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?
On Thursday April 4, 2019, a transformer fire started a wildfire in Eastern Gangwon Province. The fires then spread to the cities of Sokcho and Gangneung according to Reuters. According to the Gangwon Fire Headquarters, fire broke out on a roadside in Goseong before spreading to a nearby mountain. Strong winds in the region are blamed for the fire’s quick spread.
Meanwhile, a separate fire also started on Thursday April 4 in Okgye County, Gangneung.
The fire in the Sokcho region has been contained, the South Korean government said, while about 50 percent of the fire in the Gangneung region has been contained as of early Friday.
As firefighters continue to contain the flames, one person has been confirmed dead and 11 injured, while 4,000 plus people have been evacuated from the region. The injury toll is expected to climb as firefighters work to extinguish the flames.
“As the wind is especially strong, we are focusing more on reducing casualties than extinguishing the fire,” Gangwon Governor Choi Moon-soon told Yonhap.
As of Friday April 5, 2019, 52 schools closed, and 2,263 citizens were evacuated to gymnasiums. This number is down from 4,230 citizens on Thursday.
According to the National Fire Agency, 872 fire trucks and 3,251 firefighters from all over South Korea are helping to contain the fire. South Korea’s Ministry of Defense said 16,500 soldiers, 32 military helicopters, and 26 military firetrucks have also been deployed. There are also plans to provide meals for 6,800 people affected by the fires.
The Ministry of the Interior and Safety said “4 billion won in special subsidies will be issued for containing the fires and cleaning up debris, along with 250 million won in disaster relief funds for temporary accommodation and daily necessities for evacuees.”
Gangwon Province is located close to the North Korean border and the Sea of Japan. According to Aljazeera, South Korea’s Unification Ministry said Friday it plans to inform North Korea about the forest fires.
Gangwon Province gained national attention in 2018 when Pyeongchang hosted the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Photo credits: Reuters, The Strait Times
—-Olivia Murray
Roy Kim, the once squeaky-clean singer of the hit songs “Bom Bom Bom” and “Love Love Love,” has now been implicated of passing around explicit photos in the infamous Jung Joon Young Kakao chats.
Kim, who is currently in the United States attending Georgetown University, was booked by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency for distributing illegal photos on April 4, 2019. Police have requested he return to South Korea for questioning immediately. Kim initially received a summons to appear for questioning April 2, 2019.
According to Insight, Kim allegedly said that he wanted to become a singer because he “wanted girls.” These reports are not confirmed at this time.
In relation to the photo, police did not state if Kim took the photo himself. However, it was present in the chats involving him, Jung, and others.
When asked about Kim’s booking and his impending return to South Korean, Kim’s agency, Stone Music Entertainment, said, “Roy Kim is currently in the U.S. studying, but he is adjusting his schedules so that he can return to Korea as quickly as possible in order to participate in the police investigation. Furthermore, he plans on taking part in all investigations diligently.”
Police also revealed that there are 23 chat rooms with 16 participants tied to the ongoing Jung Joon Young investigation.
Kim was the 2012 winner of Superstar K 4. Since winning the show, Kim’s career took off thanks to his haunting vocals and folksy charm. He’s also held positions as a radio presenter and has appeared on several variety shows including Flower Boy Bromance, 2 Days & 1 Night, and King of Mask Singer. Jung also appeared with Kim in some of these shows, an occurrence fans are now analyzing due to conversations that allegedly hint at the chats.
Kim and Jung have a friendship that started on Superstar K 4. Eddy Kim, who has also been named as a member of the chats, was also on that show. Kim’s father once warned his son about being friends with Jung. Reports indicate that Kim’s father, who is a college professor, apologized to his students for his son’s controversy.
All parties are considered innocent until proven guilty in the court of law.
—-Olivia Murray
On April 4, 2019, former Superstar K 4 contestant and singer-songwriter Eddy Kim was revealed as another participant of the sexually-explicit Jung Joon Young KakaoTalk chats. Originally, he was named as a witness and questioned on March 31, 2019, but on April 5, he was booked on charges of spreading illegally taken photos.
Kim is the eighth person booked in connection to the chats.
His reveal comes on the heels of the police-booking of fellow Superstar K 4 contestant, singer, and friend Roy Kim. Roy Kim was booked for allegedly sharing lewd photos within the chats.
Eddy Kim’s agency, Mystic Entertainment released a statement stating:
Hello, this is Mystic Entertainment.
We are informing you of our position on the report made by MBC’s “Newsdesk” about Eddy Kim on April 4.
On March 31, Eddy Kim went to the police station, where he underwent questioning for approximately two hours.
While it is true that Eddy Kim was a member of the group chatroom, it has been confirmed that he did not film or spread any illegal footage, such as hidden-camera videos. However, he was investigated [by the police] because it came to light that he had posted one sexual photo [in the group chatroom] that had been floating around on the Internet.
Eddy Kim has become deeply aware of the gravity of this matter, and he is reflecting very seriously [on his behavior]. We sincerely apologize for giving you cause for concern.
Kim denied taking video and spreading illegal content; however, police have stated he was questioned due to him posting a sexual photo in the chatroom.
Kim made it to the top six during his 2012-run on Superstar K 4. Since then, the 2015 Seoul Music Award Best New Artist winner has released two EPs and has appeared on several variety programs. In recent years, he’s lent his voice to several OSTs.
The investigation into Kim and others named in the group chats is still ongoing. More names are expected to be revealed since police uncovered 23 chat rooms and 16 participants tied to the Jung Joon Young scandal.
All parties are considered innocent until proven guilty in the court of law.
—-Olivia Murray
Embattled company, TS Entertainment, is back with another lawsuit as they are reportedly seeking to sue former SECRET member Song Jieun for damages.
TS Entertainment claims that when Jieun signed with Haewadal Entertainment in January 2019, she was in violation of her exclusive contract with TS Entertainment. As part of their claim, TS Entertainment wants Jieun to pay double the contract termination fees.
A few days ago, Jieun and Haewadal parted ways as her contract was terminated on mutual grounds after only three months with the company.
“The mutual decision was made to terminate the contract as we came to the conclusion that our directions are different,” a Haewadal representative said.
TS Entertainment also announced that they canceled Jieun’s contract due to a breach in trust.
In a statement, TS Entertainment addressed the issue.
Hello. This is TS Entertainment.
We will give the company’s official position regarding Song Jieun’s exclusive contract.
In a state in which Song Jieun’s exclusive contract had not yet expired, Song Jieun unilaterally informed us of a contract termination with proof of contents around May of 2017, and she signed a contract with a new agency in January of 2019.
As Song Jieun’s exclusive contract with TS Entertainment is still currently legally valid, signing with a new agency becomes a double exclusive contract and a clear breach of contract.
Currently we’ve requested mediation from Korea Entertainment Management Association’s (KEMA) Disciplinary Mediation Ethics Committee (DMEC) regarding the double exclusive contract due to the violation of the exclusive contract and the violation of prior contract obligation, as well as compensation, and more.
Furthermore, from the standpoint of the company, we feel unfortunate that the agency in question ignored the industry precedents regarding the prior notification of the invalidity of the exclusive contract and renewing contracts after contract completion and that they unilaterally provided the cause of the problem regarding the double exclusive contract, and we are currently considering other legal measures.
In addition, the company has determined that they can no longer continue the contract with Song Jieun who unilaterally ignored the contractual relationship, and we will enter a legal process so that the corresponding responsibility will be taken for breaking the market order by unilaterally moving forward with the contract and causing loss and damage to the company’s image with a press release.
Thank you to everyone who has loved and looked after all the artists in our agency, and of course, the company promises to actively put in effort for the company’s artists.
Thank you.
A representative from KEMA confirmed that TS Entertainment filed for mediation.
“There was a dispute between TS Entertainment and Song Jieun regarding her exclusive contract, and we have received the request for mediation over the dispute,” the representative said. “We are currently carrying out ethical deliberations within the managerial regulations. As we are in the middle of understanding the authenticity of all aspects of the dispute, [Song] cannot contact other agencies about exclusive contracts and related matters before the dispute has been settled.”
Jieun and TS Entertainment have been locked in legal battles since August 2017. Jieun filed a suit against TS Entertainment to have her contract deemed invalid. In her suit, Jieun claimed TS Entertainment did not follow the contract terms and conditions while expressing issues with management due to lack of payments. She also claimed TS sold her contract to a third party. In that suit, the Korean Commercial Arbitration Board ruled in her favor February 8, 2018 claiming TS Entertainment delayed payments and sold her contract to a third party without her knowledge.
According to TS Entertainment, the courts did not deem her contract invalid, so Jieun was still bound by the terms in her exclusive contract with the company.
