On Wednesday January 9, 2019, the Seoul city government announced plans for a K-Pop mecca that will be complete in 2024.
“We plan to start the work to construct the concerts-only complex, Seoul Arena, in September next year on a 50,149-square-meter lot near Changdong Station for completion at the end of 2023,” said a city official.
Seoul Arena will be Korea’s first K-Pop concert venue. With K-Pop’s growing global popularity, the concert hall will provide a home for Korea’s pop culture sensation. Many large-scale K-Pop shows have been held at Jamsil Stadium and Olympic Gymnastics Arena along with various smaller-scale locations in the city and across the country.
“While K-pop is basking in the global spotlight, the nation is devoid of infrastructure to back up its popularity. We expect Seoul Arena to help K-pop further secure global competitiveness,” the Seoul Metropolitan Government official said.
Initially, plans for the K-Pop hub were announced in 2016. Then, the venue was expected to be completed by 2021 and included plans for various concert halls, a music school, museums, cultural and art studios, art streets (like those in Liverpool and London), and housing for the nation’s pop stars.
“A lot of Hallyu tourists [from foreign countries] are likely to visit Seoul Arena as it is expected to provide concerts 200 days a year,” a city official said in 2016.
The same year, Platform Changdong 61 opened ahead of the planned K-Pop revitalization project.
Platform Changdong 61 features facilities made from shipping containers. One of those facilities is Red Box, which hosts rock and hip-hop concerts.
Now with plans officially in-place, city officials expect Seoul Arena to hold 18,000 people; it will also include a 2,000-seat concert hall. The stage will be at the center of the arena so audiences can see the action regardless of seating.
With Wednesday’s announcement, there have been some changes in the plans. When the arena plans were announced in 2016, officials anticipated the arena will hold up to 200 concerts per year. This number shifted drastically.
“Seoul Arena will stage more than 90 large-scale performances annually along with K-pop festivals, concerts by foreign musicians, music award ceremonies and various other events,” a city government official said.
The construction project, which is estimated to cost up to 599.4 billion won, will also include a K-Pop Hall of Fame.
Construction is estimated to begin September 2020. Who do you want to see perform when the venue opens?
—-Joelle Halon
If traveling to Vietnam catches your fancy, one must-see attraction is also one of the country’s newest.
Opened in June 2018, Golden Bridge (Cầu Vàng), which is located in the Bà Nà Hills in Da Nang, is a bridge that is 1,400m above sea level and overlooks Da Nang’s countryside. If breathtaking views of the Trường Sơn Mountains, hills, and lush greenery don’t capture you, then the bridge’s stunning architecture will.
The eight-section golden-railed, 500-foot long bridge is unique in that it has two hands holding it up above the Thien Thai gardens at the Bà Nà Hills Resort. In addition to the bridge that has garnered international attention, the resort area has an alpine roller coaster and the longest nonstop, single-track cable car as indicated by the Guinness Book of World Records. The resort was initially built by French settlers in 1919, but parts of the resort are said to be in ruin. It does, however, have a Fantasy Park and a French-style village complete with cobbled streets.
The hands are designed to look like weathered stone, but they are made from steel meshes and fiber glass according to TA Landscape Architecture. Along the walkway, purple lobelia ties the bridge into the countryside.
The bridge’s designer, Vu Viet Anh, said the bridge should evoke the image of “giant hands of Gods, pulling a strip of gold out of the land.”
“It creates a walkway in the sky, among the foggy and fairy-like lands of Bà Nà mountain,” Anh continued.
Golden Bridge took about a year to build and is part of a $2 billion USD development project that is designed to bring millions to the area and further strengthen tourism.
“We’re proud that our product has been shared by people all over the world,” Anh said.
While Bà Nà Hills is not as well-known as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, it is one of Vietnam’s top tourist attractions. According to Reuters, 2.7 million tourists visited the locale in 2017.
—-Joelle Halon
As a Korean rapper, songwriter, and record producer, and former leader and main rapper of K-Pop group B.A.P, Bang Yong-guk has had a storied career, and he’s not even 30-years-old (born March 31, 1990)!
In 2008, Yong-guk made his debut in the underground Hip-Hop group Soul Connection using the pseudonym “Jepp Blackman,” and since then, he’s become a popular figure in the Korean music scene, especially for international fans who enjoy his artistic flair and meaningful songs.
On August 19, 2018, Yong-guk’s contract with TS Entertainment ended, so he is now free to pursue his own music and projects. 2019 marks Yong-guk’s new beginnings as a soloist without the K-Pop chains.
On January 20, 2019, he made his solo comeback with the single, “Hikikomori,” his first comeback since “Drunkeness” back in May 25, 2018.
We were lucky to be able to attain an interview from Bang Yong-guk, while awaiting his HIKIKOMORI single to be dropped on the 20th of January 2019.
*Thank you so much for taking time out for a KCrush Interview. Could you briefly introduce yourself to our readers please?
– Hello, this is Bang Yong-guk. It’s nice to meet you all.
*You have a new single is out on the 20th of January, tell us why you chose “Hikikomori” as the title and the meaning behind the cover.
– Hikikomori is based on my own story which expresses the inner loneliness and confusion from my experience.
I tried to express the feelings I get when I look in the mirror and see my real self when I am off-stage, the fear I have towards the people in the outside world, and the disturbing feeling that I get from being confined in a room that seems like it is protecting me but, at times, it just feels like imprisonment. I put in the effort to put music, artwork, photography and video together. As to the artwork on the cover, I initially did the drawing and the design was developed on it.
*Your Instagram and MVs focus a lot on aesthetics and art, especially black and white images. Does art hold a lot of significance for you?
– I began using the black and white filter when uploading my photos and I continued using it.
At first, I selected the filter because I felt somewhat uncomfortable with the colorful photos seen on the social media. It really doesn’t hold any special meaning or significance, but I like the fact the black and white filter seemed to convey more colors for me personally. However, I think using black and white for other data other than my own photos may seem a bit too stubborn of me, so I am trying to use less these days. But I still like black and white.
*What kind of music are you into these days?
– Since I was working on my studio album, I didn’t get to listen much of other artists’ music other than my own. I usually enjoy listening to James Blake when I’m working. I tend to listen to the song, “Don’t Miss It” the most. James Blake is an artist who really inspires me and for that, I am very appreciative.
*It seems you’ve taken up tennis. Could we ask how good you are at playing the sport?
– I’m still a beginner. Tennis was a sport that I wanted to learn since I was young but I couldn’t make the time for it while I was active in the group.
When I left the company, tennis was the first thing I began learning. At the time, I thought to myself that I should do what I want to do when I first bought a tennis racket.
*You have a few noticeable tattoos; do they hold any particular meanings to you?
– I don’t necessarily enjoy getting myself tattooed but I have the tendency or just a weird habit of wanting to leave a trace on my body whenever I experience certain incidents.
I never got a tattoo thinking that they’d look cool on me or anything like that. When I made up my mind to get one done, I think that it was usually because I was out of control and they weren’t always done due to good memories.
*If you were a character of an anime or a video game, what would you be and why?
– That seems like a difficult one to answer. I’m just too ordinary to be like a character of any kind, and not a likely candidate to appear in an anime or a video game. If I ever thought of wanting to be one… Because I enjoy playing soccer video games, I’ve wanted to be one of the referees in a soccer video game, rather than the cool-looking soccer players.
*Which characteristics do you and your twin share and what are your differences?
– Well, I find it amusing that we have the same voice, height, and face but our personalities are completely the opposite. I like staying at home while my twin brother likes to go out and hang out with his friends.
*Will you be collaborating with any of your former group members in the future? And if you could collaborate with an American artist, who would it be?
– I always have in mind that I would be doing some great projects with the members in the future. The American artist I would like to collaborate with is Joji. Everything he has done is art.
*Do you have any movies, books or musicals that you’ve enjoyed recently?
*Do you have a preference to a color and what colors don’t you like?
– My wardrobe is just filled with black and white. I don’t think I like any colors that stand out in the crowd.
*What do you do to maintain your health and to release stress?
– My way of managing my health is not to pay much attention or care into it, but I would not recommend that.
I don’t know how to releasing stress, so I always keep it inside, and that’s how I am able to produce songs in the studio.
*What did you like the most about touring? How are the Babyz overseas different from the Korean Babyz?
– The tours that we’ve done have always been a joy for me. Whether it was on or off stage, they were the only times when I felt I could really breathe. And those times are filled with great memories for me. I do not think the fans outside of Korea are particularly different from Korean fans. I’m just so grateful that they love me and support what I do. I can feel they truly care about me.
*Who do you respect and feel the most grateful towards?
– My grandfather is whom I respect the most and the one I am the most thankful for. Although he is in heaven now, I still think he’s guiding me. My grandfather is practically a religion to me, and I love him.
*Please tell us about your future plans, goals and hopes for this year and beyond.
– I wish to begin this year by showcasing everything that I have to offer. My studio album is almost complete, so please show support.
I will also be doing new projects with friends who are artists to produce music, pictures, photographs, videos, fashion, designs, writing…
If any of you would like to participate, please contact me.
Now that I’m free, I think I will be able to do anything. Thank you.
Kcrush would like to thank Bang Yong-guk for his time and wish him much success with his single “Hikikomori” plus his upcoming album.
Listen to this interview or article on your Alexa device or app: https://amzn.to/337kVXb
—- J. Chung.
Thanks to the Korean Wave crashing upon US shores, more people than ever are exposed to what Korean pop culture has to offer. From fashion to music, Hallyu has become more in-demand for Westerners, and not just for teens and 20-somethings. Now that there’s more exposure to Korean dramas, cable channels and streaming services have made Korean TV more accessible. This is despite the shutdown of DramaFever, which, for many, was the premiere streaming service for Korean, Thai, Chinese, and Japanese dramas for the past nine years.
While teens and 20-somethings make up an estimated 35 percent of the United States’ K-Drama viewing audience, according to the Korea Creative Content Agency, an estimated 18 million Americans indulge in Korean television. Of course, these numbers come from a 2014 survey, but in 2019, given the wider variety of options to view K-Dramas, perhaps more people have been engaging in watching what many consider a guilty pleasure.
Naturally, United States media has noticed the popularity and appeal of Korean TV, much like it did in the early 2000s when remaking Korean and Japanese films became a popular trend. In recent years, the US remade some Korean shows while others are still in discussion to be turned into US-adaptions (Descendants of the Sun being one of those dramas in the development phase but has been “in talks” since 2016).
Currently, the United States adapted five Korean shows for the US audience. Out of the five, one recently debuted, and two have been canceled. Additionally, two well-known, high-grossing films will also be adapted for American audiences.
