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?
Kyoto, Japan: A suspected arson attack has left 34 dead and 34 injured at Kyoto Animation (KyoAni). According to CNN, the attack is Japan’s worst mass-killing in over 20 years. In 2001, an arsonist killed 44 people in Tokyo.
Among those dead include 12 men, 20 women, and one person whose identity is unknown. Their ages ranged from their 20s and 30s. Six of the victims were in their 40s, while one was at least 60-years old. Many of the victims just joined the animation team. One victim is a South Korean national who is in critical condition.
Kyoto Animation had at least 160 employees; 74 were present at the time of the incident.
KyoAni president, Hideaki Hatta, said that everything in the building was also lost including artwork and reference materials.
“It’s all gone,” Hatta said. “The computers are all gone as well. I don’t know the amount of damage. it’s massive.”
On Thursday July 19, 2019, 41-year-old Shinji Aoba went to the studios for “revenge” according to reports. According to police, Aoba, who was also armed with knives, poured 11 gallons of gasoline around the entrance and first floor of the renowned animation studio. He also doused staff with gasoline before setting the building, staffers, and himself on fire while yelling “YOU DIE!” According to Sankei News, an employee chased Aoba out of the building; he was apprehended by police by a nearby home.
Aoba sustained burn severe burn wounds to his face, legs, and chest and is currently being treated at the hospital.
Hiroyuki Sakai, deputy chief at the local Fushimi Police Station, said, “He’s been anesthetized and can’t talk. We’re waiting for word from the doctors on when we can question him.”
However, police did state Aoba admitted to starting the fire. Police state his motive is that the animation studio stole a novel idea he had.
A witness who saw Aoba’s arrest said Aoba “seemed to be discontented, he seemed to get angry, shouting something about how he had been plagiarized.”
Aoba has not been arrested yet due to be treated at the hospital. However, on July 20, an arrest warrant has been issued.
According to NHK, Aoba had a prior criminal record. In 2012, Aoba spent three years in prison for robbing a convenience store. He was also in treatment for mental health problems. The Associated Press also reports that neighbors in his apartment building had reoccurring issues with Aoba.
Hatta said no one at the studio knew who Aoba was.
“We’ve never heard his name before. I understand he’s 41 years old. We would have recognized him immediately if he had contacted us before,” Hatta said.
Hatta also revealed that the studio received death threats before, but police cannot find a connection between those threats and Aoba.
During a press conference, Hatta said there are plans to tear down the badly burned studio one and replace it with a public park that will be home to a memorial monument.
“…when I consider the staff and the people in this neighborhood, there are people who don’t want to see such a gruesome sight,” Hatta said of the building.
Globally and locally, fans have shown an outpouring of love, support, and grief over the loss of the victims and studio.
<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet”><p lang=”ja” dir=”ltr”>Kyoto Animation is home to some of the world’s most talented animators and dreamers — the devastating attack today is a tragedy felt far beyond Japan. KyoAni artists spread joy all over the world and across generations with their masterpieces. 心よりご冥福をお祈りいたします。</p>— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) <a href=”https://twitter.com/tim_cook/status/1151875113903542272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw”>July 18, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src=”https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js” charset=”utf-8″></script>
“The criminal who does this seems to have been mentally disturbed, but I can’t forgive him. The young people at Kyoto Animation were beautiful and warm and it is hard to accept they are gone,” Bing Xie, 25, a Chinese student at Kyoto University, told Reuters.
KyoAni is a small animation studio in Japan, but it has a large following. They are known for Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid, K-ON, and Violet Evergarden among several other productions.
The investigation into the fire is still ongoing.
Photo credit: Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon
—-Olivia Murray
by: Free Bird
The California sun beat down on them hard. While RapMon had been used to the harshness of the climate, J-Hope and G-Dragon were both unused to it. As they continued to the nearest hotel it didn’t take long for them to ditch their outer layers. They felt confident that no one would recognize them in this part of town.
All three of them now had simple tees on and felt very content feeling the breeze on their skin. Almost immediately they had grabbed the attention of the L.A. people, in particular the women. It wasn’t often a group of vibrant young handsome men, especially Korean ones, casually walked around these parts.
As they continued walking they had noticed the stench of the streets. Unlike the cleaner and more maintained streets of their home country, downtown L.A. was more of the opposite. There was tobacco and smoke. The sidewalk was cracked and uneven. There was graffiti on stopped trains and they all held onto their pockets as they walked past some shady people. There was less fear however, as they were somewhat enjoying this newfound thrill of the true “streets”.
Their gamble that they would remain anonymous had worked. It seems that the light of K-POP had not shined too brightly in these areas. However they still had to be on guard now.
“Hey guys check this out!” J-Hope opened up his phone to his social media was kind of freaking out. People were finding out two members of B.T.S. and Big Bang leader G-Dragon were missing. Their sweat of heat then turned to worry. “We have to find a place to stay ASAP.”
They finally turned around the block and entered a family owned hotel joined called Oasis. To the boys it seemed very inviting from the lit bright blue sign, offers of a pool, and most importantly of all, air conditioning.
It was euphoric getting that initial blast of cool air from the inside after spending nearly two hours in the California sun. All three exhaled a single “Ahhh…” in unison. After they had acclimated to the temperature of the room they stepped forward to the front desk where a young girl had fallen asleep on the front desk. Her nametag read “Kim”.
J-Hope dinged the call bell once to no reply. He then hit it multiple times in succession to finally awaken the receptionist. “Oh! I’m so sorry I fell asleep,” She fixed her hair and clothes. “It’s just we usually don’t get customers these days.” She stood up to look attentive and put on a genuine smile. “How are you today? Are you looking to stay?”
RapMon answered with his best English, “Yes we are. We want to stay for a night.” Kim replied “Of course! We’d be happy to have you three tonight.” She registered them into her computer and handed them their keys. “Before you go don’t forget we have our house-made lunch and dinner.” The boys were also then reminded that they have not had a single bite to eat since they landed and were rightfully starving.
“We will definitely try it after we settle down.” The three of them proceeded to their room, which was the closest to the reception area. In fact this hotel was quite small. There were only six rooms, none of which were occupied.
They opened their door and were greeted by a cozy little place. “Hey! At least the view is nice.” J-Hope ran to the window showcasing their view of the graffiti wall of the adjacent building. Both G-Dragon and RapMon gave him a death stare.
G-Dragon made a judgment of the room. It was quite well maintained yet undisturbed. He felt a little bad as it seemed that she ran the entire place herself. He collapsed into the bed and was surprised by the soft embrace of the mattress. “I haven’t felt this kind of comfort since I was home…” He closed his eyes and imagined his mother coming in to tuck him in. Had it not been for J-Hope jumping on the other bed he would have certainly dozed off for hours.
“This is so bouncy!” He was jumping like a child. He however wasn’t small like one. RapMon pressed into the mattress synchronized with his jump. “Ow sh.t!” J-Hope’s head smashed into the ceiling and made a small indent. Dry wall and dust fell onto the bed.
“Woops…” RapMon covered his mouth with regret while J-Hope was rubbing the spot on his head where he hit the ceiling. G-Dragon was fully aware at this point and was rubbing the bridge on his nose.
They all looked up and noticed the profound indent J-Hope’s head made. “We can pay for that.” RapMon said. “Uh no. You’ll pay for that.” They chuckled. There was a knocking on the door from Kim. “Is everything okay in there?”
They all beamed at the door. “We are okay! Everything is good!” RapMon assured her. “Are you sure? That sounded kind of bad. I should come in.” She began to unlock the door with her master key.
“No no!” G-Dragon held the door knob shut. RapMon yelled, “We are naked!” Kim immediately unhanded herself from the door and ran back. “I’m so sorry please take your time!” She covered her flushed face.
Kim usually kept her manner when attractive men came through. But whenever she came close to them when they were indecent, she would lose her cool. And these boys she could tell were Korean. And little did the boys know, she was quite the K-POP fan.
“Phew, that was a close one…” G-Dragon turned around to a half-naked J-Hope and RapMon. “Why are you…?” He looked at them with confusion. They hurriedly pulled their clothes back on. “Just in case, if she actually came in we would actually be naked!” G-Dragon sighed.
