Fans of BLACKPINK and iKON will have their chances to see their bias groups perform state-side.
BLACKPINK to Perform on GMA, The Late Show, Coachella
BLACKPINK, who are in the middle of the first leg of their BLACKPINK 2019 World Tour in Your Area, will be in New York City February 12, 2019 to appear on Good Morning America (GMA). In a tweet, GMA confirmed the appearance.
GMA airs from 7am-9am across all time zones.
Following the news that BLACKPINK would appear on GMA, news circulated that the quartet will also appear on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert February 11. Headline Planet leaked the information stating that, according to CBS, the group will be on the show along with comedian, actor, and political commentator John Oliver.
BLACKPINK will become the second female K-Pop act to appear on the show. In 2012, Girls’ Generation appeared and performed “The Boys.” At that time, David Letterman was still at the helm.
If BLACKPINK are confirmed, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert airs at 11:35pm EST.
The girls will also appear on ABC’s Strahan and Sara on February 15. The segment will be pre-recorded as the group does perform in Singapore the same day. The Strahan and Sara segment filmed the same day as BLACKPINK’s GMA appearance.
BLACKPINK will also be the first K-Pop girl group to perform at Coachella. In January, the group was announced as part of the lineup joining fellow Korean act Hyukoh as the only two acts from South Korea.
BLACKPINK will perform at the event Friday April 12 and Friday April 19, 2019 at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California. Coachella tickets are available here.
iKON to Appear at SXSW
Down in Austin, Texas, SXSW and YG Entertainment announced that iKON will perform at this year’s event.
SXSW is an annual festival and conference that celebrates interactive arts, film, and music. The event helps artists from across different mediums to gain exposure and network.
After iKON’s breakout 2018, their SXSW honors are well-earned. The group will come prepared with an impressive discography that includes “Love Scenario,” “Killing Me,” “Goodbye Road,” “I’m OK,” and “Rhythm Ta.” Their album The New Kids achieved the longest 1st place spot on a Korean music chart and landed fifth in Billboard charts.
According to their SXSW profile, iKON will be attending the show to create professional publishing connections. Perhaps a US debut is in the making?
iKON will perform at Austin City Limits Live at the Moody Theater March 13, 2019. Chung-ha, XXX, Hitchhiker, Jambinai, and Kirira will also perform the same night.
Ticketing information for SXSW is available here.
—-Joelle Halon
Woollim Entertainment and Infinite announce that the group will be making a comeback in February. It will be the group’s first comeback since January 2018.
Woollim confirmed the comeback January 31, 2019.
“INFINITE will make a comeback as a full group in February. Their comeback title track ‘Clock’ was previously revealed during the group’s year-end fan meeting. However, we have not determined specific promotion plans or an official release date. We ask for your anticipation.”
On February 6, 2019, Woollim released a teaser image for “Clock” that states the digital single will be released February 13, 2019.
Infinite said the single contains the meaning of “Let’s spend forever together with all of you.” The song sounds like it will be meaningful for their fans.
While the comeback is touted as a “group comeback,” it will only feature L, Dongwoo, Woohyun, Sungyeol, and Sunjong. Sungkyu will not be part of this comeback due to his military service. He enlisted May 14, 2018.
Hoya left Infinite and Woollim Entertainment in 2017. On June 28, 2017, it was reported that only six of the seven Infinite members re-signed with Woollim. On August 30, 2017, it was revealed Hoya was the only member not to sign. He is currently under contract with Glorious Entertainment. He enlisted February 7, 2019.
Are you excited for an Infinite comeback? Let us know in the comments!
—-Joelle Halon
As a fan of bubble foam hair color, I’m always excited when someone recommends a brand to try, especially since I’m constantly changing my hair color. I prefer bubble foam because it’s gentle, and it often doesn’t have that awful hair dye scent. My usual go-to is the Kao Prettia brand, but it’s getting harder to find stateside, and when I do find it, I have to wait forever for shipping, and the price third-party sellers charge has gotten ridiculous, so I had to wave goodbye to my favorite brand.
Upon a friend’s recommendation, the *Chang-Po bubble foam hair color came into my atmosphere. Like Kao Prettia, the product is a foam, and it involves mixing different ingredients to create the foam. It’s fast, easy, and pretty much fool-proof. I tried three different colors: #6 Dark Brown (which is my natural color), #5 Natural Brown (what my hair is in the summer), and 5V Wine Claret (because I always have to have purple or blue in my hair). Here are my experiences with each.
Ingredients
The ingredients are the same across each of the dyes.
Use
Mixing and using the dye is easy and done in a few steps:
- Place solutions one and two in the provided shaker bottle.
- Screw on the top, then shake the bottle.
- Comb through your hair and eliminate any knots.
- Add a towel around your shoulders to protect your clothes. Swipe Vaseline along your hair line and forehead to protect skin from the dye (this is important. You’ll find out why shortly!)
- Wear the provided rubber gloves (again, this is important), squeeze the bottle to dispense the foam, then massage it into your hair. I prefer tips to roots, but you can do it roots to tips.
- Follow the directions and wait the recommended time period (10-15 minutes).
- Rinse your hair until the water is clear. Then, use the provided shampoo and rinse again.
- Dry and style as usual.
Individual Impressions
5V Claret Wine
On the box, claret wine is a gorgeous shade of purple! The box promises a nice, rich purple. Unfortunately, this color was the most disappointing out of the three tried.
I followed the directions for this shade to a T only to have the color not take in my hair at all. I tried it again and left it on an additional ten minutes with the same result: The color did not show up in my hair (My hair, at the time of trial, was a light ash brown). This was a shame because Claret Wine was the color I wanted the most. Perhaps it was a bad lot across the two boxes I tried. Unfortunately, this shade failed to meet expectations.
#5 Natural Brown
The natural brown is a nice, medium shade brown that looks almost like a dark ash on blonde hair and a smooth, almost-caramel shade with some red highlights on darker shades. This color was perfect for the summer because it did have the most natural look to it, and it didn’t detract from highlights and lowlights like the dark brown shade did directly after hair was dyed.
Unfortunately, this shade fades quickly. In under a month, my hair’s shine and luster faded, and since my hair is naturally dark, the lighter, now-splotchy shade looked bad with dark brown roots. This one did require a lot more touching up then other shades of brown I used from other bubble foam makers, so this was disappointing.
While the color lasted, this shade was the prettiest of the three trialed, but the maintenance was too much of a hassle.
#6 Dark Brown
This color literally put the “dark” in dark brown. Full disclosure: I accidentally left this color in longer than 10 minutes because I started doing laundry, so it ended up staying in my hair for 30 minutes. I do not recommend leaving this dye in your hair for longer than the recommended time!
While I hoped for dark brown, the additional time caused the dye to turn my hair just a shade below black. When I saw the completed results, I was mortified over how dark my hair turned out. The box shows an almost soft, chocolate brown. My hair was two shades darker than this. This may be my fault due to leaving the dye in my hair too long, but it is a shock.
The dark brown shade lasted the longest out of the three shades tried. With each wash, the color barely faded, but it did shift from black to dark brown in five washes. What I liked about the dark brown color is that, as it faded, it looked the most natural out of the colors. It picked up my highlights well and had a good, natural shine. While it was initially the most shocking color when the dye was rinsed out, it turned out to be the best overall shade.
However, this shade also stains the most. I had split seams in my gloves and didn’t realize it until it was too late. Unfortunately, my hands were the same shade as the dye for a week. No amount of scrubbing removed it from my hands, so check the gloves prior to use!
Overall
The Chang-Po bubble foam colors are a good answer to some of the other Korean and Japanese bubble foam dyes that are becoming increasingly difficult to fine in the US. The colors are good, especially the darker shades, even though the more “unusual” colors may not take. Overall, the experience was a positive one, so the Chang-Po bubble foam hair dye does earn a 3.5/5.
Do you have any products you want us to try? Let us know! We’d love to try your recommendations for future reviews.
*Kcrush writers are not affiliated with the companies or brands mentioned. We are also not compensated for promoting the products listed. We spend our own money on these products by choice, so recommendations and reviews are bias-free! Hooray!
—-Joelle Halon
Miss A in a promo photo from their official Facebook page @saymissa. From Left to right: Jia, Fei, Suzy and Min.
Birth of a sizzling quartet
The four-member female Kpop group Miss A, was formed in 2010 under JYP Entertainment and comprised two Chinese members – Fei and Jia as well as two South Korean members, Suzy and Min.
The quartet’s sexy dance choreography and catchy debut song ‘Bad Girl Good Girl’ from their debut single album ‘Bad but Good’ quickly drew the attention of audiences, catapulting them to the top spot on the well known music show KBS Music Bank.
The group continued their winning streak with their subsequent singles and full album in 2011, culminating in their entry into China with a special edition album featuring chinese versions of their hit songs, which ultimately reached number three on Taiwan’s G-Music Chart.
Killer songs with visuals to match
Their up-tempo songs with empowering lyrics complimented by their striking looks ensured the group’s popularity locally and overseas particularly in China. The group remained active up till 2015 when they released their final EP, ‘Colors’ which featured the hit single ‘Only You’. To date, the music video for ‘Only You’ has over 79 million views on YouTube, a testament to the group’s popularity.
In addition to their success as a group, the members also had individual projects with Suzy becoming the most well-known particularly for her works in dramas. With Jia leaving the group in 2016 and Min also departing in 2017 upon reaching the end of her contract with JYP Entertainment, the group came to a natural end with the official disbandment announced in December 2017.
Breaking out and making waves
A photo of Jia from her Instagram account @mjbaby0203.
Jia, now known as Meng Jia is a solo artiste focusing mainly in China. She was the first to leave the group to begin her solo efforts and released the single ‘Mood’ featuring former label mate Jackson Wang from 2PM in December 2017. She has since released more solo singles and has her own YouTube channel JiaVevo featuring solo works including her English single ‘Weapon’.
A still of Fei from the currently airing Chinese drama ‘Shall We Fall In Love’.
Fei, is also currently active back home in China as a solo artiste and actress. She just released the single ‘Hello’ featuring Jackson Wang last December and is currently starring in Chinese drama ‘Shall We Fall in Love’ with another 2PM member, Nichkhun.
A still of Min from her stint on the 2017 musical ‘Boys Over Flowers’.
Min, appears to be the most quiet of the all the members in terms of work and social media activity ever since she deleted her Instagram posts in 2017. However, she appears to be making a comeback, featuring on the single ‘Marathon’ by Deepshower late last year and playing a supporting role in Korean mystery thriller film ‘Sooni: The Executioner’s Daughter’ to be aired in May 2019.
A recent photo of Suzy from a photo shoot shared on her Instagram account @skuukzky.