With so many lawsuits, it’s hard to tell who’s suing who in TS Entertainment Land anymore, but here’s to hoping an amicable solution can be reached.
Meanwhile, where are Sonamoo and TRCNG?
—-Olivia Murray
K-Pop group A-JAX announced their official disbandment March 31, 2019. Their agency, DSP Media, confirmed the news by stating the group members’ contracts have ended.
In a statement, DSP said:
Hello, this is DSP Media. We would like to deliver news related to A-Jax.
We would like to announce that the contracts for the 5 members of A-Jax have expired today, March 31.
In the future, the A-Jax members will carry out their entertainment activities individually, and we ask that you continue to support the members in the future endeavors.
Thank You.
Upon disbandment, A-JAX consisted of members Hyeongkon, Yunyoung, Seungjin, Seungyeop, and newest member Junghee who joined the group in 2016. When A-JAX debuted, Hyeongkon, Yunyoung, Seungjin, and Seungyeop were joined by Sungmin, Jaehyung, and Jihu.
During their seven years together, A-JAX released three extended plays, seven Korean singles, three Japanese singles, and two collaboration tracks. While they did not score any music show wins or the popularity DSP Media hoped for, their three extended plays performed well on Gaon Music Charts, with each peaking within the top ten.
Prior to their debut, A-JAX were known as DSP Boyz. In April 2012, DSP teased their debut through teasers and MBC’s Making the Star. Each of the members were announced one-by-one. Then, DSP announced the name of the group and had A-JAX slated as KARA’s opening act for the Karasia Tour.
In June 2012, A-JAX made their official debut with “One 4 U.” The debut video had over $42,000 USD in special effects. They debuted simultaneously in Korea and Japan and were expected to follow in SS501’s footsteps.
“A-Jax will be the first Korean idol group to debut within Korea and Japan simultaneously, and will follow in the footsteps of the group SS501. A-Jax has signed under the equivalent conditions that other Korean male idol groups, who have already established their popularity, have been given, making it an unprecedented event. Thus, they are receiving much attention from Japanese music industry insiders,” DSP Media said at the time of A-JAX’s debut.
In 2015, Jaehyung enlisted for his mandatory military service. In 2016, Sungmin, Jaehyung, and Jihu left the group. While Sungmin and Jihu stayed with DSP Media, Jaehyung’s contract was terminated. Junghee was later added to the roster. Since then, the group mainly promoted in Japan. In 2017, Junghee and Seungjin appeared on the KBS’ The Unit, but they were eliminated within the first half of the competition.
Prior to their official disbandment, A-JAX performed as five for the final time in Japan January 28, 2019.
—-Olivia Murray
Korean actor Shin Ha-kyun was born on May 30, 1974 and raised in Seoul, Korea. His best-known films include Joint Security Area (2000), Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance (2002), Save the Green Planet! (2003), and TV drama series Brain (2011). Shin studied at Seoul Institute of the Arts and worked as a theater actor since 1993. In 1998, he was cast in director Jang Jin’s first ever movie The Happenings and has since appeared in almost all the director’s productions.
In 2002, that Shin got his breakthrough with the film Joint Security Area (based on a novel DMZ by Park Sang-yeon) directed by Park Chan-wook; where the actor was praised for portraying a North Korean soldier. He then featured in a comedy action film, Guns & Talks, which was also directed by Jang Jin, and released in October of 2001. The film about a group of four idiotic assassins became commercially successful in the Korean box office, thanks to its great casting and refreshing scenario.
In the same year, Shin starred in the action thriller Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, directed and co-written by Park Chan-wook. He portrayed a man with hearing disability who goes to the extreme to find an organ donor for his sister. Since the film was received well by the critics and the public, also winning several awards. In 2010, Warner Bros. acquired the right for a remake.
In 2003, Save the Green Planet! was released; which was a film that showcased elements of various genres, including comedy, science fiction and thriller. Shin was again credited for his performance as a mentally challenged man who believed that aliens are scheming to invade earth.
In 2004, Shin starred in a tear-jerking film My Brother with actor Won Bin, whom he had previously worked with in Guns & Talks; this film received good reviews and became a commercial success. Shin went on to appear in more movies. In fact, Shin was cast in one or more productions every year since his film debut in 1998, which would indicate that he is a high in demand actor.
In 2010, he returned in the small screen for the second time – since Good Person back in 2003 – to star in the mystery TV series Golden House, which aired on tvN.
Although, Shin is mostly known to the public as a film actor; he has also featured in seven TV series so far, including, All about Romance, Mr. Back, Pied Piper and Less than Evil. Shin’s most acknowledged TV performance was probably when he played a neurosurgeon in the medical TV drama Brain, which won him the Grand Prize at the KBS Drama Awards at the end of 2011.
In 2015, he starred his first period film with Empire of Lust (The Age of Innocence) playing Kim Min-jae, who was a distinguished admiral of Joseon empire. The following year, Shin starred in the crime TV series Piped Piper, as a genius lead negotiator of the police unit, followed by the comedy film Detour, and the black comedy, thriller Room No.7.
In 2018, Shin starred in the romantic comedy film What a Man Wants, alongside Lee Sung-min and Song Ji-hyo. The same year, Shin returned to the small screen to star in the mystery crime series in Less than Evil, the Korean adaptation of BBC’s crime drama Luther. The most recent film that Shin has starred in, is a comedy film Inseparable Bros, which is set to be released in May of 2019.
Random Facts about Shin Ha-kyun:
*According to Shin, he never planned or imagined that he could become an actor, but has expressed that he has always enjoyed being at the theatre.
*He acted for the first time during his audition for his college entrance exam.
*Shin used to be a heavy smoker but decided to go cold turkey since 2005, due to health issues.
*Shin was cast in several successful movies but thus far, he has only received 6 awards.
*Shin featured in a MacDonald’s commercial many years ago.
*Shin is a cat person and has about 7 cats in total, including feral cats.
*K-pop Girl group Brave Girls’ former member Eun-young, is Shin’s niece.
*Shin is featured in four music videos.
*Shin has always been modest about his acting, by making frequent remarks that he has never thought himself as “a good actor,” although he’s acting ability has been highly commended by both critics and his audience.
*Please note that we did not include Shin Ha-kyun’s entire filmography.
J. Chung.
After nine years with the company, singer and actress Bae Suzy departed JYP Entertainment (JYPE) at the end of her contract. On March 26, 2019, JYPE confirmed the news in a statement.
Hello. This is JYP Entertainment.
We are announcing that JYP’s exclusive contract with artist Suzy will end on March 31. We have had thorough discussions over the past few months, and we came to the mutual decision to not renew the contract.
Following Suzy’s debut with the group miss A in 2010, she has worked her hardest in JYP while showing exceptional passion. In 2017, her contract was renewed once through our mutual trust, continuing our special relationship. We express our sincere gratitude to Suzy, who went through thick and thin with JYP for the long period of nine years from 2010 until now and provided the joy of growth together [with JYP]. In addition, we express gratitude to the fans who have provided generous love to all the achievements and challenges that JYP and Suzy have taken on together.
Although our official relationship has ended, JYP will sincerely cheer on the path that Suzy will walk down in the future.
Thank you.
Suzy debuted in the quartet miss A in 2010. Since her debut, Suzy performed with miss A until their disbandment in 2017. She also promoted as an actress and soloist while with JYPE. In 2017, she resigned with JYPE for another two years.
Suzy will reportedly sign with Management SOOP, a company that focuses on film and TV actors and actresses including Gong Yoo, Jung Yu Mi, Seo Hyun Jin, Kim Jae Wook, Gong Hyo Jin, and Choi Woo Shik.
“We are currently working out the details regarding our exclusive contract with Suzy,” a representative from Management SOOP said.
Suzy has been active as an actress since 2011 when she played the role of Go Hye-Mi in Dream High. She last played Nam Hong-ju in the hit series While You Were Sleeping. In 2019, she will play the role of Go Hae-ri in Vagabond, which is scheduled to air starting May 8.
Musically, Suzy released Faces of Love in January 2018. The album peaked sixth on the Gaon Weekly Album Chart.
The split with JYPE is amicable as the company wishes her the best with her future.
—-Olivia Murray
Thanks to the Pirates of the Caribbean and Captain Jack Sparrow, new generations have turned to learning about pirate lore. Beyond Blackbeard (Edward Teach, 1680-1718), Black Bart (Bartholomew Roberts, 1682-1722), and Ned Lowe (1690-1724), did you know that some of the most feared and successful pirates were women? Anne Bonny and Mary Read are two of those notable female pirates, but Ching Shih (Cheng I Sao, 1775-1844) is the most successful female pirate, if not one of the most successful pirates of all-time.