Better Late Than Never (2016; 2018)
Better Late Than Never was based the variety show Grandpas Over Flowers. Like Grandpas Over Flowers, Better Late Than Never followed four veteran celebrities and a younger celebrity as they traveled through different countries without special privileges or amenities to experience new cultures.
While Grandpas Over Flowers starred veteran actors Lee Soon-Jae, Shin Goo, Park Geun-Hyung, and Baek Il-Seob along with the younger actor Lee Seo-Jin, the US version starred actors William Shatner (Star Trek) and Henry Winkler (Happy Days, Arrested Development, Parks and Recreation), entrepreneur and former boxer George Foreman, and former NFL-player Terry Bradshaw along with comedian Jeff Dye.
For Better Late Than Never, Season One focused on the cast’s trek through Asia, while Season Two focused on adventures through Europe. During the cast’s trip to Korea, the show featured a cameo by Girls’ Generation, and featured scenes from the demilitarized zone, Hwaseong Fortress, and Itaewon. Overall, the show was similar to the Korean version.
Better Late Than Never only lasted for 12 episodes and two seasons compared to Grandpas over Flowers’ 38 episodes over five seasons. The Korean version also had two spinoffs: Youth Over Flowers and Sisters Over Flowers.
While Better Late Than Never’s first season in 2016 was considered successful, the second season, which aired nearly two years after the first, was less successful with the show losing three million viewers. The show was ultimately canceled.
Bye Bye Bye (TBA)
The 2011 Korean film, Sunny, which was one of the year’s highest grossing films, will be remade as an HBO dramedy.
Bye Bye Bye is the working title of Sunny’s American redo. Like Sunny, Bye Bye Bye will follow a group of female friends as they reunite 20 years after high school. Comedian Kevin Hart’s production company, HartBeat Productions along with CJ Entertainment pitched the idea to Universal Studios who bought the rights to the idea. Amy Aniobi (Insecure) will write the script.
“Amy is an incredible writer who has put a fun spin on the classic mother-daughter story that will make you want to laugh and cry,” Hart said.
No further details were made available regarding Kevin Hart’s take on the film.
In 2016, talks existed that Sunny would be turned into an American film. Then, Brett Ratner’s company, RatPac Entertainment, and CJ Entertainment planned to greenlight production with writer Heather Hach (What to Expect When You’re Expecting, Freaky Friday) at the helm.
The Good Doctor (2017-Present)
ABC’s The Good Doctor is based on the Korean show with the same name. The acclaimed 20-episode Korean drama aired in 2013 and won several awards. The American version began airing September 25, 2017 and is now in it’s second season.
One of the show’s executive producers is Daniel Dae Kim (Lost, Hawaii Five-0), who also has a recurring role in season two as Dr. Jackson Han. Kim bought the rights to the show and he and his production company began adapting it for the US market. His company sold the rights to CBS; CBS declined the pilot, so he bought the rights back before Sony Pictures Television and ABC saw the show’s potential and brought David Shore (House) aboard to help make the show happen.
Both the US and Korean renditions follow a young doctor who is an autistic savant. Both shows follow how he uses his memory and spatial skills to help prove himself worthy in the medical setting.
In the original, the main character, Dr. Park Shi-On is played by Joo Won. In the American version, Freddie Highmore (Bates Motel, The Spiderwick Chronicles) plays Dr. Shaun Murphy. For the first season, the American rendition follows the Korean version well, but since American television spans several seasons (and sometimes beyond shows’ expiration dates), the American version will stray from the heart and soul of the original eventually.
So far, the US version of The Good Doctor has high acclaim as marked by its award nominations. However, viewership has started to fall since the first season. Season one averaged 15.61 million viewers with the pilot episode earning 19.21 million viewers. As of episode ten in the second season, 11 million have tuned in to watch the show.
The Masked Singer (January 2, 2019-Present)
If ratings are an indicator, Fox may have found a winner in their adaptation of The King of Mask Singer.
The show features celebrities—from singers, actors, and sports stars—decked out in costumes to hide their identities. The participants then show off their singing skills across two episodes and three rounds. Identities are revealed if a singer loses the competition. The point of the show is judge people solely on their voices and not their appearance and star power. The US version features 12 contestants, and each season, for now, will span ten episodes.
During the show’s first face-off, Antonio Brown of the Pittsburgh Steelers was eliminated. He was “Hippo” during the show and performed Bobby Brown’s “My Prerogative.” In the second face-off, comedian Tommy Chong was revealed to be “Pineapple.”
The US version features judges Robin Thicke, Nicole Scherzinger, Ken Jeong, and Jenny McCarthy. Nick Cannon hosts the show.
So far, the US version does try too hard to match the Korean show as judges tend to be over-the-top and borderline obnoxious with their judging and theorizing. Time will tell if the show starts to have its own flavor instead of being a direct copy.
Miss Granny (TBA)
In 2016, CJ Entertainment announced that the 2014 hit film, Miss Granny, would be adapted for American audiences.
Miss Granny has been remade in several countries including India, Vietnam, China, the Philippines, and Indonesia. The film tells the story of a 70-year-old woman who wakes up one morning to find herself 20-years-old again. In her younger body, the woman achieves her dream of being a singer by performing in her grandson’s band.
CJ Entertainment partnered with Tyler Perry’s 34th Street Films to produce the film that would target African American audiences.
“We could not find a partner more suitable for the English-language remake of ‘Granny,’ than Tyler Perry Studio,” CJ said in a statement. “We expect to see a great English remake, as the company is very strong at making comedies with family bonds at their core.”
The film was slated to be released in 2018, but it’s yet to materialize on the American market.
Somewhere Between (2017)
Based on God’s Gift: 14 Days, Somewhere Between is about a mother whose daughter is murdered. Blessed with a gift to go back in time, the mother has an opportunity to change the hands of fate to prevent the murder.
While it’s not an original concept, if done well, it’s a good story. Sadly, ABC’s adaptation failed to deliver as it couldn’t even reach two million viewers each episode. ABC canceled the show after its initial 10-episode run.
God’s Gift: 14 Days starred Lee Bo-young, Cho Seung-woo, Kim Tae-woo, Jung-Gyu-woon, Kim Yoo-bin, Baro (B1A4), and Han Sunhwa (formerly of Secret). Somewhere Between starred Paula Patton, Devon Sawa, JR Bourne, and Aria Birch.
Critics of Somewhere Between felt the show lacked the style and emotion God’s Gift: 14 Days had. Because of this, the depth and feeling of the story failed to translate for American audiences.
YooHoo & Friends (2012)
YooHoo & Friends is a children’s animated series based on 2009-2015 Korean show. Like the Korean version, YooHoo & Friends centers around environmental protection as Mother Nature convinces Father Time to turn five humans into animals so they can be aware of how humans negatively impacted nature. The animals then journey to find gemstones and make choices to save the environment in order to be turned back into humans if they wish to do so.
For the US version, the show featured Flavor Flav as the voice of Father Time. The short-lived American adaptation aired on Cartoon Network and Boomerang. There were 26 shows total (52 episodes given how each half-hour show featured two short cartoons).
In 2019, another adaptation of the show is set to premiere on Netflix. YooHoo to the Rescue will be in both Korean and English. The reboot will future computer animations instead of traditional animation.
What Korean shows would you like to see adapted into Western shows? Do you prefer Westerners not touch Korean TV? Let us know in the comments.
—-Joelle Halon
Korea’s Ministry of Education announced on January 14, 2019 that seven Korean celebrities will have their university degrees canceled due to preferential treatment.
Jang Hyunseung (formerly of BEAST), HIGHLIGHT’s (formerly BEAST) Gikwang, Junhyung, and Doojoon, BtoB’s Eunkwang and Sungjae, and singer Chu Ga Yeoul all were impacted by the Ministry of Education’s decision. All seven singers attended Dongshin University in Naju, South Jeolla.
In addition to the seven named celebrities, Dongshin University will be required to give additional severe penalties to one student, mild penalties to 9 students, and warnings to 6 students.
“The university gave grades and degrees according to school and department regulations, but we accept that there were loopholes for parts of the regulations. However, we will closely review measures to protect the graduates who received grades and degrees based on the above regulations so that they will not be harmed as much as possible. We will establish countermeasures including modification of regulations for more thorough academic operations in the future,” Dongshin University said in a statement.
In August 2018, the Education Trust Restoration Promotion Team (ETRPT) of the Ministry of Education began investigating claims celebrities received special treatment. The ETRPT found that the investigated universities counted performances and promotional activities as class attendance.
However, prior to 2015, regulations were not in place to manage student attendance. Dongshin University argued that internal regulations from the Department of Broadcasting Entertainment allowed its students to replace absences with their broadcast activities. However, the Ministry of Education denied the university’s argument by stating regulations were not stipulated at the time the singers were enrolled. As a result, student attendance for those counting broadcast activities cannot be acknowledged.
In Chu Ga Yeoul’s case, he was teaching an undergraduate course despite not having the credentials to do so, and he was teaching courses during the times he was allegedly supposed to be in class as a student.
According to Soompi, “It was confirmed that he could not attend class since the time he was supposed to attend lecture as a student overlapped with the time he acted as an adjunct professor.” His status as an instructor will also be nullified.
Regarding HIGHLIGHT members’ cases, this is not the first time claims of preferential treatment surfaced. In August 2018, SBS reported that Doojoon, Junhyung, Gikwang, and former BEAST member Hyunseung not only received preferential treatment with attendance, but with scholarships and graduation credits as well. At the time, HIGHLIGHT’s agency, Around Us Entertainment, denied the claims.
“As notified through the news, the former BEAST and current Highlight members Doojoon, Junhyung and Gikwang enrolled in Dongshin University at the same time in 2010. However, it is not true that they were enrolled illegally or that they did not attend school.”
So.. this is the news.
“On August 12th, SBS’ news program ran a story revealing they(DJ,JH,HS and GK)may have also received a type of class attendance leniency that is only usually reserved for students working in civil service.”#하이라이트 #HIGHLIGHT
pic.twitter.com/W4V7IjyglN— MrsJoker891219 (@YongPDnim) August 12, 2018
Cube Entertainment also announced they were looking into the situation at the time of the initial claims.
“We are doing our best to confirm the facts in relation to BEAST. We have notified that it may take some time to make any confirmations as all the employees involved in the incident have left our company. We are doing our best to get a better understanding of the situation through the past employees who managed BEAST and will announce an official statement as soon as possible. Thank you,” Cube said through a statement back in August.
Busan Kyungsang University was also investigated for providing special treatment to idols and other celebrity attendees; degree cancelations have yet to be announced.
In addition to stripping degrees from the idols, the Ministry of Education also announced that professors will also face discipline and the universities’ financial support will be cut.