Suzy has long commanded the most attention for her acting, starring in popular KDramas such as ‘While You Were Sleeping’ and ‘Uncontrollably Fond’ in recent years. In addition to her successful acting career, she’s also active as a solo artiste and is known as one of the CF (commercial advertisements) queens of South Korea representing top brands such as Lancome cosmetics. She last released an EP in 2018 titled ‘Faces of Love’ and also sang the song ‘I Love You Boy’ on the OST (original soundtrack) for her drama ‘While You Were Sleeping’.
—-Fie Fed
It appears that the pressure of being a first-year Yale student isn’t affecting 19-year-old Nathan Chen’s skating prowess.
Chen won his third U.S National figure skating title Sunday January 27, 2019 following a stunning free program set to Woodkid’s “Land of All.” Chen is the first skater since Johnny Weir in 2006 to win Nationals three consecutive years.
Earlier in the day, Chen opted to change his costuming for the program following a wardrobe issue. Clad in black, Chen landed four quad jumps, three of which earned him 47 points before he even reached the halfway point in his program.
Combined with his thrilling short skate to Fanfare Ciocărlia’s “Caravan” that, like his long program, brought the crowd Little Cesar’s Arena in Detroit, Michigan to its feet, Chen earned a jaw-dropping total score of 342.22.
“The score definitely took me by surprise,” Chen said. “It was a lot bigger than I was expecting, but ultimately, scores are scores. I’m happy with what I did, and hopefully I can continue to do that in other competitions.”
Often criticized for not having enough artistry, Chen’s rousing performance proved that he is more than just a jumper and can handle technical components along with artistry. Chen’s footwork is one of his strong suits, but he still has room for growth.
While the scores show Chen skated to near-perfection, his coach, Rafael Arutyunyan, believes Chen can do more.
“I am not completely satisfied,” Arutyunyan said following the competition. “There is so much more he can do. He didn’t do a quad Salchow. I still want him to try a quad loop. This was a program he has executed before. You always like to improve.”
“Raf is always the overachiever,” Chen said. “That’s why I am with him. Of course, there are things I can improve on.”
Second to Chen was Vincent Zhou. Zhou fell on one of his quads and under-rotated two of his jumps during his “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”/”Rising Sun” free program, but his components score propelled him above third place winner, Jason Brown who was second after the short program.
“Obviously, I’m happy with the results, but there’s still so much room for improvement, and that gives me hope for the future,” Zhou said. “To achieve what I did here this week and still have … opportunity for growth is a really great thing. Looking ahead to, hopefully, Four Continents and worlds, I know that I can do even better.”
Juggling Yale and World Figure Skating Domination
Chen’s season hasn’t been all awe-inspiring smooth sailing. While he’s won four (Grand Prix France, Skate America, the Grand Prix Final, and U.S. Nationals, ) of his five international competitions (he placed fourth at the Japan Open), his programs weren’t as sharp as they could be as there were stumbles and falls along the way.
Chen currently trains via Facetime while he calls Connecticut home while attending Yale. His coach is based in California.
“We’re still trying to figure it out as we go along,” Chen said in November. “I’m definitely fully committed to Rafael until the end of my career, really, so we’ll just have to play around with that and try to make the best scenario.
“I have a really good support team already at school, advisors and counselors that can help me arrange classes and my schedule and all of that. I think it should work pretty well, but I’ll figure it out as I get there.”
While it’s not an easy task, Chen seems to be finding a balance between ice time and his studies.
“I’m just so thankful that Yale has given me the ice time for me to continue pursuing my dreams outside of school,” he said. “I definitely learned a lot more about how to handle my schedule last semester. … It’s just reassuring, knowing that I can handle the two.”
Another World Title in Sight?
Next up for Chen is the World Championships March 4-10, 2019. He was also supposed to skate at Four Continents February 7-10, 2019, but he has withdrawn from that competition to focus on Worlds. Taking Chen’s place at Four Continents will be U.S Nationals’ fourth place winner, Tomoki Hiwatashi. Hiwatashi will represent the United States along with Jason Brown and Vincent Zhou.
Chen, who is the current world figure skating champion, may face stiff competition at this year’s Worlds, which will be held in Saitama, Japan. At Worlds, Chen will face South Korea’s Cha Jun-hwan, who has been a surprise up-and-comer this season, and he will have to face Japan’s Shoma Uno and two-time Olympic champion and favorite to win, Yuzuru Hanyu. Hanyu, who has been plagued with injuries, is expected to skate.
Worlds marks the end of the senior figure skating season, so it will be exciting to see how the final showdown will play out for Nathan Chen.
—-Joelle Halon
Claims
Six male idol trainees who participated in season two of Mnet’s Produce 101 have come forward with allegations that a female entertainment company CEO and her younger sister sexually assaulted them.
The unnamed trainees claim the 53-year-old CEO and her sister, a company investor, touched them inappropriately and made sexual advances while they and four other trainees, two of which who are minors, were at a Tokyo Restaurant September 28, 2018. The trainees, CEO, and her sister-in-law were in Japan for promotional activities.
One of the trainees stated, “At the restaurant, the CEO and her younger sibling touched, molested, and sexually assaulted some of the trainees’ bodies. We felt both sexually and personally humiliated from this.”
The trainees’ lawyer elaborated on the alleged victims’ feelings by stating, “The trainees, including the victims and the minors, are receiving psychiatric treatment. They were afraid of any secondary damages coming their way, so they sent their evidence to their company CEO and President and requested the Seoul Central District Court to suspend their contracts.”
The trainees and one of the witnesses’ fathers requested an interview with YTN Star. During the interview, the father, who represents the parents and acted as a guardian for the trainees, said, “We’re ashamed and it’s something we want to hide, but the reason why we’re revealing what happened is because we don’t want this to happen again to those who are pursuing the same dream.”
The father also said, “The 10 boys performed in [Japan] for about a month, and at around the time they were finished, they had a dinner at a restaurant in Tokyo on September 28, 2018. [The CEO] and [her relative] molested six trainees.”
The trainees also spoke during the interview and discussed what they experienced with the CEO and her in-law, who the interviewees identified as “A” and “B” during the discussion.
“At the dinner party, ‘A’ and ‘B’ sexually harassed six people, including me. It was very hard, but I was worried that if I brought it up, it would bring me down and that I would not be able to make my debut, so I let it fester. I’ve been receiving treatment for panic disorder since I was 17. I was getting better, but my hospital visits became more frequent after this. I’ve had thoughts of wanting to give up my dream of becoming a singer altogether,” Trainee One said.
“I have too much mental stress. I used to always be positive and hard-working, but now I see a psychologist, and I’m also on medication.” He added, “Sometimes I feel anxious, my hands tremble, and shame creeps up on me. I’m sensitive to everything, and I’m living in pain,” Trainee Two added.
Trainee Four said, “I’ve been dreaming of becoming an idol for 10 years. After being sexually harassed, I thought I should quit. This is what I’ve seen and experienced in the entertainment industry, and it makes me skeptical.”
Trainee five, who is a minor, stated, “This was my dream since I was a middle school student, and I thought this must be the reality of the entertainment industry. I’m having such a painful time.”
The trainees claim the CEO’s daughter tried to get her mother and her sister-in-law to stop harassing the trainees, but the sexual activities continued.
During the YTN Star appearance, the trainees allege that the abuse went beyond sexual assault. One of the trainees claims their devices were taken from them, so they were not allowed to contact family and friends. Another trainee said he was denied medical care when he fell ill, while another said contracts suddenly needed to be revised in order to debut.
The CEO, who has not been named, denies all allegations and states her and her in-law’s innocence will be proven in court.
Season Two of Produce 101, which aired April 7, 2017 to June 16, 2017 and produced the group Wanna One, has been shrouded in controversy since airing.
Ilgan Sports reported that several trainees on the show were subject to discrimination. They also claim bullying between members ran rampant.
During the show, Maroo Entertainment’s Han Jong-youn resigned from the competition following severe bullying and sexual harassment claims against him by a former classmate. Images also emerged online that showed Han engaging in underaged drinking and smoking. Regarding the bullying claims, Maroo Entertainment confirmed the allegations were true and personally apologized to the victim.
The Vibe Label’s Ha Min-ho left the show and his label after screenshots of Instagram and Facebook posts by Ha showed him trying to engage with minors in a sexual manner. There were also accusations that he sexually harassed and bullied his former middle school girlfriend.
The trainees’ claims come at a time where Koreans and Korean celebrities and sports stars have started to come forward with their #MeToo stories, thus calling attention to the abuses in the entertainment and sports industries.
As with all cases, those accused are innocent until proven guilty in the court of law. Stay tuned for updates.
—-Joelle Halon
Seungri finally released a statement surrounding the Club Burning Sun controversy.
In his February 2, 2019 Instagram message, Seungri wrote:
Hello. This is Seungri.
I first want to bow my head and sincerely apologize to everyone who felt uncomfortable or was worried due to the recent incident and controversy related to me. Because of this incident, the last few days have been like an unbearable nightmare, and I was flustered as to where and how I should begin talking about this.
I am sorry for my delayed official statement and apology. I was dissuaded by people around me that a hasty explanation may cause bigger misunderstandings during a time when uncertain information was already snowballing.
I was not at the scene when the assault incident that started this controversy occurred. I first learned about the incident a few days later through a staff member and only initially heard that there was assault on both sides between a customer and an employee, and that it was under police investigation. Due to the nature of the place of business, disputes and fights occur often, so I hoped that this would also be resolved peacefully without a big problem.
Later on, I saw the clip of the incident for the first time through the media, and I was also very shocked. Violence cannot be justified under any circumstance, and I sincerely apologize to the victim who was injured due to this incident. I hope that your mental and physical injuries will heal as soon as possible.
I first became involved with the club when BIGBANG briefly halted promotions and I began solo promotions. Using the time outside of my solo promotions, I began with the innocent mindset of wanting to try working as a DJ, which is something I had wanted to do, at a place where I could freely play music at any time.
Just in time, I got a good opportunity to become the executive director in charge of promotions at a club. Since I’m a celebrity, I was charged with publicly promoting the club.
Operating and managing the club were not my roles, and I am reflecting and deeply apologize for not showing myself taking responsibility from the beginning of the incident, as I was not involved in these roles from the start.
The issue that began with an assault case is now being covered with reports about drugs. I have not seen or heard anything related to this, so I’ll actively cooperate with investigations and hope that strict punishment will be carried out if a crime is revealed through the investigation. I’ll also take full responsibility if there is something, I need to be responsible for as an executive director at the time.
While going through this incident, I learned and realized a lot once more about the responsibility and attitude of a celebrity. I apologize once again to everyone for causing concern through this incident and will work hard to become more mature and considerate.
Respectfully,
Seungri, Lee Seung Hyun (Trans. Cr. Soompi)
Seungri’s Father, Sister Speak Up
In addition to Seungri’s official statement, Seungri’s father and sister also reached out to the public with statements of their own.
