원더풀머신 Wonderful Machine Sunday Drive [Eng Sub]

원더풀머신 Wonderful Machine Sunday Drive [Eng Sub]

This Wednesday only series will provide English subtitles on select videos. We hope you will enjoy.

The birth of a star

Named after the brightest star in the Virgo constellation, Spica was formed in 2012 comprising Kim Boa, Park Sihyun, Park Narae, Yang Jiwon and Kim Bohyung. During their active years, they released two EPs (Russian Roulette and Lonely), a slew of digital singles and some Kdrama OSTs including the English language single ‘I Did It’ in partnership with Billboard.

Although the 5-member girl group’s talented vocals and close working relationship with label mate, and former Fin.K.L. member – Lee Hyori helped them to gain some recognition from audiences, it wasn’t sufficient to elevate and sustain their popularity and commercial success.

The group officially went on hiatus in February 2017 as the members left their label to seek other representation.

 

The long hard road to success

A recent photo of Kim Boa on her Instagram account @tomboaaa

Kim Boa was the leader and vocal coach for the group and has an extensive body of work providing background vocals for other groups such as Infinite, Nine Muses, and Kara, just to name a few.

Since Spica’s hiatus, there hasn’t been much in the media about her current activities but she regularly updates her social media with personal photos especially of her beloved cat.

 

Park Sihyun in a recent photo from her instagram account @dj_siena.

Park Sihyun, now known as DJ Siena has ventured into EDM DJ’ing – participating in music events and festivals around Asia. She also models and is an official One Championship Ring Girl, a mixed martial arts sporting event organization.

 

A recent photo of Park Narae posted on her Instagram account @nalll88

Park Narae has also been low-key in the mainstream media, fans are able to catch up with her via her postings on Instagram. Her most recent music release is the song ‘To You’ on the soundtrack for ‘Ghost Detective’ – a Kdrama currently airing on KBS2.

 

A still of Yang Jiwon after her performance on reality TV show ‘The Uni+’.

Yang Jiwon joined a reality TV show called ‘The Unit’ in 2017 whereby former idols perform and compete to win places to debut in a new nine-member group. The show aimed to give former idols a second chance and Jiwon successfully won a place debuting in new group Uni.T. early this year.

On the show, she revealed that prior to joining ‘The Unit,’ she had been working part-time making deliveries to make ends meet while going for auditions as she was determined to realize her dream to become a singer.

Spica members Sihyun, Boa and Bohyung came to support her during the show’s finale, cheering her on and congratulating her on her win.

 

A photo of Kim Bohyung from her Instagram account @bohyungkim. 

Kim Bohyung is a prolific songwriter and was already involved in songwriting while Spica was active. She not only wrote for the group but also for soundtracks of Kdramas like ‘The K2’ and ‘Super Daddy Yeol’.

After Spica went on hiatus, she participated in music reality shows such as ‘Hitmaker – Cross Country’ and ‘King of Masked Singer’ showcasing her songwriting and vocal abilities. Her latest solo single ‘Because of You’ was released in March this year.

 

The darker the night, the brighter the stars

As fans and audiences often forget, for every wildly successful Kpop group there are countless others who have debuted to lukewarm or less than stellar sales and fizzled into obscurity shortly after.

Groups like Spica fall into the middle of the range in terms of success and popularity and remind us of the harsh reality of this highly competitive industry.

Nevertheless, as individuals, these talented ladies have persevered and are starting to reap the results of their hard work in their chosen fields, providing inspiration and hope to their fans who continue to follow their journey.

 

 

 

—-Fie Fed

BTS, who are adorable and having world-wide popularity at this time, have renewed their contract with their original management company, Big-Hit Entertainment. Big-Hit Entertainment and BTS have announced that, there was faith and love between them so that they renewed the contract. BTS debuted in 2013, and although they have another 1 year and 8 months left on their current contract, they still signed a new one. Commonly, most renewal contracts are signed just before the termination time, thus it is unusual to renew the contract as early as they have in this case. Thereby, BTS and their company have made a definite statement that both will continue a mutual cooperation in their music and making great history.

In this renewal, it played an important role that the company had pleasant contents production ability. The company has made the contents of BTS almost perfect, with their ability of album producing, making music videos, performance and stage management.

The company has mentioned, “It is our philosophy of managing our company that we should treat the stars, who are making the greatest outcomes, with our finest support. We discussed with the members of BTS for this renewal, and we renewed the contract so that BTS can go on with more stable and long-term activities.” The company also mentioned, “We would enhance the management of BTS, with a dedicated team composed of about 100 members, and we would continuously support BTS with strong investment and backing.

Now BTS and their management company have a deep trust between each other. It was the main reason which BTS renewed the contract, as they said, “We respect Bang Si Hyuk, for his having been suggesting the visions for us, and having been supporting us in his best since before we debuted.” And BTS also mentioned, “For us, the company made a sufficient supporting, and we would do our best to display better shows, for our fans.”

—-JKLim

VERIVERY Super Special MV [English Sub]

This Wednesday only series will provide English subtitles on select videos. We hope you will enjoy.

Senior Korean idol group, Super Junior has come back to the stage at Inkigayo with a powerful performance on a new Latin pop song, ‘One More Time’. It is a rhythmical song expressing about a jealous and eager feeling for a lover. Covered by a sharp and charming sound of the guitar from start to end, this song is full of earnest desire for love.

After releasing this song on YouTube and music streaming sites, it has been laid on the top of the charts in 27 nations such as Mexico, Japan, Columbia, Chile, Taiwan, and so on. Their great popularity was exposed at Inkigayo, as the fans sang following the new song together with loud voices.

By the way, there were lots of other singers who had come back stages on Inkigayo as well, such as Eddy Kim, who sang ‘Trace’, NCT 127, who sang ‘Regular’, Promise 9, who sang ‘Love Bomb’ and Weki Meki, who sang ‘Crush’. Nevertheless, the top 3 songs were ‘Goodbye Load’ sung by Ikon, ‘There Has Never Been a Day I Haven’t Loved You’ sung by Lim Chang Jung, and ‘Siren’ sung by Sun Mi. And the crown of the most popularity was given to Ikon for the fifth time although they were not on the show to receive it. Other singers that appeared in the program were Yuri, Soyou, WJSN, Nakjoon, Dream Catcher, The Rose, 7 o’clock and Loona.

Before the amazing performance, Super Junior posted a selfie of the 7 members on Instagram with bright smiles with fully open hands which is the trademark of Super Junior and tweeted to advertise their fancy come back performance to be showed at 3:40 in Korean time.

The new song of Super Junior is extolled as to be a sexy Latin pop. In the performance, Super Junior showed a wavy and sneaky dance full of energy and vigor. Wearing a colorful and fascinating stage costume, the 7 members of Super Junior lead the audience’s focus and didn’t let them move their eyes off. After debut in 2005, Super Junior is still maintaining a young, trendy and unique style and un-falling popularity not only in Korea, but in all over the world.

There were lots of comments on the recorded performance in Naver TV, that “Super Junior is the best. One More Time cheers!, I would say out ‘Super Junior more than flowers!’”, “Kyu Hyun, you may come back earlier, your elder brothers are waiting in their positions”.  You may check this fascinating performance on Naver TV.

 

 

—-JKLim

The group H.O.T. held a successful full-member concert. It was such a massive concert, named ‘Forever High-Five of Teenagers’ in the main stadium of Jamsil Sports Complex, from 13 October to 14 October. It has been 17 years from the last concert which is held on 27 February 2001. The members got together after filming a TV show ‘Infinite Challenge-The Saturday Special, Saturday Is a Singer’, which was broadcasted during the Korean spring festival (15 February ~ 18 February).

The members wore the clothes previously worn on the debut performance and sang a debut song ‘The descendant of the worriers’. Then, they sang the songs, ‘Wolves and Lambs’, ‘Fighting Spirit’, ‘The Way That You Like Me’, ‘Outside Castle’, ‘Line Up’, ‘Hey Child’, making a energetic greeting to the crowd for waiting them for 17 years.

“I’m Lee Jae Won, the youngest in H.O.T”

“I’m Gang Ta, the lead vocal of H.O.T”.

“It’s been long time no given a performance on the same place we performed last. I’m the leader, Moon Hee Jun”

“I’m taking a role as a foreigner in H.O.T. I’m Tony An.”

“I’m Jang Woo Hyuk, the center of H.O.T”

H.O.T is constituted of 5 members, Lee Jae Won, Gang Ta, Tony An, Jang Woo Hyuk, and the leader, Moon Hee Jun. Moon Hee Jun communicated his thankfulness that he could meet his fans since 17 years ago, as they promised that they would come back.

They also mentioned that “There was a little burden and nerve. We were not sure if we could perform as well as before. But one of my friends said, you, who attended our performance, would make our performance perfect, though.”

By the way, they couldn’t use their group name on the concert as it’s not permitted by the holder of trademark right of H.O.T. Therefore, the holder of the concert could only use the full name of H.O.T, ‘High-Five of Teenagers’

The 80,000 pieces of tickets were sold rapidly. Meantime, there was a lot of illegal tickets sold in millions of Won, and people criticized that some people makes this concert turn into a false way of getting money, and it’s an illegal actions.

