J.Chung.
The seven-piece male group MYTEEN has disbanded after two years together. The group’s company, Music Works, announced the news via a statement.
Hello, this is The Music Works.
First of all, we express gratitude to the fans who cherish and love The Music Works Entertainment’s artist group MYTEEN.
With trust and respect, we have had thorough discussions with each member regarding their future directions.
As a result, the final decision was made for MYTEEN to officially conclude two years of activities on August 21, 2019 and go on each of their own paths.
We want to use this opportunity to express our gratitude to the MYTEEN members who trusted and went with us. We will discuss each member’s future direction and put in our full effort to support them.
We sincerely thank the fans who have given overwhelming love and support to MYTEEN until now, and we ask for continuous interest and unchanging love for the members.
We will also sincerely cheer on each member’s future.
Thank you.
Member Eun Su, who was the group’s leader, confirmed the breakup in an Instagram post shared August 21, 2019.
Hello, this is Eunsu.
I had trouble sleeping for several nights thinking about what I should say first.
Worrying that I would forget something to say, I jotted down what came to mind every night, and I am finally writing a letter today.
As of today, MYTEEN has disbanded and will be going our separate ways.
MYTEEN, which I gave my all to pull along as the leader and through which I received a lot of love and anticipation from many people including You”th, has come to an end.
I honestly still feel dazed and don’t know what kind of expressions I should make or what I should say.
I learned a lot after entering Music Works. Meeting great people and pulling all-nighters together to achieve our goal of debuting, all the broadcasts and radio shows that we appeared on with the name MYTEEN, they were all moments that were more valuable than anything.
To be honest, it was difficult to endure the long periods of inactivity, but I was able to endure it because I had You”th who came to watch our performances and cheered us on from far away. It was all possible because we had You”th.
It feels like a couple of days ago that we met, but I am very sad that we are ending after not having met again since our final schedule in January.
I feel so apologetic as there were more days that we were not able to meet than days when we did meet over the three years since “Follow MYTEEN” before debut through our reality program, first album, second album, and activities overseas.
We should’ve gone to show You”th more sides of ourselves more often… but now that time has passed, I feel regretful about the promises we weren’t able to keep. I am sorry for not fulfilling the promise of a letter for our second anniversary.
Taevin, Chunjin, Kookheon, Junseop, Yuvin, Hanseul, and I were so happy during our time together.
Let’s just remember the good memories and cheer each other on no matter where we are because I always believe that we will achieve success.
Because we were MYTEEN, because you were You”th, thank you everyone.
All of our Music Works family and senior artists who I have been together with until now, and all of the staff who have worked hard for us, I want to once again express sincere gratitude to each and every one of you… I ask for lots of support and love for me as I continuously work hard through life!
This is not the end, but the beginning.
Everyone who has supported and loved me, although I don’t have much to offer, you have worked hard.
Thank you, and sorry.
Following the disbandment news, the now-former MYTEEN members Song Yu Vin and Kim Kook Heon released their debut track, “Blurry” as a duo.
The remaining remembers have yet to state what their plans are for the future. We wish them all the best in their respective futures!
—-Olivia Murray
Disney’s D23 Expo took place this past weekend with loads of exciting new lands and features being announced across many of the Disney parks. During the convention, Disney Imagineers unveiled models for the soon-to-come elements at Disney Hong Kong and Tokyo Disney.
Disney Hong Kong
Between now and 2023, fans of Disney Hong Kong will have an opportunity to see several near features opening at the park, which has experienced a growth in the number of visitors over the past year.
Currently under construction is the new Disney castle that promises to be a fanciful tribute to 13 Disney princesses! Currently, Disney Hong Kong is redoing Sleeping Beauty Castle in a complete overhaul that will turn the castle in the Castle of Dreams.
The Castle of Dreams will feature nods to different Disney princesses throughout the interior and exterior. In the images and models released, these features include Cinderella’s stagecoach, apple adornments (Snow White), and the rose from Beauty and the Beast. Colors on the exterior seemingly pull from each of the princesses’ signature outfits, while different turrets reflect the “lands” from where the princesses hail.
