MV 우주소녀 WJSN 부탁해 SAVE ME, SAVE YOU

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

 

On September 10, 2018, CableTV FashionN has decided to temporarily delay the debut of B.A.P’s Traince pending the results of the sexual assault accusations against Kim Himchan. The show was scheduled to air September 12 and September 19.

B.A.P’s Traince follows the members as they develop a virtual-reality (VR) program for people to dance to B.A.P’s music in a VR setting. The show is now tentatively scheduled for October and may possibly be canceled pending the investigation results.

“We have not confirmed the dates for the October schedules yet,” a CableTV FashionN representative told TV Daily. “If the case ends in a positive note quickly, [viewers] will be able to see [the show] in the near future. But, if it doesn’t, there has been talk of possibly canceling the broadcast. The schedule is due to change depending on the investigation results.”

Earlier on September 10, the case against Himchan was forward to the prosecutor. TS Entertainment confirmed the development. No further updates have been made available.

 

—Joelle Halon

On September 9, 2018, Seoul Story, Newsen, and TV Report reported that a member of B.A.P allegedly sexually harassed a woman in her 20s during a vacation in Namyang-ju. It was later revealed that the member in question is Kim Himchan.

According to the alleged victim, she, Himchan and two other men and two other females spent time at a vacation home in Namyang-ju July 24, 2018. There, both admit to drinking. Afterwards, the alleged victim claimed Himchan harassed her. Himchan claims the actions were “consensual” and “good feelings were mutual.”

The Namyang-ju Police Station stated that, since both parties have conflicting details, it is “currently impossible to disclose more information” about the case.

“Their claims are contradictory and we are currently investigating the situations, so we cannot give details. The two sides are currently talking,” the police said in a statement. Currently, the alleged victim and Himchan are working on a settlement.

TS Entertainment released a statement about the situation.

As reported, a misunderstanding took place when B.A.P’s Himchan was with an acquaintance and friends after being invited by the acquaintance, and he has received a police investigation. There was a report that the police forwarded the case to the prosecution, but the claims of the two sides are very conflicting, so more investigations have to take place.

He will diligently take part in the investigation to provide evidence for the facts, and we will release statements again as the incident gets settled. As the investigation is still taking place, we ask for speculative reports to not be released.

We express our apologies for causing worry to many people.

Gyeongji Namyang-ju police have indicted Himchan without detention for forced harassment/assault. On September 10, 2018, the case has been forwarded to the prosecution with the recommendation for indictment forwarded to the Uijeongbu prosecution office. TS Entertainment confirmed the development.

With the latest development on September 10, it has been revealed that at the time of the alleged assault, the alleged victim called 112 and police arrived at the scene.

All parties are considered innocent until proven guilty.

 

 

—-Joelle Halon

A still of Goo Hye Sun and Ahn Hae Jyun from Newlywed Diary

 

How they started

Affectionately known as the Ahn-Goo couple, Ahn Jae Hyun and Goo Hye Sun have been garnering interest from South Korean and international fans alike ever since they first revealed their relationship after working together on vampire Kdrama Blood in 2015.

The couple made their on-screen romance a reality culminating in their marriage in May 2016. Their participation in a reality show called Newlywed Diary in 2017 showcasing their normal everyday routines and activities as newlyweds further ignited the interest of audiences.

Rising popularity and acceptance

In the Korean entertainment industry, keeping dating and relationship news a secret is the norm as domestic fans have been known to frown upon their favorite celebrities being in relationships, often drawing criticism and censure.

In that sense, the Newlywed Diary helped the couple gain acceptance as they won over fans with their obvious affection and sweet devotion to each other in their interactions seen on the show.

The presence of the couple’s various pets – they have 6 pets (dogs & cats) between them! – and their antics further added humor and liveliness to the show giving a sense of the couple’s animal-loving personalities and prompting viewers to wonder how the couple will be once they have their own offspring to add to the mix!

 

Individual activities – Ahn Jae Hyun

A photo of the actor from his Instagram account @aagbanjh

The youthful 31-year old model turned actor first grabbed the attention of fans while playing the younger brother of Jun Ji Hyun in mega hit 2014 Kdrama You Who Came from the Stars. The huge success of the series led to more drama roles for the actor in Kdramas such as You’re All Surrounded (2014), Blood (2015) and Cinderella and the Four Knights (2017).