However, the concert was held successfully and they also sang some solo songs. In this concert, Tony An has revealed his new song, ‘Hot Night’. Then it was ‘Pioneer’ by Moon Hee Jun, and ‘I’m So Hot’ by Lee Jae Won. Then the members gathered together and continuously sang ‘It’s Been Raining Since You Let Go’, ‘You and Me’ and ‘The Promise of HOT’, which is also sang by the crowd. Then it was ‘Candy’, the best hit song of H.O.T wearing overall trousers, and sang ‘Happiness’ afterward.

The concert continues on 14 October.

—-JKim

Kian 84, a Korean webtoon artist who appears on the TV program ‘I Live Alone’, showed his warm heart during taking an unconscious sedation endoscope. He mentioned something that was covered in his mind and wouldn’t be said out on broadcastings.

‘I Live Alone’ is a program which shows both recorded scenes and chatting of members of the program, of which none the members are married. In this episode, Kian 84 has been depicted as a man of humor, love and tender. Kian 84 met Kim Chung Jae, a junior in his university, and took a physical examination together with him. It was the first trial of Kian 84’s life. In the first, he appeared to be very nervous and fearful. But as the steps are taken, he recovered to his original character and became talkative. Kian 84 wasn’t sober after he finished taking an unconscious sedation endoscope, and he began to mutter. Kim Chung Jae made a phone call to Kian 84’s mother, then Kian 84 said on the phone, that “I would succeed and take better care of you, mom, I wish you could live longer and healthier. I should hang up as I’m going to cry.” Watching this scene with the members of ‘I Live Alone’, Kian 84 felt a little embarrassed. It made Park Na Rae, one of the hosts, became moved and Jun Hyun Moo asked her “have you just cried for him?”

By the way, Kian 84 appeared as a taciturn and serious character on the show. But this time he became a careful and tender person to make himself more charming instead. As he has a hidden filial love, Kian 84 is supporting his mother with a rent house in Jeju Island.

Kian 84 cried for missing his mother on the phone, and he could express his emotion so plainly. In his mind, there was full of love and respect for his mother and it was revealed as he took an unconscious sedation endoscope and became insane for a while.

Kian 84’s real name is Kim Hee Min, and he draws a weekly webtoon on a famous Korean searching website, Naver. During this unconscious sedation endoscope, he has given us an emotional feeling rather than a big laugh, and this type of episode is known as an ‘entertainment cheat key’.

 

—-JKLim

황재완 Hwang Jaewan 그래 또 눈물 Tear Again MV [Eng Sub]

This Wednesday only series will provide English subtitles on select videos. We hope you will enjoy.

A group pic of Rainbow from their ‘Whoo’ MV.

Seven colors of the rainbow

Formed under DSP Media in 2009, Rainbow was a seven-member all girl Kpop group comprising Kim Jaekyung, Go Woori, Kim Jisook, No Eul, Oh Seungah, Jung Yoonhye, and Jo Hyunyoung with each member representing one of the colors of the rainbow.

Throughout their career as a group spanning 7 years – from 2009 to 2016 – the group released two full studio albums and various EPs and singles not only in South Korea but also in Japan. Some of their music was also released via two sub-units, Rainbow Pixie and RB Blaxx.

The group’s achievements include reaching no. 9  on Japan’s Oricon weekly chart for their second Japanese single (Mach) and winning the Hallyu Icon Award at the 26th Golden Disc Awards in 2012.

Upon the cessation of the members’ contracts in 2016, the members declined to renew their contracts resulting in the disbandment of the group.

 

Evolution into individual artistes

A recent photo of Jaekyung on her Instagram account @_kimjaekyung_

Jaekyung is currently focused on her acting career which she had already started while in Rainbow through participation in various dramas and variety shows including a stint as a host on beauty program ‘Beauty Bible’ in 2016.

She can be seen in the now-airing Kdrama ‘Bad Papa’ playing an ace detective.

Go Na-Eun in a still from Kdrama ‘Yeonnam-dong 539’.

Woori, now known as Go Na-Eun after a name change early this year, also continued to pursue acting after Rainbow ended.

She has successfully bagged supporting roles in Korean movie ‘The Whispering’ and Kdramas ‘Yeonnam-dong 539’ and ‘My Only One’ currently airing on KBS.

A recent photo of Seung Ah posted on her Instagram account @snowmanloveu

Seungah is playing the main protagonist Shin Hwa Gyeong in the daily drama ‘Secrets and Lies‘ currently airing on MBC. After starring in ‘Grand Prince’ earlier this year, she is now undertaking the challenging lead role in ‘Secrets and Lies’ as an adopted daughter of a chaebol family struggling to conceal her secret.

A recent photo of No Eul shared on her Instagram account @noeul0510

No Eul joined A’PIK Entertainment but a search online didn’t provide any results of her current activities. Her profile on A’PIK entertainment’s website also did not reveal any new projects since 2016 but she remains active on social media such as Instagram.

A still from the music video for Jisook’s recent single ‘Edelweiss’. 

Jisook released a single called ‘Edelweiss’ last May and is signed under Dmost Entertainment. Her MV is available for viewing on Youtube and she also participates in variety shows and MC’ing.

Her latest posting on Instagram shows her on stage speaking at the 2018 Get It Beauty Con together with Amber Liu of f(x). She has mentioned in an interview that she doesn’t believe she has the talent for acting and is happy being a TV personality.

A photo of Yoonhye shared on her Instagram account @yoonhye.chung.

Yoonhye also branched out into acting and just completed her supporting role on the KBS daily drama ‘Through the Waves’. The 144 episode drama aired from February to last August and received lukewarm viewership ratings. As yet, there’s been no news on her next project and she appears to be enjoying her break after the long filming with posts of her spending time with Rainbow members and family on Instagram.

 

A photo of Hyunyoung during the recent Korean Thanksgiving shared on her Instagram @cho_hyunyoung.

Hyunyoung was last seen on screen playing the lead role in Kdrama ‘Listen to Her Heart’ in 2017. Unfortunately, the time travel romance was not popular with viewers and her most recent project was a family musical production in January this year called ‘Magic Adventure’.

 

At rainbow’s end

Since their official disbandment in 2016, each member of Rainbow has embarked on individual pursuits and interests but remain in contact with each other. Their success in their individual endeavors, although welcome news to their fans, also means it might be even more difficult to stage any reunion or group performance. Only time will tell.

On a recent appearance (September 2018) on tv show Radio Star, Jaekyung shared that the members are close and often meet up with each other. However, when asked if they had any plans to pool funds and release new music together, she candidly replied that they weren’t making enough money to do that yet.

A picture of some of the members meeting up shared on No Eul’s Instagram

On that hopeful note, Rain-nous (their fandom’s name) everywhere can rest assured that their favorite group members remain close friends and are supportive of each others’ activities leaving the door at least a tiny bit open to future collaborations given the funding and opportunity.

 

—-Fie Fed

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We at Kcrush love our beauty products, and we love recommending any beauty finds that we come across*. Of course, we are also inclusive, so we’re not recommending any foundations because we don’t want to leave anyone out. So, what’s in our October bag?

Koelf Gold Royal Jelly Hydro Gel Eye Patches

If your eyes look tired and puffy, these eye patches are a perfect temporary solution. There are 60 patches in the jar—30 for each eye—and they’re shimmery, cold, and enriched with royal jelly to help “wake up” tired eyes while “reducing fine lines” according to the product description. While we can’t vouch for fine-line-reduction for every person, we do notice some softening of fine lines along with some softening of dark circles. Puffiness also does look reduced, and skin around the eye area does look brighter. We’re sold!

These patches can be used daily, but we love using them once every few days because the effects do seem to last. Just place the patches underneath the eye area, let them sit for 20 minutes, and you’re on your way to looking more awake. When tested, they were placed on skin following a nightly skincare routine, and they were worn and removed prior to going to bed. The patches can be worn in the morning, but the results following the nightly skincare regime were really nice.

Etude House My Lash Serum

As a member of the Skimpy Lash and Brow Club, Etude House’s My Lash Serum actually (and surprisingly!) helped my brows and lashes look better. While I can’t say my lashes are longer, they do look fuller. After years of over-plucking thanks to horrible early-2000s eyebrow trends, my brows also look the best they’ve looked since 1999.

The My Lash Serum can be used alone or under mascara. Since it’s allergy season, I used the serum alone in-place of mascara and applied it in the morning and at night before I went to bed. I experienced nice results after two weeks of use. While it may not work for everyone, it is worth a shot due to its low cost.

Labiotte Wine Lip Tints

A set of six of these Labiotte Wine Lip Tints may set you back $60 (don’t worry, there are off-brands available for less!), but they are worth it! The rich pigments these tints have give lips a sexy, va-va-va-boom vibe, especially the red wine and Merlot shades. The tints have wine extracts in them, so they do have a moisturizing quality, and they also “sting” lips a bit due to the slight burn of wine, so lips will appear fuller. The tints do state they are waterproof, but that’s an iffy claim as they did wipe off easy, but the colors are to “dye” for when worn. Since they are tints, the product does not feel heavy, and they are blendable and buildable for deeper or custom shades. With Halloween upon us and the holidays right around the corner, these tints are great for “vamping up” a costume or enhancing makeup for a dressy affair.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Touch in Sol No Pore Blem Primer

Everyone needs a good primer. Touch in Sol’s No Pore Blem Primer is wonderful as it works on different skin types without making skin look ruddy, pink, or off. The primer leaves behind a velvety smooth palette that erases fine lines and problem skin, helping makeup glide across skin for a near-flawless finish.