What do you think of this news and the Ministry of Education stripping the singers’ degrees?
—-Joelle Halon
First, it should be noted that an egg-white mask is not Vegan-friendly. As suggested, the mask does involve using egg whites, so if you’re Vegan, stop reading the article. We promise to cover more Vegan-friendly options in the future.
Full disclosure: I have PCOS, which means I’m cursed with hair in unwanted places. I’m also Italian, so that means I’m blessed with coarse, dark hair. Unfortunately, this also means shaving and waxing are a part of my daily and weekly routines in order to prevent myself from becoming Chewbacca.
However, waxing and shaving is irritating, and using an epilator just brings unnecessary pain. I am a big baby after all, so why cause myself physical pain beyond the emotional pain I battle every day?
As a lover of Asian beauty and an admirer of homemade remedies, friends who hail from South Asia recommended an egg-white mask. Not only do my friends swear by egg-white masks for hair removal, they swear the masks help with removing sebum and blackheads and can even help refresh skin and tighten pores. Intrigued, I investigated egg-white masks to see how they can help with removing unwanted hair while benefitting my skin.
Do Egg-Whites Benefit Skin?
Now, egg whites have a lot of protein, and protein, supposedly, is good for skin. Egg whites also contain collagen and vitamins, which is considered essential for smoothing fine lines and wrinkles. There are also claims that egg whites can also help prevent acne, but for each of these claims, we could not find any strong medical proof that egg whites can do this beyond beauty blogs and magazines. So, while these claims are nice, we can’t say if they’re true.* However, studies have shown that eating eggs have benefits, so it is plausible that the benefits could stretch to skin.
How Does an Egg Mask Work?
According to lovers of the egg mask method, as the mask dries on the face, the egg whites adhere to the hair. Then, as the mask gets peeled away, the hair, blackheads, and whiteheads are allegedly lifted, leaving behind smooth skin with tighter pores.
Let’s put the theory to the test!
Let’s Make a Mask!
There are several tutorials on YouTube on how to make the egg white mask, but our favorite is by Arshia Moorjani.
As she shows in the video, crack open your egg and place it in a small dish. Use a water bottle to remove the yolk. Then, mix the egg white. That’s it! Your mask is ready.
Use a brush to apply the mask to clean, dry skin while making sure to avoid the hairline, eyes, eyebrows, and lips. Do not add a lot of the egg to the face. You don’t want to be a gloopy mess. Once you apply a thin layer, use pieces of clean toilet paper, Kleenex, or tissue paper (I found that tissue paper had the right amount of sturdiness) and place it on your face. Then, add more egg, more tissue, another layer of egg, and another layer of tissue paper. With each layer, do not over-saturate your face as the egg whites need to dry. As Moorjani states in the video, three layers should be plenty. Then, let the mask dry for a half hour. If time exceeds 30 minutes, the mask will be cement and you will be in a world of pain during the next step (trust me on this!).
Once the mask has hardened, start from the bottom and pull it off in an upward motion. Then, rinse off the remainder and apply moisturizers as usual.
Results?
Okay, this method came highly recommended by several South Asian friends. While they have great results, I did not. I had some peach fuzz removed, but as far as other hair (besides some stray eyebrows and stray pieces from my hairline that got stuck between some mask layers), blackheads, and whiteheads, no dice. This was a failed experiment. Additionally, the egg dried my skin out! I had dry, red patches in different places, especially close to my mouth. Moisture could not be found, and it took several days of heavy-duty moisturizing in order to restore balance to my skin. This was not a good experience for me. There is, however, an egg mask with honey and lemon that assists with better moisturizing, but lemon brightens, and that wasn’t a concern area for this trial. Lemon also should not be used on broken skin.
Reading other reviews, there are users who tried this method who also failed to see results. Perhaps it’s our hair and skin types? Maybe, but it’s clear this method is not for everyone.
Based on my experiences, the egg white mask is a no-go. However, given how it is a popular beauty treatment in South Asia, there must be merit to the claims that it removes hair and unclogs pores. So, give it a shot. You may have better results!
*We do not make medical claims. We research information extensively to ensure we can back claims. If we can’t, we’ll say! Rest assured we’ll never make any claims and say they’re gospel.
Picture: @smashpop Source: Instagram
—-Joelle Halon
A photo of the M.I.B. quartet from 2014 from their Facebook page @officialMIB . From left: Kangnam, Young Cream, 5Zic and Sims.
Kpop’s Men of Hip Hop
Most Incredible Busters (M.I.B) first met audiences in 2011 debuting as a group with their single ‘G.D.M. – Girls, Dream, Money’. As a lead up to their debut as a group, the quartet members released solo singles showcasing their music abilities under the premise that they were strong individual artistes on their own, combining their talents to provide audiences with powerful new music.
The group comprising Kangnam, 5Zic, Young Cream and Sims, was active from 2011 until 2014, releasing two studio albums, two EPs, and seven singles as a group. Despite interest from fans and their unique brand of catchy yet edgy tunes, they didn’t quite manage to garner the support needed to sustain their existence as a group, attaining their best chart position at only no. 14 with their E.P. ‘Money In The Building’.
Marred by tragedy
The group suffered a setback in April 2012, when a fire broke out in their dorm, taking the lives of three stylists and delaying their comeback activities and the release of their E.P. ‘Illusion’. Eventually, the group recovered their momentum and began their first tour in Japan, in 2013, successfully selling out concerts in Osaka, Nagoya, and Tokyo.Their last music release as a group came out in March 2014, comprising their second studio album, ‘The Maginot Line’ and the music video for the title track, ‘Chisa Bounce’. Three years later, their management agency, Signal Entertainment officially announced their disbandment in January 2017.
Latest endeavours
Although the group were still together from 2014 – 2017, the members were more active in individual efforts such as releasing solo music and participating in tv variety shows during that time. Since then, there’s hardly been any news of the members in the media with the exception of Kangnam as detailed below.
5Zic’s latest photo from his Instagram account @zick_jasper.
5Zic, now known as Zic-Jasper, still lists rapper and producer on his Instagram bio and regularly updates his account with photos of himself indicating he is still active in the music scene. However, it doesn’t seem like there has been any new music releases since his 2016 single ‘Primetime’ which is available on iTunes.
A recent photo of Young Cream and promotional poster of a recent live performance from his Instagram account @042cream.
Young Cream, now a solo rapper and producer, continues to make Hip Hop music and last released several singles and music videos in 2017. His music is available on iTunes and Soundcloud and he actively updates his social media accounts on new developments such as live performances and music collaborations.
Sims’ photo from his days with M.I.B.available from the group’s official Facebook page..
Sims, whose real name is Sim Jong-Su has dropped off the radar since we last heard from him in 2015. After releasing a solo song titled ‘Reset’ in 2014 and sharing personal news of being in a relationship with a non-celebrity in 2015, there were no longer any updates from this rapper and lyricist. His last known Instagram and twitter accounts @sims9102 are also currently no longer active.
Kangnam’s recent photo shared on his Instagram account @kangkangnam.
Kangnam, easily the most recognizable member of the group due to his many tv appearances, remains active in tv and music. A talented comedic presence on variety shows, he has also dabbled in acting and hosting. His Japanese and Korean heritage has also been an asset to this multi-faceted talent as the multilingual performer is active in Japan and has previously taken up the mantle of honorary ambassador for the fourth KCON music festival when it was held in Japan for the first time in 2015.
Musically, he is currently active in the trot genre, teaming up for collaborations with trot legend Tae Jin Ah. He has previously stated in a 2018 interview that although he has won awards for his work on tv variety shows, he wishes to win for his music too. He also shared his thoughts on M.I.B.’s lackluster success being a result of the group’s unclear identity as they were past the age of idols nor were they really idol-like.
—-Fie Fed
Park Jin-young (a.k.a JYP, J. Y. Park or The Asiansoul) is a Korean singer-songwriter, producer and record executive.
In 1992, Park was discovered(?) by Korean singer and musician Kim Soo-chul and formed into a group called, Park Jin-young and the New Generation but it was short-lived and disbanded before making any name for themselves. Despite being an incredible dancer, a great vocalist with an innate ability to succeed in the ever-changing show business, Park initially struggled to find a management company; mostly due to his appearance or demeanor because he wasn’t considered attractive to the majority of people’s standards. Park took numerous auditions in hope to be signed but was unsuccessful in landing a contract. It’s widely known that he took an audition at SM Entertainment and the CEO and songwriter, Lee Soo-man reluctantly turned him down but asked if he’d be willing to sell the song Park had performed. He refused the offer and when he finally found a company that signed him (Cheil Communications), the song later became his first single and a hit in 1994.
“Don’t leave me” was originally written as a ballad but producer Kim Hyeong-seok suggested it should be turned into a dance track instead. This single catapulted Park into a star and his debut album, Blue City, was released in the same year which also managed to become commercially successful.
In May of 1996, Park founded his own label and management company, Tae-Hong Planning Corporation which later rebranded as JYP Entertainment and it has developed into one of the most profitable entertainment agencies in Korea today. As the CEO, Park formed and managed numerous K-pop acts like g.o.d, Rain, Wonder Girls, 2PM, Twice, Stray Kids and the list goes on.
In the first half of 2018, JYP Entertainment became the second largest Korean entertainment company, as their market capitalization surpassed that of YG Entertainment. It was the first time JYP Entertainment was placed second to SM Entertainment and later in the year, JYP even surpassed SM Entertainment to hold the position of being the largest entertainment company in Korea.
Later in May of 2018, JYP became the only entertainment company in Korea to rank in Financial Time’s High-Growth Companies Asia-Pacific list, charting at No. 177 out of 1000 companies and No. 12 out of 104 listed Korean companies.
Park is no longer the CEO of JYP Entertainment but remains the company’s largest shareholder and influencer.
Earlier Life
Park Jin-young was born on January 12, 1972 in Seoul, Korea and was raised in a comfortable home, as the only son with an older sister.
Park’s mother (an artist and former teacher) has revealed in past interviews that her son showed early signs of musical talent and that he was exposed to a lot of classical and pop music from the time he was in the womb. She has also stated that Park even enjoyed dancing to the sound of her rinsing rice in the kitchen when he was just barely able to walk. His parents did not see any reason to enroll Park into pre-school because he was very sociable, capable of making friends, learning and doing things freely for himself. He taught himself how to read at the age of four, after watching his older sister learning. When his sister started learning the piano, he taught himself to play and was performing on a grand piano by the time he was in elementary, in front to the whole school.
Park and his family spent around two years in the States while he was in elementary, where he was exposed to a lot of Soul and R & B music. He is also a professed fan of Michael Jackson and claims that his journey in music began when he first heard Michael Jackson’s Off the Wall album.