When the new castle opens, it will also feature a brand-new afternoon show and a new fireworks extravaganza that will close the park each night. A Bibbidi-Bobbidi Boutique will also open on-site, while the overall castle hopes to serve as a “shining beacon of courage, hope and possibility.”
Additionally, an all-new land based on Frozen will also open at Disney Hong Kong. The Frozen area of the park will feature Frozen Ever After, a popular attraction from Disney World’s EPCOT. Frozen Ever After takes guests on a journey through Arendelle. Also taking guests through Arendelle is the new rollercoaster, Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleighs. The rollercoaster starts in Oaken’s shop and tours Anna and Elsa’s kingdom before you’re taken up a mountain by Sven and Olaf to ride down. Additionally, there will be an area to meet-and-greet Elsa.
The new castle is expected to open prior to 2020, while the Frozen area will be sometime later in 2020. These renovations and additions will be joined by a new Marvel-based area in 2023 according to the South China Morning Post. Finances for all of the projects were approved in 2017.
Tokyo Disney
Meanwhile, over at Tokyo Disney, several new attractions are planned in the main park and Tokyo Disney Sea that are expected to be completed by 2022.
In addition to new ticket gates and the new attraction Soaring: Fantastic Flight, which opened July 23, 2019, Tokyo Disney fans can expect an area in Magic Kingdom based on Beauty and the Beast, a new theater, an attraction based on Big Hero 6, a Toy Story resort, a Minnie Mouse meet-and-greet area, and the DisneySea expansion area called Fantasy Springs.
The Beauty and the Beast-themed Fantasyland portion of the park looks to be one of the best Beauty and the Beast-themed additions in any of the Disney parks. The land, which is capped off by lots of greenery, features a rendering of Belle’s quaint little French village. In addition to the village, which will have Gaston’s pub and a restaurant, the area will also feature a dark ride and a theater featuring a daily show.
Toon Town will also have an expansion that will open soon. The expansion includes an area where guests can meet Minnie Mouse and take pictures after touring the area.
In Tomorrowland, Big Hero 6’s Baymax will get his own attraction.
Finally, over at Tokyo DisneySea, construction on a new port began in May 2019. The new area, Fantasy Springs, will feature attractions based on Peter Pan, Tangled, and Frozen.
For the Peter Pan section, guests can expect a new restaurant and two new attractions. Not much has been released about the attractions, but one is a ride that will feature guests “helping” Peter Pan fight pirates as he flies over Neverland in search of Wendy’s siblings. The other attraction is supposed to be based on Pixie Hollow, Tinkerbell’s home.
In the Frozen area, guests will experience one new attraction and a new restaurant that is in the spirit of Be Our Guest in Disney World. The attraction is expected to be in the spirit of Frozen Ever After in EPCOT, so expect it to be a boat ride through Arendelle.
Finally, the Frozen area will also feature one new attraction and one restaurant. The attraction will be a dark boat ride that will take guests through Rapunzel’s “best day ever” before ending with the lighting of the lanterns. Details regarding the restaurant have yet to be released.
Are you excited about the plans unfolding with Disney Hong Kong and Tokyo Disney? We know we are!
—-Olivia Murray
SPECTRUM is a Korean pop group that consists of 6 members – Minjae, Donggyu, Jaehan, Hwarang, Villain, and Eunjun. Dongyoon sadly passed away due to unknown causes on July 27, 2018, at the age of 20.
SPECTRUM made their debut on May 10, 2018, under WYNN Entertainment. The band’s name refers to continuum of color formed when a beam of white light is dispersed through a prism, and each member of Spectrum represented 7 colors of the rainbow. We would like to thank SPECTRUM and their management for this great interview, as we wish them all the best in all their future endeavors.
*Hello, thank you all for your precious time. Could each of you give us a little self-introduction?
Minjae: Hi, I’m Minjae, the leader of the team in charge of vocals and performance.
Donggyu: Hello, I’m Spectrum’s protective big brother, Donggyu . I’m a vocalist.
Jaehan: Hi, I’m the leading vocal of Spectrum, Jaehan.