“I don’t know about you guys, but some food sounds real good right now.” RapMon rubbed his stomach. “I need some ice.” J-Hope’s head still hurt from the jump. G-Dragon put his arms around the two of them and huddled them in. “C’mon! Let’s fuel up and get ready for our night in L.A.!”
B.A.P’s Kim Himchan appeared in court July 12, 2019 for a hearing regarding indecent acts by compulsion charges against him.
In 2018, Kim was accused of sexually assaulting/harassing* a woman in her twenties while on a vacation with friends. The woman reported the incident to police. At the time, Kim stated the feelings between the two were mutual. Both admit they were drinking.
Kim’s legal team denied the allegations against the idol.
“There were feelings of interest between the two. It wasn’t explicit consent, but there was implied consent, which is why it is not indecent act by compulsion,” one of Kim’s lawyers said. “It’s clear that there were feelings of interest between them. We acknowledge the truth of the kissing and the touching of [the woman’s] chest, but there was no other physical contact beyond that.”
A second trial has been set for August 16, 2019. During the second trial, witness statements are expected.
*Different media sources switch between sexual harassment and sexual assault. In 2018, “harassment” was used, but since then, “assault” has been the operative term.
—-Olivia Murray
*China is officially called the People’s Republic of China (PRC) with a population of around 1.404 billion.
*China belongs to the continent of Asia, which borders Afghanistan, Bhutan, Burma, India, Kazakhstan, North Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Vietnam.
*One in every five people in the world is Chinese. Chinese is one of the six official languages used by the U.N.
*China’s population is four times larger than the US.
*It’s approximated that thirty-four babies are born each minute.
*China has only one time zone. In the past, China had 5 different time zones but in 1949, the Communist Party leaders decided to set one time for the whole country.
*China is the third largest country by area at 3,747,879 square miles.
*The summit of Mt. Everest marks the border between China and Nepal.
*The Great Wall of China is the largest man-made structure in the world ever, boasting its incredible 5,500 miles.
*More people speak Mandarin as their first language than any other language in the world.
*Mandarin, Yue, Wu, Minbei, Minnan, Xiang, Gan and Hakka are some of the languages used in China.
*One of the most common greetings in this territory is “Have you eaten yet?”
*Every year, China experiences typhoons and suffers from floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, and droughts.
*For the Chinese, red symbolizes happiness and used at Chinese festivals and many other celebrations, such as birthdays and weddings.
*China’s Grand Canal is the world’s longest and oldest one.
*China has cultivated tea for over 2000 years and according to a legend, tea was discovered by Emperor Shennong when a leaf fell into the Emperor´s boiling water.
*Half of all pigs on earth live in China
*In 1996, China produced 600,000 tons of mushrooms, becoming the world’s leading producer. The country has 60% of the world’s mushroom varieties.
*The 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing were the most expensive in the history, which cost an enormous $40 billion to host.
*35 million of Chinese people still live in caves because they don’t have enough funds for a house.
*Chinese New Year celebration lasts for 15 days long. Other major events include the Lantern Festival, Double Seven Festival, and the Winter Solstice. However, they don’t get a day off for Christmas.
*Fingerprinting was used in China as early as 700 A.D – and used to sign legal documents. Qin Dynasty also used hand and footprints as evidence in crime scenes.
*The world’s first ice-cream is said to have originated from China over 4000 years ago, by mixing milk and rice mixture with the snow.
*The oldest tree in the world is China’s Gingko, which first appeared during some 160 million years ago. The Ginkgo is widely used in traditional medicine and is said to improve memory and the various.
J.Chung.
Tragedy struck a member of the K-Pop world today as Jose Arredondo, the father of K-Pop idol Samuel Kim, was found dead in his home in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico following an apparent home invasion.
Arredondo, who just turned 58-years old July 8, 2019, showed signs of blunt force trauma according to prosecutors. The reports indicate he may have been beaten to death. Arredondo’s pastor stated the well-known car dealer was stabbed. Cabo’s local news outlet, Tribunal de Los Cabos, reports the same details.
Several media outlets consider Arredondo’s life to be a classic “rags-to-riches” tale. Arredondo was the fourth child in a family of 11 children. In his youth, he picked crops in Cualcoman, Mexico until he crossed the border into the United States with his sister, Laura, in 1971. He was 11-years old at the time when he and his sister came to America to join their mother in Valencia, California.
“I was frightened to death to come to a country without knowing the language, but I was hungry for a better life,” Arredondo said of his coming-to-America experience.
Arredondo then built himself from the ground up. Prior to owning car dealerships and a real estate firm, he worked as a car washer. From here, he worked his way up in the business.
According to Automotive Buy Sell Report, Arredondo was a champion for education and ensuring young people obtained their degrees. In an interview, Arredondo admitted he dropped out of school when he was a teen so he could help his family and because his family couldn’t afford to keep him in school. Yearly, he sponsored over 100 scholarships for young people wanting to further their educations.
I have a lot in common with those youngsters that have the ambition to finish school but not the funds,” Arredondo said.
In addition to sponsoring scholarships, Arredondo gave away cars on Mother’s Day, fed the homeless on Thanksgiving, helped families with burial costs, and supported various charities the Central Valley.
“It’s our responsibility as human beings to help these people. When you help someone, you get stronger,” Arredondo said in 2006 for a Bakersfield.com interview.
In Bakersfield, California and the surrounding area, Arredondo was celebrity-like due to his commercials, billboards, and philanthropy.
While Arredondo held a sparkling reputation in his community, there were issues with people surrounding him.
In 2006, a man was shot and killed at Arredondo’s Rosedale home. 28-year-old Manuel Morales Abarca visited the home to see a caretaker on Arredondo’ property. Abarca and the suspect, Valentine Rosendo Oliva, 35, got into an argument when Oliva allegedly shot Abarca. Arredondo was not home at the time.
In August 2014, an employee of Arredondo’s, Daniel Watkins, was shot to death in a triple homicide. Arredondo was interviewed regarding the slaying as he was one of the last people to see Watkins and because he knew and personally hired Watkins at his Family Motors Auto Group dealership.
Heavy.com reports there have been suspicions of Arredondo being involved with organized crime even though those surrounding Arredondo refute those claims.
So far, there is no connection between these incidents and Arredondo’s murder.
Arredondo is survived by his wife, Kim Kyung-ju, daughter Mariana, and son Samuel.
Samuel, who professionally goes by Samuel Kim, is a K-Pop singer who debuted as Punch in the duo 1Punch. 1Punch debuted with the ‘90s-inspired throwback song “Turn Me Back” in 2015 and dissolved soon after. In 2017, he appeared on Produce 101 Season 2 where he finished 18th. On August 2 of that year, he made his solo debut as Samuel with the EP Sixteen. Samuel has already generated a lot of buzz in his short career so far and has even won three awards: “Global Collaboration Award” (2017’s Seoul Music Awards for “Spotlight” with Silento), “Most Searched KR New Singer” (2017 Yahoo! Asian Buzz Awards), and the “New Hallyu Performance Award” (2018 Soribada Best K-Music Awards).
Samuel or his company have yet to comment on Arredondo’s passing. However, Samuel’s social media platforms have been set to private.
Suspects have not been named in the Arredondo murder investigation as of this writing.
We send our condolences to Samuel Kim and his family.
—-Olivia Murray
Following Kang Ji-Hwan’s admittance that he sexually assaulted two female staffers at his Gwangju home following a dinner party and an evening of drinking, Huayi Brothers decided to nullify their contract with the 42-year-old actor. The company announced their decision July 16, 2019 via a statement.
Hello. This is Huayi Brothers Korea.
We signed a contract with Kang Ji Hwan in May 2019 on the basis of trust, but as a result of an unexpected, disgraceful event, that trust has crumbled.
Following, we are unable to continue our exclusive contract [with Kang Ji Hwan] and have decided to terminate our contract with him.
We will strive for improvement and do our best to prevent the same from happening in the future through thorough management of our artists.
Once again, we apologize to everyone for causing concern.
On July 9, 2019, two women fell asleep at Kang’s house. One woman woke up to see Kang on top of the other woman. She tried calling police and couldn’t get through. She then texted a friend who sent police to Kang’s residence. Kang and the two females were questioned, and Kang was then detained. An arrest warrant was issued days after. Kang admitted to the charges on July 15, 2019.