Ching, who was born as Shi Yang (also listed as Shil Xiang Gu or Shil Gang Xu), hails from Guangzhou, Guangdong province in South China. Little is known about Ching’s childhood, but it is clear that she was not from an elite family as her feet were unbound (foot-binding was practiced by China’s upper class, so women from lower classes did not partake in the cruel custom), so it is clear she was impoverished as a child. However, the one element of her life that was clear was that Ching was a former prostitute that worked on the Floating Boats of Canton (Pearl River), a floating brothel.
As a prostitute, Ching held the moniker Shih Heang Ko. While on the boats, legend states she learned trade secrets from brothel customers and that she was intelligent, beautiful, and business-minded. While on the boats, she attracted the attention of Cheng I, China’s notorious pirate who is believed to be from a crime family.
While it is clear Cheng I fancied Ching, what is not clear is how the two came to be wed. Some records indicate that Cheng I had his crew raid her brothel and kidnap her for the purpose of marriage, while others state he asked for her hand. In both instances, it is clear Ching did negotiate for her right to have power within the Red Flag Fleet as well as equal rights to what the fleet plundered. She gained this right and ruled alongside Cheng and his second-in-command, Chang Pao, who was also rumored to be Cheng’s lover in addition to being his adopted son.
Due to her business-savvy, Ching helped Cheng grow the Red Flag Fleet. Estimates show that the fleet, which was already successful with 200 ships, eventually grew to include 1700-1800 ships and 50,000-70,000 crewman on color-coded ships.
In 1807, Cheng died unexpectedly. While it is not clear how Cheng passed (some reports indicate a wave may have killed him), Ching rose to power to become the “Terror on the Sea.”
Ching’s intelligence and business savvy helped the Red Fleet grow to more than 80,000 ships during her reign. While in power, Ching kept Chang-Pao close, later forming a romantic bond with him (they later married), and she used Cheng I’s relatives, his nephew Ching Pao-yang and his cousin’s son Ching Ch’I, to help prevent conflict on the seas. She used people’s loyalties to her late-husband to form bonds and partnerships that helped her become one of the fiercest pirates on Pacific waters.
During her reign, it is believed Ching ruled over several coastal towns “between Canton and Macau” where she placed “levies and taxes” on settlements along the shore. These settlements were often robbed of their goods by Ching’s fleets, and women and children were taken and sold into slavery.
On her ships, she was also known to rule with an iron fist. Rape and other forms of consensual and non-consensual sex were banned unless the men agreed to marry the women captives and remain faithful. If rape and sex occurred outside of these parameters, some first-time offenses resulted in severe beatings, but second-time offenses (and sometimes even first-time offenses) resulted in men being beheaded as punishment. If sex was consensual between a man and woman but marriage did not occur between the two, the man was beheaded and the woman had cannonballs tied to her and thrown into the sea. Furthermore, if pirates in her crew ran off, she would track them down and cut off their ears.
Ching’s prowess helped her fleet even defeat advances from Chinese (Qing Dynasty) government ships (a battle that took almost a month to complete, and a battle where Ching’s ships survived), and British and Portuguese bounty hunters. In 1809, she even captured Richard Glasspoole, an officer of the East India Company ship The Marquis of Ely, and seven British sailors.
In 1810, Ching retired and accepted amnesty from the Chinese government. Instead of being put to death, Ching and her crew were allowed to retire and keep their loot. Upon her retirement, Ching and Chang-Pao had a child. Ching also ran a brothel and a casino until her death at the age of 69. Beyond this, no one knows what her private life away from the seas consisted of as she lived in anonymity. However, her husband, now under the name of Cheung Po Tsai, became the leader of governmental pirate hunting fleet until his death.
—-Olivia Murray
The BABY fandom didn’t have to wait long for B.A.P members to re-emerge onto the music scene as four of the six have either released albums or plan to release albums in the next two months.
Bang Yongguk, B.A.P’s leader, released his album, BANGYONGGUK, March 15, 2019. The 15-track album is a fusion of Rap, R&B, and Soul and features “Portrait,” “Journey,” “am4:44,” and “Hikikomori,” the lead single from the album.
Yongguk’s album, released by Interpark, is a mix of darkness and hints of inner darkness. The overall album has a solid flow to it as it transitions between tracks, but there are some tracks that stand out more than others, specifically “Codas Gigas” which just grabs listeners before transitioning to the fan-favorite “am4:44.” There is a song for almost any audience on BANGYONGGUK, including the sensual “Ya” to the banging “Xie Xie Remix” featuring LE (EXID), Liquor, and Sway D. It’s a strong album that reminds Yongguk fans of the reason they fell in love with him in the first place while showing off his many facets as an artist.
However, an MV for “Ya” was supposed to be released, but it has been postponed indefinitely according to Yongguk’s Instagram story. A reason has not been given.
Yongguk is also currently touring in Europe to promote his album.
Following Yongguk is Daehyun, who will be releasing his first solo album in April. The album, which will feature songs written, arranged, and composed by Daehyun, is an independent effort that will be released with the help of Culture Bridge.
In early March, fans were allowed to crowdfund to assist Daehyun in creating the album, a move that was greeted by controversy (even though other K-Pop groups and artists have used crowdfunding in the past, so it isn’t like there’s really an issue…). Despite K-Netizen complaints about the crowdfunding, Daehyun surpassed his funding goal in less than six hours.
“This album hasn’t been easy to make,” Daehyun said. “It started a year ago when I was still promoting with B.A.P, and I wasn’t able to release it for reasons. Now the timing is right. I want to show my fans and the public that I’m able to start this journey on my own. It’ll be different from B.A.P’s music, and hopefully, I’ll show my skills as a singer.
“Now that I’m not an idol, I can speak freely,” he continued. “It was really hard. For work, I’d meet people, get into arguments, and my self-confidence would break down. I’m not the kind of person who likes to meet a lot of people, and I don’t like to talk about myself. I would sit and obsess by myself and forget who I really was. It was hard to the point I wanted to give up, so I’ve returned home to Busan. It’s been healing to be around the scenery and people from my childhood. Everything is the same here. I’ve been able to produce music again more naturally and peacefully here.”
Daehyun’s mini album, Chapter 2: “27” will be released April 5, 2019.
Meanwhile, on March 17, 2019, Youngjae announced on Twitter that his solo album will also be released in April and will be followed by his “Begin Again” fan-meets in May. Since leaving TS Entertainment, Youngjae started his own label for his solo activities which not only includes singing but acting as well.
“We thought long and hard about how to show Youngjae’s vocal color as a solo artist, and this is the decision he made. The upcoming album that will be released in April will showcase Youngjae’s journey as he takes on a variety of refreshing musical challenges,” a representative told Newsen.
Finally, in May, Zelo will release his own solo album.
On March 18, 2019, A Entertainment announced their exclusive contract with Zelo and confirmed an album will be coming soon. The company announced that Zelo, upon the release of the album, will appear on music shows and will embark on a tour through Asia to promote his music. The company also plans on holding fan-signing events.
“Zelo signed an exclusive contract with us. We will fully support his solo activities starting with his fan meeting in Japan,” the entertainment company said.
On March 17, 2019, Zelo launched his own VLive channel. Earlier in the month, he also unveiled his logo and official colors when he announced the launch of his official website, ByZelo.
Meanwhile, Jongup and Himchan’s future plans have yet to be announced. Jongup has spoken up about life after B.A.P while Himchan has been quiet following the accusations of alleged sexual harassment. However, during one of Yongguk’s fanmeets, a fan asked Yongguk about Himchan. Yongguk reportedly stated Himchan is well and that the two of them are in contact.
Will you support B.A.P’s solo efforts?
On April 1, 2019, check Kcrush’s Facebook page for an announcement regarding our latest giveaway! We will be hosting a hashtag contest for Yongguk’s BANGYONGGUK album. Stay tuned!
—-Olivia Murray
Crucial Star is a South Korean rapper, lyricist, singer-songwriter and producer, who made his debut at age 17, as a member of the hip hop group Libra Twins. In the year of 2008, he won an open-audition at Soul Company, beating out 300 applicants and landing himself a deal with the label. In 2010, he made his official debut with the digital single “Mad Clown VS Crucial Star”. Crucial Star has indeed come a long way since then. In December of 2018, he released his second album Maze Garden which consists of 17 tracks, divided into 3 chapters, and is currently signed under his own one-person management, VAKER.
For this KCrush interview, we were able to delve more into Crucial Star’s perspective in life, what he likes to do for leisure, his plans for the future and so much more.