Hwarang: I’m the rapper of the group Spectrum, Hwarang.
Villain: Hi, I’m Villain, Spectrum‘s angelic rapper.
Eunjun: Hello, I’m Eunjun, the youngest of the group and a vocalist.
*How did you come to make your debut as a group? Is it something you’ve always dreamed of?
Minjae: This started as a hobby, and then I found it was the right thing for me. I took an audition, joined the company and made my debut. As a child I had wanted to be a baseball player.
Donggyu: When I was younger, I’d never thought of myself as a celebrity, let alone a singer. The longest dream I had was to become a profiler or doctor, but then I turned to art and I began to dream of becoming a color scientist or graphic designer. And just before my mandatory service at the army, I also thought of becoming a civil servant in law by taking the examination for it.
Jaehan: I had wanted to become a singer since the second year at middle school. Before that, it was all about judo. And before making my debut in Spectrum, I had wanted to become a singer-songwriter or a band vocal. Then I fell in love with dancing and performing while singing, so I made my debut as a group member. I also like life as a team.
Hwarang: I loved to dance in a group as a child, so I used to practice with my friends. That got me used to living as a group, which then led to me being recommended as a member of an idol group. But my original dream was to become an actor.
Villain: I took auditions because I had always wanted to become an entertainer. And finally, I’ve become a singer.
Eunjun: I had never expected to become an idol, so I was working to become a vocal trainer. I got in a few auditions in the process, and then I met the current company and made my debut.
*Which one of your songs are you the most attached to?
Minjae: Mine’s Light it Up, which is our debut track.
Donggyu: I love every single one of our songs, but I personally love Dear My. The song is made so beautifully. Everything about it from the lyrics to the feel of the song is to my taste. I think to all of us, this song brings up some sad and precious memories. Not only is it a message for our fans, it is also a tribute song to Dongyun, our member who passed away.
Jaehan: Mine is also Dear My – I hope the whole world could hear the voice and lyrics of our friend Dongyun.
Hwarang: Mine’s What do I do. I participated in the choreography and lyrics, so it’s especially endearing to me.
Villain: My personal favorite is our debut song, Light it Up.
Eunjun: I think that I’m the most attached to Dear My from our second album, composed by Jaehan.
*Which musician or artist do you admire the most? Please share a song/album that you frequently listen to nowadays.
Minjae: Well, I’m learning to play the guitar these days, so I listen to Little Star by Standing Egg sunbaenim often, and sing it a lot too.
Donggyu: My role model is IU sunbaenim. I love her music. I also like the work of BTS sunbaenim. I think my favorite artists tend to have a wide musical spectrum. And my current favorite track is Fifth Season by Oh My Girl sunbaenim.
Jaehan: I’m so into playing the guitar these days, and band sounds appeal to me a lot. I listen to Cold Play, Yun Do Hyeon sunbaenim and DAY6 sunbaenim a lot. I especially listen to Congratulations by DAY6 sunbaenim a lot these days.
Hwarang: Song Min-ho – Fear, and Loco – It will take time.
Villain: I admired Hoya sunbaenim and Taeyang sunbaenim from my childhood days. A favorite track for me these days is Shower by Norazo sunbaenim.
Eunjun: I love Bruno Mars’s wide spectrum of genres and his tone. I tend to listen over and over again to a favorite song, and these days that would be When I was your man, a song I returned to recently.
*How would you describe your own character in just one word?
Minjae: Cool.
Donggyu: Documentary.
Jaehan: I can’t think right now…
Hwarang: Watery.
Villain: Angelic.
Eunjun: Sloppy.
*What’s your fav food or beverage and why?
Minjae: I think I dislike everything that looks weird, because I get put off. I love everything that kids love, because my palate is very childlike…I hear that a lot.
Donggyu: I don’t have a particular favorite food. I just like anything that suits me…I’m not that particular. But if I had to choose something, maybe some cool cucumber kimchi. I didn’t realize it myself, but my mother tells me that I really eat a lot of it when she has it prepared at home. And my worst food would have to be chicken feet and pupas. My family used to raise chickens and I know what they always step on. The looks aren’t too appealing either. As for pupas, I used to have them as a kid, but ever since I saw a real big moth, I really couldn’t. And I guess I don’t really care to try foods that look a little funny.