Park always had excellent grades but he was also very absorbed in dancing and sports, especially basketball. His father never discouraged his son to do what he wanted to do in life but urged him never to stop educating himself. In 1990, Park went to major in Geology at Yonsei University, where he is said to have been a great student, earning top grades.
New Ventures
In 2004, Park is credited for being the first Asian producer to cross over to the United States; he produced songs for American artists like Will Smith, Mase and Cassie. The Love you Need was the 8th track on Welcome Back album by Mase that debuted at No. 4 in the charts and the record went gold. Park was later contacted by people representing Will Smith who had heard Mase’s track and offered to work with him. Park produced the track I wish I had made that for Will Smith’s Lost and Found album which charted No. 6 on the Billboard 200 Chart. He also produced Cassie’s When your Body is Talking which was on a bonus track of her album. Since this was around the time when social networking (and having an international online presence) wasn’t so active or as prominent as it is now, Park failed to make a further impact as a producer in the States but he did definitely pave a way for a number of Korean artists.
In May of 2008, Park collaborated with Hong Kong’s star Jackie Chan to form the “I Love Asia” Project to raise funds for the disastrous earthquake tragedy in China and produced the song Smile Again with Chan (along with many other celebrities) and Korean film director, Kang Je-gyu.
In 2009, Park became the first Korean songwriter, together with RAINSTONE to enter the Billboard Hot 100 Chart with the Wonder Girls’ single Nobody which debuted at No. 76 – without assistance from any major label – making them the first Korean group to enter the chart. Park continued to invest into the group but Wonder Girls failed to meet further recognition commercially during their two-year stay in the States, and they went on to target the Chinese market in 2010.
In 2011, JYP made his acting debut in TV series Dream High, which he received a nomination for New Actor of the Year at the Baeksang Arts Awards and later in the same year, Park made his film debut in Five Million Dollar Man.
In 2015, Park released Who’s Your Mama?, featuring Korean-American singer Jessi, which topped the Korean charts and attracted much buzz and attention via YouTube due to its lyrics and concept. In 2016, Park released Still Alive which expressed that he has survived in the industry since cassette tapes were around and even before most of the current idols were born, but craves for more because he aspires to become legendary.
In the same year, Park recorded Fire with American comedian and show host, Conan O’Brien, Korean-American actor Steven Yeun and singer Park Ji-min, with Wonder Girls and TWICE in the music video. He also appeared in the hit reality show, Sister’s Slam Dunk, and produced the Unnies single Shut Up (with a very limited amount of budget) which also topped the Korean charts. Park also produced the title track for project girl-group I.O.I for their last album before disbandment, Very Very Very was released a month later which became a chart-topper.
Plagiarism claims
The fundamental reasons how Park managed to stay constantly relevant (and continually active) in the Korean pop music industry for all these years, would very likely be due to his intelligence, work ethic, savvy business mind and a lot more.
On a negative note, plagiarism issues regarding many of his songs has tainted his reputation as a songwriter and artist for most of his career.
Music plagiarism refers to usage or imitation of another artists’ work and presenting or releasing it as one’s own. Plagiarism occurs either with the melody (or motif) or sampling – which is taking a recorded sound and reusing it. Sampling without permission can infringe copyright and attaining permission for a sample is known as clearance – which can be intricate and expensive.
There are claims/accusations that approximately 50 of the songs (out of the 500 or so of the songs he has written) that Park wrote for himself and other artists, have been either been confirmed as plagiarism or accused of sounding similar to songs by various artists; mostly R & B artists and Hip Hop music.
In this article, we will briefly look into just a few cases.
Since the 90’s era, the songs that Park composed and wrote lyrics for himself like Honey, Elevator, Why Why, Your house and many others have been accused of plagiarism. Honey, which is probably regarded as Park’s signature song, has been accused of being a mashup of Tom Jones’ version of Kiss, Ai No Corrida by Quincy Jones and Play that Funky Music by Wild Cherry. As far as we know, no legal claims have been made regarding the song.
Released in 1995, his hit single Elevator aroused plagiarism issues – some sources and critics claimed it plagiarized Salt ‘N’ Pepper’s Whatta Man, while Why Why, released from Park’s sixth studio album in 1998, was allegedly plagiarized Aaliyah’s Grammy nominated single, ‘Are You That Somebody.’ The latter is undeniably influenced by the original but I personally would not consider it is fair to tag it as a plagiarism. The song was released just two months before Aaliyah’s untimely death.
In the same year, Park released a single Kiss Me which was a cover with the same instrumentals by Stevie Wonder’s Superstition. Park again, claimed it was a remake/sampling and the credits printed on his album that he was the composer, was flawed. Since then, all the royalties generated from the track goes to Stevie Wonder through the Korea Music Copyright Association.
Your House was released in 2007, and has been accused of plagiarizing the lyrics to American R&B artist Babyface’s What if and Park has claimed during an interview that he has no idea how the lyrics referred in What If is almost identical to his own lyrics and called it merely a coincidence. The single’s melody and the tempo has also been accused of sounding too similar to Sentimental by Canadian singer Deborah Cox from her first album and its chorus resembles Addicted to You by Japanese singer-songwriter Utada Hikaru.
The first boyband that Park produced for was called, g.o.d (Hangul: 지오디) and when their debut single, To my mother was released in 1999, Park was credited as its sole composer and lyricist on their album. However, Park was met with claims that he had plagiarized the late American rapper Tupac Shakur’s two songs, Life goes on and Dear Mama. He later expressed that the song was actually supposed to be a sampling and it was a shame the legal negotiations hadn’t gone through to attain the permit and the fact that he was stated as the sole songwriter on the album leaflet was just a blunder made in the printing process.
Plagiarism was confirmed in this case, so all the royalties drawn from to the hit went to BGM and the credits were also been edified. Park was only able to get credited as the producer. Other hits released by g.o.d including Observation, Road, Return to me and Letter that were written by Park, were accused of coping or plagiarizing various artists’ work, and in some cases, just for sounding or having vibes that seem too similar overall. Road was also accused of plagiarizing Tha Crossroad and Day of Our Lives by American Hip Hop group Thug Bones-n-Harmony and Usher’s U Got It Bad.
Like previously, song credits were edified (from initially crediting Park Jin-young as the writer) to stating the real artist behind the original music – only when accusations were raised. Numerous Kpop acts that Park had trained, formed, produced and wrote songs for experienced plagiarism issues at one time or another and it is also interesting that the songs were mostly commercially successful in Korea.
From 2000 until 2003, model and actress Park Ji-yoon was the first female solo to be signed to JYP. Her concept/image and ensemble showcased in her single, Coming of Age Ceremony mirrored the style of the late American singer Aaliyah. Park’s previous album before joining JYP Entertainment was also called The Age Ain’t Nothing but a Number like Aaliyah’s debut album and single. Park Ji-yoon gained a cult following after her first performance and the song received R rating because the lyrics and the choreography was considered provocative and unfit for younger viewers,
None of the mentioned points would be considered plagiarism or lead to any legal disputes but Ji-yoon’s single released in 2003, Do You Know How? was confirmed of plagiarizing Beyonce’s Work it Out which was released a year prior. Not only was the song like a sing-along version of Beyoncé single (the lead single from the soundtrack to the movie Austin Powers in Goldmember), it also went as far as ripping off her hairstyle, stage presence and so on.
Sony Records made a statement and concluded that Park Ji-yoon’s Do You Know How? (which was supposedly composed and written by JYP) went beyond the point of plagiarism to sounding like a copycat version – they also revealed that they hadn’t received any inquiries about copyright beforehand. It is believed that they’ve claimed the full credit but even if the issues get resolved, plagiarism represents artists in a negative way and can tarnish their image for good, which is unfair for them, to say the least.
Music plagiarism can be extremely ambiguous to define and indeed a sensitive topic to make claims or accusations about, and may require years of settling in or out-of-court with a lot of monetary funds involved. Whether the accusations were legally issued and dealt with, cannot always be entirely known to the public but it is probable that they’ve settled the monetary issues in their terms.
JYP’s View on Plagiarism
Park has never owned up to any plagiarism accusations/claims and has always been adamant that it’s either a shocking coincidence or just the fact that he enjoys certain genres that result in him composing songs that unintentionally end up sounding similar or even identical to other artists’ work. He said he does not regard any of those as plagiarism.
He has also added that because he’s been accused of plagiarism on numerous occasions, he now carefully monitors that nothing sounds like his music before releasing but sounding similar to an existing music is inevitable and that he wouldn’t be that foolish enough to copy a well-known song like he was accused of for many years.
Park has stated his frustration on interviews that back during the 90s, there were no requirements by the Korea Music Copyright Association to label “sampling” like it is currently done and it was the record executives who emitted the correct credits and statements on the sampled works in the past. He went on to add that attaining the copyright for sampling was supposed to be done by the record company but they failed to do so, in the past. By the time Park lost the copyrights to his sampled or remade songs, he stated that he was compensated by the company because he was also a victim in a way.
Park says that it wasn’t until around year 2000, when the distributors starting sending out all the paperwork to the writers when sampling songs. And because he was not aware of the mentioned procedures in earlier stages, he lost 100% of his copyrights on many songs. If legal procedures were properly sorted, only a percentage would’ve been given out.
The most recent plagiarism issue in court that Park had to deal with was regarding IU‘s Someday from the Dream High 1 soundtrack.
The track was accused of having a similar chorus to To My Man by a Korean VJ and singer Ash, so the latter song’s composer Kim Shin-il sued Park and each previous rulings sided in favor of Kim but the final decision was revoked and a retrial took place. The legal dispute ignited since 2011, and the court had ruled against Park, ordering him to compensate composer Kim for plagiarism.
However, in the final appeal, the Supreme Court sided with Park because Hosanna by an American Gospel singer Kirk Franklin released in 2002, also had the similar tune that Kim was accusing Park of plagiarizing.
In 2015, I’m So Sexy single that Park wrote for Comedian Yoo Jae-suk, was also accused of ripping off Putting’ on the Ritz and My Name is Not Susan by Whitney Houston.
Personal Life
Park married his long-time girlfriend whom he had met and dated since 1993. His in-laws made it known that they didn’t like a celebrity/entertainer as a son-in-law so Park announced his retirement from music and enlisted as a social service agent but was able to unexpectantly tie the knot in 1999. He went on with his career after being discharged after a few months of training.
A decade later in 2009, Park announced their divorce and the proceedings soon turned into a messy court case because his ex-wife filed compensation for mental stress. The legal representative stated, “Park’s action caused a lot of pain for his former wife and they are unable to come to an agreement for the compensation amount. Park spends most of his time in the USA because of his work and this affected the progress of the negotiations which caused further strain on their relationship. He also caused great pain by making the divorce announcement first on his website and said that he felt that he had more freedom after his divorce during his concerts. This was all a shock for his former wife.” Park is currently on the top listed Korean celebrity for paying the most alimony.