What’s nice about the No Pore Blem Primer is that it’s matte, so skin isn’t excessively shiny. On good skin days, it can easily be worn alone to blur away imperfections. It’s a jack-of-all trades product. It’s especially useful for eyeshadow application as it keeps shadows—specifically cream shadows—in place.

However, the primer is not the best for people with large pores as it will settle in more. If you have large pores, it’s best to look elsewhere; so, this is something to keep in mind.

Jade Roller and Gua Sha Set

So, jade rolling and Gua Sha are a current YouTube and Instagram-influencer fad, but this trend is no joke! If you want skin that’s more awake, brighter, and has a healthy glow, jade rolling is helpful and will help you achieve these skin goals if done correctly, and Gua Sha enhances the effects of jade rolling. Instead of describing the process, here are some videos that demonstrate how to use both.

As someone in her 30s, I’ve noticed some positive changes in my skin, especially around my eyes. With consistent use, I’ve noticed my eyelids and brows appear lifted, a plus as these are problem areas for me. Even if the techniques aren’t helpful for lifting, they are extremely useful for helping moisturizers absorb into skin, and they are great stress and headache relievers.

 

Do you have any product recommendations you want us to try? Let us know! We’ll be happy to review your favorites!

*Kcrush writers are not affiliated with the companies or brands mentioned. We are also not compensated for promoting the products listed. We spend our own money on these products by choice, so recommendations are bias-free! Hooray!

 

 

—-Joelle Halon

Chinese actress Fan Bingbing broke her three-month silence on October 3, 2018.

Fan, 37, disappeared July 1, 2018 following accusations of using “Yin-Yang Contracts” to avoid paying taxes. Former CCTV presenter Cui Yongyuan was the whistleblower behind the allegations. The issue was brought to the attention of Chinese authorities following income reports for her upcoming film Air Strike. 

China’s state-run news outlet Xinhua states Fan has been given an undisclosed deadline to pay fines that are between $130 million and $187 million USD: A fine that is around $86 million USD and late taxes and fees that amount to $42 million USD. If Fan pays by the deadline, she will not face prosecution as she is a first-time offender.

In a letter posted online, Fan addressed the case and apologized to her fans. She also states she will take responsibility for her actions. Fan writes,

Recently I have been enduring an unprecedented amount of pain, undergoing deep self-reflection and introspection. I am deeply ashamed and feel guilty for what I have done, and I offer my sincere apologies to everyone.

For a long period of time, I did not uphold my responsibilities of safeguarding the interests of my country and society against my personal gain. I feel ashamed that I committed tax evasion in the film ‘Unbreakable Spirit’ and on other projects by taking advantage of ‘yin yang contracts.’ Throughout these days of cooperation with the taxation authorities’ investigation into my accounts, as well as those of my company, I have come to realize that, as a public figure, I should have observed the law, setting a good example for society and the entertainment industry. I shouldn’t have lost the ability to control myself in the face of economic interests, allowing myself to break the law. Here I sincerely apologize to society, my friends who care about me, the public and the taxation authorities.

I completely accept the penalties given by the taxation authorities after their thorough investigation. I totally accepted all of them and will raise funds to pay my taxes and penalties regardless of any obstacles.

I have been an ardent art lover since I was a child, and I’m fortunate to have been a part of the rise of the film and television industries. Thanks to guidance from veterans as well as the love of the audience, combined with my own hard work, I have achieved some success in my career. As an actor, I take pride in showcasing our country’s culture on the global stage, and I do my best to be in the forefront of this. I owe my success to the support of my country and the people. Without the great policies of the [Communist] Party and the state, without the love of the people, there would have been no Fan Bingbing.

Today I’m facing enormous fears and worries over the mistakes I have made. I failed my country which nurtured me; I failed the society which trusted me; I failed the fans who loved me. I offer my sincere apology here once again! I beg for everyone’s forgiveness!

After this incident, I believe that I will uphold the law and respect official orders, while upholding my responsibilities. While I will continue to produce great work for everyone, I will monitor my company’s management carefully to ensure that my company abides by the law, building it into a great, sophisticated company with high integrity, in order to spread positive values to society!

Again, I apologize to society and my adoring fans, as well as to my friends and family who care so much for me. I sincerely say, I am sorry!

Fan Bingbing

October 3 2018 (Trans. Allkpop)

As Xinhua and The Strait Times report, Fan’s tax evasion case will be used a warning for others who may consider tax evasion as an option in China. In a commentary about the case, Xinhua states, “Everyone is equal before the law, there is no ‘superstar’ or ‘rich and powerful’, no one can despise the law and hope to be lucky.”

In response to the case, China’s State Taxation Administration said it would begin a new tax payment regulation campaign in the film and TV industry. Film and TV firms as well as personnel that self-examine and make remedial payments to tax authorities before December 31, 2018 will be exempt from administrative punishment and penalties.

Following Cui Yongyuan’s allegations, the Chinese government capped salaries for actors and actresses to work toward preventing “money-worship.” Actors and actresses in the Chinese film and television industry now cannot be paid more than 40 percent of the total production cost of a film or show.

In a separate case, Fan’s agent, Mou Enguang, is detained by police due to an ongoing investigation that he obstructed the Chinese government’s investigation into Fan by ordering employees of companies owned by him and Fan to conceal or destroy accounting evidence. Additionally, officials at several local tax bureaus in Jiangsu have also been held responsible for Fan’s tax evasion.

Currently, it is not known if Fan’s current and upcoming film projects will be affected. As it sounds, these projects depend on her meeting her payment deadline.

Check out the trailer for Airstrike, Fan’s next film, which also stars Bruce Willis, Adrien Brody, Song Seung-heon, and Liu Ye. The film, which is also known as Unbreakable Spirit in China, is produced by Mel Gibson and directed by Xiao Geng.

 

—-Joelle Halon

MV 우주소녀 WJSN 부탁해 SAVE ME, SAVE YOU

This Wednesday only series will provide English subtitles on select videos. We hope you will enjoy.

On September 16, 2018, one of Japan’s Queens of Pop, Amuro Namie, 41, retired from show business following a successful 26-year career.

Amuro, who is considered Japan’s Madonna, is one of the country’s top-selling artists of all-time. Internationally, Amuro is also one of Japan’s most well-known stars due to creating tracks in English and working with some of the East and West’s biggest stars including TLC, Afterschool, Jolin Tsai, and David Guetto.

On September 16, 2017, Amuro announced that 2018 would be her final year in the industry. She performed her farewell concert September 15, 2018.

Many call Amuro’s retirement the end of the “Golden Era” of Japan’s pop scene. With her and Ayumi Hamasaki among other J-Pop stars from the 1990s and early 2000s looking at the evenings of their careers, it does appear the Golden Era is coming to a close as these stars are replaced with multi-member groups and idols that, while decent talent-wise, lack the power and control over an audience that can be maintained long-term. However, this does mean Koda Kumi, Crystal Kay, and Utada Hikaru—three artists from the Amuro/Hamasaki era— may have the chance to shine and possibly continue the legacies of the so-called Golden Era.

Also known as the “Pride of Okinawa,” Amuro is credited for paving the way for other Okinawan female groups, including Speed and MAX who trained at the same academy Amuro once attended. Additionally, although the trend is now fading, Amuro’s also credited as one of the artists that inspired the Gyaru street-fashion trend that features tanned skin, dyed hair, and heavy makeup. While Amuro did not explicitly follow the trend, she was known as a natural example of it due to her Okinawan tan, style of dress, and colored hair, spawning a Gyaru sub-culture call amuraa that was devoted to emulating the star’s appearance. Later, Amuro separated herself from the trend by opting for more glamour and stylish Hip-Hop glam.

But, Amuro is more than a fashion trendsetter. As one of Japan’s longest reigning pop divas, Amuro’s music and personality survived the test of time. Since 1992, Amuro’s star shone brightly even though her career began with the unsuccessful group, Super Monkeys (although the group did spawn the careers for many MAX members). After the group disbanded in 1995, Amuro launched her successful career that was packed with hits and records.

Amuro holds several CD and DVD sales records as well as records for concert attendance. All 12 of Amuro’s full-length albums have all been certified Platinum or higher, and 14 of her singles have topped album charts. 1996’s Sweet 19 Blues has sold more than 3.4 million albums as of 2018, marking it as one of her most successful albums to date and one of Japan’s best-selling albums of all-time. She’s sold more albums than Katy Perry and Lady Gaga combined. In 1997, Amuro also released “Can You Celebrate,” which, at over 2.75 million copies sold, was the biggest selling single from a Japanese female recording artist.