His last drama role was on Reunited Worlds (2017) – playing a Chef cum restaurant owner who suffers from unrequited love for the female lead.

He has also been a regular cast member of online South Korean variety show – New Journey To The West – since 2016 and is set to return in the show’s fifth season scheduled to air this September 30th.

 

Goo Hye Sun

A recent photo of the actress from her Instagram account @kookoo900 showing her fuller figure

The multi-talented Goo Hye Sun not only acts but is also a singer-songwriter, film director and artist. Her breakthrough role in the Kdrama Boys Over Flowers catapulted her to stardom in 2009 opening doors for her to other dramas and projects.

Although none of her subsequent projects have achieved the mega-hit status of Boys Over Flowers, she has been consistently building a successful body of work over the years, releasing dramas, music (singles and a full-length album) as well as short films that have been featured in various film festivals.

However, her last foray into acting in 2017 through the Kdrama You Are Too Much was cut short at only six episodes before she had to pull out to a serious health issue. Thankfully the actress has since regained control over her health with the support of her husband and is recovering well.

In fact, she recently faced rumours of plastic surgery and pregnancy when she attended the 22nd Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival on July 14th, 2018 due to her fuller face and figure. She had been invited to talk about her new 10-minute short film Mystery Pink. She coolly laughed off the rumors, replying through Instagram that she had simply gained a lot of weight (10 kgs) by eating better.

Couple news and future activities

The couple celebrated their 2nd wedding anniversary earlier this year on May 21st, coinciding with South Korea’s Married Couples’ Day and shared a wefie on Goo Hye Sun’s instagram account (see below) to mark the occasion.

The couple also made an appearance at an event by clothing label – Uniqlo on May 31st, where Ahn Jae Hyun was seen to be cajoling his shy wife as the couple posed for photos while holding hands.

A photo of the couple from last May at an event by clothing label Uniqlo

With Goo Hye Sun’s return to good health, we can look forward to more upcoming projects from the couple, such as Goo Hye Sun’s guest appearance on the first episode of upcoming MBC variety show ‘Talk Nomad’ on September 21st and Ahn Jae Hyun’s role in the drama version of the 2015 movie The Beauty Inside also set to air this year.

 

—-Fie Fed

If you love thriller crime dramas with hints of comedy, romance, and fantasy, then Black is one drama worth checking out immediately. If you are a fan of the US TV shows Person of Interest (2011-2016) or Ghost Whisperer (2005-2010), then Black is the perfect marriage of both shows and meant for you.

Now on Netflix, Black originally aired October 14 to December 17, 2017 on Korea’s Orion Cinema Network (OCN) to a relatively small viewing audience (OCN is a movie network, so it has a smaller audience compared to larger, free-to-air channels and shows). The show follows the lead character, Black/Detective Han Moo-Gang (Song Seung-Heon) as he hunts down a fugitive partner. However, Han is dead, and Black is a grim reaper known as #444 (Kim Tae-Woo). In order to hunt down his partner, #444 takes over Detective Han’s body after his passing. Of course, there is complications when Black meets Kang Ha-Ram (Go Ara), a mortal who can see death before it happens. With her help, Black must find his partner while trying to solve a host of crimes that have been occurring that have ties to crimes from 20-years prior, creating a tangled web of lies, greed, and deceit.

The 18-episode drama has a lot going on, and it is as dark as the name suggests. However, it has moments of subtle hilarity that keeps the show somewhat lighthearted as the threat of death lingers over several characters. As the story unfolds, we see Black struggle with his duty as a grim reaper to help people go toward their afterlives while also trying to save lives… something that goes against his reputation as a cold-hearted reaper. With his struggles, there is beauty, frustration, and growth, and it’s interesting to see how his character deals with the conflicting events around him. As Black becomes more human, he becomes a sympathetic character that will win over even the toughest of audiences, especially as his relationships with Ha-Ram and his crime-solving comrades unfold.

The show is a rollercoaster of emotions, and that’s a pun on a scene in the show as well as an actual state of being. There are several moments where you’re left holding your breath, and there are times when tears won’t cease to fall, then you’ll be laughing a short time later. Emotions-wise, Black keeps you in check, and it’s like you’re experiencing the confusing moments of Black’s personhood as he navigates feelings and emotions for the first time. Toward the end of the show, the episodes are real tearjerkers, so keep Kleenex handy!