We truly hope that this interview provides a fun and informative read for his fans, as well as those who aren’t so familiar with his music. We’d like to say “a massive thank you” to Crucial Star for offering his precious time for the great interview, and wish him all the best in all his future endeavors.
Thank you for taking the time out for a KCrush interview. Please introduce yourselves to our readers.
Hello to everyone who is reading this interview. This is Crucial Star.
Did you always want to become a singer-songwriter?
When I was in middle school, I dreamt of becoming a cartoonist. I really loved Naruto and even went to the extent of making a homepage related to the Manga.
After I got into high school, I was very much immersed in Hip Hop and began making beats as a hobby – and now, I’m still making music.
What has changed the most for you, since your debut?
It’d be safe to say that the method of how I record my own life has changed. Before I got into music, I would keep track of the happenings of my life in a journal or on some social networking site. But since I started making music, I’ve recorded my life and feelings into the songs that I write.
What’s the first thing you do when you get up in the morning?
I just keep checking my phone for no real reason – which is also a habit that I want to get rid of.
Tell us what kind of songs, original soundtracks or albums you enjoy listening to, these days…
Bruno Major – Easily, 10cm – You and I, J. Cole – Adolescence, Middle Child, Tom Misch – Lost In Paris, and Nujabes’s Albums.
Which one of your songs are you the most attached to?
Singer Songwriter and Grandma are the two songs that I consider to reflect my life right now.
Who is your role model and why?
I did have a role model in the past but I don’t anymore. Since I’m just trying to live my life, my own way, rather than looking at someone else’s life and attempting to imitate it.
What kind of food or beverages do you like and dislike?
Baeksuk, mushroom or eggplant pizza and seaweed soup are some of my favorite dishes. I really dislike foods that tastes too spicy.
Do you have any secrets that your fans don’t know about?
I’ve already made it public in my songs that I can’t stretch out my right index finger, since I had an accident with a knife and received dozens of surgical stitches when I was young. And it might not appear that way, but I have experienced a lot of hardships in my life and have a lot of heartaches that I do not wish to divulge.
Which colors do you like the most and dislike?
I like black and blue the most. I don’t really have a particular color which I dislike.
Tell us about your interests and what you do during your free time.
I enjoy both playing and watching soccer. I currently support Manchester City. I also like travelling abroad and do photography in European cities like, Paris, Prague and etc.
What do you like to do for leisure and how do you release stress?
These days, one of my favorite hobbies is collecting Vinyl records. I usually bring back 5 to 10 records, from trips.
I think I can release stress whenever I work on songs or stroke my pet cat, which is named Mandu.
Can you recommend any books, musicals or films you’ve enjoyed recently.
I haven’t really read any books recently, so it’s a bit embarrassing to recommend a book right now.
But I’d like to introduce you to Cosmetique de l’Ennemi by Amelie Nothomb, which I read in three hours as soon as I opened it.
I also want to recommend the film Green Book, which really left a great impression on me.
Which American artist do you wish to do a collaboration with?
I’ve always wanted to work with Kid Cudi, because he has been such a big inspiration as an artist, so it is a dream of mine to work with him.
What do you think you’d be doing, 5 years from now?
In 5 years, I’d probably be married to a woman whom I am in love with. Also, if given the chance, it’d be really cool to perform in the States, Europe, Latin America…
I think I would also be more enhanced as an artist; producing serious and deeper music. Those are my goals.
Please share with us your future plans and hopes. Say something nice to the fans too.
I would love to let my music be known to more people in the world, but things aren’t moving so quickly due to my very introverted personality and for not being very active.
But I have set definite goals to diligently keep making better music. And hopefully, I can become an artist who produces deep and much more meaningful songs in the near future.
I also would like to sincerely thank all the people in Korea and abroad who listen to my songs. I consider it such a wondrous and magical thing, to be able to feel and share the feelings you can attain from music, even if we don’t speak the same language. That is also something which means a lot to me.
I hope that I can deliver more thoughts, happiness and positivity to all the people who enjoy listening to my music. Have a happy and meaningful day to you all. Thank you.
— J. Chung.
The 2018-2019 figure skating season essentially wrapped up this weekend with the completion of Worlds. This year’s competition was plenty buzzworthy with Nathan Chen taking home his second consecutive World title (the first American to do so since Scott Hamilton did between 1981 and 1984) ahead of Japan’s Yuzuru Hanyu; China’s pair skaters Sui Wenjing and Han Cong skating a to a record-breaking free skate and overall competition score; Russian phenom Alina Zagitova took home her first world championship; America’s Vincent Zhou landed a surprise third-place finish ahead of Japan’s Shoma Uno; and Russia’s Evgenia Medvedeva took home a surprise bronze to wrap up a season of hardships and fresh starts.
In the middle of the “big-name” storylines stands tiny 19-year-old Elizabet Tursynbaeva. The 4 ft 10 ½ inch Kazakhstani quietly put together a winning season since her coach-switch from Brian Orser (coach to Yuzuru Hanyu and, now, Evgenia Medvedeva) back to Eteri Tutberidze (Alina Zagitova’s coach and Medvedeva’s former coach). This season, the Moscow-born athlete has won five silver medals on her pursuit to the World Figure Skating Championships; during the Grand Prix, she placed fifth and sixth at Skate Canada and Rostelecom Cups, respectively.
At Worlds, she earned another second place, but before standing on the podium to collect her silver medal, Tursynbaeva electrified the Saitama, Japan crowd by becoming the first senior-level female skater to land a quadruple jump in competition, cementing her place in figure skating history.
On Friday, Tursynbaeva performed her “Otoño Porteño” long program. Prior to the event, commentators and former figure skaters Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski hinted that Tursynbaeva had “something very special planned” for her free program. Within the first 45-seconds of her program, she attempted—and landed—her quad Salchow to the roar of the Japanese crowd.
History! #Tursynbaeva #WorldFigure #Quad pic.twitter.com/00FIuUifF9
— ISU Figure Skating (@ISU_Figure) March 22, 2019
While some of the Russian junior-level ladies have attempted and landed quad jumps during Russian Nationals and during their international junior competitions, a senior-level woman has not landed one until Tursynbaeva. She has attempted a quad before, but one was turned into a triple and the other was unsuccessful.
“I can’t believe I landed it,” Tursynbaeva said following the ladies event. “It was good in practice this morning. I couldn’t do it at the last two competitions, so I was really glad to be able to do it here.”
However, Tursynbaeva’s quad Salchow wasn’t the only highlight of her World Championship experience. With her silver medal, she became only the second skater from Kazakhstan—and the first woman—to land on the World Championship podium. Her fellow countryman, the late Denis Ten, was the first Kazakhstani skater to do so in 2013 and again in 2015 when he placed second and third, respectively.
Now known as a trailblazer on the senior women’s circuit, the sky’s now the limit for Tursynbaeva. Now it’s time to see what the 2019-2020 season will bring!
—-Olivia Murray
Wu Chun (吳尊) is one of Brunei’s most prolific celebrity. He started his career in the entertainment industry as a model for Yilin in Taiwan and Diva Models in Singapore. During a trip to Taiwan, he was scouted for a Taiwanese boy band called Fahrenheit (飛輪海 where his debuts shot him into celebrity status in 2005. Fahrenheit’s popularity first started in Taiwan and Mainland China but quickly reached neighbouring countries such as South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and the whole of South East Asia. This exposure led to Wu Chun’s career in film and television with his first appearance on Tokyo Juliet (東方茱麗葉) and Hanazakarino Kimitachihe (花樣少年少女). He has proven to be a force to be reckoned with by winning multiple awards such as Hong Kong Metro Hits Awards as the Best Foreign Newcomer and AF Golden Globes as Taiwan’s Most Improved Actor in 2006. This was just the start of his bright future in the industry. He has starred in several notable shows such as Romantic Princess (公主小妹), Hot Shot (籃球火), The Butterfly Lovers (剑蝶) and Sunny Girl (陽光天使) just to name a few.
Wu Chun left the boyband Fahrenheit 2011 with endless speculation ranging from disagreements with one of the band members as well as wanting to place more focus into acting. It was later revealed by a fellow ex-band member, Aaron Yan, from Fahrenheit that Wu Chun being the oldest of the group at age 32 no longer felt comfortable continuing a career in a boyband. In that time, he went on to write a biography entitled ‘Ignite Courage’ depicting his struggles of his personal life and his life within the entertainment industry. This book includes very private and personal photos with his childhood and of his mother before she passed from pancreatic cancer.