—-Olivia Murray
On July 9, 2019, actor Kang Ji-Hwan (Joseon Survival, Be Strong, Geum-Soon!, 90 Days, Time to Love), 42, was apprehended at his Gwanju home for “indecent assault.” According to reports, Kang and two outsourced female staffers went out for drinks following a company dinner. The trio then went to Kang’s house where the two women fell asleep. One of the women woke up and noticed her clothes were disheveled; she then alleges she saw Kang on top of the other woman. From there, police state she messaged a friend and asked her to contact the police.
Regarding the phone calls, K-Netizens accused the victims of making up the allegations. Netizens wondered why one of the alleged victims reached out to a friend instead of calling the police directly. The women’s lawyer addressed the allegations on July 14.
“The reason why the victims weren’t able to reach police was because there was no cell service at the house,” the lawyer told Channel A. “Victim ‘A’s phone call records revealed that she tried to make a total of 13 calls to police and Kang Ji-hwan’s agency officials and acquaintances to no avail. She was able to send the SMS message to the acquaintance because of an available WI-FI connection.”
Gwangwon Police confirmed they received a repeated call and admit a connection could not be made.
On July 9, Kang was questioned by police and placed in holding. On July 10, police questioned the actor again, and he appointed a lawyer. On July 12, a warrant was issued for his arrest related to charges of suspicions of quasi-rape according to the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment, etc.
On July 15, Kang admitted to the charges in a statement released via his legal representation.
This is Kang Ji Hwan’s law firm HwaHyun. We are conveying Kang Ji Hwan’s official statement.
This is Kang Ji Hwan. I admit to all charges and I bow my head and sincerely apologize to the victims that I have hurt greatly with my irreparable wrongdoing. I want to also apologize to everyone that I have concerned because of this. I will accept punishment for my crimes and make atonement.
I apologize profusely.
Signed, Kang Ji Hwan.
Meanwhile, Huayi Brothers Korea announced Kang has been replaced on Joseon Survival. Seo Ji-Suk has been named as the replacement via a statement.
Hello. This is Huayi Brothers Korea, the production company for TV Chosun’s “Joseon Survival.”
This is our statement on the casting and broadcasting schedule of “Joseon Survival.”
We announce that actor Seo Ji-Suk was confirmed to join [the drama] in the role of the main character Han Jung-Rok.
After finalizing the casting, “Joseon Survival” will begin filming as soon as possible, and we will resume airing episode 11 starting next Saturday (July 27).
Once again, we ask everyone who awaited “Joseon Survival” for their understanding, and we will do our best to meet the viewers’ needs by creating a well-made drama until the end.
The victims in the case are expected to be questioned again in the coming days.
—-Olivia Murray
Forbes recently released their “Celebrity 100” list that details the world’s highest paid entertainers. This year’s list calculated pre-tax earnings between June 2018-June 2019 and counts income before fees for managers, lawyers, and agents. According to Soompi, Forbes’ figures are “based on numbers from Nielsen Music, Pollstar, IMDB, NPD BookScan, and ComScore, in addition to interviews with industry experts and some of the stars themselves.”
BTS cracked the top 50 at 43 (tied with Bradley Cooper) with their earnings set at $57 million.
This is the first time BTS made the list. According to Forbes, BTS’ earning stemmed from their Love Yourself and Speak Yourself tours along with the Burn the Stage and Love Yourself in Seoul films. Forbes also lists the BTS World app and the Love Yourself album trilogy (Her, Tear, and Answer) as part of the group’s accomplishments for making the list.
Congratulations to BTS for yet another accomplishment on their growing list of accolades!
—-Olivia Murray
Fresh off the heels of Super Junior’s groundbreaking tour stop in Saudi Arabia, Big Hit Entertainment announced that BTS will perform in the kingdom this coming October!
BTS will bring the Speak Yourself stadium tour to Saudi Arabia, making them the first K-Pop act to hold a stadium tour in the country. Behind Super Junior, they are only the second K-Pop act to perform a solo concert there.
Super Junior performed a solo concert July 12, 2019. However, it should be noted that Stray Kids performed at the Jeddah Season Festival Saturday July 13, 2019, but the performance was not a standalone tour.
Saudi A.R.M.Y started asking for BTS to tour Saudi Arabia following Super Junior’s concert. According to fans on Twitter and Allkpop, Saudi A.R.M.Y organized to ask @Turki_alalshikh (one of the people responsible for bringing entertainment acts to the country) for a BTS tour. While it’s not clear if this mobilized attempt to bring the group to the country is the reason for BTS to perform there, it should be noted that Saudi A.R.M.Y’s dedication did not go unnoticed!
The Love Yourself: Speak Yourself tour will stop at King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia October 11, 2019.
—-Olivia Murray
Earlier in July 2019, Dubai Stars announced that BTS will have a star on the Dubai Walk of Fame.
BTS were selected to have a star following a Dubai Stars project fan vote. Starting in March, fans had an opportunity to vote for the group using the Twitter hashtag #BTSDubaiStar. On July 1, the Dubai Stars Twitter page announced BTS’ selection.
“A Dubai Star is now dedicated to the popular South Korean boy band from Seoul—@bts_bighit,” the tweet reads. “Will you be cheering for them at our launch event this October?”
A Dubai Star is now dedicated to the popular South Korean boy band from Seoul—@bts_bighit. Will you be cheering for them at our launch event this October? pic.twitter.com/DMVfPHfbKM
— The Dubai Stars (@TheDubaiStars) July 1, 2019
According to Timeout Dubai, the Walk of Fame project will pay tribute to “eminent personalities who have positively influenced the world through their work” across various fields including music, film, art, sports and literature.”
So far, BTS is the only Korean act identified as having a star.
The Dubai Walk of Fame, located at Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard, will eventually hold 10,000 stars when the project’s complete. Currently, 400 stars, including BTS’ star along with soccer star Lionel Messi, Saudi Arabian singer Abdul Majeed Abdullah, and actor Shah Rukh Khan, will be unveiled this October.
—-Olivia Murray
Super Junior made history July 12, 2019 when they became the first K-Pop act to perform in Saudi Arabia.
Super Junior ‘s welcoming video display from Arab ELF.
SJ are shinning in the sky of Jeddah ?✨ pic.twitter.com/OHXaLJZLT6#SuperJuniorInKSA#SS7SinJEDDAHCr. DonghaeArab, ArabSiwonest_pr
— ? moon (@eejwithyou) July 11, 2019
The group—sans Kangin (who announced his departure earlier in the week) and Sungmin—brought their Super Show 7S to the Middle Eastern country and performed in front of an estimated 15 thousand fans. The group performed in Jeddah at King Abdullah Sports City.
When the tour stop was announced, high demand for tickets caused ticketing websites to crash; the show sold out within hours of the tickets being posted.
Social media and Middle Eastern media point to the show being a huge success. With light sticks aglow, Saudi E.L.F showed their support in huge ways by showing off signs and singing along to Super Junior’s discography. In turn, Super Junior made attempts to communicate with fans via translators and sharing a few Arabic phrases they learned in order to show a deeper connection to their Saudi fans.
You still can hear them from miles away lol #SuperJuniorInKSA @SJofficial pic.twitter.com/oLjAIgHB0p
— دونفيت ? Don’faith (@sujuI0I) July 12, 2019
Super Junior’s sub-units, Super Junior K.R.Y and Super Junior D&E, also performed at the Jeddah Season Festival Saturday July 13, 2019. Another K-Pop act, Stray Kids, also performed at the festival.
“We are the first South Korean band to perform here in Saudi Arabia and I am so proud to be performing here,” Siwon said.
Congratulations to Saudi E.L.F for being able to see your favorite group!
—-Olivia Murray
On July 6, 2019, BIGBANG’s T.O.P was discharged from his mandatory military service.
When T.O.P enlisted as a conscripted police officer February 9, 2017, he was set to be discharged November 8, 2018. However, the actor/rapper was wrapped up in a marijuana controversy and indictment in 2018 that added time to his service. Additionally, he spent time in the hospital when he overdosed on a prescribed medication. However, due to changes to Korea’s enlistment rules, T.O.P was eligible for early dismissal, much to Netizens’ chagrin.