In his statement, Seungri’s father further reiterated that Seungri did not own club.
“Seungri does not operate the club. It’s disappointing that people want to blame Seungri because he’s a celebrity. Watch [the events unfold] is very painful,” Seungri’s father said. “Seungri has resigned from his directorial position at ‘Burning Sun’. He is currently in the process of resigning from his positions such as Aori Ramen because he must enlist in the military.”
Meanwhile, a social media account that’s supposedly attached to Seungri’s sister, Lee Hanna, shared new images from Club Burning Sun that allegedly show that whistleblower and alleged victim, Kim Sang-kyo, may not be as innocent as he paints himself.
In the post the allegedly belongs to Lee, it states, “Please share this link to everybody for my brother. U guys can link to this URL on my profile… It is absolutely not true that Mr. Kim received a beating for trying to save a woman from sexual harassment. Mr. Kim was in fact arrested for approaching two females with harassing motives.”
Kim Sang-kyo “Fooling the Nation”?
The female victim from the Club Burning Sun controversy came forward with another statement the same day Seungri released his statement. In her statement, she claims that Kim Sang-kyo is “fooling the nation” and that he is not the victim he claims.
“Mr. Kim is fooling the nation,” she said. She continued by stating Kim was actually the instigator when he “tapped on her waist and hip, then kept looking at her from behind.” The victim stated she tried to leave, but Kim prevented her from doing so by grabbing her waist. She then states security tried to take him away.
In connection to Kim’s claims, the female victim said, “Mr. Kim is causing so much damage to so many people.”
This story is constantly developing. All parties are assumed innocent until proven guilty in the court of law. As for Seungri, he’s been dragged into this mess because his name has been attached to the club. He is not a suspect in any of the alleged crimes.
—-Joelle Halon
Boys Over Flowers is a 2009 Korean drama based on Japanese shōjo manga Hana Yori Dango, created by Yoko Kamio. It is also the best-selling shōjo manga of all time. With its popularity, several drama adaptations have been made: Japanese, Taiwanese, Korean and a Chinese version
Boys Over Flowers is a classic that is practically required viewing for any kdrama fan. It tells the story of Geum Jan Di (Goo Hye Sun) as she attends a prestigious high school and gets involved with F4, the most popular guys at school. F4 consists of leader Goo Jun Pyo (Lee Min Ho), Yoon Ji Hoo (Kim Hyun Joong), So Yi Jung (Kim Bum), and Song Woo Bin (Kim Joon). They’re rich, good looking, and they rule the school. But Jan Di won’t put up with it, and by standing up to them, she quickly draws the affections of arrogant Goo Jun Pyo and the knight in shining armor Yoon Ji Hoo. A lot of relationship drama ensues.
Geum Jan di played by Gu Hye Sun
Our lovable Heroine. She is a young lady who is protective of her friends and family which is what initially gets her targeted by F4. Her kind personality attracts both Jun Pyo and Ji hu to her. She is a balanced person who stays true to herself, though she has a stubborn streak. The only real change that occurs is that she understands Pyo and develops love for him.
Gu Jun Pyo played by Lee Min Ho
The leader of F4, a bad boy but with a soft heart. After his father passes away, he inherits and begins to run the Shinhwa Group along with his mother. When he was eight, he was kidnapped by his own driver. The car crashed and plunged into a lake, and from then on Jun Pyo had been afraid of swimming. He starts out in the series as an arrogant jerk who does not care for the feelings of people around him. His personality is softened by his feelings for Jan-di.
Yoon Ji Hoo played by Kim Hyun Joong
The sole survivor of a car crash that killed his parents when he was a child and the grandson of a former president. He seems to always be around to help Jan-di when she needs it. But he was very unlucky in love. He was a nice gentle and also mature character. In the end, he becomes a doctor like Jan-di. One little girl calls him “Doctor Prince.” He, Jun Pyo, and Jan-di make up the main love triangle of the series.
Song Wu bin Played by Kim Joon
He is the last member of F4, and the heir of a construction company, he has a caring and helpful personality.
Romance in the drama
1. Jandi and Jun Pyo:
Gu Jun Pyo fell in love with Jan-di which was really unbeatable because Jan-di fell in love with Ji Hoo but she had a true love with Jun Pyo. When she went on a date with Ji Hoo she had all memories of Jun Pyo because she missed him a lot. There may be a problem between them but he truly loves Jan-di from his heart. First of all Jan-di did not like Ju Pyo, she says that she hates his hair style and his behavior, but he changes everything only because of her. The love has changed Jun Pyo from his arrogant character to a sweet person.
2. Ga Eul and Yi Jung
Somewhere in the middle of the series, Jan-di’s best friend gets familiar with the F4 boys and when Yi Jung helps her out, Ga Eul falls for him. Ga Eul helps Yi Jung get over a past love and he returns the favor. Both know what it’s like to loose someone you care about even if you act like it was no big deal. The two of them are searching for someone to understand them and to love and be loved.
What I think?
The story is full of drama and suspense. While this can be a little overwhelming at times, I found myself wishing that they could just have a happy ending after all! I think this is because the characters are so likable. Every character, no matter how short the role, has some depth attached to it, and is far from insignificant. That is one of the best things about this show. The characters are all very strong, and wonderfully written, especially the protagonists. They have shown relationships in a very beautiful and tender manner. The brother sister consanguinity, the connection among childhood friends, the kinship of soul-mates. Boys Over Flowers is not a story of a rich boy who falls for a common girl and they live happily ever after. No, it is a lot more than that. It is a story about love, friendship, loyalty, loss, responsibility, difficult choices, and growing.
—-Lotus Hagar
Reminder: The situation with this story is fluid and changes constantly. Kcrush America is trying to stay on top of the story as it develops.
In addition to the sexual assault claims, Club Burning Sun, a club formerly owned by BIGBANG’s Seungri, is now under suspicion of drug use according to KBS News 9.
On January 30, 2019, KBS News 9 reports that drugs were administered in Club Burning Sun’s VIP room. A former employee appeared on the show and briefly spoke about it.
“It’s an open secret,” the former employee said. “I have clearly heard officers discuss marijuana here and that they’ve caught various people with cannabis at the club even with the police there.”
In addition to the new drug-use claims, allegedly, informants have been sending images and messages regarding drug use and sexual assault to Kim Sang-kyo, the man claiming he was assaulted by Club Burning Sun’s director and the Yeoksam Police.
In the messages, alleged employees discuss not giving stimulants to female guests; other messages provide images show a woman passed out after allegedly being given the pills.
One of the messages reads, “Because of the current situation, we won’t be selling any female stimulant pills for the time being. Please take caution with what you say, and refrain from using the products. Please leave a reply or you will be added to our blacklist.”
Later, another alleged victim came forward with details of a purported sexual assault that occurred December 30, 2018. In her account, she said she was assaulted in a VIP room bathroom. The woman states:
“I was sexually harassed by a staff member of Burning Sun on December 30th, 2018 around 6:00-6:30 PM. The staff member fondled my breasts, waist, buttocks, and attempted to put his hand inside my pants. I attempted to flee to the restroom, but the staff member grabbed me and told me that I could go if I gave a kiss. Because I wanted to get away from the staff member, I gave him a slight peck on the lips quickly and attempted to leave but I was forced to kiss. I ran away to the restroom after that. Other staff members whom I was closed to heard about it and brought the one responsible so I could get an apology. The staff member lied and claimed that he touched my waist just once or twice and that was it. One bouncer told me that I could get a hold of the CCTV footage as evidence, so I filed a report to the police. When I said I wanted to get a hold of the CCTV footage right away beforehand, I was told that no one could tamper with the CCTV or have access to it. However, when the police arrived at Burning Sun in January to collect the CCTV evidence, they were turned back as the club wasn’t open for business during the time and were told to return on the 10th. When the police went on the 10th, they were told that the CCTV footage was deleted. And the police also did not tell me to keep the clothes I was wearing that day as it was and not put it in the laundry. They could have collected evidence through that, but they told me that much later when it was too late.”
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Station is reported to have taken over the investigation into the assaults and drug claims; they are also investigating the assault of Kim Sang-kyo.
Club Burning Sun said it is working to improve safety at its establishment as public outcry continues to grow.
Allegation Arise Regarding Seungri’s Awareness?
Further complicating the issue for Seungri is that some employees are calling him out on KBS, claiming that he knew what goes on in Club Burning Sun. A former employer told KBS that Seungri would purportedly joke about the VIP lounge by stating, “Is this the place where the bouncers beat up people?”
Another report claims Seungri may have been aware of the assaults and told of the controversy during the 2018 Best Brand Award Korea Consumer Evaluation. Another former employee told KBS that Seungri was made aware of the situation when he was in the Philippines for concert promotions. The concert was January 19, 2019.
“When he quit [as CEO], there was a concert in the Philippines so he had to come back to Korea,” the former employee said. “As soon as he arrived, he inquired about the media coverage on the situation.”
It should be noted that statements may or may not be true as the investigation continues to unfold.
YG Releases a Statement
On January 30, 2019, Yang Hyun Suk released an official statement. This comes after fans demanded a statement from YG Entertainment and Seungri. Initially, YG Entertainment said they were not going to comment on the issue, but opted to send out a public apology.
Hello, this is Yang Hyun Suk.
My New Year’s greetings are very belated. Everyone, I sincerely hope you will receive a lot of luck in the new year, always be healthy, and have a happy year ahead.
Whenever there are unexpected negative rumors contrasting with my personal wish from my last post to only share good news, I feel most apologetic first of all to the fans who must have worried.
I think that sudden negative rumors are like an unexpected rain shower falling from clear skies.
YG manages control of all aspects regarding our artists’ activities through our exclusive contracts with them, and we have continuously revised our contracts and management systems in order to prevent recurrences of accidents and mistakes.
In addition, we always check by emphasizing, advising, and educating what our artists have to be careful about through lots of conversations with them, and we are putting in our full effort to prevent potential disgraceful incidents beforehand.
However, like the old saying “bad news travels fast,” I think it is very difficult to tell them to be careful in preparation for groundless negative rumors that spread through word of mouth.
Also regarding the negative rumors on Seungri’s club, I wanted to find out the truth and give a quick response since the beginning. However, our artists’ operations of their personal businesses are completely unrelated to YG, so it was an awkward situation for YG to speak out and give an official statement, and there was also a lot of difficulty in finding out the truth.
The difficulty was that I have never gone to this club and do not know any of the people related to the club, so I did not have a way to ask someone about the details of this incident.
The only person I could ask was Seungri, and I found out that on the day of the incident, Seungri was at the scene until 3 a.m. on November 24, and the incident occurred past 6 a.m.
The reason why Seungri recently resigned as an executive director of the club was in order to comply with laws regarding military service as his military enlistment is approaching in March or April.