Although he is no longer in the boyband that launched his career, Wu Chun is still doing extremely well with modelling. He has appeared on the covers of GQ, Esquire, Elle for Men and Vogue magazine. His good looks, family values and success have also brought in countless of international endorsements for him with companies like Land Rover, Head and Shoulder, Lab Series and Safeguard.
For much of his career, Wu Chun had kept his personal life private until 2013 where he announced that he was a married man and a father and this was his true reason for leaving Fahrenheit. This led to a media frenzy including Taiwanese media companies tracing back his life history. In the past, Wu Chun had denied the rumours of a woman in photos by stating that she was his sister-in-law and that the child belonged to his elder sister. This was all done to respect his wife’s wishes of keeping a low profile. Not long after the announcement, Wu Chun’s daughter Nei Nei appeared in a reality television show with him in Dad is Back (爸爸回来了) in 2014. Both his daughter and son, Max, were cast in Daddy Where Are You Going Season 5 (爸爸去哪儿 第5季) in 2017. Wu Chun’s latest reality TV show included his father, Wu Jingtian in Most Beautiful Time (最美的時光) which also took him to celebrity status.
Aside from Wu Chun’s thriving career in the entertainment industry, he is also a business owner in various successful establishments in his home country. Wu Chun’s most successful business venture “Bake Culture” is a Taiwanese-based bakery co-owned by Vanness Wu and Calvin Chen. The bakery has 2 branches in Taiwan, 1 in Chongqing, 4 in Brunei and 3 branches in New York City. Keeping in line with his advocacy to healthy lifestyle, Wu Chun opened the largest health and fitness club in Brunei “Fitness Zone” in 2003 leading to a branch opening in Shenzhen China in 2018. Wu Chun attributes his passion to health and fitness to his father as media agencies questioned the duo about their anti-ageing secrets.
Wu Chun has also been involved in various private initiatives in Brunei by supporting blood drive campaigns, organizing charity runs where all proceeds were donated to the Children’s Cancer Foundation and was a goodwill ambassador for the charity concert “Roots and Wings” dedicated for special needs children and athletes. His dedication to helping those in need also includes his effort of a 10-hour road trip to small villages around Qinghai to deliver much needed medical supplies. His efforts have not gone unnoticed as he has received a number of awards for his charitable work including an Excellent Youth Award by the Sultan of Brunei, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah in 2015 and the Best Achievement Male Role Model Award at the Women’s Media Award organized by the United Nations in 2017.
Unsurprisingly, he has been chosen to be ambassadors for various local companies and associations such as the Brunei Anti Narcotic Drug Association (BANDA) and Dementia Brunei to raise awareness for the illness. He is noted for his advocacy to popularize Brunei globally by being the ambassador of Royal Brunei Airlines as well as a Taiwan tourism ambassador. Six episode of the TV show “Most Beautiful Time” with his father will be filmed in Brunei as part of his tourism efforts.
The superstar turned 39 on October, 2018 and has showed no signs of slowing down. To start off 2019, Wu Chun was appointed as the ambassador of Lego in China as well as and the ambassador of ocean protection by Sea Life Trust. Following this, Wu Chun became Hugo Boss’ Asian brand ambassador for Spring/Summer 2019 Eyewear campaign. The company comments that Wu Chun’s elegant and goal-focused attitude is the reason he was chosen. He has also won the award for Best Breakthrough Artist at the Shanghai Television Festival for his role in the TV show Martial Universe (武动乾坤).
His positive outlook and healthy lifestyle is definitely the reason for his success we are sure to see more of him in the near future.
—-May Taro
K-Pop Top 30 for February 2019
At KCrush America Magazine, we make it our mission to bring our readers fun and informative interviews of individuals who have inspiring stories to share with the rest of the world. Seoulmates is a musical band which was formed in Korea, which consists of members who are expats/foreigners, currently residing in Seoul, Korea.
We interviewed two members from Seoulmates who were gracious enough to offer their time for an interview. We expect this will be an interesting read for those of you who are seeking to know (more) about the band, or simply inquisitive about what life is like in South Korea, as a foreigner. We’d like to express “a big thank you” to Peter and Benjamin, and wish them much success in all their endeavors…
*Would you introduce yourselves to our readers please?
Peter: My name is Peter Daley. I’ve been teaching English at Sookmyung Women’s University for the past six years, and before that I taught English at Keimyung University in Daegu for 8 years. I’m one of Seoulmates’ two guitarists. I prefer to play rhythm guitar and let the other guitarist, the amazing Frédéric Plouzmann, take the lead guitar part on most songs. He’s a better player than me, so he inspires me to work harder and develop as a musician. Sometimes, we change roles which adds a nice variety from my perspective. I also play solo guitar at various venues and open mic. events and try to play with other singer and musician friends when I have the opportunity.
Benjamin: I am Benjamin, the drummer in the band, and also Community manager when it’s time to communicate on our events! In working life, I am CFO at a French chemical company.
*What made you come to Korea and how did Seoulmates form as a band?
Peter: A year before I moved to Korea, I visited Seoul for a few days from Japan where I was living at the time. I met my sister in Seoul who was in Korea to adopt her first child. It was such a memorable and moving experience that a year later, after leaving Japan, I decided to move to Korea. My first band, 2Much, had just broken up when our bass player moved back to New Zealand and the rest of us started playing music with other people more. Playing with 2Much gave me the confidence to reply to a Facebook post by Benjamin who was looking for a guitar player. We met and practiced a few songs together. It was essentially an audition. I got a great feeling from our first meeting with Ben and Emilie and our first bass player Francois, and they accepted me into their musical family. It was also nice to widen my circle of friends to include members of the French expat community.
Benjamin: I came to Seoul, two years ago to work for the Korean subsidiary of my company. I was living here with my wife and our two daughters. I have been playing in a band in Paris and I missed the music, so I started to create a music band with a French friend. We started bass and drums, then hired guitar players and finally our wonderful singer, Emilie joined the band.
*When and how were you inspired to start music initially?
Peter: Ever since I was young, I have loved a good melody. There’s just something magical about a unique and distinctive melody. I began playing guitar as a young child. Music has been part of my life ever since.
Benjamin: I feel very relaxed when we rehearse together, but excitement increases when preparing for a new concert: Also, when listening to inspiring songs with nice drums pattern, it makes me feel good to play them by myself.
*What do you most like about performing? Please share any memorable experience you’ve had while performing.
Peter: I love the feeling of looking out at an audience and seeing everyone having a great time. To see people smile and dance to the music we play always gives me a huge thrill. It’s like time stands still, and whatever problems we (both audience and band members) are having in our lives just disappear, and our minds are full of the happiness and joy that only music can bring. I have also been pleasantly surprised when people I don’t know come up to me and tell me they saw me play guitar and enjoyed my performance. Those encounters, apart from being nice surprises, also motivate me to practice more and work on my stage presence. Another memorable experience was performing at Sookmyung Women’s University’s dormitory festival a few years ago. It was nice to be able to share my interest in music with some of my Sookmyung students.
Benjamin: I definitely like the few seconds of stress you can feel just before going on stage. It gives me some adrenaline, making me happy to play. Also, every time we play together; it’s different. You never know what to expect, and it sometimes gives me goose bumps when something new happens, or when you can feel a special connection between musicians.
There was a good moment during our last concert, when someone in the audience came to offer me a bunch of flowers. It was so nice, and so Korean style!
*What kind of music do you like to listen to, on a regular basis?
Peter: Although I play guitar in a rock band, I mostly listen to orchestral music and instrumental music. As I mentioned earlier, I am more drawn to melodies and harmonies than lyrics. That’s not to say I don’t appreciate a good lyric, and I do listen to rock music when in the mood, but I would say 90% of the music I listen to is purely instrumental. In particular, I enjoy the soundtracks of John Williams and Joe Hisaishi and the guitars of Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, and Tommy Emmanuel. Actually, tomorrow night (March 17), I’m going to see the LA Philharmonic in concert in Seoul perform a concert dedicated to the music of John Williams. I saw Joe Satriani and Steve Vai performed in Seoul in 2017 and Tommy Emmanuel will perform at the 13th Seoul Jazz Festival in May. That’s another thing I am grateful for: the opportunity to see and hear my favorite artists in concert.
Benjamin: I listen to many different styles of music, every moment has its own style: jazz or classical music to relax, electronic or brit-pop for more dynamic time
*What do you most like about Korea? How has your life changed since coming here?
Peter: My life has changed in many ways since I first arrived in Korea in December of 2003. That is of course a significant period of time. I have certainly developed professionally as a teacher of English. It may sound corny, but I feel I “found myself” in Korea in that I live in an environment that provides opportunities for me to pursue for all my interests. What I like about Korea these days is simply the life I have here. I am grateful for my job and my circle of friends from all over the world, including of course Korea. I am grateful for the opportunities to assist North Korean defectors through TNKR. And I am grateful to have the chance to play music with Seoulmates and other friends. Korea has been very good to me, and I hope I can repay that by volunteering, working hard for my Sookmyung students, and hopefully giving pleasure to others through playing guitar.