The VIP fandom even made efforts to thwart the media upon T.O.P’s service release. T.O.P fansites along with YG Entertainment staff coordinated to help T.O.P meet fans at a secret meeting location. Some VIPs waited outside Yongsan Administrative Office in Seoul where the media, too, waited for the idol to emerge. The media even set up a spot with a microphone so T.O.P could address the media, but it sat lonely as T.O.P met fans at another location.
this pic is iconic & hilarious for many reasons:
-the press DEADASS put a mark for TOP who never showed up
-the pathetic looking mic
-VIPs standing there acting as if they’re waiting for TOP to fool the media -VIPs waiting to see the look on the press’s faces#LongTimeNoSeeTOP pic.twitter.com/hq65vpGIVw— Di ? (@YG_Drag) July 6, 2019
At the secret location, T.O.P greeted fans by shaking hands and chatting with them. On Instagram, he thanked his fans in a message written in English.
“Even though I am not proud of myself, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all the fans who made time and efforts to share this moment with me,” the K-pop star wrote. “I will make sure to reflect on my self and repay the hurts and disappointments I caused to you. Again, thank you. Until I see you again.. love, T.O.P,” the post reads.
Everything wasn’t all wonderful, however, as K-Netizens found fault with the whole ordeal. Netizens criticized his designer suit, where his car parked, and complained about his existence. However, these complaints didn’t quash the enthusiasm of excited VIPs.
Since T.O.P’s message to fans, he has not posted on social yet. Hopefully he finds a suitable piece of furniture to photograph to signal his true return to post-military life.
—-Olivia Murray
NOIR is a Korean 9-member boy band formed by Luk Factory, and group made their official debut on April 9, 2018 with album Twenty’s Noir. We’re very pleased to have attained an interview from the 9-member-group and would like to take this chance to thank the boys and their management for making this happen. We wish them all the best with their careers and hope their fans enjoy reading.
*Thank you for your precious time. Please introduce yourselves to our readers please.
Seunghoon: Hi ~ This is Shin Seunghoon, the leader of NOIR ^^. I’m the rapper, composer and lyricist of the team. I took part in creating all the rap making for all the songs in our most recent album. ♡
Yeonkuk: Hello!!! This is Kim Yeonkuk and the vocalist of NOIR.
Junyong: Hello, I’m Lee Junyong, the main vocalist of NOIR.
Yunsung: Hello! I’m Nam Yunsung ~ I’m the talker and the blooming visual in the team!
Siheon: Hello! This is NOIR. Ever so sweet honey Siheon!
Hoyeon: Hi, I’m the tough charmer Hoyeon.
Siha: Hello, I’m NOIR’s husky voice Siha!
Minhyuk: Hi, I’m Kim Minhyuk – the prankster of NOIR.
Daewon: Hello, this is Kim Daewon, the maknae of NOIR!!
*How did you all debut as a group? Has it always been your dream to become a singer?
Seunghoon: I wanted to be a doctor since I was very young. I thought having a profession where you provide cure for people would be so cool. When I got into high school, I got into a dance group and performed on stage and got immersed in singing and dancing after that, which has paved a way to where I am now. I want to provide healing to people through music.
Yeonkuk: I wanted to be a doctor while growing up and when I got into high school, I suddenly wanted to try singing and changed my dream from then onwards. I got into this group because my friend, Yunsung kept nagging me to go to the auditions at my current company with him. So, I got through the audition and was made a member of NOIR.
Junyong: I was recommended by a music teacher to take an audition at our current company, and got to join the NOIR as the last member! My dream as a child was to become a singer. It’s because I felt comforted each time I sang, lol.
Yunsung: My childhood dream was to be an actor. But as I learned to sing and dance, I found it all so fun and energizing – that’s how I began to want to be an idol singer.
Siheon: I wanted to be a scientist when I was younger since I loved creating and learning about new things. I was a trainee in Seoul, and was going through a lot of hardships and wasn’t sure if I would make it. I was given a great opportunity to audition for a spot and was able to join the group.
Hoyeon: I dreamt of becoming a soccer player when I was younger, then later a scientist. But after watching a certain music program, I started dreaming of being a singer.
Siha: I just wanted to sing when I was growing up. It wasn’t anything specific like an idol singer, singer songwriter, musician or anything like that – I just wanted to become someone who sings.
Minhyuk: I initially wanted to be a back-up dancer, but after performing on stage ~ I knew I wanted to be at the center, so that’s how I came to debut.
Daewon: I wanted to be a singer since I was younger and I wanted to fulfill that dream. After countless auditions, I finally found my current company.
*Which NOIR song do you like the most and please add the reason too.
Seunghoon: There’s a track called Burning, which I participated in composing the music and the lyrics to. The song is dedicated to our fans, in thought that we’d even go through fire for Lumiere, even though that sounds cheesy. I enjoy listening to the song immensely.
Yeonkuk: I am the most attached Travel from our first album because I personally feel my part of the song sounds pretty sexy.
Junyong: I think it’d have to be Gangster from our debut album. That is because I can never forget the day when we received the song and the decision for us to debut was announced. I recall everything that happened since then, so that’s why I’m so attached to the song.
Yunsung: Be Taken! The lyrics are what we want to convey to our fans, Lumiere.
Siheon: Become a Star!! It was the song I got to record while I was still a trainee, and now it’s become a precious memory for me.
Hoyeon: I think I’m the most attached to Airplane Mode. I liked how both the performance and song had a very defined concept.
Siha: Become a Star from our first album. Somehow, the song is so heart-wrenching and the story is what we want to express to Lumiere.
Minhyuk: It’s Be Taken for me, since it’s such an upbeat song.
Daewon: I’m the most attached to Become a Star from our first album. When I listen to it, I get consolation whenever I feel down and tired out.
*Name one artist/musician whom you admire the most.
Seunghoon: BTS Sunbaenims, who are currently doing incredibly right now. I look up their videos and read articles about them often, and they seem to be achieving of what one can only dream of. They’re such a cool act, and I’m learning so much from just watching them.
Yeonkuk: I respect Taemin sunbaemin the most. On stage, he’s so dreamy, sexy and his diverse facial expression, dancing skills, vocal ability and stage presence is all admirable.
Junyong: For me, I admire singer and musician Sia the most. She’s such a powerful vocalist, has her own way of sound and expressing her feeling through her music, which always makes my heart flutter! Lol.
Yunsung: Out of all the bands, I respect BTS sunbaenims the most. And, I’m a fan of Taemin sunbaenim personally.
Siheon: Park Hyoshin sunbaenim is the singer whom I respect the most! I grew up listening to him. I get a lot of thoughts and feelings through his music.
Hoyeon: BTS and Taemin sunbaenims.
Siha: I really have a lot of respect for Beak Yerin and Moon Myung-jin sunbaenims.
Minhyuk: BTS sunbaenims, because of their performance stage presence and superb dance skills.
Daewon: BTS sunbaenim for me.
*Recommend us a song/album that you’ve been listening to a lot lately.
Seunghoon: I frequently listen to Undelivered Truth by BTS, these days. I think I tend to listen to it when I’m down.
Yeonkuk: BTS – Boy With Luv, Taemin – Thirsty and 10cm – However are some of the music I listen to a lot nowadays.
Junyong: I used to listen to Sia’s Alive every day of the week. I really recommend it.
Yunsung: Dan & Shay- Tequila!
Siheon: I’m listening to a lot of Park Hyoshin sunbaenim’s Goodbye!!
Hoyeon: BTS – Boy with Luv (작은것들을 위한 시), The Chainsmokers, Bebe Rexha – Call You Mine, and Taylor Swift – ME! (feat. Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco).
Siha: These days, I’m really into Park Hyoshin sunbaenim’s Goodbye! I love the heart-wrenching feeling of the song, so I recommend you guys to check it out.
Minhyuk: Ovan’s Happiness.
Daewon: I recommend you to listen to Young Forever by BTS.
*How would you describe your personality and character?
Seunghoon: Can I define myself in one word? Lol. I can sometime turn out to be a little weird in many ways.
Yeonkuk: Sunshine.