Amuro’s Namie Amuro Final Tour 2018: Finally DVD also smashed the DVD presale record by selling well over 904,000 copies (the original record set in 2016) prior to its release. Additionally, Amuro also broke the ticket sales record with her final tour. The record was initially held by Kazumasa Oda with 740,000 tickets sold, but Amuro crushed the record with over 800,000 tickets sold for her Finally tour. Her Finally album also sold well over 1 million copies in the first week of its release, crushing the 14-year-old record previously held by Utada Hikaru’s Utada Hikaru Single Collection Vol. 1 (March 31, 2004). With this latest release, Amuro is also the only global artist to sell over a million copies of a single in her teens, 20s, 30s, and 40s. Talk about a storied career!

In addition to smashing records, Amuro’s “Hero” was also selected as Japan’s theme song for the 2016 Summer Olympics and has featuring songs on several OSTs for Pokémon, Death Note, and the horror film Light Up the New World. She’s also had music featured for several commercials. Her track “Beautiful” was used for Kosé cosmetics ads in 2013. She’s also the only artist to have exclusive rights to Pink Panther, and MGM Studios even created a Pink Panther character in her likeness.

On September 30, 2018, Amuro’s official Facebook, fan club, and official website will be taken offline. Her official YouTube will stay online and will be reformatted November 1, 2018.

We wish Namie Amuro a fantastic and happy retirement!

 

 

—-Joelle Halon

 

After 18 years in the Japanese entertainment industry, former idol Yoshizawa Hitomi, 33, announced on September 29, 2018 that she will be retiring. She made the decision after being indicted September 26, 2018 for a hit-and-run accident that occurred earlier in the month.

In a joint statement released by Yoshizawa and J.P Room, Yoshizawa said, “Over these past 21 days, I was able to face myself and look back on my life. I’ve become aware of my own weakness and immaturity.” As the statement continued, she said, “Above all, I would like to deeply apologize to those I have injured.” She closed her statement with, “I will retire from the entertainment industry of which I have been indebted to for the past 18 years.”

On the morning of September 6, 2018, Yoshizawa ran a red light, hitting a male pedestrian and a female cyclist. She was driving 86KPH (around 54MPH) in a 60KPH (around 37MPH) zone. Yoshizawa initially fled the scene but called the police 15 minutes later and returned to the scene. A breathalyzer test revealed she consumed alcohol that was four-times Japan’s legal limit of .15 milliliters. She was arrested for suspicion of drunken driving, a hit-and-run resulting in injury, and hazardous driving. Her license has also been temporarily suspended.

Both victims suffered “light injuries” according to the Tokyo Reporter.

This is the second traffic incident involving injuries for Yoshizawa. In September 2017, while she was driving on the wrong side of the road, she a man in his 20s. He also suffered “light injuries.” 

In her initial police interview regarding the most recent incident, Yoshizawa lied about how many drinks she consumed, stating that she only had three cans of chuhai, a drink that’s made from carbonated water, lemon, and shochu or vodka. Upon further questioning, she admitted she “also drank other alcohol in addition to the cans of chuhai.”

Yoshizawa was bailed out of the Harajuku Police Station September 27, 2018 for 3 million yen ($26,400 USD).

Following the incident, Yoshizawa’s mother-in-law attempted suicide by trying to overdose on sleeping pills when she was questioned about the incident. Fortunately, she survived after being rushed to the hospital.

Yoshizawa was a fourth-generation member of Morning Musume from 2000-2007. She made her official group debut when she appeared in the single, “Happy Summer Wedding.” In 2005, she was named the group’s leader following Mari Yaguchi’s departure. During her Morning Musume tenure, she was also the captain of Gatas Brilhantes H.P, the Hello! Project futsal team. When she graduated from Morning Musume in 2007, she and another former member, Rika Ishikawa, formed the duo Hangry & Angry as a collaboration with a Harajuku store of the same name. In 2010, she and other former Morning Musume members formed the group Dream Morning Musume. In 2012, she and Ishikawa came together again to form the duo Abcho.

Following the incident, some former Morning Musume members shared their thoughts about the incident and Yoshizawa. Many of the posts expressed disappointment and disbelief while calling for Yoshizawa to face her punishment and take responsibility for her actions. Yuko Nakazawa, Morning Musume’s first leader, stated “There is nothing that can be defended,” while second-generation member Kei Yasuda stated, “I was cheering for you, I trusted you, a lot of other people feel betrayed in the same way. It’s a truly embarrassing feeling.”

Those members asked about the incident offered their support and well-wishes to the victims.

Yoshizawa is married to a non-celebrity (November 22, 2015-present) and has a young son (July 2016). On January 11, 2007, her younger brother, Kōta Yoshizawa, 16, was killed in a traffic accident.

After graduating from Morning Musume, Yoshizawa served as a public relations ambassador in Miyoshi, Saitama Prefecture. She vacated the role following her traffic incident.

Meanwhile, Morning Musume has been celebrating their 20^th anniversary. In August, Yoshizawa took part in the Hello! Project Summer 2018 concert series as part of the anniversary celebration. Hello! Project has since announced that Yoshizawa will be removed from any upcoming promotions including CDs and DVDs.

Yoshizawa’s punishment has yet to be revealed, but the public and career fallout has already been great for the disgraced former star.

 

 

—-Joelle Halon

Sophiya Pae (Su-jeong Pae, 배수정) is a Korean-British singer-songwriter; born and raised in London, England.

Sophiya has an impressive educational background and worked as an accountant at a firm in London but decided to pursue her lifelong ambition as a singer/musician in the K-pop industry.

From an early age, she had a special love for singing and playing the piano, so she decided try out her musical talent in the second season of Korea’s music talent show,

 Star Audition: The Great Birth: 위대한 탄생 in the year of 2012.

She was met with favorable response from the judges and was awarded as the runner-up of the TV show.

She then flew back to the U.K to attain her accountant certificate and soon headed back to Korea to pursue her childhood dream as a singer-songwriter, full-time.

Since then, she has written numerous songs for K-pop acts such as Sistar, Twice, BoA and many more.

 

 

*Hello! Would you briefly introduce yourself to our readers?

My name is Su-jeong Pae; (or 배수정 in Korean) otherwise known as Sophiya. I’m a singer-songwriter who writes songs not just for myself but for other K-pop artists as well.  Some of you may know me from the show, Star Audition: The Great Birth (위대한 탄생) in which I was the runner-up in its second season.

 

*How were you influenced to start music?

I wouldn’t say that I am from a musical family but I do have relatives who studied opera on my mom’s side and my parents are very much into classical music, Beatles and John Lennon. I guess, my initial interest in music was due to my parents. I was very absorbed in singing on the piano at home by myself or at church since I was growing up, but it was a form of hobby for me. For me, getting into this industry was mostly through the Korean audition program that I was on. I thought that was my last chance to do what I love.

 

*Were your parents supportive of you going on the show?

Not at the beginning. When I told them that I was going on the talent show in Korea, they were kind of surprised. At the time, they just thought that I’d be taking six months off work. Since I studied hard at university and to get my accountant qualification, they agree that I could take those months off. My parents became supportive during the show. And I ended up taking a lifetime break to do music.

 

*On your way to Korea, what kind of thoughts were going through your mind?

I was very excited since I started writing songs and was to go out there to meet new people and send my demos to labels to see what the response was.

 

*Would you name any artists who influenced your music?

Vocally, it would definitely be the big power vocals like, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston and Christina Aguilera. My voice has evolved over time and although I’m not a power vocal like them; I very much enjoy their style of infusing pop with R&B elements.

 

*As a songwriter, can you share the process of how you compose songs?

It happens differently every time. Generally, I will jot down the ideas for the lyrics as they come to me, way before I write a song at times. Because it can be hard when you’re trying to think of lyrics on the spot. If I come across a phrase or any expressions I find really interesting which I can use as a song title, I would write it all down.  Once I get a beat, I write the melody. That’s when I start thinking, “Well, with this track, I think those lyrics could work either as a title or a concept…” I mean, the lyrics happen over time based on experiences. But I usually write the melody first. When it comes to writing lyrics in Korean, some of my songs didn’t turn out to be that good so I had someone translate or edit my ideas for me.

 

*What kind of music or artist would you recommend to others?

I really like Gallant. I think he’s amazing at everything he does. He has done a song with Eric Nam and Tablo before.

 

*What is your favorite Korean food?

That is a hard… I would say, Yukhoe. I’m a carnivore so I like all sorts of meat like Korean BBQ, Samgyeopsal.

 

*How did you lose weight so quickly? Can you give out any advice?

I used to be a sugar addict and would eat snacks all day and night. So, I cut back on that and went low carb basically and just ate protein and fat for about three to four months. I did a lot of circuit training and high-intensity interval training which brought the weight down really quickly. It’s very easy to gain weight so without a specific goal in mind, it’s hard to find the motivation.

 

*Could you recommend us any movies, books, musicals?

I love Khaled Hosseini’s novels. He wrote “Kite Runner” “A Thousand Splendid Suns” and etc.

 

*Who do you respect the most in the world?

I’d probably say, Bill Gates. He’s smart, loaded and still wants to help other people which I think is very admirable.

 

*Are there any colors you like or dislike?