In October of 2013, Park announced his second marriage to a woman whose identity is not made known to the public; only the fact that she is nine years junior to him was revealed. Later, it was reported that Park’s new wife is the niece of the now deceased businessman Yoo Byung-eun, who was notorious for being the founder of a religious cult that was responsible for the Sewol ferry disaster.
Park has since strongly denied that he has anything to do with the organization but many sources strongly state otherwise because in May of 2018, he made the headlines for gathering an audience to preach about his new-found faith in God that mirrored the Salvation Sect in terms of the bible interpretation.
Park has commented that he has a belief in God but doesn’t see himself as a member to any religion and would even take legal matters if there are further claims otherwise.
He and his wife are expecting their first child in early 2019.
Park Jin-young is a true artist and entertainer who has lived a colorful life in the eyes of the public, both on and off stage for well-over two decades.
He is a born entertainer and Korea’s music icon, and it is undeniable how hard he works to perfect his craft – but he never hesitates to speak his mind about what he thinks and feels, regardless of how sensitive a topic may be.
Park is one of the few artists that continues to evolve and experiment with new types of sounds, choreography, concepts and fashion; there is currently no other artist in the Korean industry who can level with his passion and energy that he is able to deliver to the audience on stage.
— J.Chung.
With 2018 officially over, we look back on 100 notable K-Pop songs. Numbers one and two are what you, our readers, selected as the songs of the year. Enjoy the countdown! Here’s to hoping 2019 brings us more great music.
—-Joelle Halon
On Sunday January 6, 2019, toy maker Mattel announced on Twitter that they will be collaborating with Big Hit Entertainment and BTS to create a line of collector dolls.
Naturally, Twitter reacted as expected and shared in some of our excitement over the surprise announcement.
However, dolls are not the only merchandise Mattel plans to create in honor of the group that’s become a global phenom since their debut in 2013.
“We have signed a multi-category license contract with BTS’s agency Big Hit Entertainment, and we plan to create a variety of items such as dolls, collectible figurines, toys, games, and roleplaying items,” Mattel announced during the Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair. “The collaboration collection is set to be released this summer, and it will be the first collection to include dolls created around the likeness of BTS’s members. The outfits of the dolls will be based on those that BTS wore in their ‘Idol’ music video.”
Via a press release, Mattel vice president Sejal Shah Miller said, “BTS is a cultural phenomenon who transcends age, culture, and language, and through this partnership, we hope to create a new way for people around to world to connect with BTS. The cornerstone of our strategy is to partner with established franchises that have global appeal, and we believe that Mattel’s creative expertise will create a product that properly celebrates BTS.”
Mattel also confirmed that the BTS line will be a new line of dolls, so fans should not expect them to look like Barbie or any dolls in her line. Hopefully they’ll look better than recent “celebrity dolls” released by various toy companies over the years.
Congratulations to Big Hit and BTS for the honor!
—-Joelle Halon
It’s a sad day in the Korean entertainment world as it has been revealed that two celebrities, Trot singer Jinhyung and singer-songwriter Maeng Yuna, have passed away. Both singers allegedly passed away due to heart attacks.
Jinhyung (Lee Kunhyung), 33, passed at home January 7, 2019. Reports indicate the singer did not suffer from any illnesses.
Jinhyung debuted in 2006 with his single album Farewell Notice. He is known for his songs “Bus Stop of Tears,” “Beauty Alert,” “Good Good,” and “Who Cares If She’s a Noona.”
Sadly, Jinhyung is a newlywed. He and his wife married in 2018. His wife wrote an Instagram post that read, “My loving husband. I miss you so much. Why did you have to be in such a rush, leaving behind Yul, Kun, Momo, who you love so much, and me. I miss you so much.”
Jinhyung’s funeral and burial will take place January 9, 2019.
Maeng Yuna, 29, passed away December 26, 2018. Her agency, JH Entertainment revealed her passing January 8, 2019.
“On December 26, Maeng Yuna has passed away at her home from a heart attack,” and explained, “We were unable to share the news sooner because it was year-end time and things were overwhelming. A funeral took place with close peers,” an agency rep said. “She was preparing the 3rd album to be released in June and showed motivation after being invited as the music department professor for a university. Besides from stress from music producing, she did not have any specific illness. It’s unbelievable.”
Maeng debuted in 2007 with her single “Waltz of Spring.” She promoted actively as a singer and songwriter in both Korea and Japan since her debut. She released eight singles including “Vanilla BonBon,” “(Memory) Luv,” and “Cherry Pie.” She also released two full albums.
Maeng was the daughter of Maeng Jung-ho, Cho Yong-Pil’s former manager.
We send our condolences to Maeng Yuna and Jinhyung’s families during this difficult time.
—-Joelle Halon
레이디스코드LADIES’ CODE ‘THE LAST HOLIDAY’ OFFICIAL MV [ENG SUB]
This Wednesday only series will provide English subtitles on select videos. We hope you will enjoy.
Happy New Year, to our readers and may all your new year’s dreams and wishes come true!
We know from deep inside our hearts that the new year of 2019 is going to be a fabulous year for us all…
The first K-pop act that we at KCrush America interviewed for the year of 2019, is the K-pop girl group sensation, Ladies’ Code. (Applause…)
Ladies’ Code is a South Korean girl group formed by Polaris Entertainment in the year of 2013. The group made their debut with the mini-album, Code#01 and their debut single “Bad Girl”, released on March 7, 2013.
I was lucky to attend their fan meeting in December of 2018, and was left with a great impression of the trio who were so warm and loving towards their fans. The meet and greet was very intimate and exclusive only to their fan club members; the live performance and the overall interaction with the audience was incredible.
We’d like to give special thanks to the members of Ladies’ Code; Ashley, Sojung and Zuny (their manager too!) for a great interview and wish them all the success that they deserve and much more! We hope the interview will provide deeper insight into Ladies’ Code, especially to their fan base the “Lavelys.”
*Thank you for taking time out for this interview. Could you briefly introduce yourselves to our readers?
Ashley: Hi, my name is Ashley and I’m the leader of Ladies’ Code!
Sojung: Hello, this is Sojung from Ladies’ Code. Nice to meet you all!
Zuny: Hello, I am Zuny, the youngest member of Ladies’ Code at age 25 – Bboom Bboom.
*How did you become members of Ladies’ Code? And did you want to be in this industry when you were younger?
Ashley: Someone I knew found out about the Cube Entertainment audition in New York and encouraged me to audition for it. I never thought being a k-pop star was realistic so even though I loved to sing and dance, they were just hobbies for me. I didn’t think I was going to get into the company but I did and a few months later, they told me to pack my bags and fly over to Korea! My dreams always changed: ballerina, teacher, actress…
Sojung: While growing up, I had a lot of things that I wanted to be like a ballerina, cheerleader, scientist and etc… But it was when I became a high schooler that I really started wanting to become a professional singer. At age 19, I was on an audition program, <The Voice of Korea> which solidified my dream as a singer and it became a real turning point for me.
Zuny: I took an audition at Polaris Entertainment, thinking to myself that this would be my last time for any auditions. Then luckily, I got in and was able to become a member of Ladies’ Code. When I was younger, my dream was to become a soldier.
*Which Ladies Code’s song, are you the most attached to and why?
Ashley: I really love all of them so much and it’s hard to pick just one, but I’d have to say “Bad Girl“ because it’s the song that we spent the most time preparing for and we just have a bunch of good memories from that time.
Sojung: I would say that “Bad Girl” is the one song that I am very attached to because we worked and practiced for the longest time on it, and it reminds me of fun memories of the past.
Zuny: Chaconne was the first song that I sang the first chorus to and because it’s a ballad, I think that I am the most attached to the track.
*Please tell us about your interests, specialty or any hobbies.
Ashley: I love discovering new places, whether they be cafes, brunch spots, museums, exhibitions, so I’m always on the go out and about. I also love taking pictures with my two film cameras, one digital camera, and of course my iPhone. I started a YouTube channel as well so I’ve been working on my vlogs in my free time! https://www.youtube.com/user/ashleych0i/featured
Sojung: I love cooking, watching movies, singing and drinking. I’m the happiest when I go home after a long day and cook something nice, then put on a good movie to watch over a glass of wine.
Zuny: I normally like crafting things using my hands, so I go to workshops to make my own candles and air fresheners. I practice on my calligraphy as well.
*Who do you respect the most?
Ashley: My mom because she is such a strong, independent, wise woman and I want to grow up to be like her.
Sojung: My father, since he’s always so dedicated to his family. He’s so sincere and hard-working and ever so witty as well. My father is also my ideal kind of guy, lol. He’s very handsome too. ><
Zuny: I respect my mom and dad.
*When do you feel the most rewarded?
Ashley: After we work hard on a song or a comeback, finally release it and see how much our fans love it.
Sojung: I feel the most rewarded when I look at the faces of the audience after a song or when feeling that I’ve managed to communicate something that I was trying to convey.
Zuny: When I prepare for a song, when the song gets completed, when we shoot for the last take on the web drama and when I’ve finished with the cleaning.
*Recommend us any artists or music that you enjoy listening to.
Ashley: I love Anderson Paak, Sabrina Claudio, The Internet, Aminé, ADOY, just a few off the top of my head!
Sojung: I am extremely fond of Amy Winehouse and it is so sad that we can’t get to hear any of her new songs anymore. Every one of her songs is so great but I think I listen to You know I’m No Good and Stronger Than Me the most often.
Zuny: Just Let Me Go by Yoon Gun and 180 Degrees by BEN. I usually enjoy listening to ballads.
*Do you have your own special dress code? Are there any colors that you like or dislike?
Ashley: I’ve been obsessed with yellow since this past summer. I don’t really dislike any colors but my least favorite is orange.
Sojung: I suddenly started liking red. I like things to be elaborate and like leopard prints, leather with accessories.
Zuny: Because I like black, most of my outfits including hats, bags are all black. I like to dress in all-black the most.
*What would be your fav food or beverage?
Ashley: I eat sweet potatoes and eggs every single day and never get sick of them. Besides those two, I love pad thai, spicy tuna rolls,
Sojung: I love Sundae soup. In my opinion, Sundae soup is the tastiest food in the world.
Zuny: I like to eat noodle dishes, so I enjoy ramen, rice noodles and naengmyeon a lot. And I prefer tea over water so I drink green tea or some other sort of tea usually.
*Tell us about any movies, musicals or books you’ve enjoyed lately that you’d like to share with us.