Jaehan: My favorite dish is tteokbokki (spicy stir-fried rice cakes) and raw shrimp. I don’t know why, I can just eat them forever, haha.
Hwarang: I like pasta, western food. My personal favorite is Spaghetti Aglio e olio! And what I don’t like is chilli pepper in soups because they taste like paper.
Villain: My favorite menu is clear seafood soup, because I absolutely love seafood.
Eunjun: It’s hard to choose a favorite because I have so many… but my worst food is fermented skate fish. I tried it recently and the smell was just…too much.
*What’s your favorite color and dress code, if you have one?
Minjae: I like black the most ~ and my preferred fashion is just comfortable clothes.
Donggyu: My favorite’s green. I love all colors but green really eases your eyes. As for clothes, I like loose tops and less loose bottoms with very simple accessories. I don’t go for the flamboyant type, either clothes or accessories.
Jaehan: I like blue the most. As for my fashion, I think I take care to have little matches of colors…the shoes and belts for example. Color combinations are important to me.
Hwarang: Purple! I wear things to suit my face each day. So, I could be dressed cute, or sexy, or whatever.
Villain: I don’t really have a fashion code. I prefer bright colors.
Eunjun: I like pink, yellow, and white. Besides that, I’m not really a fashion person so I go for anything comfy to wear.
*Describe your ideal type.
Minjae: Someone with an attitude. Someone who does their best in what they do, responsible and has strong beliefs.
Donggyu: Someone who has a nice voice. And I like elegant and pure looks. And I think eyes are my special point of interest. I like people with clear eyes.
Jaehan: My ideal type is someone with their own views.
Hwarang: Someone cute and pure in looks, with a somewhat proud demeanor.
Villain: A good driver, with polite manners.
Eunjun: Someone with a nice voice, long straight hair and pretty neckline.
*How do you relieve stress?
Minjae: I work out!!
Donggyu: I tend to write or draw pictures. I forget my troubles by concentrating on something in particular. I sometimes cry in the shower too…or watch a sad movie. Then I can feel all light-hearted again. I’ve tried eating and sleeping a lot too, but it didn’t work for me.
Jaehan: I used to binge-eat, but these days I like to take walks.
Hwarang: I play games.
Villain: See a movie or go for a walk alone.
Eunjun: I binge-eat something really good, or play games.
*Where would you most like to travel?
Minjae: The U.S.
Donggyu: The States and the Czech Republic. Can’t choose between those two. I’ve never been to the States but ever since my sister’s trip there I’ve wanted to go myself. And out of the places I’ve been to, I really loved the Czech Republic. It had terrific views and people, so much that I felt like living there. I’d love to visit again. I wonder if I’d feel the same if I did go.
Jaehan: I wanna go to France someday.
Hwarang: Europe… Halstatt.
Villain: Hong Kong.
Eunjun: I’d love to go to France.
*Where do you see yourself in ten years? What would you be doing?
Minjae: I guess I’d be running a business of my own, while still active as a Spectrum member.
Donggyu: Nobody knows whether I’d be in the entertainment industry after ten years. But I currently love this job, and love all of our fans who love us. So, if there’s no special reason not to, I think I would still be with you like this. If not, I would still be pursuing another dream, somewhere, still the same person, to achieve something just as I became an idol singer…and at a rather late age at that.
Jaehan: I think I’d still be singing, for people, even after 10 years.
Hwarang: I’ll be making hit songs as a composer!
Villain: I have a dream of owning my own building and opening an academy.
Eunjun: I promised to stay forever with Lantana, so I would still be a member of Spectrum.
*Describe your future plans and hopes, and a word for your fans. Thanks!
Minjae: We’ll work really hard to promote us, Spectrum. We hope to achieve a lot with this group. For our fan club, Lantana, thank you so much for your support and working alongside us. We’ll try harder to become singers you could be proud of!