According to Article 30 of the Framework Act on Military Status and Service, “A soldier shall not engage in any for-profit activity, other than military service, and shall not concurrently engage in other activity without permission from the Minister of National Defense.” It is specifically written, “A soldier is prohibited from becoming a director, financial manager, general partner that takes part in the business, manager, promoter, or any other executive of a business.”
I confirmed that due to this reason, Seungri is in the process of resigning from not only the club but all of the CEO and executive director positions for which his name is recorded.
Seungri himself is also feeling very apologetic to fans who must have worried due to this incident, and although he was going to share his position through a post of apology, I told him to hold off for the moment.
This is because I decided that it would be better for him to share his position after the whole story of the incident is revealed more clearly through the investigation.
Currently, the focus seems to be turning away from the assault incident towards a drug investigation. To share with fans in case they are worrying even a bit, Seungri recently received a strong investigation by the prosecution with a search and seizure warrant due to groundless reports, and it was revealed clearly that there were no issues with all his examinations including urine and hair testing.
I feel apologetic that I am not able to give positive New Year’s greetings, and I will soon greet you again with an announcement on BLACKPINK’s new music, the criteria for “YG Treasure Box” selection and debut plans, and happy news of new music from many YG artists including WINNER and iKON.
Thank you always.
2019.01.31
FROM YG (Trans. Cr. Soompi)
According to KStarLive, Seungri will release a statement soon.
Fears for Seungri’s Reputation?
Despite YG’s explanation of Seungri resignation from leadership roles due to his upcoming military service, fans remain unconvinced due to the timing of the resignations. Some are still calling for boycotts of the Seungri, BIGBANG, and even BLACKPINK.
Fans should remember that, as of now, Seungri is not accused of these crimes: The club he was once connected to is at the center of the crimes. However, since his name is attached to Club Burning Sun, statements are expected from him. The connection also tarnishes him already somewhat-problematic image further and, for many, should be lumped in with the other controversies that surround BIGBANG.
Meanwhile, a Blue House petition has been posted asking for the investigation and punishment of drugging apparent in Korea’s club scene has over 60,000 signatures at the time of this writing. The presidential office is mandated to officially respond to any petition with 200,000 or more signatures.
All parties are assumed innocent until proven guilty in the court of law. The situation is fluid and constantly developing.
—-Joelle Halon
Ever heard the phrase ‘you are that which you eat’? Just as you watch the foods you intake for weight loss and health purposes, choosing a particular diet impacts your skin’s wellbeing.
For most cultures, the nutritional value of each meal is not of importance, especially the breakfast session which may include a cup of water, or sugar-filled coffee. Nonetheless, some cultures do exercise nutritional balance although they tend to engage in meals with a single dominating nutritional element, especially proteins. A typical Korean meal –rice, soup, and side dishes- includes various nutritional elements such as proteins. The typical meal is also exercised in the breakfast session, which might sound absurd to most cultures. As such, it would be normal to find Korean families having rice, soup, and more than two side dishes for breakfast. Moreover, coffee and tea; cappuccino and latte among others, is just but a break-time snack from work or studies. Do not get me wrong! Coffee can be addicting with most drinking more than 2 cups of Americano a day. However, meals are packed up with nutritionally balanced foods.
Worrying about how you can stomach having a heavy meal in the morning with your non-ending hurry to go to work? The hurry – probably because you always find yourself sleeping in even after setting 5 alarms and using positive behavior reinforcement strategies? Well, worry no more since you can incorporate the wholesome Korean meal setting but in bits and by stepping up and matching your food’s nutritional balance to that of K-food. Here are some K-influenced foods you can include in your diet for a youthful and healthy glowing skin.
1. Collagen-based soups and stews
Collagen not only boosts your muscles by providing structure to tendons and joints, but also rejuvenates your skin. The protein is found in one’s skin, blood, ligaments and cartridges making its intake crucial. The depreciation of collagen production is facilitated by age and further aggravated by habits such as unhealthy diets, smoking, and excessive exposure to the sun. Korean soups and stews are made from ingredients containing roughages and collagen. Some of the ingredients include pig trotters and cabbage. One such recipe involves simmering bones with meat in water to make broth, which is then finalized by adding vegetables, seasoning and spices such as red pepper. The serving comprising of small meat portions and heaps of vegetables; especially legumes, promotes collagen reproduction in your body, which in turn fosters skin regeneration. While you are at it, in-taking the collagen also boosts your muscle mass, fostering prevention of joint pain and promotes your heart health. Examples: sea weed soup, vegetable soup, and chicken broth.
2. Seafood
Ever eaten a cat fish or an octopus? You should start incorporating them into your diet. Seafood comprise various skin benefits including improving your complexion and building a clear and healthy skin. Additionally, it contains anti-aging properties –through prevention of wrinkles and fine lines- and collagen which facilitates the skin’s suppleness. The most effective manner of absorbing nutrients is by in-taking the seafood in its raw form; only for the safe and non-poisonous ones. Sushi is one delicacy you should try fixing in your diet once in a while. Although individuals avoid sushi for its perceived primitive gesture, the delicacy is enriched with various minerals and proteins which are crucial for skin rejuvenation and glow. Sea vegetables, including sea weed, are also rich in minerals including sulfates which possess anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. They also comprise vitamins K and C, which foster a healthy skin. So, next time you come across a shrimp, you can try simmering rather that cooking it fully to enjoy the oozing delicacy. Examples: cod fish and crab.
3. Fermented vegetables
Most individuals think that fermented food is food which has gone bad. Well, in some way it can infer the “gone bad” meaning but its food gone bad but with additional value to one’s health. Fermented foods comprise live bacteria that foster the replenishing of microbiome in your body. Hence, such foods help the body maintain the appropriate proportion of friendly bacteria whose effect is related to skin health. The bacteria also facilitates food digestion and increases the availability of minerals and vitamins in the body thus promoting the skin’s glow and youthfulness. For instance, Kimchi is a fermented vegetable delicacy that boosts the immune system and helps prevent occurrence of atomic dermatitis thus maintaining the skin’s health. Examples: kimchi and fermented soybean.
4. Naturally fermented alcoholic drinks
Cannot afford red wine? The Korean traditional wine (makgeoli) made from rice would be a better substitute. The alcohol volume content in a rather low saturated rice wine ranges from 6 to 8 percent. The drink is used for enjoyment purposes as well as for improving one’s digestive system. The rice wine contains vitamin B and amino acids which are essential for the firmness, brightening and glowing of the skin. Excessive use of the drink in any particular can, however, instigate drunkenness.
5. Organic/herbal non-alcoholic drinks
How many tea types do you know? Koreans have over ten types of teas, whose intake varies with celebrations, preferences, and purposes. The teas are made from flowers, leaves, roots, berries, peels, blossoms, rice, barks, fruits, and stems. Some of the teas that relate to the skin’s health include green, ginseng and barley tea. Most of these teas, including that made from barley, are often used as water substitutes even in most Korean restaurants. The green and barley teas contain antioxidants which clear toxins from the body contributing to a young, supple and healthy skin. Examples: green, barley, ginseng persimmon, lotus flower, peach flower, plum flower and jujube tea.
6. Raw and half-cooked foods
Ever tried raw spinach (freshly picked leafs which are washed and served without simmering or seasoning) with a bowl of spicy stripped pork stew and boiled rice? That is a typical Korean meal which allows you to feel the crunchiness and bitterness of the spinach as you chew before in-taking the accompanying dishes for a complete mastication. Compared to the overcooked counterparts, raw foods comprise enzymes, which are crucial for body biological reactions including detoxification, digestion and energy production. The reactions are in turn important for the optimum healthy skin through RNA repair thus increasing its vitality. Reduced enzyme ratio lowers the reaction levels, which lowers skin regeneration and accelerated aging. Raw foods also reduce the depletion of elastin and collagen as their phytoestrogen component help counteract estrogen loss, hence maintaining the skin’s suppleness. Moreover, raw foods are rich in moisture content thus promoting a plump and youthful skin. Most of the raw foods are also rich in fiber whose quality and effectiveness to the body has not been tampered by the high temperatures as those for overcooked foods. Examples: Sushi and simmered carrots.
Incorporating these foods in your diet would facilitate skin rejuvenation thus giving you a healthy, glowing skin. If you may find it overwhelming to imitate the Korean three wholesome meals per day, you might as well consider ensuring that your lunch and dinner are K-food based.
—-Pe Arlkh
Trigger warning attached for those sensitive to issues of sexual assault.
Club Burning Sun, a Seoul nightclub owned by BIGBANG’s Seungri, faces allegations that female patrons have been drugged and sexually assaulted by staffers. However, Burning Sun refutes the claims and submitted their own story and evidence regarding the incident.
In December 2018, video surfaced that allegedly shows a drugged female patron being dragged off by a guard. She grabs a computer in attempt to get someone to ostensibly assist her, but she is ignored.
Following the alleged episode, the unidentified female tried to report the incident to the police, but a report failed to be filed. Incidentally, the CCTV video showing her being dragged off was also purportedly erased, causing her claims to not be investigated further. However, an unidentified Burning Sun staff member recorded the video and shared it with others prior to it being posted online.
While the video only shows one instance of an alleged assault, witnesses have come forward with other claims of sexual abuse. As claims surface, it has been revealed that police may be turning a blind eye to the accusations due to bribery. Supposedly, abuse like this happens multiple times a week, and the club pays the police large sums of money to keep incidents quiet. On YouTube, there is a video of an audio recording that suggests police know that sexual assault occurs often at the club.
Burning Sun Rebuts Claims
In an interview with Asia Economy January 29, 2019, Club Burning Sun states the allegations that the woman in the video was sexually assaulted are false.
“The images that are floating on the internet for the alleged ‘assault’ are not true at all. We will reveal the footage of the woman who appeared in the video and what happened outside,” a club representative said.
“A customer, a Thai woman stole a drink from another table,” the representative continued. “This woman assaulted the guard who came to control the situation and we reported it to the police. It’s true that the employees are involved in the assault, but innocent people are being injured by the false image that is circulating online. We plan to take strong legal recourse.”
Later, Burning Sun also released a statement addressing the assertions.
We understand that much doubt and controversy has arisen in relation to the Gangnam assault incident reported on MBC News at 8 p.m. on January 28, 2019.
The incident occurred in the process of a staff member responding to a civil complaint from a female guest who said that she had been the victim of sexual harassment. We express our sincere apology and remorse as the representatives of the club’s management team for arousing criticism over assault by a club staff member.
We will fully cooperate in the investigation process as necessary to allow for the thorough investigation of the truth related to the various doubts brought up in that report, including submitting all of the CCTV footage that recorded the details related to that incident to the investigative agency.
Also, regarding the person from the club connected to that assault incident, we are holding him responsible and have taken disciplinary action and dismissal measures. We will do our best to prevent this from happening again in the future through actions such as education for our club staff and the creation of manuals on safety and security.