My home is covered with all types of blue. I also like black, white, grey and red. I just like very urban and casual. The color that I dislike would probably be pink, I am not really a girly girl.

 

*Describe your ideal person that you’d date.

I’m not really the type to like or judge someone just for their looks and I don’t really have a specific thing. I’d have to be attracted to them but appearance is not the priority. I would say, someone who is playful and funny whom I can just hang out with and can be best friends with.

 

*How was the performance at the KCrush event back in June like for you?

I was quite nervous because I hadn’t performed that many songs in front of an audience in a little while. It was actually the first time for me to perform most of those songs that were released under the Feeline Music label.

 

*Tell us about your music label, “Feeline Music”.

The label was founded in October 2017. We call it a label, but right now, it just consists of me and Distract – my co-producer and co-CEO. Now that I don’t have a management company, I’m no longer bound by what others want and can concentrate on making the music that I want, instead of having to go mainstream or do what a company demands. We focus on making and releasing music that we want to make and love.

 

*Let us know about your future plans or goals. (And please say something nice to the fans…)

I’ve been so busy writing for other artists these days but the plan over the next few months, is to just concentrate on writing for myself. And I want to release a full album at one point. I’ve got a couple of collabs in the works, so watch this space! Thank you so much to all my fans out there who are always supporting me and my music. Reading all your comments on social media etc. and knowing that my songs resonate with you guys means the world to me! Much love.

 

We would like to thank Sophiya for the great interview and we wish her all the best in all her future endeavors!

Thank you.

 

 

 —- J. Chung

Food has a long history in cultures all across Asia and it is no different in Brunei. Street food is considered the window into a country’s culture. Even as cities continue to modernize with new cafes, fast food chains and ethnic eateries; food vendors have and will always be around. It is not hard to see why they have not become obsolete as they are quick, cheap and easily accessible. Vendors not only provide delicious food round the clock, they are also a positive social aspect in many Asian cultures. Street food tours are now on the rise, thanks to a booming tourist culture that celebrates diversity and open mindedness.

In Brunei, the larger congregations of food vendors are known as ‘Pasar’ or ‘Tamu’ which is derived from the standard Malay word ‘temu’ meaning to meet. Historically, these areas were where customers would flock to buy and sell fruits, vegetables, livestock, and traditional Bruneian cakes and biscuits or ‘kuih’ as they are known.

Some popular traditional foods you would find are nasi katok made of plain rice, fried chicken and sambal. ‘Soto,’ a noodle soup. ‘Pulut panggang’ grilled glutinous rice. ‘Kuih seri muka,’ a steamed layered cake with sweet sticky rice. ‘Kuih Malaya’ a large pancake with ground peanuts, raisins, and condensed milk.

However, food vendors in Brunei are not only limited to local dishes. They host dishes from Indonesia, Malaysia, Middle East and even Western cuisines with a local twist. You can find cucur tempeh and tauhu; deep fried fermented soy bean and tofu. Burgers topped with a fried egg. ‘Roti john’ an omelette sandwich. ‘Murtabak’ a folded flat bread. ‘Rojak’ a spicy and tangy fruit/vegetable salad with peanuts. And ‘tapai’ a fermented rice kuih. All of this and a medley of other exotic dishes make up the thriving street vendor scene here in Brunei.

 

Here are some of the places to get the best street food in Brunei:

Birthday of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah Market

Address: Around Taman Haji Sir Muda Omar Ali Saifuddien

Opening hours: 5:00pm to 10:00pm

Getting there: A 5-minute walk from Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah

What’s available: Food, drinks, barbecue, traditional snacks, clothes, children activities.

In conjunction with the birthday of His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, a night market is set up for the whole month of July. However, sometimes the celebration will be moved to the month of August if the actual birthday falls during the month of Ramadhan (fasting month). During this time, capital will be adorned with colourful neon lights, banners and flags to reflect the joy and anticipation for the occasion. As this market is a pop-up event, it brings in young entrepreneurs who want to test out their ideas and possibly bring in new flavours to Brunei.

 

Tamu Kianggeh

 

Photo source: https://goo.gl/pYYpKn

Address:  Jalan Sungai Kianggeh, Bandar Seri Begawan

Opening hours: Daily, 5:00am to 5:00pm.

Getting there: Walk across the bridge on the Kianggeh River next to the bus terminal

What’s available: Local fruits and vegetables, foraged goods, fresh river catch, raw ingredients, traditional kuih, traditional handicraft, hot food

A river side market that has been around since the 1960s. Tamu Kianggeh is one of the oldest markets in Brunei and is considered as a national heritage. It is advisable to get there early as the stalls will close once they have sold out; sometimes as early as 12:00pm. The busiest days are Fridays and Sundays. Since October 2016, the road closure on Sunday mornings in the city centre was implemented to give space for cycling and running activities. This made Tamu Kianggeh an ideal breakfast spot. The market is not only a great place for food but a convenient location to carry out your weekly shopping at a bargain.

 

Tamu Selera

 

Photo source: https://goo.gl/8q9wo8

Address:  Jalan Padang, Bandar Seri Begawan

Opening hours: Daily, no official hours.

Getting there: On the corner of Jalan Tasek Lama & Jalan Stoney.

On the right of St Andrew’s Church

What’s available: Traditional Malaysian and Indonesian hot food, seafood, barbecue, cold drinks

Tamu Selera comes with colourful tarps and shady garden areas. It is the only market that has plenty of outdoor seating as it mainly caters hot meals. At noon, you will find many students having their lunch there as it is centrally located in between some of the oldest schools in Brunei. In the evening, a large range of fresh seafood such as prawns, squids and tilapia to name a few is available. Your selection will then be cooked infront of you topped with various sauces and pastes of your choice. Some of the favourite staples of Tamu Selera are ayam penyet (smashed fried chicken) at stall 5, ayam bakar (charcoal-grilled chicken) at stall 26 and cucur tempeh and tauhu from stall 7. These dishes are often paired with sambal (chili paste) and rice or fried noodles. The stalls sometimes open until sun rise depending on the customer flow. However, rain or shine at any time of the day, you are guaranteed to find delicious food here.

 

Pasar Malam Gadong (Gadong Wet Market)

Photo source: https://www.dztraveler.com/asia/trip-to-gadong-night-market

Address:  Jalan Pasar Gadong

Opening hours: Daily, 3:00pm to 10:00pm

Getting there: A 10 minute walk from The Mall, across the bridge on the Menglait River

What’s available: Grilled and barbecue food, burgers, fried food, kebab, cold drinks

The market recently got upgraded into an open-air building segregated into sections as grilling, cooking, non-cooking and fruit and vegetables. The renovations have brought in some seating areas for customers to enjoy their food and with just $10, you can eat to your heart’s content. The barbecue and grill sections bring a familiar sight to the hustle and bustle of night markets. You can get grilled chicken wings, fish, satays, tongkeng (barbecue chicken haunch glazed with honey) and pulut panggang (glutinous rice stuffed with beef or prawns, wrapped with banana leaves). Hati buyah (marinated stir fried beef lung) is a less common but delicious delicacy that is a must try when you are here. And lastly, the Kueh Malaya often has a queue to take home and share with your friends and family.

 

—-May Taro

A promo pic of KARA from http://kara.dspmedia.co.kr/. From left: Park Gyuri, Goo Ha-Ra, Han Seung-yeon and Heo Youngji.

 

A brief history

Originally a female Kpop quartet, KARA was formed in 2007 with Park Gyuri, Han Seung-yeon, Kim Sung-hee, and Jung Nicole. Although their debut album was not a commercial success, they received recognition from critics and eventually went on to grow from strength to strength through the years – achieving commercial success not only domestically but also internationally, particularly in Japan.

Some of the awards and accolades they received not only in South Korea but also in Japan include the Best Female Group Award at the Korean Entertainment 10th Anniversary Awards and the Japan Gold Disc Awards for Best Asian Artist and Album of the Year (Super Girl) in 2013.

The evolution of the group’s lineup over the years can be summarized in two parts – firstly, the departure of Kim Sung-hee and the addition of two new members Goo Ha-ra and Kang Jiyoung in 2008 resulting in the group becoming a quintet.

And secondly – a final change in 2014 with the departure of Nicole Jung and Kang Jiyoung upon the expiry of their respective contracts and the addition of new member Heo Youngji who was selected through a reality TV show called Kara Project.

The resulting final four-member lineup of Park Gyuri, Han Seung-yeon, Goo Ha-ra, and Heo Youngji went on to release more albums and even a Japanese tour in 2015. However, the group’s activities came to an end in 2016, upon the expiry of contracts of three of the members – Park Gyuri, Han Seung-yeon and Goo Ha-ra.

 

Individual activities

Kim Sung-hee left KARA to pursue her studies in 2008 and was last heard to be working as a vocal instructor for aspiring singers before getting married in 2011.

A recent photo of Nicole Jung on her Instagram account @nicole_jung

Nicole Jung pursued a solo music career after leaving KARA in 2014, releasing a mini album (First Romance) that same year followed by a Japanese debut single in 2015. Her last album release was the Japanese album Bliss in 2016.

In an interview earlier this year, she shares that she is preparing to make a comeback soon. She also appeared on tvN’s ‘Life Bar’ last August as a guest.