Junyong: I’d say, I’m a prankster who has a positive and bright personality.
Yunsung: Attentive, feminine but valiant…?
Siheon: A shiny pebble.
Hoyeon: I have a lot of mood swings but I am a really fun character. Honestly!
Siha: Just nice.
Minhyuk: Innocent and cheerful?
Daewon: Passionate!!
*What is the first thing that you do when you wake up in the morning?
Seunghoon: I drink a ton of water. ^^
Yeonkuk: I brush my teeth first.
Junyong: I eat a snack because I’d be hungry. That way, I can wake up quickly.
Yunsung: I talk to Sihyeon, who sleeps on the bunk bed above me and ask him “What’s the time?”
Siheon: I lie still for a about 5 minutes and stare at the ceiling.
Hoyeon: I zone out.
Siha: I turn the alarm off.
Minhyuk: I drink a cup of water.
Daewon: I grab a towel and head to the bathroom.
*Recommend us any movies, musicals or books you’ve enjoyed in the past.
Seunghoon: I love the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which I’ve watched countless many times, but I feel that it’s such a great classic each time I watch it.
When I need to gain inspirations on writing love songs, I would watch the film occasionally.
Yeonkuk: Avengers, I think.
Junyong: I want to recommend the movie Me Before You…
Yunsung: The Avengers: Endgame is the best movie of the year!!
Siheon: I really loved Punch (2011) the movie!!! I can still recall the movie from when I first watched it, so vividly because I felt so entertained and refreshed.
Hoyeon: Avengers: Endgame is the movie of my life.
Siha: I very much enjoyed watching Stranger Things on Netflix.
Minhyuk: Avengers: Endgame.
Daewon: All the Avengers movies.
*What is your special charm, in your opinion?
Seunghoon: I’m laidback? Tsundere… ^^
Yeonkuk: I think my charm is… the bright and positive vibe that I emit.
Junyong: A smiley face with pure skin! And perhaps, my abs? LOL.
Yunsung: Shiny and pretty eyes?!?
Siheon: My not-so-great Seoul accent is my charm, I think.
Hoyeon: I’m multi-talented and easy-going.
Siha: Innocence?
Minhyuk: I smile with my eyes.
Daewon: I am cute charismatic, dreamlike and I have chubby cheeks.
*What kind of person is your ideal?
Seunghoon: Someone who matches my humor and lovable, ha ha.
Yeonkuk: My ideal is someone kind and warm like a mom.
Junyong: I like someone who has the same taste for food as myself. I’m pretty particular so an average person would probably find it hard to adjust to me. Lol.
Yunsung: Someone who is capable of looking after me like a mom and the ability to make my heart flutter!!
Siheon: My ideal would be someone who is a really great listener, and someone that I can respect (and vice-versa).
Hoyeon: Someone who gets along really well with me.
Siha: Someone who fits well with my personality!
Minhyuk: Someone who never changes and stays the same.
Daewon: My ideal is a lady who has her attention only on me!!
*NOIR can refer to the color “black” in French, which color or colors do you like the most?
Seunghoon: I particularly like black, white and red. I like other colors too, but I don’t think I like navy or greyish tones that much.
Yeonkuk: I like black, purple and ivory. I don’t think I have any colors I don’t like.
Junyong: My favorite color is red, because it seems to symbolize love and passion so well.
Yunsung: When we first came out, I was into black and white a lot, but we wear a lot of luminous or bright colors often nowadays.
Siheon: Black and white for me, there aren’t any colors that I dislike much.
Hoyeon: I actually like black the best!
Siha: I love black too!
Minhyuk: I don’t have any dislikes, when it comes to colors. I like pastel-toned colors.
Daewon: I love black, white and red the best!! There aren’t any colors I don’t like either.
*Do you have a way of releasing or relieving stress? Please share.
Seunghoon: When I get stressed out, I play shooting games or just take a long nap.
Yeonkuk: I like to shop, play games, watch movies or watch an animation.
Junyong: I play sports, since I’m a sports addict lol.
Yunsung: I eat at night to relieve stress!!!
Siheon: I play games or draw.
Hoyeon: I play a lot of games. These days, I like to compose or edit videos.
Siha: I like to release stress by eating.
Minhyuk: I either cook or eat.
Daewon: I take some time alone, for myself. I watch a movie by myself or go for walks or something.
*What are you good at? Tell us about your interests, specialties and hobbies too.
Seunghoon: I rap, compose, write lyrics – I’d call these my specialties. For hobbies, I like games, customize outfits and shopping.
Yeonkuk: I am a great swimmer and my interests are shopping, movies and games.
Junyong: My clear, high tone vocals, maybe? That includes the volume too, lol… I can also speak Japanese! My hobby’s watching soccer matches!
Yunsung: I read comic books or animation!!! I’m really into comic books and love watching movies!
Siheon: My specialty is art!! I’m pretty good at drawing lol.
Hoyeon: My specialty is creating choreography, composing, editing videos… My hobbies are gaming and making things.
Siha: I collect electronic devices!
Minhyuk: I cook, play games, play basketball and watch films.
Daewon: My specialty is dancing and singing. And I love to watch movies, monitoring our stage performances and shopping.
*What do you think you’ll be doing in 10 years’ time?
Seunghoon: In 10 years, I should we’d be better entertainers and be going around all over the globe on a world tour to see Lumiere.
Yeonkuk: We want to grow and expand as a band, and want to repay all the love that we received back to the fans.
Junyong: I would be volunteering to teach students who want to learn music. I’d be discovering talents and teach them the things I’ve learned myself.
Yunsung: I think I’d want to be remembered as a very successful musician.
Siheon: I should expect I’d be better off overall as a real grown-up and still be doing music.
Hoyeon: 10 years from now, I would like to have become a great artist and producer…!
Siha: I think we would still be active as Noir members… with Lumiere by our side!
Minhyuk: I think we would be having a great time touring the world and meeting our fans.
Daewon: I expect NOIR to enhance develop as a better group, and would be flying around the world to meet our fans.
*Let us know about your dreams and goals for the future. Please leave a comment for the fans too.
Seunghoon: We’re going to become a team that makes great music and performances that will always excite and inspire you… I hope you’ll please stick around with us for a long time. Love you, Lumiere… ♡♡
Yeonkuk: We plan to do our best to work on our third, fourth and many more albums to come in the future. We’re always working hard to showcase better music and performances to you all. ^^ Lumiere, I love you!!! We’ll do our utmost to meet you soon. Send us a lot of good vibes and love please…
Junyong: We’ll be releasing our third album soon…. We want to reach the charts before 2019 is over and attend award shows. And, we’d love to perform at Wembley! It took so long to produce this album, so we’re so grateful for everyone who waited for our return. We’ll be back with better performances for you. Wherever you are, we’ll work hard so you’d be proud to be Lumiere! Love you!! Thank you and see you all soon!
Yunsung: Our goal for the future is definitely to embark on a world tour. That’s one of the things we want to achieve with Lumiere. I believe we can make it happen! Hope to see you all soon. Lumiere, I love you!
Siheon: We want to work harder and keep producing great records, so even Lumiere will find it hard to browse somewhere else. We love you, Lumiere…!! We’ll be back with great performances!! ♡
Hoyeon: First, we’d love to release more albums and meet up frequently with our fans via concerts, broadcasts, fan meetings…
Siha: We ask you to listen to our new single Doom Doom and thank you for always supporting us, Lumiere. Love you.
Minhyuk: We’ll be back with great performances in the future. Please wait up for us. Lumiere, we’re always grateful for your love and support.
Daewon: We plan to showcase more diverse side of us and will do our best to progress!! NOIR exists because we have Lumiere. We’ll keep fulfilling our promises to you, one by one and will become what you’ll be proud of!! Keep your eyes on us!! We love you all. ♡
— J. Chung.
Hiromu Kitagawa was born and raised in Los Angeles, and served in the U.S military during the Korean War. Kitagawa later worked at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, where he was inspired to promote boy bands after seeing the movie West Side Story.
In 1962, Kitagawa formed the talent agency Johnny & Associates. Since then, his agency gave birth to such successful all-male acts as Shonentai, Hikaru Genji, KinKi Kids, Tokio and many more. Kitagawa’s Guinness World Records include the most No. 1 singles produced by an individual.