Benjamin: Despite big cultural differences, I like how Korean people are curious and want to know about our home country. I also appreciate a lot how people are helpful for any kind of administrative things, or to find the good place to go. Korean people are really helpful and kind. I will keep for life a very unique and close relationship with Korea since my second daughter was born in Seoul.
*What are your interests and hobbies outside of music?
Peter: I read a lot and I read a variety of kinds of books. I try to exercise four to five times a week. I also volunteer with Teach North Korean Refugees, an NGO that provides free English lessons to North Korean defectors.
Benjamin: I like to ski in winter time, or just to get lost and visit new places in Seoul.
*What do you do to release stress?
Peter: Music, TV, reading, and exercise all help me in times of trouble. I love escaping into a good book or TV show. Playing guitar at home always relaxes me as do long walks with my favorite music. A good workout helps result in a good night’s sleep, and I love the post-exercise high a good workout provides.
Benjamin: I go for a walk or drink a beer!
*Where do you wish to perform the most in the world?
Peter: My performance goals are not that grand. I really enjoy playing for close friends. Of course, playing at larger venues would be a huge thrill. I can’t imagine what the members of Queen felt when they performed at Wembley Stadium for Live Aid, but there is something about a smaller and more intimate performance with friends that appeals to me.
Benjamin: I wish Seoulmates could play in a crowded stadium, with huge drums and dozens of loudspeakers! Maybe we should call the Olympic stadium to book a date…
*What are your goals and hopes for 2019?
Peter: To stay healthy and fit and to work hard for my students. Musically, I hope to improve as a guitar player. That is a never-ending goal which is more journey than goal. I hope to play more with SeoulMates and to gradually add to our repertoire of songs. I also look forward to our gigs. The more the merrier!
Benjamin: A full year of new concerts and new experiences for Seoulmates in Korea!
— J.Chung.
JYP Entertainment’s new girl group is already smashing records despite only debuting a month ago!
ITZY, made up of members Yeji, Lia, Ryujin, Yuna, and Chaeryeong, debuted February 12, 2019 with “Dalla Dalla.” Since their debut with their catchy, upbeat track, ITZY has been on fire.
“Dalla Dalla” has appeared on several countries’ music charts, including peaking at number two on Korea’s Gaon Chart and in the U.S for Billboard’s World Digital Song Sales chart; it peaked at number three on Korea’s K-Pop Hot 100 Chart. Another track titled “Want It?” from their IT’z Different mini album also peaked at number eight on Billboard’s World Digital Song Sales chart. Their MV for “Dalla Dalla” has also performed well on YouTube. As of March 14, 2019, the MV has over 78 million views, so they definitely caught K-Pop fans’ attentions!
Now, ITZY has another honor to add to their young-but-impressive-résumé as they eclipsed first-generation idol group S.E.S’ 22-year-old music-show-win record.
During March 7, 2019’s episode of Mcountdown, ITZY took home their fifth overall win, breaking S.E.S’ four-win streak. Then, days later, ITZY took home their overall eighth music show win, thus earning a pedestal in K-Pop history.
With their wins, ITZY now have the following honors:
- They are the fastest girl group to win a music show first place trophy:This was earned February 12, 2019 on It took them nine days to earn their first-ever win. They beat IZ*ONE by one day (IZ*One earned their first win November 8, 2018 with “La Vie en Rose” ten days after debut). The overall record is six days which is held by WINNER and their debut single “Empty.”
- They have the most overall wins for a debut song with eight total wins: They took home first three times on Inkigayo, twice on Music Core, once on Music Bank, and twice on
- ITZY are triple-crown winners on Inkigayo: They are the second group ever to earn a triple-crown with a debut song and the first girl group to hold the honor. They are also the fastest girl group to achieve a triple-crown on the show. They achieved the feat 26 days after their debut; the previous record was held by 2NE1 at 86 days.
ITZY wrapped up “Dalla Dalla” promotions March 10. With such a powerful debut, it’ll be amazing to see what comes next, especially since they’ve already been dubbed 2019’s “Monster Rookies.”
Congratulations, ITZY!
— Olivia Murray
BTS will soon add another accomplishment to their résumé this coming April.
On April 13, 2019, BTS will be the musical guest on the American edition of Saturday Night Live (SNL). SNL dropped the news via a tweet March 13.
The episode, which will feature Emma Stone as the host, will mark the first time a K-Pop group performs on the show. Incidentally, the performance comes a day after their new album, Map the Soul: Persona, drops, so fans can expect a new song to be performed on the SNL stage.
According to Forbes, landing a chance to perform on the SNL stage is difficult as only up-and-comers and those expected to take their careers to new heights. Forbes also mentioned how the show is part of the reason for Adele’s success after her 2008 performance.
SNL stages range from the stripped-down to artistic and lively, so it’ll be interesting to see what stage they’ll present when they perform!
— Olivia Murray
And then there were five.
FNC Entertainment released a statement today stating that CNBLUE’s Jonghyun viewed Jung Joon Young’s hidden camera videos. Jonghyun, who is currently serving his mandatory military service, was questioned by police recently.
FNC statement addresses Jonghyun’s role in the controversy.
Back on the evening of March 12, we revealed that our label artist Lee Jonghyun ‘has no relation to the ongoing scandal whatsoever, only that he is acquainted with the individual involved.’
Lee Jonghyun, who is currently serving in the military, took part in police questioning the morning before the above statement occurred, on the afternoon of March 12. At the time, Lee Jonghyun felt that in approximately 20 or so messages containing a 1:1 conversation with him and Jung Joon Young, there was no evidence of illegal hidden camera footage or inappropriate remarks found; as a result, Jonghyun relayed to the company that he was not involved.
The company had no choice but to deliver a statement based on Lee Jonghyun’s memories alone, as it has been 4-5 years since Jonghyun left the Kakao Chat room currently under fire, and we could not confirm the truth behind the conversations in this chat room. We did not intend to hide the truth or cover his mistakes in the least.
After the additional news report by SBS on March 14, we were able to get in contact with Lee Jonghyun. He has admitted that his attitude in viewing the footage shared in the KakaoTalk messages, and in the inappropriate remarks he made degrading women, are actions deserving of condemnation; he is reflecting on his actions deeply.
He feels that if he had a proper perspective of gender rights at the time, he would not have been a bystander in these crimes. He apologizes to all who were disappointed and hurt by Jonghyun’s immoral comments, made without any realization that he was committing a crime.
Jonghyun is currently accepting the public’s harsh criticism of his immoral attitude and mistaken perspective of gender rights, feeling embarrassed and miserable about his character with great regret. As a public figure, Jonghyun will take caution in all of his actions and deeply reflect on his wrongdoings.
SBS 8 O’Clock News revealed the texts between Jonghyun and Jung Joon Young during their broadcast.
Lee Jonghyun: “Yesterday I did *** with the XX (different people)”.
Jung Joon Young: “Looking good. Next time introduce me to those girls.”
Lee Jonghyun: “Give me that girl quickly. A s**t like X.”
Jung Joon Young: “Who should I give you?”
Lee Jonghyun: “I like girls like ***, but if there isn’t one then any pretty whore is okay.”
Lee Jonghyun: “Don’t you have pretty and nice w****s? Someone that is fun to play with. LOL”
Jonghyun initially denied he was part of the chat and claimed he was just an acquaintance to those involved. Currently, there is no announcement on if Jonghyun will leave CNBlue or the entertainment industry.
All parties are considered innocent until proven guilty in the court of law.
— Olivia Murray
On March 14, 2019, former-idol and BIGBANG member Seungri (Lee Seunghyun) underwent 16 hours of questioning by police in connection to the prostitution allegations mounting against him.
“Once again, I bow my head in deep apology to the nation’s citizens as well as to all those around me who suffered and were hurt. Rather than giving any comments now, I will participate in the investigation diligently with truthful answers,” Seungri said prior to entering the police station for questioning.
Following his questioning, Seungri spoke to the press again, announcing his plans to delay his March 25 enlistment.
“Today, I finished the investigation sincerely and I’m going to apply for a formal postponement to the Military Manpower Administration [MMA]. If you only allow me to do so, I will postpone the date of entry and show you that I am being investigated sincerely until the end,” Seungri said.
Following his questioning, which began March 14 at 2pm local time and lasted until about 6:30am March 15 local time, reports started to surface that allege Seungri may not be as cooperative as he claims.