Regarding the video allegedly showing a woman being dragged off to be assaulted, Burning Sun refutes the allegations. In an Instagram post, Burning Sun states:
On December 1, 2018 around 1:35 a.m.,
An intoxicated woman (Thai) at a VIP table was causing a disturbance through actions such as unsealing alcohol at the table and secretly drinking it, and so actions were taken for her to leave.
In the process of her leaving, she committed the first act of assault on the guard’s head.
After our Burning Sun guard team called the police, they were waiting, and a female Burning Sun guard was in charge.
A staff member who was able to communicate with the foreigner (the male wearing a denim jacket) explained the situation in English, but she became angry instead and she assaulted the female guard and sales team member.
After the police arrived, we submitted the video in question to the police, the foreign guest was arrested, we received assault settlement money afterwards for the repair cost of the laptop, and the case was closed.
A female staffer also posted about the incident and shared a photo from the unidentified female patron apologizing for the incident.
The woman in the video paid an undisclosed fine to the club.
Still, witnesses also claim that they’ve been harassed and abused by Club Burning Sun staff.
A Witness’ Claim of Police Brutality
One witness, identified as Mr. Kim, wrote about an incident from November 24, 2018 in an online community. In his post, Kim states he was beat up by the club’s director, Mr. Jang, and the Yeoksam Police.
Kim alleges, “On November 24 at the Burning Sun, a woman being sexually harassed grabbed my shoulder and hid behind me. I asked security for help, but I ended up getting beat up by security guards and people who seemed to be their friends.”
When Kim spoke to MBC’s News Desk about the incident, he stood by his claim by stating, “One person took the lead to beat me and security helped him. It was incredibly shameful. Everyone was watching me.”
Kim also states that when police were contacted, he was handcuffed and taken to the police station where he was slammed with assault and sexual harassment charges as well as obstruction of business charges. Within his social media post that police assaulted him following the incident, leading to stomach injuries, facial abrasions, and three broken ribs.
“As we were walking up the steps, the policeman tripped me and pushed me from behind. Since my hands were cuffed behind my back, I fell and scraped my face,” Kim said. “He kicked me repeatedly and I ended up near the glass doors. There’s a thick stainless-steel frame at the bottom of the door. As I was getting kicked, my face collided with the stainless steel. That’s when my nose started bleeding. Blood came spurting out of my nose.”
The Seoul Metropolitan Police contest Kim’s claims and released a statement. It reads:
When we arrived, Mr. Kim was overly emotional and refused to give his personal information. We were attempting to verify the report he had assaulted security and caused a disturbance, but Mr. Kim continued causing a commotion. This is why he was arrested for obstruction of business and other reasons.
We have secured evidence such as CCTV footages of the surrounding areas and are currently in the process of looking into them. We have also called Mr. Jang in for an investigation. Several cases are being investigated simultaneously, including the statement from a representative of the club and their countercharge against Mr. Kim. Mr. Kim is currently refusing to come in for an investigation.”
We’ll investigate carefully and thoroughly so that no one is falsely accused.
However, CCTV footage has been uncovered showing police using force during the arrest and dragging Kim into the station. The footage also shows a police man cleaning up, but it is unclear what he is cleaning. Some media sources claim it is blood.
A representative from the Yeoksam Police Station, the location where Kim was taken, said, “Mr. Kim tripped and fell on his own while coming up the steps, and his nose bled. We did not assault him as he claims we did. We rewatched and studied the video footages over and over again. We could not find sustainable evidence that our policemen assaulted him.”
Kim refuses to back down from his claims and has asked for police dash cam footage to be released. However, the police refused until Kim obtained a lawyer. Video was released, but it appears to have been tampered. MBC News, however, did obtain clearer footage.
Additionally, several police cameras at the Yeoksam Police station have been “disconnected” for three years, so police felt they did not have to turn over that footage.
Regarding the camera issue, MBC News spoke to secretary general of the Citizens’ Solidarity for Human Rights, Oh Chang-ik. He states the camera issue feels odd.
“Regarding the CCTVs,” Oh said, “the Yeoksam police station has the most advanced and precise technology. But for them to claim that they left it disconnected since 2016 because of construction 3 years ago? How can anyone believe that?”
Kim has since filed a lawsuit against the police station and a petition with Korea’s Blue House. In his Blue House petition, Kim states the following:
Hello, my name is Kim Sangkyo, a 28-year-old citizen of South Korea.
On November 24, 2018 Saturday, I went to a club called ‘Burning Sun’ in Gangnam and reserved a table to celebrate the birthday of a friend who is helping me with the interior design of my advertisement-project. We were on our way out after drinking 3 bottles of champagne, when a woman jumped out from a table on my right and hid behind me, while grabbing onto my left shoulder. At that moment, a man’s arm reached out from the table and tried to pull the woman by her armpits and in between her breasts. She held onto me as she tried to resist. As a reflex, I grabbed onto the man’s arm and looked at the man (Burning Sun’s manager). As soon as I looked, he threw a punch in my direction. I avoided the punch, held onto both of the man’s arms, and asked a body guard for help.
However, what returned in my ask for assistance was a collective beating by the body guard and the people from the table.
At the time of this writing, Kim’s petition has received over 230,000 signatures.
YG Entertainment and Seungri Keep Mum
Currently, Seungri is not involved in the investigations surrounding Club Burning Sun as he was supposedly not present during the alleged incidents (Netizens, however, uncovered proof Seungri was present prior to the incidents). However, since it is his club, his name has been floated around the media (specifically KBS), and there is expectation that he should make a statement given his ties to it.
YG Entertainment, too, has been quiet except to say, “We will not be releasing any official statement whatsoever.”
YG Entertainment is not obligated to make a statement, however. Seungri’s business ventures are separate from the company.
The investigations for all incidents are still ongoing. All parties are presumed innocent until proven guilty. Stay tuned for more updates.
—-Joelle Halon
Nissin, a company known for their ramen noodles, found themselves in hot water recently.
The company recently pulled their “Hungry to Win” ad featuring anime versions of tennis stars Naomi Osaka and Kei Nishikori. The ad, which is based on the anime The Prince of Tennis by Takeshi Konomi, features Osaka and Nishikori in an epic tennis game.
While featuring the stars in the ads make sense—Nissin sponsors both athletes and Osaka is a brand ambassador—the issue lies in how Nissin lightened Osaka’s hair and skin to make her look almost Caucasian instead of embracing her Haitian-Japanese background. Because of her portrayal as a pale-skinned athlete in the ad, fans of Osaka and the media have accused Nissin of whitewashing.
Once Nissin was called out for their alleged insensitivity, Nissin Foods spokesman Daisuke Okabayashi said the company did not mean to be disrespectful and has since pulled the ads from their website. The videos have also been removed from YouTube at the request of IMG, Osaka’s agency.
“There is no intention of whitewashing,” Okabayashi told CNN. “We accept that we are not sensitive enough and will pay more attention to diversity issues in the future.”
When asked about the issue, Osaka said, “I’ve talked to them and they’ve apologized… I don’t think they did it on purpose to be, like, whitewashing or anything, but I definitely think that next time that they try to portray me or something, I feel they should talk to me about it.”
Osaka also added that she’s “tan. That’s pretty obvious.”
This latest controversy brings up more about the debate of “otherness” in Japan, where people of different ethnicities or mixed race often face issues with acceptance. In Osaka’s case, the debate exists over whether she is Japanese, Haitian, or American, so issues of her background often overshadow her accomplishments on the tennis court.
Whether the ad was intentionally whitewashed or not, it does bring up the debate of how race defines a person. In Osaka’s case, there is a preference to be defined by her character, not her race. Even so, it’s important to portray people as they are instead of some “ideal.”
—-Joelle Halon
The Australian Open marked the dawn of a new tennis era this past weekend.
Naomi Osaka, a 21-year-old who is of Haitian-Japanese descent, beat former world number one and two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova. Osaka’s win is her second Grand Slam title and propelled to the top spot in tennis’ world rankings.
A year ago, she ranked 72nd in the world.
“I felt like I was in a state of shock through the entire trophy presentation,” Osaka said.
Osaka stormed her way to victory following an abysmal start to her match against Kvitova. After a break between matches, Osaka defeated her opponent 7-6 (7-2), 5-7, 6-4. Kvitova proved to be a fierce competitor, making the matches one of the Australian Open’s must-sees.
“Definitely she is a great one,” Kvitova said of Osaka following the match.
With her win, many firsts came Osaka’s way. At 21, she is the youngest player to be the top tennis player since 2010. Caroline Wozniacki previously held this position when she 20-years-old. She’s also the first tennis player representing Japan to become the world’s number one tennis player. Osaka’s win is her second consecutive Grand Slam win. Osaka is the first woman not named Williams to win back-to-back Grand Slam titles since Kim Clijsters did it in 2010 and 2011.
If you heard Osaka’s name before, it was probably due to her controversy-clouded U.S. Open win against Serena Williams in 2018. During the match, Williams was penalized for receiving coaching from the stands via her coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, and for unsportsmanlike conduct, which caused Williams to lash out at chair umpire Carlos Ramos. The display caused an uproar inside Arthur Ashe Stadium that carried over into the award ceremony, taking the shine off Osaka’s win.
Her Australian Open title came without drama, so instead of tears, there was joy. Her win also means she is one step closer to her goal of being like Serena Williams, whom she admired since she was a child.
Laura Penhaul, a British physiotherapist who spent time with Osaka in 2017, said, “Naomi has always idolized Serena, and when she beat Venus Williams in Hong Kong two years ago it gave her a lot of confidence, the feeling that she could do it against the top dogs. The whole family have set out to follow the Williams model. Even her coach, Sascha Bajin, is Serena’s former hitting partner.
“That was the hard thing [about the US Open final between Osaka and Serena Williams],” Penhaul added. “It was so upsetting and emotional. It’s great that this time she could achieve the [Australian Open] title on clear merit, so that it’s not overshadowed.”
Beyond this moment, though, Osaka has always had some connection to the Williams sisters, tennis players her father, Leonard Francois, idolized and decided his daughters—Naomi and her sister Mari—would become. The girls trained during the day and studied at night, and even moved to Florida to train in 2006. While training, Francois decided the girls would represent Japan, their mother’s homeland.
“The blueprint was already there,” Francois said in a New York Times Magazine interview. “I just had to follow it.”
His plan was set in motion in 1999. Fast-forward ten years, and Francois and his wife Tamaki Osaka have a champion daughter who is now the number-one-ranked player in the world.
Naturally, Osaka’s rise to the top is not without nay-sayers who cling to Osaka’s mixed-race heritage. Osaka is Haitian-Japanese, a fact that some claim may put more pressure on her in order for Japan to accept her success. Similarly, some consider her more American than Japanese since she’s lived in the U.S. for a large part of her life even though Osaka herself does not feel American.