Ashley: Since it has been Christmas, my favorite Christmas time movies are Love Actually and Serendipity!
Sojung: I watched Bohemian Rhapsody and another movie that was similar in terms of being music-related, Born To Be Blue sticks to my mind a lot. The movies left quite an impression on me. Hope you check them out.
Zuny: Recently, I watched the Korean movies Default and Intimate Strangers and I even got goose bumps from the acting; they are the two movies that I’d want to watch again.
I enjoy calligraphy on a daily basis, so I like to read books that have great quotes in them. I would like to recommend a book called, “The Precious You” by Writer Kim Ji-hoon. I watched musical Chicago which featured Singer Ivy twice, and was still fun and entertaining.
*Are there any countries or venues that you’d like to perform?
Ashley: It’d be awesome to perform in the States, at the Madison Square Garden in New York (hey, dream big right?) Also, Mexico and all of the South American countries!
Sojung: We’d love to go anywhere in the world, where there are Lavelys, to be honest. According to social networking service, it looks like we have people in America, Brazil, Indonesia and Mexico who take interest in us the most, in that order. Hahaha.
Zuny: I’d love to perform in South America; we seem to have a lot of fans out there. We would love to perform for them.
(Sojung, Zuny and Ashley)
*Where do you see yourself in 15 years’ time?
Ashley: I think I’m going to be married with children and a few dogs – living the life.
Sojung: I think that I would still be singing! Performing at concerts and doing the music that I want to be doing at that age, right?? I still want to be singing Pretty Pretty at that age too.
Zuny: I think I would be living a happier life than I am right this moment.
*Let us know what your plans and hopes are for 2019, and please add something nice to your fans.
Ashley: I say this every year but I want to meet more of our Lavelys around the world and have more opportunities to interact with them. I want to thank Lavelys for showing us support and love since day 1. I can’t believe it’s almost been 6 years since we’ve been together. I hope we can spend many, many more together and that we can give you back all the love that you guys have shown us. We appreciate and love you so much<3
Sojung: First, I wish we’d be able to do a lot for our future comeback and that everyone would stay fit and be in great health! Lavelys, because of you, we are so happy each and every day, thank you so much for always being there for us. See you again soon, love you all.
Zuny: In 2019, I want to go on a trip abroad with the Ladies’ Code members twice, during the summer and winter. I also want to go on a trip abroad with my family members. I’ve never been on a trip with my friends before, so I’d also like to do that too next year and visit Jeju Island. I want to cut my hair in a bob again, in 2019.
We wish all the Lavelys would be happier in 2019 and that the year would be full of only the good stuff. We want to be closer to them and spend more quality time to make more worthwhile memories with them. Please always stay happy and healthy, we love and cherish you a lot!
(Left to right: Zuny, Ashley, Sojung)
Thank you very much, we wish Ladies’ Code all the best in their future endeavors!
—- J. Chung.
Lee Boo-jin (born in 1969 or 1970, the exact birthdate is not available) is a South Korean businesswoman, the president of Hotel Shilla – one of Korea’s top duty-free operator, hotels and conference centers and the most likely successor to Lee Kun-hee, the billionaire chairman of Samsung Group and also the wealthiest conglomerate in Korea.
Her mother Hong Ra-hee is also a billionaire businesswoman and philanthropist who is the director of the Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art. The Lee family currently rank among the Forbes richest people in the world with an estimated net worth of $70.2 billion.
Not much is known about the Samsung’s heiress, Lee Boo-jin’s personal life other than what is considered basic or generally important businesswise.
When Lee Boo-jin was born, she was initially given the name Yoo-jin but at the tender age of 3, she fell ill and it was advised that she should get a name change in order to survive. “Boo-jin” is an uncommon name, so some speculate what the meaning is – the character “Boo” refers to wealth.
She currently has one older brother, Lee Jae-yong and a younger sister, Lee Seo-hyun by three years. (Their youngest sister Yun-hyung took her own life at the age of 26, in 2005 while studying in Manhattan, New York.)
Lee majored in French at Daewon Foreign Language High School and majored in Child Development and Education at Yonsei University, and earned an MBA from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston in later years. After working at her father’s company, Samsung for 15 years, Lee was quickly promoted to be the company’s first ever CEO.
In November 2017, her net worth was estimated at approximately $2.1 billion and was listed as the 93rd most powerful/influential woman in the world by Forbes. Out of her siblings, Lee is said to take after her father’s appearance and way for handling business the most, which got her the nickname, “Little Lee Kun-hee.”
Back in 1999, Boo-jin met her future husband Im Woo-jae, while doing volunteer work and the two quickly became romantically involved. Im was quickly dubbed as “Mr. Cinderella” by the press due to his ordinary background as an “employee of a security service affiliate of Samsung Group.”
Most conglomerate families prefer (to this day) to undergo arranged marriages within their clique, so when it was announced that Lee Kun-hee’s oldest daughter was going to marry an average salaryman with no particular assets to showcase, it obviously drew a lot of media attention.
The couple eventually got married and Im was later enrolled into MIT and gained an MBA, and worked as the advisor and then was promoted as the vice-head of Samsung Electro-Mechanics in 2011. The couple has one son together.
From the outside, it seemed that the couple was happily married with no sign of any trouble in paradise. However, in 2012, Boo-jin filed for divorce over the custody of their only son, and this trial was to continue for quite a few years. The reason for filing for divorce was not known to the public, but there have been claims that the two have had disagreements due to personality differences for a while.
Im initially insisted that he’d never agree to a divorce in order to protect the family and that he was all at sea with what was going on. He came forward for the first time to rectify that the story of him being an average employee at Samsung prior meeting his ex-wife was a fabricated tale made up by the PR team, and that he was actually a private security guard for Samsung’s Chairman, Lee Kun-hee. Because Boo-jin suffered with health issues, (Charcot–Marie–Tooth disease is said to run in Lee’s family) she began relying on him that naturally got them to start dating and that it was she – who had been the one to ask him to marry her. He expressed that he had no intention to take the relationship further but was encouraged (or ordered) by Lee Kun-hee to marry his daughter. Im also exposed the fact that his parents were never even able to meet their grandson until recently.
We all know how the news and the media can report on untruthful accounts, so we don’t know whose side of the story to believe. Due to Lee Kun-hee’s sickness since 2014, it disenabled him to speak publicly on the matter, although he’d never discuss private family affairs to be shared out with the media, even if he was well and able.
In a court ruling in July 2017, Lee Boo-jin was ordered to pay her ex-husband, $7.6 million, as part of the divorce settlement with Lee owning the full custody of their son. Im counter-sued by demanding $1.1 billion as a division of assets, claiming that he deserved half of his ex-wife’s wealth since he contributed to a lot since he married into the Samsung family. The court approved the divorce and ordered Lee Boo-jin to pay her ex-husband the initially-stated sum of $7.6 million in alimony and granted sole custody of their child to Lee and visitation rights once a month to Im.
It’s a nearly impossible task to gain reliable resource about what Korean conglomerates get up to, since they keep things extra discreet – they are very aware that their actions can either make or break their business careers, affect stock prices, and in worse scenarios, get them into legal issues. (Recently, Lee Kun-hee made headlines again for tax evasion which is not something new in his case.)
In a conservative country like Korea, business moguls and their family members appearing on reality programs, YouTube channels or other types of social media open to the public that some millionaires in other countries engage in, will never happen any time soon. If not, ever. Since they are not considered celebrities, they do not seek to be treated as such to the public.
We know it takes years to build a good reputation for a stable or successful company but it also takes a short amount of time to lose all that reputation.
Samsung started off as a humble trading company in 1938, and over the last 30 years, it has turned into an international magnate not just for dealing with electronics and appliances, but almost any businesses that money can be made out of – including, real state, shipbuilding, construction, vehicles, food processing, textiles, insurance, securities, publication, hospitals, department store chains, amusement parks and the list goes on.
Until the 70s, Samsung was not the top dog in the race, in comparison to the bigger companies in South Korea, but they’ve used their opportunities wisely and its revenue is equal to 17% of South Korea’s $1,082 billion GDP. When many of their rivaling companies went to ruins or failed to flourish during the Korea’s financial crisis in 1997, Samsung was one of the few that held up and managed to actually expand. The company hires so many individuals and affiliated companies, so some say that the well-being of the company, is actually the financial status of South Korea in a nutshell.
It is needless to empathize that hard work and along with sound leadership has brought Samsung where it stands today and I’ll wrap this article here in hope that the company would make wise calls and continue the good works.
— J.Chung.
The original four-member lineup of Tiny-G in a still from their self-titled MV. From Left to right: Myungji, Dohee, Mint and J.Min
Tiny but mighty
A four-member all female Kpop group formed in 2012 under GNG Production, Tiny-G were made up of petite girls J.Min, Dohee, Mint and Myungji. Their combined average height of 153 centimeters were the inspiration behind the group’s name Tiny-G a.k.a. tiny giants, signifying their concept of being strong and fierce like giants despite their small stature.
The group first became known to audiences through a South Korean television show “Her Lyrics His Music” on MBC TV, where they were able to showcase their vocal skills on the song “Polaris” which was created by established singer Jay Park and actress Lee Si-Young on the show.
They next captured audiences’ attention when they released their self-titled single and MV expressing their courage and individuality in being different amongst the flood of typically tall and thin girl groups. The song’s message of admitting their differences and having fun expressing themselves just as they were, was a breath of fresh air to their fans who are known as Mini-Mes.
From four to three and finally, two
In June 2014, Myungji left the group to pursue acting amid rumors that her growth spurt was the actual cause of her departure since she no longer fit into the group’s ‘tiny’ concept, thereby reducing the group to three members.
Later that same year, the group formed a sub-unit of two members, comprising J.Min and Thai member Mint. The duo’s activities were focused in Thailand and even featured Thai artist Natthew on their first single “The Only One”.
The group unofficially disbanded in 2015 when their agency announced the group would be on indefinite hiatus while the members focused on individual activities.
Tracing their footsteps
A still of Myungji from 2017 Korean reality show ‘Idol School’ where she sports longer hair and a slimmer look.
Kim Myungji was last seen in 2017 South Korean reality TV show Idol School competing for a place in Fromis 9 – the female Kpop group formed from the winners of the show. Unfortunately, she was eliminated after ranking 27th on the show and has yet to make another debut.
A profile photo of J.Min from her twitter account @good8025.
J.Min, whose real name is Shin Min Jung, was part of the final lineup of Tiny-G together with Dohee and remained off the grid ever since. Her twitter account remains static with no new updates and web searches have not yielded any results on her current status or activities either.
Left: A poster featuring a blonde Mintty from the short promotional drama for Korea’s Grand Sale currently airing across Asia. Right: A recent photo of Mintty on her Instagram account @mintmswag.