[UPDATE] According to Chosun, the police asked Seungri and Jung Joon Young for their phones while they continue to investigate the KakaoTalk messages. While Jung turned over his phone—which is only two weeks old—Seungri reportedly refuses to turn his over to police. However, the Straits Times reports that Seungri did hand over his phone.
The phones—and any phones the former singers have—are necessary to the investigation as they hold crucial evidence.
According to Dong-A Ilbo, both Jung and Seungri consulted with lawyers about the implications of turning over their phones. Jung did the same three years ago with his prior hidden camera case. Then, his lawyer warned Jung to not turn over his phone, allegedly saying, “This is a big problem because the hidden camera was filmed in secret. Do not give your cellphone to the police.”
Ilbo also reports that members of the chat were worried about the messages being released. Jung said, “If I erase the videos, would they be able to recover them? It will look strange if I submit a new phone. I told my agency to take care of it.” He later told police he lost his phone at a digital forensics service.
On March 13, 2019, police raided that company in hopes to find evidence relating to the KakaoTalk chats.
On March 15, 2019, Jung apparently refutes the claims that he did not submit the “golden phone.” After his 21-hour questioning, Jung briefly spoke to the press.
“I feel extremely apologetic. I answered diligently and truthfully. I also submitted the ‘golden phone‘ as is and told them everything truthfully. I am very sorry for causing trouble.”
The “golden phone” allegedly has more than 200,000 messages in relation to the sexually explicit content.
Along with the sex chats and Burning Sun controversy, claims of police collusion and corruption also surfaced, although the former Korea Police Commissioner General denies the claims. Min Gap Ryong, the current Korea Police Commissioner General, says he is looking into the claim.
“I will check thoroughly to find out if there was an incident that the police was involved in at the time,” Min said. “There is a specific individual who made this comment, but it is difficult to reveal details as the investigation is on-going. “If crimes are discovered in the process, they will be convicted thoroughly regardless of rank.”
When Jung was asked by the press who the police chief was in the chats, he responded, “I will reveal that through the investigation.”
More Texts Released
Meanwhile, Korean media continue to release more texts that further link Seungri to the sex video and prostitution scandal. Additionally, now Seungri faces potential charges of gambling overseas.
In relation to the prostitution scandal, Seungri and a CEO identified as “A” exchanged texts in August 2014 that allegedly discuss what types of women should be brought along on an Indonesian trip.
Seungri: Girl number 1 isn’t very talkative but she kind of likes money. Also, she’s a girl that isn’t very charming while drinking. But her visuals are really good.
Seungri: Girl number 3… her visuals are good and so is her personality. When drinking, she is fun and nice… but the problem with her is that when she gets drunk, she is a wreck.
CEO A: What about girl 4?
CEO A: What about girls 2, 4, and 5?
CEO A: So, let’s eliminate Girl 1 from the selection. Out of Girls 2, 4, and 5, let’s see one more.
CEO A: We need more girls like number 3
Seungri: Number 5 is also good!
Seungri: Mr. CEO, what style of girl do you like?
CEO A: Well.. Southeast Asian men like girls with white skin. Girls with white skin are innocent and pure, but also on the other side, sexy girls. A pure, innocent style like XX, XXX, or XXX, or girls who are very fancy/showy and seem like girl group members. How about that style? Height around 160 cm… and slim.
….
CEO A: Did you tell them about heading to Indonesia?
Seungri: Yes CEO.
CEO A: It should be for 2 or 3 nights. Who knows, it should be about 10 million won? less?
Seungri: Got it!! That’s 10 million won per person, right CEO?
Following these texts, Seungri and “A” also discussed money Seungri won in Las Vegas. This incident also took place in 2014.
Seungri: “I won 200 million won! You’ll hit it big too, CEO A!”
CEO A: “Okay. I just need to win enough to cover my travelling expenses. When are you leaving L.A.? Shanghai? Japan?”
Seungri: “Which hotel are you staying at? I’m going back to Korea tonight at 11 P.M. and then I’m going to straight to Japan.”
Seungri: (Photo of money)
CEO A: “Amazing. I’m at ARIA. How are you going to bring the money?”
Seungri: “Oh, I come here often, so I left it with the ‘save bank’. I decided to only use the money I win in Vegas. If you get bored, hop over to Cosmopolitan. I’ll introduce you to my host. They have great service, and they provide a lot of gambling benefits and discounts there.”
CEO A: “Oh, I see. Okay. Who should I ask for once I get there?”
For gambling, South Korea follows Territorial Principle. This means that South Korean citizens who gamble abroad can be punished for doing so even if other countries do not consider the act illegal. In February 2019, S.E.S’ Shoo received probation for gambling abroad in Macau.
Aori Ramen Cuts Ties
On March 14, 2019, Aori Ramen, a restaurant franchise launched by Seungri, announced they will be cutting ties with the fallen star and Yuri Holdings.
Hello, this is Aori Ramen’s company, Aori FNB.
To all the customers and store-owners who kept their faith in Aori Ramen throughout the recent series of events, we would first like to apologize for causing you concern.
Our head office has been reorganizing after Lee Seung Hyun (Seungri) stepped down from his CEO position due to his upcoming military enlistment. To ensure the stable business of our franchise stores, we hired a new management specialist and on March 7 we held a planning meeting with the store-owners and offered them compensation. Depending on the situation, we intend to offer further compensation to the store-owners later on.
In order to protect the brand of our franchise stores and Aori Ramen, we have decided to cut all ties with Seungri and Yuri Holdings and make a fresh start. We are currently in discussions to transfer management rights to a new partner who is knowledgeable about the food and beverage industry and can provide good leadership to our franchise stores.
The 43 Aori Ramen franchise stores are not all owned by our former CEO’s acquaintances and family. In order to minimize damages to the other stores, we have decided to close the stores that do have a connection to him.
Because of the extreme news, stores that have worked hard and have no connection to the news are suffering damages. Aori Ramen’s head office will do our best to make sure to minimize damages to those hardworking, innocent franchise store-owners.
We ask once again for the understanding of all the customers who have loved Aori Ramen and we will continue to work to improve our taste and quality.
The announcement isn’t surprising given the controversy. In recent weeks, business at Aori Ramen plummeted.
Seungri stepped down as CEO earlier this year in preparation for his impending enlistment. Some of the Aori shops were operated by Seungri’s family and acquaintances. Those stores are now closed.
The situation surrounding Burning Sun and the KakaoTalks is fluid and changing daily (sometimes hourly). Stay tuned for more updates.
All parties are innocent until proven guilty in the court of law.
— Olivia Murray
The celebrity body count stemming from the Burning Sun and KakaoTalk controversies is now four.
Earlier in the day on March 14, 2019, FNC Entertainment announced that F.T Island’s Jonghun has departed the group and will retire from the entertainment industry. The news stems from allegations the Jonghun participated in the KakaoTalk chats. He is under fire for allegedly asking police insiders to cover-up a DUI in February 2016. Initially, Jonghun admitted that he was caught drinking and driving, but he denied asking police to cover-up for him.
Upon the initial denial of the police bribery and admittance of the drunk-driving charge, FNC Entertainment said,
After speaking with him personally, we confirmed Jonghun was caught driving drunk by police in Itaewon, Seoul in February of 2016. He paid a fine of 2.5 million Won (approximately $2,200) and got his license suspended for 100 days. At the time, Jonghun felt he was not a well-known member of his group, and in fear, he tried to let it go under the radar by not speaking to the agency. He says he’s very regretful and reflecting on making a bad judgment call. We found after checking with him personally, however, he did not make requests through the media or police as reported today in terms of ties with the police.
Jonghun will actively cooperate in police investigations to confirm whether or not these ties with police existed. If true, he’ll take all related legal responsibility. Jonghun feels a deep sense of guilt regarding his past wrongdoings, and he’s also deeply reflecting on causing disappointment to the people around him and causing harm to his group. Furthermore, he’ll completely halt all individual activities and activities as a member of F.T. Island.
However, following SBS 8 O’ Clock News’ release of the alleged texts between Jonghun and other chat members, FNC backtracked on their initial statement and apologized for sharing “inaccurate information.” In a statement announcing Jonghun’s departure from F.T Island and the entertainment industry, FNC Entertainment said the following:
Jonghun, who is receiving criticism due to his connection to a recent series of controversies, will be leaving F.T. Island. Our agency would like to make it clear there was no intention to hide or cover up the truth about these matters. Based on our mutual trust with each other, we spoke with him on what he remembers regarding the past incidents before releasing previous statements. We express our deep apologies for causing confusion by releasing inaccurate statements through this process.