A recent photo of Kang Jiyoung posted on her Instagram account @kkangjji_

Kang Jiyoung is now a successful singer and actress based in Japan, starring in consecutive Japanese dramas from 2014 until now and winning the Audience Award at the 10th Okinawa International Movie Festival this year.

A recent photo of Park Gyuri shared through her Instagram account @gyuri_88

Park Gyuri joined Motion Media to pursue a career in acting in 2016. Since then she has acted in Kdramas Jang Yeong-sil (2016) and Lovers in Bloom (2017) and will next be seen in the movie Milyak in 2018.

A still from the music video for ‘WILD’, Goo Ha-ra’s latest Japanese single. 

Goo Ha-ra has been more active in hosting events and participating in variety/reality shows since her departure in 2016. In addition, she has also released singles and contributed a song to the original soundtrack for 2018 Kdrama ‘Jugglers.’

Recently however, the actress has been embroiled in scandal as she has been accused of assaulting her ex-boyfriend during a heated argument. Her agency has stated that she was also injured in the incident and is currently hospitalized for treatment. The case is currently being investigated by the police.

A still of Han Seung-yeon from 2018 Kdrama ‘About Time’.

Han Seung-yeon returned to her acting roots after leaving DSP Media in 2016, starring in Kdramas such as Hello, My Twenties!, Last Minute Romance, Hello, My Twenties! 2 and About Time. She will next appear in the time travel romance ‘Twelve Nights’ as the female lead set to air this October.

 

A still of Heo Youngji performing on KBS’s ‘Immortal Songs’ program earlier this year.

Heo Youngji was the maknae (youngest member) of the group and is still signed with DSP Media as a solo artiste participating in acting, singing and hosting projects. Her last single was released in 2017 and she has starred in many variety shows throughout her career, the latest being season 2 of ‘I Am CEO’ airing on JTBC.

 

Will KARA ever make a comeback?

Much to the disappointment of their fandom – the Kamilias – the group has not had any activities together since the departure of three of the members from DSP Media. However, fans remain hopeful of a reunion as there has not been an official disbandment of the group.

In addition, the members have previously shared through their social media accounts that they continue to support each other and think of themselves still as KARA – even wishing everyone a happy 11th Anniversary of KARA’s debut earlier this year and further fueling fans’ hopes.

Although fans understand how realistically difficult a KARA reunion would be to achieve with the members being in different agencies, time will tell whether Kamilias’ wishes will come true. In the meantime, fans will have to console themselves with following their idols in their individual activities in dramas, variety shows and solo albums.

 

 

—-Fie Fed

On September 14, 2018, Cube Entertainment CEO, Shin Dae-Nam, announced that HyunA and E’Dawn will stay with the company for now. However, a board meeting will be help to discuss the idols’ futures. The retraction appears to have been made following Cube’s nearly 7 percent stock-drop on September 13, 2018 after it was announced the pair were ousted from the company.

Original Story Below

In a stunning move, Cube Entertainment announced on September 13, 2018 that long-time idol, HyunA, and Pentagon member E’Dawn (Kim Hyo-Jung) have been kicked out of the company more than a month after the pair announced they’ve been dating for two years.

Cube Entertainment released a statement following the news the two stars have been ousted.

This is Cube Entertainment.

Cube Entertainment has officially decided to remove our artists HyunA and E’Dawn from the label.

We have put in our best efforts in working with our label artists in artist management through loyalty and trust in our relationship.

After numerous discussions, it is with great pain that we have come to the conclusion that it will prove difficult for us to rebuild the broken loyalty and trust between these two artists, HyunA and E’Dawn; as a result, we have made the decision to force them out from our label.

We sincerely thank fans who have been with the two artists all this time.

Thank you.

HyunA, who was previously signed with JYP Entertainment and an original member of Wonder Girls in 2007. In 2009, HyunA, now signed with Cube Entertainment, re-debuted in 4Minute after leaving the K-Pop world due to health issues. When 4Minute disbanded in 2016, HyunA remained with Cube as a solo artist.

E’Dawn debuted in Pentagon in 2016. E’Dawn is best known as one of Pentagon’s singer-songwriters; he is credited as a co-writer in Pentagon’s new single “Naughty Boy,” which was released September 10, 2018.

The pair were also in the unit Triple H together.

In August, E’Dawn and HyunA confirmed they were dating after rumors circulated online the two were together. The pair came forward with their relationship because they wanted to be honest with their fans.

Cube Entertainment initially denied the claims.

Weeks after the dating news, E’Dawn shared a message on Pentagon’s fan café.

Hello everyone, this is E’Dawn. I’m so sorry to greet you so suddenly, and so late, through this post.

I truly wanted to stand in front of you fans, to see you and to talk to you face to face, at our fanclub opening ceremony in August with my members, since we prepared hard with thankful and fluttering hearts, but none of that came true due to circumstances.

Afterward, I felt apologetic toward fans who must have been confused because even though I said I wanted to show you my truthful side confidently, I disappeared without warning; so I am writing in the hopes that even just a little bit of my apologetic feeling and my whereabouts will touch the fans who are simply waiting for me with troubled hearts, even though it’s so late and I’m not sure if this will reach you.

Before all of this happened, I talked over what was the right or wrong decision with my members so many times, and up until the final decision, I was very scared and worried. However, because I chose it, I felt that rather than telling an even bigger lie later on, I had to be honest to you all.

I’m disappointed that I will not be able to keep my promise of greeting you on stage as soon as possible with my truthful self through these upcoming promotions.

Still, in one sense, I do feel relieved that I’ll be able to join the members with the music that we all worked on together, at least.

Even though I won’t be together with you in person, I will cheer for the album we created with honesty and for my members alongside the fans.

I was given a long period of time in the form of a month. At first, I suspected that you would hate me, and worried that maybe some of you were hurt, and I had a time of reflecting on all kinds of thoughts.

It’s sad that after all this time, I can only relay my honest thoughts through writing.

I’m not sure how and in what format we’ll be able to meet again next time, but until then, please don’t be sick, and I’ll do well while praying that only good things will happen to you.

I’m so sorry, and thank you, and I miss you.

Following the announcement of their relationship, E’Dawn’s promotions with Pentagon where halted, and several of HyunA’s events were canceled due to “internal circumstances.”

Those internal circumstances were due to Cube Entertainment working on nullifying E’Dawn and HyunA’s contracts because they “broke the company’s trust” by dating.

Hopefully, HyunA and E’Dawn will be snatched up by a company that actually cares about their artists and protects them instead of tossing them away for having human needs and emotions.

That is a rant for another article.

*Update: After releasing their initial statement, Cube Entertainment backtracked a little by stating, “”We’re simply negotiating HyunA and E’Dawn leaving the label, but it’s not been confirmed. We’ll be discussing it more.”

 

 

—-Joelle Halon

Note: The following post contains spoilers.

Even though the drama Black ended in Korea a few months ago, it’s just now on Netflix for international audiences. Since it’s availability on Netflix, K-Drama lovers ignited old arguments regarding the drama’s ending and whether it did the show justice. Surprisingly, the majority audience despised the final two episodes and claim these episodes wrecked the entire drama.

Choi Ran, the writer behind the OCN series, even stated the ending was different from what she envisioned. In a blog post, Choi said, “Black is a project like my own child that I had in the works for a while. I felt sad and had mixed emotions as I watched the drama on-air. I was very upset the story I wished to tell was portrayed differently on air against my will. I worked hard but think there was a lack of communication.”

Toward the end of the show, rumors swirled that there were internal issues between writers and producers, which lead the drama to end how it did. These rumors are unconfirmed. However, if the leaked information regarding the ending is accurate, the ending viewers received for the show is the perfect ending considering how the “original” ending feels weak and unsatisfying. The “original” ending is an empty “happy ending” that’s almost outlandish. The ending we have, while cliché for many, is still not a happy ending and still leaves heartache in its wake as the audience watches Black (Song Seung-Heon) and Ha-Ram (Go Ara) walk toward the afterlife.

Episodes 17 and 18 are beautifully written and emotionally delivered. Sure, the reveal of Black (Kim Tae-Woo) being Joon (Lee Hyo-Je) came about in a typical-soap-opera-reveal, but it was fitting considering what everyone went through in the series. Finding out how everyone is connected in a series of crimes that occurred over a span of 20-years added an extra layer of tragedy. This is where Black’s full beauty blossomed.

For those saying the final two episodes ruined the series, you’re wrong. Black ended in the perfect way that remained true to the characters’ overall development. Within the final two episodes, we see sacrifice and love in full-force, an arc that shines brightly in a storyline about deep-seeded corruption and greed.

#444’s Growth and Humanness

At the beginning of the series, the introduction of Grim Reaper #444 (Black) portrays him as heartless and cold. Black is all about his job and collecting the dead to take them to their respective afterlives. He’s known as being unemotional and uncaring of people’s feelings and needs, making him a perfect grim reaper because he’s undeterred compared to his companions, #416 and #007. However, upon taking over Detective Han’s body, Black begins to have thoughts and feelings that don’t align with his icy persona, causing internal conflict as he fights against saving people so their fated deaths can take place.