On June 18, Kitagawa was rushed to the hospital after suffering a stroke caused by a ruptured cerebral aneurysm. He was then pronounced dead on July 10, 2019.
Kitagawa had his share of ups-and-downs during his long career in the music business, and the entire Japanese entertainment industry mourned for him.
“My life changed so much since I met Johnny-san. Please rest well,” said Satoshi Ono, the leader of Arashi, one of the most successful idol groups created by Kitagawa’s talent agency and Johnny & Associates Inc.
Another member, Jun Matsumoto left a statement, “I wanted to watch more shows created by Johnny-san and talk more with him.”
J. Chung.
In news that isn’t surprising, Kangin announced his departure from Super Junior.
Kangin has been plagued with a bevy of scandals involving alcohol including drinking and driving and an alleged bar brawl. E.L.F have started petitions and called for his departure.
Kangin officially announced his leave in a statement shared on Instagram.
Hello. This is Kangin. I am greeting you for the first time in a long time.
My heart feels heavy as it is not positive news, but I am posting after much consideration.
I am now letting go of the name “Super Junior” that has been with me for a long time.
I always felt just apologetic to the members.
I always thought that it would be right for me to make the decision earlier rather than later, but the thought of the people who support me unconditionally and our agency family troubled my heart, so I could not gather the courage easily.
I thought that I could not make any decision alone.
However, while watching the members who experience what they shouldn’t have to due to my problems, I made the judgment that I cannot delay this further.
More than anything, I feel most apologetic to the E.L.F. who have always given overwhelming love for 14 years.
I am very late, but I will let go of the name Super Junior, and I will have sorry feelings and gratitude engraved in my heart as I continue on my own road.
I want to really express gratitude to the members and agency family who were considerate towards me until the end.
I will also be cheering on the success of Super Junior.
Thank you.
We hope Kangin heads down a healthy, happy road for his future.
—-Olivia Murray
If you are visiting South Korea from July to August, these fabulous festivals will provide a lot of fun and entertainment that you can share with your family members and loved ones. Here’s the list of festivals you can attend.
Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival
Bucheon International Film Festival screens independent movies from all around the world and offers a chance to engage in free-style conversations with the film directors. The festival showcases movies of numerous genres like horror, mystery, thriller, sci-fi and many more.
Period: June 27th ~ July 7th 2019
Venues: Bucheon City Hall, Bucheon Gymnasium, Korea Comics Museum, Bucheon Art Bunker B39.
Buyeo Seodong Lotus Festival
The Buyeo Seodong Lotus Festival is held at Gungnamji – the first man-made pond in the nation. Visitors can expect to see red and white lotuses as well as water lilies.
During the night, the pond is illuminated with LED lights and sculptures. The most popular event at the festival is the performance showcasing the love story between Prince Seodong and Princess Seonhwa. Other programs include trying foods made with lotus and taking part in a lotus leaf tea ceremony demonstration.
Period: July 5th ~ 7th of 2019
Venue: Area of Seodong Park and Gungnamji Pond in Buyeo-gun, Chungcheongnam-do
Boryeong Mud Festival
Boryeong Mud Festival is an annual festival in Boryeong, which is a town around 200 km south of Seoul, Korea.
The first Mud Festival was launched in 1998 and has since attracted millions of visitors. Boryeong mud is well-known for its excellent quality and efficacy, so it’s rolling around in it is safe, and does benefit your skin. This action-packed festival is popular among both locals and international visitors because it offers various programs such as the mud massage pack, colored-mud body painting and mud soap-making.
Period: July 19th ~ 28th of 2019
Venue: Daecheon Beach Mud Square in Boryeong-si, Chungcheongnam-do
Jisan Valley Rock Festival
Jisan Valley Rock Festival features performances of top international rock artists, including King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Adoy, and Guckkasten.
The music is to be enjoyed in the beautiful, natural surroundings by camping out at the Jisan Resort campground.
Period: July 26th ~ 28th of 2019
Venue: Jisan Resort, 267, Jisan-ro, Icheon-si, Gyeonggi-do
Bonghwa Eun-uh (Sweet fish) Festival
Bonghwa Eun-uh Festival is held at the pure waters of Naeseongcheon Stream in Bonghwa-gun. The main programs are catching sweet fish with a net or with bare hands, and various sweet fish-related exhibitions.
Period: July 27th ~ August 4th of 2019
Venues: Areas of Naeseongcheon Stream and Sports Park in Bonghwa-eup, Bonghwa-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do
Busan Sea Festival
The Busan Sea Festival is a huge event that is packed with a rock music festival, a beach dance festival and a number of water sports. Concerts on the beach are a highlight of the festival, along with the night pool party, water carnival, and Gwangalli dance party.
Period: August 2nd ~ 6th of 2019
Venues: Haeundae Beach, Gwangalli Beach, Busan Songdo Beach, Songjeong Beach and Dadaepo Beach
Jecheon International Music & Film Festival
The Jecheon International Music & Film Festival showcases movies, documentaries, and animation that focus on the music used in the film industry.
Over 100 films are screened while musicians perform all throughout the city.
Period: August 8th ~13th of 2019
Venues: Areas of Megabox, Cheongpunghoban Lakeside Stage, Cultural Hall, and Uirimji Reservoir in Jecheon-si, Chungcheongbuk-do
Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival
If you’re a rock fanatic, Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival is recommended for you. Rock artists from both Korea and overseas to come to perform at this annual festival, and perform at the large outdoor stage. Two Door Cinema Club, Sevdaliza, and YB are some of the bands are headlining the festival this year.
Period: August 9th~11th of 2019
Venue: Songdo Dalbit Festival Park in Incheon
Tongyeong Great Battle of Hansan Festival
Tongyeong Great Battle of Hansan Festival is held to commemorate Admiral Yi Sun-sin (1545-1598) who led his people to victory during the Imjin War (1592-1598).
The festival features parades and recreation of the Great Battle, ocean sports and fun activities that you can participate in, such as making models of Geobukseon (iron-clad turtle ship built by Admiral Yi during the Imjin War) and arrows.
Period: August 10th ~ 14th of 2019
Venues: Areas of Cultural Plaza, Tongjeyeong and Yi Sun-sin Park in Tongyeong-si, Gyeongsangnam-do
—-J. Chung
South Korean actor Kang Ji-Hwan (Jo Tae-Gyu) was arrested July 9, 2019 on suspicions of sexual assault according to reports.
The 42-year-old actor, who is known for his roles in Be Strong, Geum-Soon!, Monster, Coffee House, and Incarnation of Money, was apprehended by police at his home in Gwangju. He was questioned by police following the arrest, but the police report that he was still intoxicated and did not recall anything. They plan on questioning him again later.
“We have yet to fully investigate the matter, so other than that Kang Ji Hwan has been arrested for sexual assault, we cannot reveal anything,” a police spokesperson said.
According to reports, Kang and two female “outsourced staff members” from his agency attended a company dinner together before going out for more drinks. The women then state they went to Kang’s house to sleep when he came into the room where they were staying and assaulted one woman before committing “indecent assault” on the other. While the alleged assault occurred, one of the women texted a friend stating ““I had some drinks at actor Kang Ji Hwan’s house, and now we’re trapped.” Police arrived and arrested the actor.
“I remember having drinks, but I don’t remember anything after that. When I opened my eyes, I was in the room where [one of the women] was sleeping,” Kang told police during questioning.
On July 10, one of the two women told police she witnessed the attack on the second woman. She also told police she noticed her clothes were in disarray, so she was worried she was assaulted as well. When she noticed Kang on the other woman, she yelled.
The police state the second witness’ statement aligns with the first witness’ statement when she was questioned.
The police also stated both of the alleged victims visited the Seoul Sunflower Center to get a rape kit done. Results may be available in a week.
In light of the allegations, TV Chosun canceled this week’s showing of Joseon Survival, a show Kang is currently in, and all reruns have been canceled as well.
A TV Chosun source said, “This week’s episode of ‘Joseon Survival’ will not air. Reruns will also not be broadcasted. We need to have discussions with the production company. Things will be undecided until the production company’s stance is revealed. There were plans for an event related to Joseon Survival next week, but an internal decision was made to cancel the event.”