Donggyu: There’s something we’ve promised Lantana. Whatever hardship or troubles that may be ahead, we’ll walk all the way together to reach the sea. I have hopes of reaching the deep blue sea with our fans, whatever life may bring. The future looks unstable and scary for us at the moment but there will be a better tomorrow, just as light comes after darkness. I’ll try to be a place of rest for our fans, when you get tired on the way. Love you.
Jaehan: I’d like to continue to share a lot of my music. I thank you, our fans, for trusting us and keeping up with us.
Hwarang: I wish I could do more work in entertaining and acting, and I’ll try my very best with the members here.
Villain: I hope to be able to spend a whole day with our fans, sometime in the future. Please stay by our side until then, Lantana.
Eunjun: I’d never give up singing, so I’ll be singing for a long time. And Lantana, thanks for being with us for a year…we could exist and keep going because of you. Hope to be with you forever. Love you!
J.Chung.
We have spoken about Netflix and Hulu, and now, we are giving you the list of our favorite shows made in the biggest continent in the world, that you can stream via AppleTV.
I have to throw in a little disclaimer though. I’m sure most of the AppleTV users are aware that AppleTV is a bit different than other streaming apps, regarding the fact that most of the shows are still streamed through third party apps. That being said, AppleTV does support AsianCrush and Viki as two of the channels with the biggest selection of the top-rated Asian dramas, variety shows and movies, but the third party app is required.
Even so, you still get the perks of AppleTV services, so sit back, grab your popcorn and enjoy this list of just a few of the brightest stars of Asia’s cinematic universe.
For the sake of giving you a slightly more categorized selection, we are going to divide those top picks into a few groups.
Top 5 Korean dramas
Korean Entertainment industry is booming in all possible ways. Kpop opened the door to the west for the entire industry, but we love Kdramas no less. So, here are some of them you must watch. The list contains top rated ones on the mentioned AppleTV partner apps.
1. Strong Woman Do Bong Soon
Starting off strong, with the overall rating of 9.8/10, we have the 2017 classic.
Plot: She is no ordinary woman. Do Bong Soon comes from a long line of women possessing Herculean strength. But there is a catch to her power: she can only use it for good. Follow along with her journey of trying to find a job in the game development industry, whilst dealing with a love triangle and helping two hot men fight criminals. You’ll laugh, you’ll whine and cheer for this amusing girl and her extraordinary adventures.
Fans said:
“I swear this is the first drama that I’ve watched from 8pm till 7am… NO LITERALLY, I watched it for 11 hours….”
PG 13: YES
Genre: Romance, Drama, Comedy, Sci-fi, Fantasy
2. Hotel Del Luna
Staring the popular IU, this drama is a must watc with the 9.8/10 rating.
Plot: Deep in the Seoul’s thriving downtown sits a peculiar hotel. Old beyond measure, this hotel and its CEO are not what they first seem to be. Jang Man Wol is running this hotel, but not by her own will. She is cursed, doomed to spend all of eternity catering to the need of a most peculiar clientele of this odd hotel, all because of the crime so old she cannot even remember she committed. Her only hope of escaping the curse is to find someone who has committed a crime bigger than hers. After 1000 years she began losing hope, but things are changing when a young perfectionist starts working at her hotel. Who is he, and will she be able to break the curse?
Fans said:
“WATCH THIS SHOW. WATCH IT. STOP READING THESE REVIEWS AND JUST HECKIN CLICK ON THE EPISODE. YOU WON’T REGRET.”
PG 13: YES
Genre: Romance, Sci-fi, Fantasy, Drama, Mystery
3. Doctor John
Human medical drama of doctors who seek the cause of their patients’ pain. 9.7/10
Plot: Basing in the world where medicine is so advanced that doctors can save the patient even if he’s at the verge of death. But ability to save doesn’t mean that the patient will live, doctor must determine if saving the patient’s life would make that patient happy. Chao Yo Han is a genius doctor who needs only 10 seconds to determine a patient’s condition, but one patient changes his life. Kang Si Young is a doctor with a warm heart. She meets a prisoner who used to be a doctor, a genius who can grasp patient’s condition within 10 seconds. Next time she meets that man, he is a professor. Who is he, and what will their relationship bring?