“I don’t necessarily feel like I’m American,” she told The New York Times in August 2018. “I wouldn’t know what that feels like.”
Instead of worrying about the world to which Osaka belongs, Japan has a scrappy, cheerful person representing the country of her birth and where has dual-citizenship, and nothing should take away from the feat she accomplished.
—-Joelle Halon
On January 29, 2019, it has been revealed the Big Bang’s Seungri has resigned from his director role at Club Burning Sun.
In a KBS News 7 report, Seungri resigned from his directorship position prior the alleged sexual assault claims and patron abuse claims exploding in the media. The report also claims that Seungri was never really the owner.
“Burning Sun is currently registered under a different name [not Seungri’s],” a club affiliate said. “While the owners were working on the interior to run a club within the hotel, they heard that Seungri was looking for a position for running a club and they proposed that they work together. This is why everyone thinks Seungri is the CEO. It’s true that Seungri participated in the operation of the club but he is not the actual owner of the business.”
In the official statements regarding the incidents at the club, Seungri’s name is not present, further cementing that Seungri may not be attached to the club. Lee Seong Hyeon and Lee Moon Ho are currently listed as the club’s CEOs.
However, the club’s own website states Seungri still owns and runs the club.
Seungri’s resignation seems suspect to many Netizens following the cases surrounding Club Burning Sun. To them, his resignation indicates his awareness of the situations and that he’s simply running away in attempt to save face. Netizens still wish for Seungri to provide a statement about the incidents, especially since he was still the owner during the time the assaults took place. Netizens also want a statement after discovering he was actually at the club the night of the alleged incidents thanks to an Instagram post by Girls’ Generation’s Hyoyeon.
Meanwhile, some now-former fans of Seungri, YG Entertainment, and Big Bang have launched boycott campaigns due to the multiple scandals that follow all three entities.
A Netizen posted a call-to-action for people to boycott Big Bang and Seungri in order to send a message to YG that the group should not be shielded. In a post translated by Koreaboo, the Netizen states:
Don’t buy YG contents.. I’m having a lot of thoughts after Seungri’s controversy.. I just deleted and threw away all the YG songs and albums that I bought for BLACKPINK and BIGBANG. Let’s boycott itㅠㅠㅠ So that money doesn’t become a source of authority.. Let’s show them how scary the people who loved them enough to make them rich can be
If we continue to buy their songs and contents, YG will think the public are fools. They’ll think that time will heal, it will be okay once they go and return from the army, if we send out good songs we’ll make money.. Other entertainment agencies will see it and think, ‘Oh? The other agency was able to cover up anything they did as long as they had money?’..
If you really love BIGBANG and YG artists, shouldn’t you reprimand them instead of shielding them?? So they can walk a better path
I’ve never once written on Nate Pann before. The policemen who arrested the victim, the employee who only cared about his laptop when a woman who was roofied was struggling as she was dragged out, Seungri who was at the club on that day… It made me want to write this post.
I realized how this one situation probably happens much more often than we realize, and I was shocked.. The stories that we see on movies like ‘Veteran’, ‘Inside Men’, ‘The Outlaws’, and ‘Man From Nowhere’ actually happened in real life, and I’m scared our society is going to get worse.
Please don’t do anything about this, thinking ‘This has nothing to do with me. As long as I’m fine.’ Everything that happens in society will affect you in some way at some time.
Those of you who complain about being born in high class and low class, please understand that way of thinking was born from these kinds of people who think money is power.”
This story is still a developing one. Stay tuned for more updates! Meanwhile, what are your thoughts about boycotting YG and YG artists? Weigh-in below!
—-Joelle Halon
From January 18 to January 27, 2019, the 2019 U.S. Figure Skating Championships were held in Detroit, Michigan. From January 24-27, the senior competition was held with dazzling results and surprises. One of those surprises was 13-year-old Alysa Liu’s surprise win to take the Ladies crown from defending champion Bradie Tennell.
Liu, who is Chinese-American, is the youngest U.S. National Champion in figure skating history. The record previously belonged to Tara Lipinski who won the title when she was 14 years-old during in 1997. Lipinski still holds the title of being the youngest skater to win an Olympic title.
After the short program, Liu, who skated to Barbra Streisand’s “Don’t Rain on My Parade,” was in second behind Bradie Tennell. Prior to Tennell’s skate, Liu broke Tennell’s record short program score by earning 73.89 points despite an under-rotated jump; Tennell, who broke the American ladies’ record again with her score of 76.60, originally held the record in 2018 with a score of 73.79.
During the long program, the stars aligned for Liu as she skated a flawless free program to John Williams’ “Witches of Eastwick” soundtrack. Liu’s free skate earned a score of 143.62 (total score 217.51). Defending champion Bradie Tennell, while artistically brilliant, stumbled on a few of her jumps, causing her to earn a free skate score of 136.99 (total score 213.59). In third was perennial bridesmaid Mariah Bell with a total score of 212.40.
“It’s not fully sunk in yet,” Liu said after her win. “I am kind of out of it right now. I am not thinking about anything I just did.”
In addition to being the United States’ youngest champion, Liu is also the only American female skater to land three triple axels in competition. She landed one in her short program and two during her free program. Her two triple axels in her long program also mark the first time an American woman landed more than one in a single program.
At 13, Liu is too young to compete at international senior events. She will still have to skate at the junior-level until 2022 when she’ll be 16-years-old… incidentally when she’s eligible to compete at the Beijing Olympics if she’s selected to be on the team. If her abilities continue to enhance, she may be the United States’ chance to medal in woman’s figure skating at the Olympics. U.S. women have not medaled in Olympic figure skating since 2002.
“She is the future of US ladies skating,” Tara Lipinski said in an Instagram post. “And she will be the one to push the next generation forward.”
For now, the 4’7” skating phenom still needs assistance to climb the podium. She is still a kid after all.
—-Joelle Halon
Mystic Entertainment announced that Brown-Eyed Girls (BEG) will be making their first full-group comeback during the first half of 2019.
“It’s true that Brown Eyed Girls is preparing an album with the goal of making a comeback in the first half of the year,” Mystic Entertainment said to Sports Chosun.
Prior to the comeback confirmation, several media outlets and Netizens speculated that BEG would be disbanding, especially since Narsha left Mystic Entertainment in December 2018 following her contract expiration. However, Mystic was quick to squash any rumors suggesting that Narsha would be leaving the group and the BEG would disband.
“The other Brown Eyed Girls’ members except Narsha are still under Mystic Entertainment, and Narsha will also continue to participate in Brown Eyed Girls’ albums,” a Mystic representation said in December. “They’re currently in the process of working on a new album.”
The members have been hinting at their comeback since last 2018, further calming the tide of disbandment rumors.
BEG have been on hiatus as a group since 2015. During their hiatus, Narsha married her non-celebrity boyfriend in 2016.
In 2017, Ga-in was briefly embroiled in a marijuana scandal and quickly cleared. She admitted that she was once offered marijuana by a friend of Joo Ji-hoon, her ex. She’s also been in treatment for mental health issues.
Miryo and JeA have been active since the group’s break. Miryo appeared on Unpretty Rapstar 3 and has released several singles, while JeA has been active in the music scene, variety shows, and OSTs.
BEG became a viral group following 2006’s release of “Abracadabra” and its now iconic dance. For their comeback, Mystic says fans should expect something different from the quartet.
Are you excited for a BEG comeback? We know we are!
—-Joelle Halon
A photo of 2PM from their official twitter account @follow_2PM. From left: Taecyeon, Nichkun, Wooyoung, Junho, Chansung and Jun K.
Brainchild of JYP
2PM was the brainchild of Park Jin Young, the superstar and founder of JYP Entertainment, one of the biggest entertainment companies in South Korea. Originally an eleven-member band known as One Day, the band was split into two separate groups in their own right – 2PM and 2AM – with 2PM comprising seven members, Jay Park, Jun. K (formerly known as Junsu), Nichkhun, Taecyeon, Wooyoung, Junho and Chansung.
Their first studio album was released in 2009, which included their first number one single ‘Again & Again’. In 2010, the group suffered a setback when their leader, Jay Park was embroiled in controversy involving posts from 2005 on his personal Myspace account expressing dislike of Korea which were taken out of context and grossly misinterpreted by the media. The public furor, allegedly led to his eventual departure from the group, resulting in the current lineup of six members.
Despite this initial setback, the group continued to make strides in the industry, working their way up from being opening acts in concerts of bigger groups such as Wonder Girls, to eventually headlining their own sold out concerts, releasing hit albums and debuting in Japan with Japanese albums and concerts.
From boys to men
Over the years, the group has grown from strength to strength, celebrating their 10th anniversary in September 2018. Their decade long presence in the industry has seen the boys grow into formidable artistes both as 2PM and as individuals and Hottests – the name their fans go by – are no doubt looking forward to more growth from the members in their respective endeavors.
2018 also saw the group beginning their hiatus with the members going off to serve their respective mandatory military enlistments one by one. As it stands, all the members with the exception of Taecyeon, have re-signed their contracts with JYP Entertainment and taken on the mantle of directors of the company signaling their importance as artistes and their determination to take charge of their artistic direction as individuals and as a group. Although Taecyeon has signed with another company, he remains committed to 2PM, continuing to promote as a group in addition to his individual activities.
Men of substance
Jay Park is second from right in this photo of the hosts and judges of Asia’s Got Talent shared on Jay’s Instagram account @jparkitrighthere.
Jay Park, the Korean American former leader of the group, returned to music in 2011 as a solo artiste, once the tide of public opinion turned in his favor after it was revealed how his post were misinterpreted. He is now a celebrated singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, model, dancer, choreographer, entrepreneur and actor. International fans also know him as one of the judges of AXN’s Asia’s Got Talent and the first Asian American to sign with the record label Roc Nation by Jay-z.
Jun K, seen on the promotional photos from his 4th solo album ‘No Time’ shared on his Instagram account @jun2dakay.
Jun K, is a successful solo artiste with four solo albums under his belt with his most recent Japanese album, ‘No Time’, released in April 2018. However, he has been keeping out of the public eye after getting caught driving drunk in February last year. He apologized to fans and the public for his error in judgment and is currently enlisted in the military for his mandatory service.
A recent photo of all six members shared on Taecyeon’s Twitter account @taeccool. From left to right: Jun K, Nichkhun, Junho, Wooyeong, Chansung and Taecyeon.
Taecyeon, who is also currently serving his mandatory military service after giving up his American residency, has been on the news for his outstanding performance in the military. He is now signed to 51K, an agency founded by actor So Ji-sub and is expected to resume his activities with 2PM as well his solo singing and acting career once he has completed his service. Luckily, fans can watch him in his multiple dramas and movies while waiting for this talented actor to make a comeback.