In Asian cultures, fours are associated with death and misfortune. Black epitomizes death and misfortune as he, originally, helps Ha-Ram on the surface only for death to still take place. He knows his job and does it well. However, as he starts to develop feelings toward Ha-Ram and people in general, the embodiment of death and misfortune melt away, leading Black to become a protector and a trustworthy companion and to where he embodies the alternate numerology interpretation of 444: Protection, trust, and awakening. As Black eclipses, Black comes full circle: It’s what his fate dictates.

As it seems, any reaper assigned number #444 has a fate different than other reapers. They are the ones with emotions and a sense of right and wrong. While Black does not have this sense early on, it develops strongly in him much like it did for Ha-Ram’s father: The original Grim Reaper #444.

“Awakening” is one of the tropes presented in Black, which is why episodes 17 and 18 are crucial to Ha-Ram and Black’s storylines. Black developed the abilities to love and care about those nearest to him, and he even develops these abilities even though he is literally heartless. This speaks volumes about Black’s soul and his willingness to be there for Ha-Ram and friends.

Even though Black’s sole existence is based on helping people cross over, he’s not cold to the fact that he has a good soul. His friend and partner, Grim Reaper #007 (another ironic number choice given its association with secret serviceman James Bond), is deeply aware of the good soul that truly embodies Black. #007 is the reaper who collected Joon in the first place prior to his transition to #444, so it’s clear that #007 tried pushing Black toward the good light and discovering who he truly is because his true self was forgotten due to his body being forgotten at the bottom of the sea. Black’s destiny lies in his awakening at the end of the series, so his kinder, softer, sacrificial turn in the final two episodes shouldn’t be surprising because this is what was destined to happen all along (in fact, destiny is mentioned throughout the series, so it is a term that foreshadows the ending).

Black’s complete transition into the caring, kind individual he was when he was alive as Joon comes full circle in episodes 17 and 18. After he realizes who he is and visits his mother at her food stand, a poignant turn in Black’s character enhances his role as a sympathetic character. Watching his tears fall into a bowl of intestine soup is such an emotional moment because Black realizes the importance of the seemingly unimportant moments of his youth and how they impact the overall person, especially as he realizes the sacrifices his mother made to save him. At this moment, Black’s goodness blossoms, providing the catalyst for episode 18’s actions and ultimate punishment.

Ha-Ram’s Rebirth

 

In the final episode, we see Ha-Ram kill herself in the same way Joon “killed” himself after saving Ha-Ram. While it seems like a cop-out, it was the only way for Ha-Ram to get her wish of living a long, normal life. Her suicide was the passage to rebirth.

Black and Ha-Ram have intertwined destinies; it’s been this way since their youth. While both are ultimately good people, their existence in each other’s lives ultimately brings despair. Their pairing is a crash course to disaster, so the relationship was doomed even as children. In his youth, Joon was a do-gooder who some—mainly those who analyze character tropes—would say had a hero complex. He did end up in situations where he ultimately helped people even if it meant bringing danger upon himself. On the other hand, Ha-Ram brought misfortune thanks to her abilities to see death, and this often caused a tailspin of issues that spanned twenty years, beginning with why her father was killed, and leading up to why Joon met his fate. As adults, Ha-Ram’s curse became a gift that helped solve the crimes that were one of the story’s main arcs, while Joon’s goodness ultimately fated him to never exist.

Both characters were equal parts light and dark. However, when Joon discovered who he was after taking over his “brother” Detective Han’s body, he regained his light when the revelation threw Ha-Ram back into the dark. Even though Black killed humans—a no-no for grim reapers— he did it out of love for his friends and Ha-Ram. Ha-Ram, in turn, felt guilt over her abilities, leading her back to the darkness.

In both characters succumbing to ultimate demises (Joon in a spiritual sense and Ha-Ram to suicide), the two characters severed the ties they had to each other, setting each other free and allowing Ha-Ram to find her own destiny since Black/Joon was erased.

But How Did They Find Each Other Again If Joon Never Existed?

Black was penned as a show for the thinking viewer. This is even implied as the end credits rolled. Black required viewers to pay attention to every background character and every subtle nuance, and every piece of dialogue was loaded and played a role at different points in the series.

Prior to the series end, it was revealed that grim reaper #419 (Park Doo-Sik) took over Leo’s (Kim Jae-Young) body following his death from a drug overdose. After catching him, Black promised Grim Reaper #419 (also known as Je Soo-Dong or “loser”) that he can live as a human as long as he promised to always take care of Ha-Ram. In the final montage where Ha-Ram’s new, normal life replays for the audience, Leo narrates the content, and he later narrates the story of #444 and Ha-Ram’s love story without Ha-Ram’s knowledge that it is, in fact, her story. He then gifts Ha-Ram with the bracelet she made Joon, causing all her memories of her past life to flood back, thus helping her remember what her life used to be like.

The viewer needs to read between the lines during this poignant scene because it’s loaded!

1. Black still exists in the underworld:Joon has only been erased from the memories of those still living as evidenced by #419 still recalling #444 and Ha-Ram’s tale. The other grim reapers still know his story, his sacrifice, who he is, and the rules he broke. This means the Joon still remembers Ha-Ram, which is why he is the one to come collect her in the end. Since #419 still knows about #444’s story, the reapers’ memories were not wiped clean.
2. Ha-Ram’s handmade bracelet is the literal thread between her and Joon:Since Leo/#419 had the bracelet, it’s assumed Joon gave it to him when he made #419 promise to take care of Ha-Ram. Since the bracelet still exists, Joon still exists. The bracelet was what triggered Ha-Ram’s memory of her past life, leading us to point number three…
3. Black knew a loophole for his punishment:Throughout the series, it was made clear that Black is a problem-solver and highly intelligent. His ability to analyze situations is the reason he was able to help solve the crimes from 20-years ago and see the connections between ongoing murders. Because of his analytical skills, it’s highly likely he figured out that, by keeping #419 in Leo’s body and handing over the bracelet, there is a way to stay connected to Ha-Ram and come back for her regardless of the punishment. Black cheated the system!
4. The ending plays on the concept of “third death”: Some cultures, particularly Mexican culture, believe people die three times: Once when the body dies, twice when the body is laid into the ground, and the third is when there’s no one left on earth to remember someone. By selecting the punishment where everyone’s memory’s erased, Joon set himself up for a third death, but by exposing the loophole by having #419 remember him for Ha-Ram, a third death did not occur because memories of Joon were preserved.

Because Joon figured out a way to game the system, he made it possible to be with Ha-Ram even though he chose the ultimate punishment. However, does this mean everything he and Ha-Ram did was undone?

Ultimate Sacrifice Means Everything was Undone?

 

During the ending credits, there was a message that said the show was meant to make people think about how their actions influence those around them:

“Black was a story about how human desires and greed influence those around us. We hope it was a chance to reflect on people around us. Black was based on events that won’t be forgotten. We hope that it gave strength to the victims of those events and their families. Thank you again for watching.”

With that said, Joon’s decision to cease to exist prevented everything else from happening (while also messing with the paradoxes of time).

Black’s “original,” intended ending needs to be considered. The ending viewers received was not the intended ending. In fact, the original ending called for Man-Soo and Man-Ho to be okay and running their own business. The police unit was also supposedly trying to do things to get Ha-Ram (now a paramedic in her new life) to come rescue them. Soo-Wan and Moo-Gang met as adults when he fainted in front of her. Everyone had a “happy ending” since Joon didn’t exist. The original ending’s intent is hinted in the final montage, and while the other characters beyond Ha-Ram were not shown, it can be assumed that they did have happy endings because Joon never existed to interfere.

Here is where things get sketchy because Joon’s ultimate sacrifice provides a conflicting message. Yes, he chose his punishment because of his love of Ha-Ram, but it also suggests that someone’s lack of existence makes everything better. Naturally, this is a borderline dangerous message to send considering how suicide rates are at an all-time high and the show glorifies suicide quite a bit. Here, the story does get careless because of this mixed message and because both Joon and Ha-Ram both commit suicide before being reborn. Here, the story could have found another way to create rebirth other than Black and Ha-Ram jumping into the sea, but overall, it is the only way to make the new scenarios possible.

As for what occurred in the main plot, there are two possibilities for what changed when Ha-Ram’s alternate life took over.

1. Everything was undone: The leading theory for the show’s ending is that all the crimes Black, Ha-Ram, and the rag-tag cops solved became unsolved due to Joon’s now lacking existence. Ha-Ram’s new life doesn’t feature any mention of the crimes, and everyone seems to have a happy existence. Since Ha-Ram doesn’t hold the ability to see death, there’s nothing for her to worry about and there’s no need for her to get involved in people’s lives to save them, so she’s not involved in the investigations or the initial set of crimes that involved her, Joon, her father, Moo-Gang, and Soo-Wan. Since she’s no longer involved and since she played a huge role in why they got solved, then it is likely the crimes did occur in her alternate life, it’s just that she was not involved in them. In her life, the crimes are just background events.
2. Leo and Ha-Ram stopped all the crime before it occurred: In the epilogue, Leo also reveals that he stopped the accident that killed Ha-Ram’s real father; therefore, the first Grim Reaper #444 didn’t take over her father’s body. Additionally, in the “real” ending, it’s revealed Leo (assumed to be #419 still) encouraged Ha-Ram to pull a fire alarm, so the students from the Mujin area weren’t at the mall when it collapsed. The collapse is what helped set all the crimes in motion. With all the tragedies “stopped” thanks to Leo’s interference, the murders never occurred, which is why everyone ended up with more joyful lives.