Unfortunately, there are some scenes that are difficult to watch due to the intensity of the show’s content. Netflix does have the unedited version, but for those who are more sensitive to blood and gore, there are censored versions on other platforms. There is also a moment of animal abuse that did not settle well with me, and I’m sure it won’t go over well with other audiences, so this is something to keep in mind as the show progresses.

Black boasts a strong cast of characters that has a lot of chemistry, especially with the main leads Go and Song. The two actors have real chemistry that can be felt by the viewer, and it makes their growing relationship all the more believable. Because of their chemistry, their relationship brings a lot of heart, laughter, and tears as the viewer goes along the rocky road with them.

Go and Song steal the show, and they were perfect in their roles of Ha-Ram and Black. Go is equal parts sympathetic and quirky, and she possesses a strong mix of calm fieriness that makes her a well-rounded character. While she battles with her need to do good while being bothered by the visions she sees, you can see that the sad, scared little girl still resides in her soul. Meanwhile, Song is believable as the goofy, childlike Detective Han. Pre-death, Song does well portraying Han as a bumbling, loveable kid-at-heart, but after-death, Song does his strongest act as the brooding reaper #444. It’s interesting to watch him wrestle with his external and internal selves, and Song does well adding subtle touches that make the character more accessible.

The supporting cast is one of the strongest casts as far as recent dramas go. The quirky characters add comic relief, yet they maintain seriousness where needed. Around Black, the characters “Crazy Dog” (Kim Won-Hae), #007 (Jo Jae-Yoon), and #416/Jang Hyun-Soo (Lee Kyu-Bok/Jung Jun-Won) add the necessary touch of heart and humility he needs. Kim’s “Crazy Dog” character provides smart wit and humor as a no-nonsense investor who takes his career seriously, while #007 provides a strong father-figure for black. #416 is the heel early on, but he’s not obnoxious, and his sense of youthful self-awareness helps keep the grim reaper group grounded. Lee El also does well in the role of Dr. Yoon Soo-Wan. She’s a character that is neither loveable or hate-worthy, and, at times, it’s easy to feel sorry for her. However, her skeletons that linger into adulthood make her almost unlikeable as she’s the reason several main characters meet their cruel fates.

Then, there’s Man-Soo (ZE:A’s Kim Dong-Jun). Man-Soo is vital to the story, especially on Ha-Ram’s side, but he’s also the weak link in a glowing cast of characters. Man-Soo’s character is somewhat boring and borderline spoiled and bratty, but he has some good qualities that stand out. However, he is a case where “Second Lead Syndrome” really doesn’t exist as he’s not exactly suitable to be a romantic partner. He and Ha-Ram don’t have as strong of chemistry as she and Black, so it’s hard to believe that Man-Soo has feelings for her. Sadly, Man-Soo is one of those characters that has a divisive role because fans will either adore him or really despise him. There is no in-between.

Even though he is not a main character, Woo Hyun is worth noting in his role of Wang Yong-Chun. Woo does a fantastic job of portraying a mentally unstable killer to the point where it was hard to believe he’s acting. The creepy laugh is guaranteed to stick in your head.

And while there are strong characters, sometimes, the show does borderline on having too many characters, especially as the series progresses. With so many victims and possible perpetrators, it’s helpful to keep a ledger of everyone who comes and goes. Sometimes, a character who seems to be in the background plays a critical role later on, so it helps to pay attention to everyone at any given time.

Beyond the great characters, Black is a thinking-show that requires undivided attention. Almost everything has meaning from the way Black uses his hands (take note of how he tells people not to touch them) to the importance of people’s eyes in the series. Jewelry, keychains, and even the colorization of the scenes all play a role in some way for the overall story arc. The most interesting detail is #444 himself, because 444 in numerology stands for protection, practicality, trust, and awakening. Simultaneously, fours in many Asian cultures are associated with death and misfortune. Black fulfills all meanings of 444 throughout the series, so it’s clear his number assignment is not random.

Featuring songs from Min Chae, Lee$A, and South Club’s Nam Taehyun, the soundtrack also helps set the tone well, too. Each song plays a crucial role in the overall storytelling toward the end of the series. The soundtrack also brings about an emotional rollercoaster, so the creators did well creating songs for Black. However, it’s an absolute travesty that the full introduction song, “Trust My Eyes,” did not get the full-song treatment or appear on the OST.