Fans said:
“Out of all the dramas that I have watched during the past years, this one is seriously one of the best. It managed to get me hooked since the first Episode and ever since I have been unable to wait for the new Episodes to air.”
PG 13: YES
Genre: Medical Drama, Crime, Mystery, Thriller
4. Watcher
Hold your wigs for this one, the 2019 thriller drama with 9.7/10 rating.
Plot: A brutal murder committed 15 years ago turned the lives of our 3 protagonists upside down. Brought by fate, the trio goes on the hunt for answers nearly two decades later. Will they be able to solve the mystery of the crime that has shaped their lives, and what else will they uncover in the process?
Fans said:
“Wow! I’m used to crime dramas that build up the story line as the episodes progress. With Watcher, this story hits the ground running! I agree with another user that said this will make you want to hit rewind, play, fast forward, and rewind again.”
PG 13: YES
Genre: Drama, Thriller
5. While You Were Sleeping
Finishing off lightly, a romance rated with 9.7/10 stars.
Plot: A young woman has a special gift, she has dreams of bad events before them happening, but is often unable to do anything to stop them. That changes when she has a dream of her neighbor being in an accident. She manages to save him and a young police officer, who develops the same ability as her afterwards. How and why did their lives intertwine and will they be able to save the people they care about the most using their gift?
Fans said:
“Interestingly I had watched this drama 9 times in a row. I don’t know why. But I am still going to watch it again. It is that much worthy to watch.”
PG 13: YES
Genre: Drama, Romance, Sci-fi, Fantasy
Top 3 Asian made movies
1. Go Brother!
If you have siblings, you will relate to this Chinese movie.
Plot: Ever wanted your siblings to disappear? Shi Miao can’t stand her irresponsible older brother who always seems to try to make her life harder. She always wanted him to disappear from her life and leave her alone. One day, her wish actually came true. Her brother is now the older brother of her best friends. She is delighted with the life of an only child, but what secret did her brother hide from her, the secret that might make her regret everything. Will she?
Fans said:
“This movie is such a beautiful story about the love of an older brother towards his sister.”
PG 13: YES
Genre: Comedy, Sci-fi, Fantasy
2. The great hypnotist
Can you solve the mystery of Ren Xiao Yan before the doctor? A mind twisting Chinese thriller.
Plot: Dr. Xu Rui Ning is a psychiatrist using hypnotherapy to help his patients. One day, he takes on a patient who was dismissed by her previous doctor. Apparently, she can see ghosts. Is she crazy, laying to cover a bigger secret and will the doctor reveal her secrets, or will she reveal his…
Fans said:
“Brilliant, different, riveting, you will never guess the ending. Highly Recommend and 10++++++++++++ stars for this crazy story and great actors!”
PG 13: YES
Genre: Thriller and Suspense
3. Fuse: Memoirs of the Hunter Girl
By now It is well known that animated movies make strong competitors in the cinematic industry. We have all heard of Paprika, Perfect Blue, Ghost In The Shell and other big names, but here’s one that you might not have heard of yet, although I doubt that is the case.
Plot: After the death of her grandfather, Hamaji, a hunter, leaves her countryside house and goes to the city. There, she hears about Fuses, hybrids between humans and dogs, who live in Japan in the Edo period. It was said that they kill people to feed themselves with their souls. She decides to help her brother and hunt them, but what will happen when she befriends one of her targets?
Fans said:
“This movie is great if you are into fantasy Japanese style. It has everything likeable: principal character, moving story, mix of reality and fantasy, folklore, action, love, sadness. A must see.”
PG 13: YES
Genre: Fantasy, Supernatural, Drama
With that, we conclude this top listing. Be aware that we only included Asian shows available on the AppleTV, and that we tried to include a variety of genres and shows from different countries. What are your favorite shows, are they on our list?
*Again, most of the shows require a third-party app.
—-Tina Mihajlovic