There are additional suspicions regarding illegal acts although he says he does not remember them, so he will diligently receive a police investigation sometime this week. Jonghun has decided to leave the team permanently and retire from the entertainment industry.
The agency realizes the severity of the situation and feels responsibility for these matters, and we will fully cooperate with the police investigation process so that the truth can be clearly identified.
Jonghun expresses his apologies to those who were harmed due to his inappropriate and embarrassing words and actions in the past. He’s also deeply reflecting on the disappointment he’s given to many fans and members of his team. The agency expresses our deep apologies for being inattentive in terms of managing and teaching proper character to our artists and for causing trouble to so many people because of this unfortunate matter.
Jonghun will now halt celebrity life and live while reflecting on himself. The agency also cannot avoid responsibility regarding Jonghun’s words and actions that cannot be forgiven by society, so we will guide him until the end towards living as a member of society with an upright perception.
The label promises once again to be more thorough and strict in our management and education of all artists. We apologize.
The texts also allegedly show that police corruption does exist surrounding Burning Sun and celebrity goings on as reported since the beginning of the incidents back in January. Since the texts were unveiled, F.T Island fans petitioned for Jonghun’s immediate removal from the group.
Also allegedly involved in this instance is actress Park Hanbyul’s husband. According to reports, he may have bribed police to help cover-up Jonghun’s DUI. His name has also been floated around as being involved in the Burning Sun scandal. SBS 8’Clock News revealed the purported texts during their broadcast.
The texts read:
Jonghun: Idol group member gets caught drunk driving… (original headline)
Thankfully, I lived due to XXhyung’s grace.
Mr. Kim: Jonghun had a good experience
He wore handcuffs
He even ran away from police
What a thrill
Jung Joon Young: Jonghun could’ve been on the first page of the newspaper
Mr. Heo: Could’ve been a featured story
Mr. Park: He could’ve gotten famous
Jonghun: Why would I make headlines.
Do you know how quietly I handled it.
Mr. Kim: Quietly?
Do you know how much CEO Yoo had to intervene?
Seungri: Don’t even think about getting your next DUI covered up. XXhyung used his own money to cover for you, and you do this
On March 14, SBS 8 O’Clock News also unveiled alleged texts between Jonghun and Jung Joon Young. In the chats, Jonghun admits to sleeping with multiple women and asking for different women. Messages include statements like “send me a woman quick” and “Do you have any [expletive] that are young, pretty, and nice? Ones who are good to play with hahaha.”
Following the news of Jonghun’s departure, fellow F.T Island member Hongki posted a picture of his dog and captioned it “Given up.” A fan asked Hongki to “not give up” on Jonghun, to which Hongki replied “given up.”
The situation surrounding Burning Sun and the KakaoTalks is fluid and changing daily (sometimes hourly). Stay tuned for more updates.
All parties are innocent until proven guilty in the court of law.
— Olivia Murray
After initially denying the allegations that he was part of the infamous KakaoTalk chats, Highlight’s Junhyung now admits he viewed some of the sexually explicit videos shared on the chat. On March 14, 2019, he announced that he has left the group formerly-known-as-Beast.
In an Instagram post, Junhyung announced his leave while admitting his role in viewing the videos. His message reads:
Hello, this is Yong Junhyung.
Primarily, I sincerely apologize to the members and all fans who must have had a difficult time because of me for the past few days.
When I received the call from my agency to confirm the validity [of the news] right after the SBS 8 O’Clock News aired on [March] 11, I did not understand the point of the issue clearly and only said that I was not in the chatroom. As a result, the agency took my side and said in the official statement that the reports are false, but this was information relayed inaccurately by me. The reason I said [the chat] was from 2016 while talking with the agency to release an official statement is that I no longer have the chat records with Jung Joon Young in my KakaoTalk, so I was not able to check the date accurately. I also apologize for causing further confusion due to this.
In the KakaoTalk messages with Jung Joon Young from late 2015 reported by the news, we drank the night before and went home, and I asked him how he is doing the next day. Jung Joon Young told me that he got caught after sending illegal video footage to someone, and I responded, “You got caught by her?” I did not receive a video at the time, but I did receive a video at a different instance. In addition, I participated in inappropriate conversations regarding it. All of these actions were very immoral, and I was foolish. I treated it as not a big deal without thinking that it is a crime and illegal act, and it is also my fault for not firmly restraining [Jung Joon Young].
I participated in a witness interview regarding this matter. I said everything that I know without any lies, and I cooperated with the investigation. While receiving the witness interview, I saw exactly what conversations I had in the past, and I was embarrassed and could not help but feel horrified.
I never participated in the illegal acts of taking hidden camera footage or circulating it. In addition, I have maintained a relationship of only greeting each other occasionally with Jung Joon Young since late 2016. However, although I knew of what was happening during that time, I thought of it as not a big deal and acted at ease. I was a silent bystander about this severe issue where several more victims may have arisen due to my actions.
I am very sorry to have not been able to repay the overwhelming love and as I betrayed the trust of the members and fans who have trusted me due to this issue. I realize the severity of this matter, and I do not want any further harm to be done to my fans and members who must have been disappointed because of me, so I will leave the group Highlight as of March 14, 2019. I will live while reflecting on myself again and again. I once again apologize sincerely.”
Also on March 14, Around US Entertainment released a statement:
Some time at the end of 2015, Yong Junhyung met Jung Joon Young at a drinking gathering. The next day, while contacting each other 1:1 via Kakao Talk, he was informed that Jung Joon Young filmed illegal, hidden camera footage. Afterward, Junhyung admitted that he viewed this hidden camera footage, and he and Jung Joon Young went on to exchange inappropriate remarks about the footage.
We learned of the facts stated (above) through Yong Junhyung’s witness questioning. After realizing the severity of this situation, Junhyung took part in his questioning diligently, and he is now in a deep state of reflection for his past inappropriate actions, as well as for the disappointment that he undoubtedly caused many due to his immorality.
He is also aware that this incident is not one that can be forgiven, and he feels greatly apologetic toward fans of Highlight for breaking their trust and repaying their love with disappointment. In order to take responsibility for his actions and prevent further damage to the group’s image, Junhyung will leave Highlight as of March 14, 2019.
Even when Junhyung became involved in an unfavorable scandal, we were unable to obtain the clear facts right away and released a hasty statement, causing confusion; for this, we apologize. We will take caution so that such incidents do not occur again. We apologize one more time to fans who cherish Highlight.
SBS News 8 released some of the text messages earlier in the week where one of the celebrities involved was a “singer Yong.” Junhyung and Around Us Entertainment both denied he was “singer Yong.” Initially, the company released the following statement denying the allegation:
We are writing because of the news reveal of singer Jung Joon Young’s KakaoTalk chatroom which SBS’s News 8 made a report on March 11 about. We understand that people are saying that ‘singer Yong’ that is shown in the contents of the conversations from the group chatroom is Junhyung. Yong Junhyung has no connection to the filming or sharing of illegal videos and has never been in a chatroom where Jung Joon Young’s illegal camera videos were shared.
Additionally, we have confirmed he has never been in a chatroom with him at all. We directly confirmed the conversation shown on the news was a one-on-one conversation between the two when Jung Joon Young was having a hard time due to personal matters. Regarding the simulated group chatroom screenshot that was shared in the news, we plan to verify with SBS News for authenticity. It is true that Jung Joon Young is his friend, however, being caught up in the matter simply for being friends has made everyone who knows Junhyung feel wronged. We will take strict legal action in case of damage to our artists’ reputation if the spread of false information continues to be spread. We hope that fans, will be able to relax and we ask for your continued interest and support for the five members of HIGHLIGHT.”
On March 12, Junhyung wrote a denial message on Instagram.
Hello, this is Yong Jun Hyung.
Although I’m also taken aback, I decided to personally write this message for the many people who may be worried or even angry. I was very surprised when today’s news claimed I took part in or was somehow connected to the recent scandals. The fact that I was even mentioned in these scandals made me reflect back on myself. The reported story that was put together while excluding contexts is not true at all, and I wasn’t even aware that these events were happening before the reports came out today.
I’m sure people may think I’m making a mistake saying I didn’t really know. I will make sure to be more careful in everything I do from now.
From Yong Jun Hyung
With his admission, the celebrities involved in these chats is now up to four: Junhyung, Jung Joon Young, Seungri, and FTIsland’s Jonghun. More may be revealed in the coming days. Additionally, further indications of police corruption have also been revealed, so the case is constantly developing and changes daily.
Meanwhile, Junhyung still plans to enlist in the coming months. He is also cooperating with the police.
All parties are considered innocent until proven guilty in the court of law.
— Olivia Murray