Kang’s currently placed in holding until the investigation is complete.
—-Olivia Murray
(Left to right: JungA, Nina, E.You, YeHana, EunA and Ellie)
We Girls (stylized WeGirls) are Korean girl group formed by Aftermoon Entertainment. WeGirls made their debut on August 31, 2018 with On Air and a mini-album with three tracks, produced by House Rulez. The members were announced through a Global Hallyu crowdfunding website Makestar on October 31, 2017. Through Makestar, participants voted which girls would make it to the group.
WeGirls went through several member changes; the group is now set with 6 members, E.You, YeHana, JungA, EunA, Ellie and Nina. We would like to express “a big thank you” to the girls for a great interview, and wish them the very best in their future endeavors.
Hello, thank you very much for taking a time out for a KCrush Interview. Please introduce yourselves to our readers.
E.You: Hello ~!! This is E.You, the pure and innocent leader of WeGirls! ^^
YeHana: Hello, I’m YeHana, the main vocalist of WeGirls.
JungA: Ready, action! ~ Hello, this is JungA of WeGirls. I am the team’s dancer, and the one with the pretty and healthy physique.
EunA: Hello, this is EunA, who is the main dancer of WeGirls.
Ellie: Hello! I’m fairy Ellie from WeGirls. nice to meet you.
Nina: Hello, I’m the cutie maknae of WeGirls and in charge of the dancing.
Tell us how you got into the group. Was it always a dream to become entertainers?
E.You: I was trying to get my name out there by distributing my C.V around, not just for singing but I was looking into acting and commercial modelling gigs. YeHana, was a friend that I’ve known since we were young, and she introduced me to WeGirls. That is how I got the join this group. When I was younger, I wanted to be a teacher. That is to say, I spent a very ordinary childhood, so my friends all find it unbelieve that I’m now in a girl group.
YeHana: Ever since I was a child, I loved music – especially singing – so I got into college of music and that naturally paved the way for me to become a singer. I dreamt of becoming a singer or a teacher since childhood. 🙂
JungA: I was a trainee for a time, then was contacted by the composer of Aftermoon Entertainment (our current company) to join WeGirls. Since I was in elementary and middle school, I would cover choreography and got to major in dance when I was admitted to high school. Because I loved to dance and sing so much, it was a dream of mine to be a singer.
EunA: I was made a member of WeGirls, through an audition. And of course, I wanted to become a singer a since I was a child.
Ellie: Our CEO was looking for a rapper for WeGirls. One day, he discovered my solo work and liked it, so he asked me to join the group. And guess what? Ta-da ~ now I’m here as a member of WeGirls! And now, I’ve fulfilled my dream of childhood was a singer. (Surprise, ha ha)
Nina: I always wanted to be a singer. I was contacted by the company, after they saw a video of me dancing at a dance contest and was able to join the group.
What has changed the most for you after making your debut as a group?
E.You: Not much has dramatically changes yet, but I feel my parents are less worried now since I got to debut. ~!!
YeHana: We now have fans who support us! Our fan club’s called WINGS, we’re always so grateful to them!! Thank you!
JungA: I don’t think things have changed much as of yet, but I do feel that we need to work harder, be better at our craft and become more responsible.
EunA: I didn’t particularly liked being photographed before, but now I enjoy getting photographed and being on camera.
Ellie: Actually, lots of things have changed. But the biggest thing is the way I think and behave. I felt it carries weighty responsibility than before. (Maybe I’m growing up too slow, haha.)
Nina: I have people who support me now, and I feel more responsibility when performing on stage.
Tell us which WeGirls song that you’re the most attached to.
E.You: On Air!! The song was our debut and also our first live performance on TV. And most of all, the lyrics really refer to our story of wanting to fulfil our dreams, so for that reason, I think it’d be the song I am the most attached to now, and for the days to come.
YeHana: Our debut song ~ On Air, definitely!
JungA: Since we worked hard on it, On Air is probably the song I’m most attached to, and because it’s our first single, we would have to sing it the most frequently from now onwards. The fact that it’s a sampling of a nursery rhyme/song is so cute too!
EunA: I’m the most attached to On Air the most, probably due to the fact that it’s WeGirl’s debut single.
Ellie: There are only three songs yet. So, For Now (don’t get me wrong. it’s just because I know there are tons of more good songs that we are working on now. I can’t wait for you to listen to them! My favorite is ‘We go’ cuz it always makes me feel like it’s start of something new.
Nina: On Air. The moment I heard it for the first time, it felt like it was telling my story.
*Tell us more about your hobbies or interests?
E.You: My hobbies are swimming, sign language, and reading books at coffee shops. I’ve also worked as a Pilates instructor in the past.
YeHana: My hobbies are reading, going to art galleries, composing and writing lyrics, studying about various fields of things, working to improve myself, listening to sermons by ministers, discussing with my friends on topics, travelling (into nature), watching movies, cooking, going to kids’ cafes to play with the kids, journaling, swimming, cleaning my room, doing minor labor and etc. My specialty is writing, making melodies, singing, teaching someone else to rap lol… looking after babies and story-telling.
JungA: I love sports, so I’m in a bowling team – I’m quite good at it. I am responsible for the dancing and choreography in the group too. I majored in traditional Korean dance, so I am good at creating new dance moves. I play games a lot, as a hobby too.
EunA: My interest is cooking. I’ve been taught by my grandmother how to prepare various side dishes, stew, soups and other kinds of cuisine, so whenever I’m at home and have spare time, I cook. And dancing is my specialty.
Ellie: I read books. I’m such a lazy person so I don’t do active things when I have time for myself, lol.
Nina: My hobbies are going out in search for great eateries and doing choreography.
Which artists do you respect the most? Also, tell us what kind of music you listen on a daily basis?
E.You: I just have too many musicians to name ~ Autumn Vacation, Bolbbalgan4, IU, Rumble Fish, Gummy sunbaenims ~ The songs that I enjoy listening to is Sometimes I want to hug you like crazy by Autumn Vacation, My love, next to me by Rumble Fish ~ !!
YeHana: House Rulez – Soro Sori, House Rulez – The Planet (Feat. YeHana) ^^ If you listen to the albums while driving, it’s great because it feels like you’re on the rollercoaster on the way to a utopic planet. The song that I listen to a lot is Moment by YeHana. Hahaha.
JungA: Personally, I respect Park Hyoshin sunbaenim. I really love Hip Hop, but also love R & B music, so I listen to a lot of Park Hyoshin songs in order to soothe my mind. I listen to Gift and Breath the most.
EunA: I don’t have one artist that I respect, because there are so many of them out there who are so talented whom I can learn from. I have a respect for all artists. I usually listen to the top 100 on the music chart.
Ellie: Queen Bey forever! The song that I listen to a lot is Juice by Lizzo.
Nina: BoA is someone who has influenced me to dream about being a singer, ever since I was a kid. I listen to Billie Eilish – Bad Guy a lot, these days.
How would you describe your personality and traits in a few words?
E.You: #구수함. “Deep.”
YeHana: Saint Peter.
JungA: Like a sponge! I often hear that I’m capable of getting along with and absorb people with all sorts of personalities. I love hearing comments like that!
EunA: Cheerful and silly EunA.
Ellie: Tinker Bell??♀️
Nina: Carbonated Water ~ since it can be turned into tasty fruit drinks, I also have the tendency to always act positive and energetic like carbonated water.
Tell us about how you normally like to dress and which colors do you like?
E.You: I like white, and my usual fashion style that I enjoy is casual. I’d wear a basic t-shirt that’s kind of see-through, and pants that aren’t completely skinny-fit or of velvet material and etc.
YeHana: Yellow, orange, pink and black are the colors I like. My style of clothes is usually in black ~ and I wear clothes depending on my mood. So, I dress like totally different people, each time.
JungA: I love white and because I suit brighter colors, I like clean white clothing. I wear pants over skirts. I like to dress in a way that seem styled, but not too much.
EunA: I love white and pink the most, and my dress code is usually casual.
Ellie: Hmm… too hard to pick one color. Today it could be pink, tomorrow it could be purple. I mean, it depends on how I feel today. I dress comfy but cute. (UWU)
Nina: I love black and white – and street fashion.