Nichkhun in a photo he shared on his Instagram account @Khunnie0624.
Nichkhun, also known as the Thai prince for his Thai nationality and wealthy background has been focusing on solo activities while the group is on hiatus. He held solo concerts in Osaka late last year and unveiled his first Japanese solo album ‘Me’ – contributing to the composition and lyrics of every song in the album. On the acting side, his movie ‘Brother of the Year’ became the second highest-grossing Thai movie in 2018 and ranked no. 1 in Thai box offices. He is also starring in Chinese drama ‘Shall We Fall In Love’ currently airing on Tencent.
Wooyoung seen here in his military uniform flanked by members Chansung and Junho in a photo shared on 2PM’s official Instagram account @real_2pmstagram.
Wooyoung, has been a solo artiste since 2012 with his most recent release – the E.P. ’Bye’ reaching no. 4 on Korean charts in January 2018. He is also interested in acting but was last seen years ago in the Kdramas ‘Dream High’ (2011) and ‘The Miracle’ (2013). No word yet on his plans after he completes his military service as he just enlisted in July 2018.
A promotional photo of Junho from his second solo album ‘Two’ shared on his Twitter account @dlwnsghek.
Junho, is easily recognizable these days due to the popularity of his recent Kdramas ‘Good Manager’ and ‘Wok of Love’ and will next be seen in Kdrama ‘Confession’ as well as two films in 2019. Despite his flourishing acting career, he continues to produce music as well, and will be releasing his second solo album ‘Two’ this month.
A photo of CHansung on the set of his latest drama ‘So I Married an Anti-fan” shared on 2PM’s official Instagram account @real_2pmstagram.
Chansung, is another member who has been focusing on acting recently, taking up small but memorable supporting roles in Kdramas such as the popular ‘Suspicious Partner’ and ‘What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim’. This comes as no surprise to fans of the actor as he has been acting since 2006, even before 2PM was formed. The talented actor and martial artist also owns a fitness center which he opened in 2012 in partnership with his weight trainer. He will next be seen in the drama ‘So I Married an Anti-fan’ which is currently filming.
—-Fie Fed
Are you planning to spend your remaining Winter vacation enjoying what Korea has to offer? Korean theme parks would still be a choice even during this chilly weather. If you are torn between spending your time either in Lotte World or Everland theme park, here are some tips to help you decide which suits you best.
Similarities
1. Religious matters
Both Everland and Lotte World have prayer rooms ensuring that individuals do not have to exit the site for religious purposes, especially in the cold winter weather. The prayer room in Everland is located in the Mystery Mansion while that of Lotte World is situated in the Adventure indoor section, third floor, Jungle Adventure Boat’s exit door.
2. Photography matters
Both theme parks offer outstanding photography sceneries, even during Winter. The extensively outdoor scenery in Everland offers unique viewpoints of nature under the snowy and rainy conditions. Lotte World also offers great indoor photo-taking opportunities enhanced by the numerous photo zones accentuated with funny text signboards and cute characters. Lotte World’s outdoor section is also good for photos as it brings out the breathtaking seasonal nature.
Differences
1. Weather aspect
Given that it is cold during winter, most people prefer indoor outings. As such, compared to Everland; whose most activities are enjoyed out in the open, Lotte World has a greater number of indoor fun spots making it a better choice due to the cold. If you are not up for the cold dry Winter air, Lotto world would offer you more opportunities to enjoy your vacation, although the park’s thrilling outdoor activities would be fun to try. However, if you do not mind the harsh weather, you can opt for Everland and interact with the nature’s seasonal decoration themes. Nonetheless, although you are assured of sledding and skating, some of Everland’s attractions would be closed owing to the bad weather.
2. Crowding aspect
Compared to Everland, Lotte World is more crowded due to several reasons. First, with Everland substantially offering outdoor enjoyment opportunities, most individuals prefer Lotte World as it comprises mostly of indoor activities thus facilitating an escape from the harsh Winter weather. Secondly, compared to Everland which occupies 100 ha, Lotte World sits on a 13 ha piece of land thus making it more susceptible to crowding regarding its capacity. Hence, if crowded places are not a bother and you would prefer indoor activities then Lotte World would be the perfect match for you. However, if you disregard waiting in line for decades to enjoy your preferential park activities or constantly brushing against other people as you find your way through the park, Everland would be a better option. Although its activities are entirely outside, Everland offers an outstanding natural decoration of nature will owe you. Nonetheless, you might as well avoid either of the parks during weekends and public holidays as they are filled to capacity.
3. Accessibility aspect
Lotte World is located inside Seoul making it a better option compared to Everland, which is far from Seoul. To access Everland from Seoul, it takes about an hour to an hour and a half. Given that the weather is not as welcoming during winter, one might be burdened to travel over an hour to Everland not mentioning that most of the park’s activities are outdoor. Lotte World would then be a better option adding to the fact that it is surrounded by other visiting sites including Lotte Duty Free and Lotte Tower; one of the tallest buildings in Korea.
4. Child friendliness aspect
Both Lotte World and Everland uphold high standards of the expected child friendly matters. For instance, Everland offers animal-related attractions, adventures and rides meant for children. Lotte World also offers children various enjoyment joints including ball shooting areas, carousel, and bumper cars among others. Although the friendliness aspect is based on the preferences and age of the children, Lotte World offers better services in terms of costs. For instance, at Everland, one pays KRW 5000 (plus KRW 1000 deposit) for a single stroller and KRW 15000 (plus KRW 5000 deposit) for a double stroller (stroller rental). On the contrary, at Lotte World, one pays only KRW 3000 (plus KRW 10000 deposit) thus making it more cost effective (stroller rental).
Conclusively, Lotte World would be a better option compared to Everland during the Winter season. Although it is rather more crowded, Lotte World offers more indoor activities, is child friendly regarding cost effectiveness, and is more accessible from Seoul. Moreover, compared to Everland which is popular during nice weather days – from March to June and September to November-, Lotte World’s popularity increases during harsh weather days – December to February and July to August. Nonetheless, if you are an outdoor person who enjoys taking the Winter cold challenge; probably to ski or sled over snow, Everland would be a better alternative. Thus, with such information in mind, it should be easier for you to decide on which site; between Everland and Lotte, is worth spending your remaining winter vacation time.
—-Pe Arlkh
The rice cake has a long history in Korean cuisine, which goes back thousands of years.
We’ll be introducing a very simple and basic recipe for baking (actually, steaming) a Korean Pumpkin Rice Cake (호박떡: Hobaktteok) that is made of non-glutinous rice powder and pumpkin.
This healthy and nutritious dish is said to be especially good for people with weak digestive systems and can be served as dessert for festive occasions like birthdays, memorials and anniversaries.
The below recipe is for 8 servings and the total heating time will cover approximately 50 minutes, making the total cooking time of just an hour or so. This recipe was put together by Professor Yoon Sook-ja who is the head of the Institute of Traditional Korean Food.
The necessary ingredients:
Water,
26 cm steamer,
18 cm stainless cake mold,
500 g (5 cups) of non-glutinous rice powder,
1/2 teaspoon of salt,
100g of sugar,
250g of sweet pumpkin,
8g of jujubes,
16 pumpkin seeds.
*Earthenware steamers are traditionally used but bamboo dimsum steamers can also be used for convenience.
Preparation:
- Scrape the insides of the sweet pumpkin and remove all the seeds as well.
- Sprinkle salt on the rice powder and sieve.
- Wipe the jujube clean and cut into flower shapes.
- Wipe the pumpkin seeds clean with dry cotton cloths.
Recipe:
- Let the water boil for 9 min. When it gives off heat, add the sweet pumpkin and steam for 15 min on high heat.
- Take the pumpkin out and scrape the flesh with a large spoon.
- Add the pumpkin flesh and sugar into the rice powder and mix well, then put the content through the sieve.
- Pour water into the steaming pot, on high heat. When the water boils, lay cotton cloths on the bottom of the pot.
- Place the rice and pumpkin mixture carefully into the mold and smoothen the surface.
- Put X-shaped slits at intervals of 5 cm, and decorate the top it with jujube and pumpkin seeds.
- Steam the rice cake for another 15 min.
—-J.Chung
Throughout 2018, we have experienced a boom in nail art trends, most of which gained popularity upon being embraced by K-pop idols. The New Year has brought with it exquisite nail art and designs thus demanding a change in its trend. Below are some of the nail trends that ought to be left in 2018 to allow the flourishing of new designs.
1. Jelly nail trend
The jelly nail polish trend dominated the 2018 Korean fashion not only in spring but also in summer and early autumn. The polish is also usually referred to as ‘glass or see-through nails due to their slightly sheer appearance accompanied by the ‘lip gloss’ shininess. Moreover, they can be worn under various colors and are said to resemble fruity jam jellies. The polish looks stunning when worn with both short and long nails thus fostering its popularity.
2. Negative space nail art
The nail design whose idea popped up over three years ago saw tremendous popularity and customization in 2018. The playful yet sophisticated look of a negative space manicure involves the peeling on uncolored nail through bold lacquer colors. The art has been expressed through various designs including a thin outlining on nail tips and color blocks.
3. Denim blue nail art
The recent craze for a denim fashion comeback has creeped its way into nail trends. In 2018, the denim blue nail trend became the newest manicure desire, especially with the ‘unfinished/ tattered’ denim nail polish; under the denimology reign. Unlike other colors, which would look absurd upon matching with clothes, matching the denim blue nail polish with a set of denim attire accentuates its exquisiteness. The denim polish comes in various shades to compliment the various colors of denim.
4. Tartan nail art
Tartan nail art is usually a manicure design for festive seasons. The fact that the nail art can be worn under diverse design and according to one’s color preferences made its popularity rise in the 2018 manicure trends. The trend; owing to its design, presents a sophisticated yet playful appearance of the nails.
5. Half-moon nail art
The style; resembling a reversed French manicure, has been a trend not only in red carpet events but also in celebrity-packed runways to offices and schools. The half-moon comprises two contrasting polish shades with one being at the nail while the other at the tips. Moreover, individuals can also add reimbursements to accentuate the desired look. It is a simple yet bold manicure design depending on the used shades.
6. Pierced nail trend
However bizarre it seems, piercings on the nails tips substantially dominated in the 2018 manicure trends. The trend which initially associated with edgy rock stars has been embraced to present elegance and fashion.
7. Leopard nail art
The leopard nail art is one of the easiest DIY (do it yourself) nail design to undertake since the painting is freehand accompanied by uneven spots. Usually, this fun yet stylish art is accomplished by using three contrasting nail colors with one being the base coat; covering the whole nail, and the other two applied to represent the spots.
8. Framed nail art
The nail art involves a color that runs round the outer linings of the nail; from the base to the tip and back, and contrasts with other colors used to accentuate the nail’s inner parts.