Given the epilogue, scenario two is the more likely conclusion. However, since the Mujin shopping mall disaster is an event that actually occurred (in real life, this is the Sampoong disaster that occurred June 29, 1995), the corruption and greed that influenced Black’s story would have still occurred regardless of if those close to the main characters were involved or not. So, a combination of scenarios one and two are more likely where all crimes committed occurred as a footnote in Ha-Ram’s life instead of one the main catalysts that impacted her life (however, since she became an EMT, it’s probably an event that encouraged her to choose that as her career path) while she and Leo managed to save her friends and fellow students. The people close to her weren’t at the Mujin mall collapse, thus changing all of their destinies so happy endings could occur. Meanwhile, those involved in the corruption took each other down without innocents losing their lives.

Do Black/Joon and Ha-Ram Have a Happy Ending?

Given the alternative life Black gave Ha-Ram and Ha-Ram remembering both her lives, did Joon and Ha-Ram really have a happy ending?

Yes and no.

As the end plays out, the viewers see Ha-Ram thinking about her current life and her past life as symbolized by her sitting in the cold with the bracelet she made Joon. In her past life, she admittedly told Black that she loved him unaware that he was Joon, so she loved Black (Moo-Gang) as well Joon, and she had both the childhood first love and her adult love all in one person. In her alternate life, she had a husband who didn’t seem to make her happy (“A friend is better than my late husband,” episode 18). This is a loaded quote that means a lot! The “better than my late husband” is a quip hinting at, that despite her accolades and success, she did not have a love that was good and gave her happiness! So, Ha-Ram’s life wasn’t the happy ending that Black wanted to give her when he chose his punishment!

Since it’s clear she is close to death (Leo, who is Grim Reaper #419, also knows this, thus the gift of the bracelet to remind her of her former life. He can see Black waiting for her), her thoughts are a reflection of “life flashing before one’s eyes,” and it’s actually hinted at that she has a choice of what life story she wants to die with: Her first life that featured misery or her second life that was comparably happier. If Ha-Ram’s soul chose to leave as an old woman, it means she was happy with her second life. However, she left as young Ha-Ram, thus choosing her first life with Black/Joon.

When she meets Black again to cross into the afterlife, another loaded moment occurred when he asks Ha-Ram if she was happy. Before she replies, she hesitates. She had to think about it, which hints at the fact she wasn’t truly happy. The hesitation also hints at how she is aware Black sacrificed everything (the story Leo told) so she would be happy, but she had to lie so that his sacrifice wasn’t in vain. This speaks volumes about how unselfish Ha-Ram is as a person and how aware she is of how people’s actions influence those around them. She didn’t want to break Black’s heart.

With all this considered, is their ending happy? It’s debatable. Ha-Ram did, essentially, throw away her second life when she died due to choosing the person with whom gave her the greatest happiness, so that means she won’t reunite with her actual husband (given her comment to Leo, it’s probably for the best). Additionally, given the brightness of the scene (compared to the rest of the series which used a muted, blue filter, the final scene uses a warm filter which indicates true happiness), both she and Black (as Joon) were able to go to heaven together. So, it is likely they both have a happy ending in the afterlife, but the fact Ha-Ram does, essentially, forsake her gifted second life, it seems like Black’s sacrifice was for nothing, making the ending also a tragic one.

 

Putting it All Together

 

The ending does take a lot of piecing together snippets of information and uses more critical thinking skills than the average TV show usually presents. Because of this, it’s possible viewers missed the brilliance of how the show ended. Just like the series itself, the ending has a lot of twists of turns that can be interpreted in many ways. The ending isn’t basic, simplified, or disappointing at all: It’s all in how the audience interprets it and if they’re willing to take the time to truly think about and understand it.

 

—-Joelle Halon

On September 12, 2018, the mystery surrounding actress, model, and singer Fan Bingbing became more mysterious as reports resurfaced that the actress (X-Men: Days of Future Past, Iron Man 3, I Am Not Madame Bovary) is still missing even though authorities claimed Fan was arrested and “under control” in China’s state-run publication, Securities Daily. The publication also stated Fan will “accept the legal decision.” According to The Taiwan News, the story was removed from the site without acknowledgement, hinting that the reports were false.

The 36-year-old actress, who is listed among Forbes’ highest paid actresses globally, is accused of using “Yin-Yang Contracts” to mask her income. According to The Guardian, Yin-Yang Contracts involve a celebrity signing two contracts: One that is the actor or actress’ real salary, and the second contract is for a smaller amount that is submitted to authorities for tax purposes. Fan, along with several other Chinese celebrities, have been accused of these contract practices over the years, causing Chinese authorities to crack down on these contracts by having production companies sign agreements stating they will follow new contract guidelines.

 

Exposing Fan Bingbing

Fan has not been seen in public or social media since June 2018 following accusations by TV presenter and self-fashioned whistle-blower Cui Yongyuan posted an image of documents indicating that Yin-Yang Contracts have been used by Fan and director Feng Xiaogang. Fan and Feng are working together on the movie Cell Phone 2, a movie that features a character allegedly  based on Cui.  Cui shared the contracts on his Weibo page. While he edited out certain names, Cui did not edit Fan’s name out of the contract image, thus creating the firestorm surrounding Fan and her career. Cui later apologized and said he wanted to edit out her name but stated his failure to do so was due to lack of photo editing knowledge.

Cui has promised to expose more contracts in the near future.

When the first Cell Phone was released in 2004, Cui claimed the film and the portrayal of his character were not wholly accurate, so some speculate that Cui’s exposure is due to a vendetta against Feng for the film and Fan for starring in it.

Prior to the Securities Daily post removal, the story claimed that Fan’s issues are “only the tip of the iceberg… She is also suspected of participating in illegal lending and other forms of corruption. In the worst case, she faces legal punishment.”

Since the release of the contracts, Fan, through the aid of her lawyers, has claimed innocence and has asked for an apology from Cui. Fan’s representatives and lawyers have launched an investigation; the Chinese government has also started their own investigations into the matter.

 

“Lost in Beijing”?

Since the reports of the Yin-Yang Contracts, Fan has been missing in action. Her social media is unusually quiet, and she hasn’t been seen in public since June. The Security Dailies report stating Fan was detained appears untruthful as many media outlets still claim Fan’s missing.

Several rumors have spread regarding her disappearance. Hong Kong’s tabloid, The Apple Daily, claims seeing Fan in an immigration office trying to seek asylum in the United States via advice from Jackie Chan. Fan and Chan’s representatives have denied the claims.  Others speculate that she and fiancé, actor Li Chen, are hiding out in the outskirts of Beijing. Another theory is that she is under 24-hour surveillance and house arrest. “Friends” close to the star have stated that Fan’s hiding out following the collapse of her engagement to Chen, even though these claims have no basis to them currently.

Fan was last seen at the Cannes Film Festival promoting her upcoming film 355, which also stars Jessica Chastain, Lupita Nyong’o, Penelope Cruz, and Marion Cotillard. She also appeared at a charity event at a local children’s hospital. July 23 was her last social media activity.

Fan’s Social Rank Tanks; Future in Question?

This isn’t the first time Fan has been linked to alleged money-related issues.

In June 2018, 8 Days Magazine, a lifestyles and celebrity news publication based in Singapore, claimed Fan and fiancé Chen gambled nearly $16 million USD in a Las Vegas casino back in late May. The claims are especially inflammatory given how the alleged gambling occurred shortly after Cui’s Yin-Yang contract claims. However, the claims made by 8 Days were later proven untrue as Fan and Chen stayed close to Chen’s film set.

Fan has also been tied to an illegal loan scam according to some Chinese news media, but these claims, thus far, have been unfounded.

However, rumors and alleged shady contracts have hit Fan as she recently ranked at 0 percent on the 2017-18 China Film and Television Star Social Responsibility Report. The report, which is written by academics at Beijing Normal University, was shared via China’s state media, so it is widely believed the report is propaganda since there is no clear way to calculate the reports other than through “research and web-scraping.”

Zhang Hongzhong, the communications professor behind the report, said it’s the first time Chinese celebrities have been ranked for social responsibility.

The probe into Fan’s alleged tax evasion has impacted several films of which she’s set to star. For Unbreakable Spirit, a film that stars Bruce Willis and Adrien Brody, Fan has been stripped from all promotional material. The same is to be said of her upcoming film The King’s Daughter. Due too her removal from the promotional materials, it is believed that Fan has been banned from acting for three years. These reports, too, are unfounded.

Despite the reports of Fan’s wrongdoing, many of the reports are unfounded. Because of these unfounded claims, C-Netz and the general public have, generally, not thrown Fan to the wolves.

No formal charges have been filed against Fan. She is considered innocent until proven guilty.

 

 

—-Joelle Halon