Which foods do you like or dislike the most, and why?
E.You: I love meat the most, and raw chili peppers the least.
YeHana: It’s so hard to pick one ~ but sushi is my fav. I really hate skate!!! I can eat it but I would never pay to eat it. I really detest the smell of it. ㅠㅠ
JungA: I absolutely have no food that I don’t/cannot eat, and I’ve been eating kimchi, rice and fermented bean soup since the age of 1, so I love Korean food! But I can’t eat cow’s liver. I heard that the first time that you eat something matters a lot, so I think I didn’t have a good experience with cow’s liver from the start.
EunA: I like and am capable of eating almost anything. If I had to choose something that I can’t eat… maybe frogs. I could never eat that.
Ellie: Baked ziti!!! Come on. Who doesn’t like it?
Nina: I love meat. I don’t like spaghetti in tomato sauce, I’m just not into cooked tomato cuisine.
What kind of person is your ideal?
E.You: A studious person, who has a personality that can blend well with mine.
YeHana: Someone like Jesus.
JungA: The kind of person that I can learn a lot from and has a good humor. I consider courtesy very important, and I seem to be drawn to people who have a great personality, rather than their outer appearance.
EunA: A guy who has a pretty smile.
Ellie: Someone who loves me, is considerate and shows affection for me. (No cheaters!)
Nina: Someone who has a similar humor as myself, whom I can be comfortable with.
How do you usually release stress or tension?
E.You: I sleep and write on my diary.
YeHana: I pray if I get stressed. I talk to God about the things that make me stressed out. I also watch movies, go on youtube or read books that I can focus on, then I get some sleep lol.
JungA: I don’t like being alone in the house, and like to release all the stress by meeting with people, going bowling, and sharing my issues over drinks.
EunA: I take a nap.
Ellie: I drive away from the city to find calm and quiet.
Nina: I usually eat spicy foods to get rid of any stress.
Where would you most like to perform abroad?
E.You: Every country in the world.
YeHana: Japan! I went there last year and want to revisit. Would love to meet Wings in Japan!
JungA: There are a few countries that we’ve performed at so far, but it’d be so cool to go to the States to perform. My dream is for us go there and do well!!
EunA: Would love to perform in L.A, for overseas!!!
Ellie: Everywhere! Starting from my country, then all around the world!
Nina: U.S.A.
Let us know your goals, wishes and dreams for the future. And please leave a comment for the fans.
E.You: First, we’re working very hard for our second album ~!! In the future, I’d love for us to be recognized and acknowledged as a great girl group ~ and star in commercials too lol. We are so moved by how our fan base WINGS are always so caring for each of our members. We’ll never forget, and will always stay connected and communicate with you all. ❤️
YeHana: We’re coming back with a new album soon, so please be a little more patient! We miss you a lot. ㅠ0ㅠ♡♡
JungA: We’re currently at the stage of prepping our second album. We’ve been away for so long; we’ll make sure to be back with more great music and performances! Hope you’re all anticipating our return. I’ll do my very best and really want to thank WINGS so much. I can’t express into words how much we appreciate you all. Love you, WINGS. ♡
EunA: Our future goal is to reach the top 10 in the music charts in Korea, and do a lot of performances all around the world. Our second album is due out soon, so I want to tell the fans that we’re so grateful that they exist. Will be back to showcase better performances. Thank you!
Ellie: We are working on a next album and I can’t wait to meet you all. Hope I can meet more and more WINGS, day by day! Look forward to it please, and give us lots of love❤️ Thank you. Muah! (Peace✌?)
Nina: We’d love to get to tour the world with our CEO. Because we have WINGS with us to support everything we do, I’m sure we could fly high for a long time. Thank you for staying the same and waiting for us. Let’s meet again soon, I love you.
J.Chung.
As we all know each Kpop group has fandom names for the fans like Monbebe (Monsta X), Shawols (SHINee) Blinks (Blackpink) and ARMY (BTS). Now I don’t mean EVERYONE from these fandoms just certain types of people. Fandoms can help support the artist by buying products, streaming music and views on V live (V live is a live streaming app that you can watch a K-pop idol basically Instagram Live.) Though some fandoms help, they can also damage the name of some K-pop idols. Many people proclaim they don’t get into kpop due to the crazy fanbase.
There have been several instances demonstrating the crazy fanbase in the past year, especially with the growing popularity of BTS and Blackpink in the U.S. Most people say “I like kpop but don’t like the fandom” or “I wanna get into kpop but the fans are kinda intense”.
My opinion is that if you are truly interested, you should look into the group yourself, as there are good and bad sides to fandoms of many K-pop groups. Some fandoms go head-to-head with certain topics including “best dancer,” best makane,” ”best vocals” and so much more. In the past most fandoms like “Exo-L” and “ARMYS” have gone head-to-head also “BLINKS” and “ONCE” (TWICE) had a bit of a clash with live performances, MV’s and publicity of the groups. Many BLACK JACKS (2NE1 Fans) were very upset with the disbanding of 2NE1 and Blackpink’s debut and they spread hate about the group and members.
Even though there are many negative things I could say, many fan bases are known for their overwhelming positivity. Some fanbases have made donations to charities, helping other fans try to learn fan chants or translating episodes (subtitles) where the idols make an appearance, dance covers, light sticks and photocards. Fans have, also made video edits about their groups bias, MV reactions and videos spreading awareness about the groups, idol or current news in the K-pop industry. Now due to the instant rise of K-pop for the west more groups are having American tours, more products in stores and even music played in shopping centers.
Being a K-pop fan myself for many years now I have seen and heard multiple things about fandoms and K-pop groups, not everything about fandoms are negative. Fandoms provide a social gathering for people with the same interest to express their love and support for these idols who work hard every day to give us the content we love. With more groups coming to surprise us with new talents and current groups making our hearts grow, fandoms are here to help idols along the way to achieve their dreams.
—- By AliZNation
Shinhwa’s Lee Minwoo has been accused of sexual harassment following a June 29, 2019 bar incident.
Lee was at a Gangnam-bar with other celebrity friends according to reports. While there, Lee and his party approached two women in their twenties sitting at another table. According to the alleged victims, Lee grabbed them by their faces and forcibly kissed and groped them without consent.
The women filed a claim with the police the next morning.
“I went to a drinking party and was severely sexually harassed.” One of the women stated. “Lee grabbed on to both my cheeks and kissed me by force. He also touched certain parts of my body.”
Following the media reports, Liveworks Company, the agency behind Lee’s solo activities, released a statement.
Hello. This is Liveworks Company.
First, we’d like to bow our heads in apology to all those that must have been disappointed and shocked at the news about our agency artist [Minwoo] today.
We spoke to [Minwoo] in order to find out what happened, and it was an incident that occurred out of a small misunderstanding at a gathering with acquaintances at a pojangmacha (tent bar). The involved parties have talked to each other and cleared up all misunderstandings. On reporting sexual harassment to the police when there was no sexual harassment, the other party will be withdrawing their complaint.
However, regardless of the truth of the matter, Lee Min Woo is ashamed that this has happened at all. He is sincerely apologetic, and he is reflecting.
As the involved parties have cleared up all misunderstandings, we earnestly request that everyone refrain from speculative reports.
Once again, we apologize for causing concern.
Seoul Gangnam Police confirmed the complaint was withdrawn. However, the police still plan to investigate the incident.
“It is true that the official complaints about Minwoo’s sexual harassment were withdrawn. However, based on the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment, etc. of Sexual Crimes, we will continue investigating the case. All details including the date of questioning are undecided, and we are currently working out the schedule,” a police representative told OSEN.
Meanwhile, fellow Shinhwa member, Jun Jin, asked fans to be patient and not to spread rumors while discussing Lee during a V-Live.
“I have something to say,” Jun Jin said. “There are all sorts of articles about Minwoo, but I hope you will trust him until the end. Many things can happen when celebrities attend various gatherings. I hope you will believe in him until the end, and please support him and pray for him.” He added, “I’m sure all of you trust us, and I hope you won’t be too upset. I think that as long as you believe in him, the misunderstanding will be cleared up.”
As of this writing, Lee has yet to be questioned by police.
—-Olivia Murray