Nonetheless, some nail trends such as cartoon nail art might also prevail through 2019 and beyond since the designs depend on individual preferences and festive seasons as well. In Korea, most of such nail art include pictures on kakao talk friends, Father Christmas and to some extend k-pop idols.
Overall, it does not mean that the discussed nail trends will not surface in 2019. For instance, the demonology fashion persistence might trigger the prevalence of the denim nail art; although in more creative presentations. The negative space nail art and nail piercings might also develop to more sophisticated designs. The manicure world has embraced diverse ideas and perspectives hence making it a booming niche for experimentation and exploitation.
—-Pe Arlkh
South Korea is one of the most dominate countries in the speed skating world. During the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, South Korea got to show their ice prowess by taking home seven speed skating medals, placing them fourth overall behind perennial champions Netherlands, Japan, and Norway. While South Korea’s speed skating wins should be celebrated, it has been brought to light that there may be a dark underbelly to Korea’s training methods, especially with female athletes.
Earlier in January 2019, Shim Suk-hee, 21, came forward with rape allegations against her former coach, Cho Jae-beom, 38. Shim, a member of South Korea’s national short-track speed skating team and a two-time Olympic gold medalist, alleges the abuse started when she 17-years-old. Prior to the Olympics, Shim said Cho “punched and kicked her until she felt she might die.” During the Olympics, Shim fell during competition; she attributes the fall to a concussion she received from Cho’s abuse.
Shim’s lawyer, Lim Sang-hyuck, pointed out other alleged instances of abuse including a time when Cho broke Shim’s finger with a hockey stick when she was a fourth grader.
Cho received a work ban in South Korea following the allegations and moved on to China to become the nationals team coach.
Cho, who’s currently serving a 10-month prison term for physically assaulting Shim and three other athletes between 2011 and 2018 when he was ultimately fired prior to the Olympic games, denied the rape allegations.
According to Korea Daily, Cho and Shim communicated through the secret instant messaging app Telegram. In a report, Shim alleges Cho told her to use the app. Telegram is a secure messenger that features encryption and a self-destruct feature.
Police confiscated Cho’s computer and cell phone to look for evidence.
Shim’s allegations are not the first claims of sexual and physical assault in the Korean speed skating arena.
“Miss A” Comes Forward
Following Shim’s allegations, another speed skater spoke to the press anonymously.
The young woman, dubbed “Miss A” by the press, claimed her abuse began when she was 11-years-old when coaches would beat her with skate blades. She stated her brother also experienced abuse.
“I used to get called into the coach’s room, where she would hit me with a skate blade sleeve 10 to 20 times,” she said. “I suffered muscle rupture, severe bruises and split skin. My older brother was beaten with a golf club,” the now-18-year-old told CNN.
When Miss A turned 15, she said a male coach began acting inappropriately with her. She claimed he kissed and touched her, and she has years of text messages that contain love confessions from the coach.
“I felt it was dirty, I was young back then,” Miss A said. “Had I known how wrong and serious it was, I would have told my mom instead of keeping it to myself. It makes me feel sad I couldn’t tell anyone about that.”
Miss A said Shim gave her the inspiration to come forward.
More Victims Speak Out
On January 20, 2019, more accusers across different sports stepped forward with abuse allegations. Former judo athlete Shin Yoo-young, former taekwondo athlete Lee Ji-hye, and a female wrestler alleged their male coaches sexually abused them. Additionally, in a news conference in front of South Korea’s parliament, five more skaters, under the guise of anonymity, came forward with abuse claims, indicating that there’s more to the strict training regimes than meets the eye.
A group representing the five athletes, the Solidarity for Young Skaters (SYS), spoke to parliament regarding the allegations. The group, headed up by Yeo Jun-hyung, speaks up for young skaters due to officials and sports associations sweeping allegations under the rug. Yeo, a former national short track coach, said his sister and other athletes were abused 14 years ago. The two coaches involved in his sister’s case did not receive punishment. One coach still works in the industry.
SYS said they are not revealing victims’ names because “the accusation could only result in secondary victimization and retaliation against the athletes.”
Parliament Representative Sohn Hye-won spoke about the victims during the news conference and discussed how one victim experienced repeated groping as a teen by a coach while training at the Korea National Sport University (KNSU). KNSU is one of Korea’s top speed skating training centers.
“During the training, the coach forcibly hugged and kissed the skater, saying he was correcting her posture,” Sohn said. “Also, the coach demanded her to watch a movie together and have a meal together outside [the ice rink]. When the skater rejected his demand, he lashed out at her.” Sohn said the skater has since left the sport.
During the news conference, Sohn also called for an investigation of KNSU professor Jeon Myeong-gyu. Jeon has consistent accusations of nepotism and favoritism of certain coaches and athletes. Sohn claims Jeon may have known of the abuse but willingly did nothing to alleviate the situation.
“Jeon is called a ‘godfather of ice skating’ and has a powerful presence in the field,” Sohn said. “[He] was fully aware of the situation, but he did not take any actions.”
Sohn continued, “There has been frequent sexual abuse in the skating scene, but the offenders in most cases did not receive punishment; that’s because the coaches were members of the KNSU circle led by Professor Jeon Myeong-gyu.”
Jeon Myeong-gyu Responds
Following the parliament news conference, Jeon held his own separate news conference responding to Representative Sohn’s allegations.
“There’s no way for me to know about every act of sexual violence that takes place. I am not in a position to know that much,” he said.
Jeon said he was unaware of Shim’s abuse and said he feels sorry for her plight. He denied covering up any alleged abuse.
In 2018, Jeon resigned as the vice chairman of the Korean Skating Union due to repeated controversies surrounding athlete mistreatment. It was his third resignation from the position.
“Whether the recent controversies are true or not, I apologize to the fans for the incidents. From now on, I will not accept any positions in relation to the KSU. Regardless of my resignation, I’ll cooperate with the ongoing investigation by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism,” Jeon said through his resignation letter.
A Hierarchy of Fear?
Miss A and Yeo stated victims coming forward with allegations could have damaging effects on their careers, educations, and personal lives. Fears of retaliation and that nothing will change to help victims cause victims to suffer silently.
“For these athletes, the most important thing is to continue their competitive careers,” Yeo said.
“If I criticize my coach, my career as a skater is over,” said Miss A. “If I accuse my coach of crimes, I won’t be accepted onto a university or professional team. That’s how it works.”
Yeo continued, “Victims and their parents tend to think that nothing will change even after they name names. So, they often suffer in silence. The top-down hierarchy across sports gives people at the top too much power and influence.”
Representative Sohn also shared how victims feared coming forward and how, when some victims do speak out, they are dismissed. In her discussion about coach Jeon, Sohn said, “The victims are afraid to come forward with their cases as Jeon tries to conceal misconduct by people close to him.”
“Skaters believe that Jeon is involved in whitewashing the sexual assault cases in which their colleagues were victimized,” she said. “Due to such circumstance, victimized athletes are reluctant about testifying. They are afraid.”
In a statement, SYS said, “We have learned through the investigation that other athletes had been suffering the sexual assault and harassment from the individuals in power in skating. Maybe what those in power in skating wanted was for us to cower at the thought of secondary victimization and retaliation and stay in silence.”
In reference to a victim trying to report an incident to Jeon, Sohn said, “The victim sent the professor a message, saying, ‘I want to tell you what happened that night,’ But Jeon replied, ‘I hope you get over it.’”
Because victims are afraid of the repercussions, it’s unclear how far back abuse goes or how often it occurred.
Chung Yong-chul, a professor of sport psychology at Seoul’s Sogang University, has spoken out about Korea’s culture of abuse over the years. He pointed to how the Korean government promises to punish abusers, but nothing changes. He stated the reason is due to South Korea’s Confucian traditions in which a teacher’s authority is just like a father’s: It must be obeyed and remain unchallenged.
“That’s part of the reason why this is so hard for the athlete to speak up because you’re actually accusing a father-like figure – accusing him as an aggressor,” Chung said. Chung stated that, while sports authorities have the power to punish abusers, they often shield them. Chung said while there are hotlines for athletes to call to report abuse, hotline operators side against the accusers.
Chung said, “…the numbers are low, and we all know why – because of all the threats they have. They’re afraid to talk about it.”
Miss A said, “Inside the sports world, people think violence and verbal abuse are natural, athletes too. Even if they get hurt and find it hard, people don’t speak up about it.”
The current allegations bring to light how corruption and abuse seep into Korean sports.
Not Korea’s First Sports-Related Scandal
In 2011, 55 South Korean soccer players were indicted for match-fixing, which later uncovered mistreatment of young athletes. During the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics, a bullying scandal clouded South Korea’s women’s team speed skating event even though the team was later cleared of accusations.
Following 2018’s Olympics, the female curling team affectionately dubbed the “Garlic Girls” struggled with abuse following their viral fame. The team alleged coaches confiscated their cell phones and that they faced excessive control over their private lives. They also alleged team coaches made unreasonable demands and withheld money. Skip Kim Eun-jung claimed coaches and official Kim Kyong-doo tried to ostracize her following her July 2018 marriage.
“[The coaches] tried to rule Kim Eun-jung off the team after she got married in July,” the team said in a letter. “They separated the skip and the team captain’s role to minimize Kim Eun-jung’s status on the team. They also tried not to include Kim Eun-jung in team training.”
In November 2018, South Korea’s Sports Ministry launched an investigation into the team’s claims.
More to Come?
In regards to the sexual abuse scandal, Lee Kee-heung, head of the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee, apologized to Shim and other victims.
“We will root out the practice of coaches having absolute control over the future of their athletes and abusing that power,” Lee said.
South Korea’s President, top official,s and the IOC all state change will come as they launch a special investigation into the abuse scandal. The Korean government discussed stricter penalties for coaches found guilty of abuse and may instill lifetime bans imposed both domestically and internationally.
“The recent series of testimonies about violence and sexual assault in the sports industry represent our shame that has been hidden beneath the glorious appearance of Korea as a sports powerhouse,” South Korean president Moon Jae-in said at a senior advisers’ meeting.
With the #MeToo Movement helping women find their voices in South Korea, more women may come forward regardless of the repercussions.
“In the past, numerous sexual misconduct and assault claims were uncovered but they were swept under the carpet,” Miss A said. “But if other victims pluck up the courage to speak like I did, I think this time it may be solved.”
Whistleblower Shim says she hopes “no more people are victimized like me in the field of sports … whatever the reason, the violence must stop.”
Following Shim’s announcement, the public has shared its outrage toward abuse culture.
“Now society and people are paying a lot of attention to sexual problems,” Miss A said.
Chung shared that he felt this means hope the abuse culture may change. “I think this could be the last chance for the Korean sport to actually eradicate all the problems.”
Those accused are innocent until proven guilty in the court of law.
—-Joelle Halon