Mint, now known as Mintty, switched to another agency in 2016, and released her solo single ‘Already Go Lady (Ulleri Ggolleri, Already Go Lady)’. She later went on to join the cast of web drama THE iDOLM@STER.KR as well as the attached girl group “Real Girls Project” in 2017 and participated in idol-career rebooting reality tv show The Uni+ where she was eliminated at the 38th place.
She remains active as a dancer, singer and actress, participating in the currently airing promotional drama for 2019 Korea’s Grand Sale and is also an active vlogger with her own YouTube channel.
A recent photo of Dohee shared on her Instagram account @mdh0925_.
Min Dohee has successfully worked as an actress since her breakout role in 2013 K-drama – “Reply 1994” for which she even won the Best New Actress and Best Couple awards at the 7th Korea Drama Awards in 2014. She has been in multiple dramas and films since then, including three in 2018, i.e., “My ID Is Gangnam Beauty” and can be seen in the currently airing JTBC network drama “Clean with Passion for Now”.
—-Fie Fed
Another year is passing us by, although it seems not too long ago that we considered 2018, a brand-new year.
The year of 2018 has brought so many cases of ups and downs pertaining to various positive and negative financial, political, social issues in the Korean peninsula. Korea’s entertainment industry also went through so much (as usual) grief and lost many talents who were much loved and admired by their friends, family members and the public.
We would’ve liked to cover every Korean celebrity or public figure who are no longer with us since this year but with limited information, retrieving all the necessary information was not possible, plus a few of the birth dates of the listed have not been identified or verified so the best we could do was to omit the dates. Nevertheless, we put an effort to include most of them on our list of deceased Korean celebrities in 2018.
We express our sincere condolences to everyone who have lost their loved ones this year and wish our readers all the best in the coming new year.
Jun Tae-soo (March 2, 1984 ~ January 21, 2018)
Jun Tae-soo (March 2, 1984 ~ January 21, 2018) was a South Korean actor who made his acting debut in 2007 and gained recognition for his role in the TV series Sungkyunkwan Scandal in 2010. He was the only brother to actress Ha Ji-won.
In February 2011, Jun was arrested after assaulting a taxi driver and two police officers while intoxicated. He received treatment for depression and when his health seemed to improve, he planned to return to acting. In January of 2018, Jun took his own life at his residence.
Kim Han-il (June 4, 1990 ~ February 6, 2018)
Kim Han-il (June 4, 1990 ~ February 6, 2018) was a South Korean singer and actor who had an active music career in China under the name, Jack Kim since winning a survival audition program in 2009. In February of 2018, it was reported by Weibo that Kim had unexpectantly died due to a sudden illness at age 27.
He was survived by his Chinese wife of less than a year.
Lee Ho-yeon (January 18, 1954 ~ February 14, 2018)
Lee Ho-yeon (January 18, 1954 ~ February 14, 2018) was a South Korean record producer and Entertainment company DSP Media’s founder. He was credited for discovering Korean pop acts like Sechs Kies, Fin.K.L, SS501, and KARA and in 2015.
Lee had been suffering from various symptoms and was receiving treatment for many years before he took his last breath in the emergency room at the hospital.
Cha Myoung-wook (May 18, 1972 ~ February 21, 2018)
Cha Myoung-wook (May 18, 1972 ~ February 21, 2018) was a South Korean actor who appeared in several movies since 2010.
In February of 2018, it was reported that Cha had died from a heart attack while hiking in the mountains.
Sim Jin-bo (Nov 4, 1983 ~ March 5, 2018)
Sim Jin-bo (Nov 4, 1983 ~ March 5, 2018) was a South Korean actor who made his theater debut in 2002 and later went on to acting in TV roles.
In March of 2018, Sim was reported to have died due to a sudden heart attack at age 34.
Jo Min-ki (November 5, 1965 ~ March 9, 2018)
Jo Min-ki (November 5, 1965 ~ March 9, 2018) was a South Korean actor, known for his roles in TV series Love and Ambition, Queen Seondeok and Flames of Desire. He was also an active photographer, author and former assistant professor.
Following numerous accusations of sexual misconduct from his students; he was soon dismissed at his university. In March, Jo was found dead at an underground parking lot, in an apparent suicide – just three days before he was to be investigated by the police. He left behind six pages of apology.
Seo Min-woo (February 8, 1985 ~ March 25, 2018)
Seo Min-woo (February 8, 1985 ~ March 25, 2018) was a South Korean actor and a member of South Korean boy band 100% which is signed under the label TOP Media. In March 2018, Seo was found at his home in a state of cardiac arrest and emergency responders declared him dead on arrival.
There are speculations that the cause of death may have been a suicide attempt.
Soon-Tek Oh (June 29, 1932 ~ April 4, 2018)
Soon-Tek Oh (June 29, 1932 ~ April 4, 2018) was a Korean-American actor best known for being the voice of Fa Zhou in Disney’s Mulan and the sadistic Colonel Yin in Missing in Action 2: The Beginning. He starred in many films and TV series, including Stargate SG-1, MacGyver, M*A*S*H, Charlie’s Angels, Hawaii Five-O, Touched by an Angel and etc. Oh died in Los Angeles on April 4, 2018 at age 85, after battling many years with Alzheimer’s disease.
Tani – Kim Jin-su (July 5, 1997 ~ April 14, 2018)
Tani – Kim Jin-su (July 5, 1997 ~ April 14, 2018) was a South Korean singer who made a name for himself by his memorial songs for the victims of Sewol Ferry disaster back in 2014. On April 14, Kim unexpectantly died in a car accident at around 2 a.m., while on an expressway when his vehicle bumped into a structure.
One other unidentified passenger also lost his life on the spot. Kim was 21 years of age.
Choi Eun-hee (November 20, 1926 ~ April 16, 2018)
Choi Eun-hee (November 20, 1926 ~ April 16, 2018) was a South Korean actress who was extremely popular in the 1960s and 1970s era, in both North and South Korea. In 1978, Choi and her ex-husband, film director Shin Sang-ok were abducted to North Korea and were forced to remarry and make films by the orders of the leader. In 1986, the couple sought asylum at the U.S. embassy in Vienna and returned to South Korea.
In April of 2018, Choi passed away in hospital at age 91, where she was due to have a kidney dialysis that day.
Hwang Chan-ho (February 24, 1986 ~ April 26, 2018)
Hwang Chan-ho (February 24, 1986 ~ April 26, 2018) was a South Korean actor who appeared in plays, musicals and TV series during his 12-year acting career.
In April of 2018, he died of a sudden heart attack at the age of 32.
Kim Jae-geun (?? 1980 ~ April 30, 2018)
Kim Jae-geun (?? 1980 ~ April 30, 2018) was a former K-pop boyband O2R that made their debut in 1999. The act quickly disbanded after failing to meet much success from their album. Kim worked as a dancer and later was hired as part of a camera crew.
On April 30, 2018, Kim’s vehicle collided into a truck which instantly took his life. The truck driver was injured and the police investigated the cause of the accident. It has also been reported that Kim had lost his wife to cancer three years prior, and was raising their 6-year-old son alone.
Kim Min-seung (?? 1971 ~ May 20, 2018)
Kim Min-seung (?? 1971 ~ May 20, 2018) was a South Korean model and actor who made his modeling debut in 1994 and later appeared in plays and movies.
In May of 2018, Kim was found dead at the age of 47. The cause of his death has not been revealed but it was later reported that he had been suffering from an unidentified illness for several years after wrapping up his modeling career.
Kim Tae-ho (?? 1967 ~ June 17, 2018)
Kim Tae-ho (?? 1967 ~ June 17, 2018) was a South Korean comedian who gained recognition since 1991. He received many awards for actively hosting various TV shows and events.
In June 17, while visiting Gunsan in Jeollabuk-do for a charity golf tournament, he was at a bar with his acquaintances after the event when a drunk customer got rowdy with the owner over the payment for his drinks, then lighted the place on fire. The perpetrator had the gasoline ready three hours prior and had blocked the front door of the bar to prevent people from escaping. Kim died in the fire at the age of 51.
Lee Jong-eun (?? 1969 ~ July 18, 2018)
Lee Jong-eun (?? 1969 ~ July 18, 2018) was a South Korean model, TV presenter and lawyer. Lee was majoring in Political Science and International Relations when she was cast as an MC which led to other TV presenting positions and commercials. She was fluent in English and German, having grown up in several countries. Lee married and moved to New York, where she passed the bar exam and was hired at a law firm.
In 2012, Lee moved to work in the Middle East at a law firm and converted to Islam. Years prior her death, she was treated for breast cancer and passed away at dawn of July 18.
Kim Dong-yoon (June 3, 2018 ~ July 27, 2018) 
Kim Dong-yoon (June 3, 2018 ~ July 27, 2018) was a main rapper of the new K-pop boyband Spectrum and a contestant on MIXNINE, a reality show hosted by YG.
The night before his death, he had been communicating with fans and posted photos of himself on his social media that showed no signs of any illness.
It is of common knowledge that Kim was very underwent for his height and was pressured to do too much work but the cause of his death still remains a mystery.
His family requested for an autopsy on July 30 which was not made public.
Choe Hui-jun (May 20, 1936 ~ August 24, 2018)
Choe Hui-jun (May 20, 1936 ~ August 24, 2018) was a South Korean singer and former politician. He started his career in music as soon as he graduated from Seoul National University in 1959 – in those days, it was uncommon for singers to own a degree and Choe was a law graduate.
Choe died from a chronic disease on August 24 of 2018, at age 82.
Shin Seong-il (May 8, 1937 ~ November 4, 2018)
Shin Seong-il (May 8, 1937 ~ November 4, 2018) was a South Korean actor, director, producer, and former politician. Kang Shin-young (his real name) starred and featured in 500 films during his career and was considered as legendary in the film industry.
In November 2018, he died of lung cancer at the age of 81.
Kim Wooyoung (?? 1996 ~ November 6, 2018)
Kim Wooyoung (?? 1996 ~ November 6, 2018) was a South Korean model.
The cause of Kim’s death was due to an accident while riding on his motorcycle across Mapo Bridge in Seoul at around 5:30 p.m. Details about the accident has not made public by Kim’s management and his Instagram account has since been deactivated.
— J.Chung.
Chie Izuno works full time at an office Branch. Though she’s 30, she’s very young at heart and kind of innocent. She tries hard to go into the dating field but finds herself struggling due to her weight and self-esteem issues. She meets up with one of the company’s investors, Jin Harada, a super sucessful and young business man. However Jin has a severe lack of social skills. Chie strives to make a deal with Jin in order to aide her in her goal to lose weight and gain confidence, she tells Jin she can help him with his own flaws. Where will this agreement lead them to, and can two total opposites and flawed individuals overcome their personal demons?
2018 Kcrush K-Pop Music Awards
The cold and dry Winter air got your skin drying or breaking out? During such a skin battle season, is it safe to scrub the nagging dry scales off the skin for a baby-skin, smooth face?
This routine will help your skin maintain its youthful glow and radiance by keeping it moist, rejuvenated, and healthy.
Oily Cleansing
Remember those oily cleansers you ignored at the stall shelves during summer? Well, it is high time you grabbed one, including the oily and combination skin fellows. Start the routine by using a cleansing oil to clear make-up or accumulated dust from the skin. You may opt for a cleansing balm as the cleansing oil’s substitute or use both. I would recommend using the balm to the oil for those with sensitive or dry skin. Reminder! First wipe off any lip or eye makeup with cotton pads or other recommended removers before initiating cleansing to avoid coloring your face into a rainbow mess. For the cleanse, allow the oil/balm to rest for a few seconds before rubbing it in by gently massaging the face in small circular motions. I would recommend using a cleansing foam, especially after a heavy makeup removal, to ensure the face is clean and free from beauty product traces. Tip! Avoid too hot or cold rinsing water as it could instigate skin irritation.
Benefit! The cleanse will not only keep your skin moisturized, but also ensure the pores are clean thus reducing blackheads.
Gentle Exfoliation
Should you exfoliate during the cold Winter season? Yes, as much as possible. However, the initiative should be gentle as the visage of the face is thinner than that of other body parts. The dry and flaky Winter skin relates to more dead cells that necessitate scrubbing. Dermatologists advise that individuals of all skin types should exfoliate to get rid of the excess dirt inform of dead cells, which the cleanser is incapable of removing, to make room for development of fresh cells. For Winter, I would recommend the exfoliation scrubs, masks, and cleansers compared to exfoliation brushes as they are rather harsh tools. Reminder! Compared to those with dry skin, the oily skin people can exfoliate more often and can handle stronger exfoliants due to their thick skin. Tip! Avoid using harsh exfoliators as the skin is prone to dryness and wind burn from the cold air. If you have a sensitive or dry skin, go for exfoliants with smaller granules to avoid over-exfoliation. Consider your skin’s reaction and response to the exfoliator type and frequency of use to establish that which suits you best. Benefit! Exfoliating helps the skin absorb the applied skin-care products, including the serum and moisturizers, which are crucial for the winter period. It also reduces incidences of skin breakout by speeding up the cell renewal process hence restoring its radiance.
More than “Just Hydration”
All skin types, particularly the oily ones, benefit from hydration. In their order of application, toners, mists/face masks, essences, serums, and ampoules are hydration products that helps avoid skin dryness, especially after cleansing and exfoliating. Applying the toner first, particularly the pH balancing toners, determines the success of your cleansing in removing all dirt. Moisturizing commodities (including creams) and layering of hydration products helps lock in moisture and increases the skin’s water content thus avoiding its flaky winter nature. Throughout the day, you can use a mist to replenish skin hydration while for the night a facemask ensued by a moisturizing cream is more preferable. Reminder! Drink the recommended daily water dose of 8 glasses for additional skin hydration. Tip! Apply the products starting with the thinnest to thickest consistency. Choose face mask depending on your complexion. Benefit! Hydration fosters oil control and nourishes the skin thus reducing appearance of wrinkles (including decreasing the visibility of fine lines) and acne outbreak.
Sunscreening
Sunscreen for Winter? Although not part of the night routine, applying sunscreen in the morning is not just for the scorching Summer days but for the chilly Fall as well. The UV rays also come to play in the cold and dry Winter session instigating skin pigmentation. Reminder! Wear sunscreen to maintain a well-balanced skin color. Tip! You can reduce the amount of sunblock applied in Winter to that used during other seasons. Benefit! Sunscreen products reduce skin pigmentation instances.
For each of the skincare routine steps, observe your skin’s response to various brands of products to determine your perfect match. Some of the re-known Korean skincare brands include Dear, Klairs, MISSHA, Blossom Jeju, Banila Co, IOPE , Skinfood. Narrowing down to a particular brand can be time consuming and sometimes cause problems to the skin. However, by not taking the risk of encountering a negative experience, you might not achieve the possible utmost positive occurrence. Nonetheless, I would recommend that you consider researching prior to experimenting with any beauty product. The ball is now in your court. All the best. 화이팅!
Note: The items mentioned have not been evaluated or reviewed by us.
—-Pe Arlkh
A photo of the original six-member lineup of G.IAM from their ‘Brand New World’ promotional photo. From left: Vega, Kyulsil, U1, A-Tom, Paulo and Eun Yul.
Getting to know G.IAM
Originally a six-member all male Kpop group formed in 2011, G.IAM or Global I Am comprised members A-Tom (Choi Yeong Kyu), Eun Yul (Joo Dae Hyun), Kyulsil, Paulo, U1 (Im Yoo Won) and Vega (Bae Jung Kyun).
The group released their first single ‘Only You’ in 2011 with little fanfare so their official debut was considered to be in 2012 instead when they released the single ‘Brand New World’ which also included the ‘Only You’ track.
True to the ‘global’ in their group name, their promotions and activities were mainly concentrated in Japan and overseas, which limited their recognition and success in their home country.
In 2013, they re-commenced activities in South Korea with the release of the single and music video for ‘I’ll Be There’ followed by more overseas activities including a concert in Shibuya, Japan, and shows in Malaysia, Singapore, and China.
The group’s 2014 comeback saw a distinct change in concept and lineup with only three members – A-Tom, U1 and Paulo remaining. Former members Kyulsil and Vega left to form a new group with new members from Japan while Eun Yul did not return for the group’s comeback for personal reasons.
Their comeback single and music video ‘You’re My Everything’ showcased the husky vocals of Paulo, complimented by U1’s soulful rapping and leader A-Tom’s powerful dance moves. They released a final single ‘Propose’ later that same year and have not had any other releases or activities until early this year.
End of the group’s hiatus
In 2018, the group’s social media channels came alive again with postings indicating their imminent comeback. Although we last heard from the group four years ago, there was no official announcement of a disbandment and the group was presumed to be on indefinite hiatus by hopeful Globals – their fandom’s name.
The announcement of a spring 2018 comeback featured four members – U1, former members Vega and Kyulsil and new member Jun, and was quickly followed by activities in Japan such as fan meetings and shows throughout the year where they performed their previous releases such as ‘I’ll Be There’.
The latest lineup
The group’s latest lineup. From left: U1, Vega, Jun and Yuha .
G.IAM’s latest member lineup change announced on December 2nd, includes new member Yuha joining U1, Vega and Jun. A video of Yuha showing his impressive dance moves to a BTS song was also shared on the group’s Instagram account on the same day so fans can look forward to this talented member’s dance execution in the group’s future performances.
Meanwhile, fans who are curious about Kyulsil can check out his twitter (@ukyul) and Instagram (@ukyul2) for his updates as it appears he now works with LSAC Model Management.
G.IAM is currently busy with multiple dates for shows scheduled right up to January 2019 in Osaka, Japan. The group appears to have built up a good momentum for this comeback and the reception from fans have been positive with some even sharing videos they captured of the group during their Japan performances on YouTube
Looking at the concentration of activities in Japan, the focus of the group looks set to remain on overseas activities this time around as well and after four long years, fans will be expecting releases of new songs and music videos from this latest reincarnation of G.IAM.
—-Fie Fed
Note: Some videos and images contain graphic content.
On December 22, 2018 local time, Anak Krakatau—which means “Child of Krakatoa”—near Krakatoa on Indonesia’s Sunda Strait, erupted, triggering a tsunami that has, so far, killed over 300 people and left over 1,000 injured. The numbers are expected to climb, and there are fears that the volcano—which continues to erupt—may cause an additional tsunami.
“We are cautioning the people to remain cautious,” Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a spokesman at Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency, said. “Agencies are still continuing to analyze the root cause … the Krakatau volcano continues to erupt, which could potentially trigger another tsunami.”
The eruption occurred around 21:30 local time. According to Accuweather, the tsunami struck areas around the Sunda Strait 24 minutes later. The tsunami and any additional tsunami caused by the eruptions are as a result of underwater mudslides. According to CNN, over 500 homes, 350 boats, and 60 restaurants were destroyed or heavily damaged. Carita, Pandeglang, South Lampung, the Serang district, and Tanggamus have reports of damage and people missing and deceased.
The tsunami was not a large one, but it occurred on a full moon which causes higher tides.
“Actually, the tsunami was not really big, only one meter,” Gegar Prasetya, co-founder of the Tsunami Research Center Indonesia, said via the AP. “The problem is people always tend to build everything close to the shoreline.”
Many parts of Indonesia lack an adequate tsunami warning system. Currently, areas around the country rely on a buoy system to alert authorities if a wave may be coming. According to authorities, the outdated system has not worked since 2012; it’s also blamed for why more than 2,000 people were killed in Sulawesi in October 2018 when a tsunami struck Palu. A lacking warning system is also to blame for why over 230,000 were killed in a tsunami December 26, 2004.
“We need a multi-hazard early warning system,” said Nugroho. “And we need lots of it. We used to know that a tsunami happens after an earthquake. There was no quake last night. That is why there was no warning.”
Pop-Rock Band Seventeen Among Victims
Indonesian pop-rock band, Seventeen (not to be confused with the K-Pop group Seventeen) were among the victims in the December 22, 2018 tsunami. The band—which was formed in 1999 in Yogyakarta—was performing at the Tanjung Lesung resort when the wave wiped out the stage from behind.
While lead singer Reifian “Ifan” Fajarsyah survived, groupmates Herman Sikumbang, Windu Andi Darmawan, and M. Awal “Bani” Purbani along with a crew member and an on-road manager were killed. Fajarsyah’s wife, Dylan, is missing and presumed dead.
“So long my beloved drummer, Andi Seventeen, Allah loves you,” Fajarsyah wrote in an Instagram post. “Be at peace my friend. Endless prayers for you, Bani and Eman. It’s been an honor and a pride to share a stage with you. We were not just work partners, we were family in life and death.”
On Monday December 24, 2018, funerals for the group members were held.
Recovery Efforts Impacted
Showers and thunderstorms are expected in the impacted regions throughout the week, potentially thwarting recovery and rescue efforts. Temperatures are expected to soar into the 80-90-degree Fahrenheit range, adding to the muggy, damp conditions.
Hopefully, conditions will improve to assist in recovery efforts. Additionally, hope needs to exist that more people are found alive to provide good news for a region that desperately needs it.
—-Joelle Halon