With the introduction of too many characters, a lacking song, and Man-Soo aside, Black is a nearly perfect drama that needs to be added to your drama list. It earns a 4.5/5.

Black is available on Netflix.

 

 

—-Joelle Halon

BTS are everywhere.

From South Korea to Europe to the United States, it’s hard to go anywhere without running into an A.R.M.Y, BTS’ music, or their faces. Even in the United States, their songs and likeness are featured on products (most recently, cell phones) and in United States media as the prime K-Pop group. For those outside the K-Pop fandom, it seems like only BTS exists in the K-Pop Realm.

BTS are everywhere.

Of course, this isn’t without good reason as they exploded in popularity due to their music, charisma, and likeable and charming members. Of course, their loyal fanbase shouldn’t be forgotten as a group is nothing without fans.

BTS are doing many things that even older K-Pop groups cannot boast. They break YouTube viewing records left and right; they’re the first K-Pop group to ever perform in a US stadium (Citi Field, home of the New York Mets), and also the first to be lauded on US awards shows. They even own records for ranking high on the US music charts, a feat that very few Korean acts could say they own. They’ve also made multiple appearances on several US talk shows and news programs, joining Wonder Girls, BIGBANG, B.A.P, and Tablo as some of the few Korean artists to have done so.

BTS are everywhere.

But, is being everywhere a good thing?

BTS’ rise is well-earned, much like PSY’s global popularity back in 2012 when The Summer of “Gangnam Style” gripped fans and non-K-Pop fans alike, amassing in billions of views on YouTube and YouTube needing to change their view counting abilities to accommodate viral fame. PSY rode high, made the rounds much like BTS are now, and then he fizzled with subsequent releases like “Gentleman” and the ill-received “Hangover” collaboration with Snoop Dogg.

 After “Gangnam Style,” PSY struggled to have a strong global hit. It was as if global recognition took the “art” out of the artist and replaced it with something broken. When one tries to appeal to the masses instead of the niche audience one that started it off, it’s as if that person loses touch with the soul that attracted audiences and brought joy to them.

This is where BTS seem to be headed, especially since the release of “Idol” on August 24, 2018. “Idol” features a strong beat, a catchy chorus, and a poppin’ track that succeeds following the hit-making formula of any pop track, especially those composed for summer. The MV is also brightly colored and quirky. With over 122 million views at the time of this writing, and guaranteed wins on the music shows thanks to the power of the A.R.M.Y fandom, BTS has another hit track, but it doesn’t mean it’s a good track.

“Idol” is weak compared to past BTS tracks, and even weaker than the previously mediocre “Fake Love” and “DNA.” All three tracks have been released during the time of BTS’ global domination, and all three tracks lack BTS’ color that made them a fan-favorite phenomenon. Instead of BTS’s recognizable rap-pop fusion, we have a basic summer track that’s highly over-processed with auto-tune and vocal distortion and a track that is more cocky than humble. While the backing music is cool, it’s nothing special and forgettable given how similar summer fare exists globally. Composition-wise, the song is a mess and lacks cohesion. It’s like the writing team, composers, and producers didn’t care enough to make a quality track. The same goes with the MV, which is filled with CGI and self-love (and not of the positive “love yourself” way but in the “full of themselves” way).

And that’s the thing: A quality track didn’t need to be made because fans still checked out and bought the song and album because of the BTS name. When a fandom as large as BTS’ will do anything for their group, who needs quality when everything released is pretty much lined in gold?

Pre-global domination, BTS had solid tracks with meaningful lyrics. The lyrics had soul and spoke of issues that related to different fans. It was easy to find a song on a BTS album that matched a mood, an emotion, or a situation. Now, BTS have begun to tread into vapid territory because that’s what relates to global audiences, especially Western audiences in a Western music scene that sees very few meaningful tracks because “bops” with a good beat dominate charts more than a track that may have some significance. Who cares about emotion and relatability when songs about bling, degrading women, drinking, and essentially written in a way that equates the mental IQ of an empty blonde joke make money and gain fame? Throw in a catchy beat and you have a million-dollar track.

BTS as a group is not the problem. It’s clear they care about their fans and wanting to produce quality. They announced ahead of their US tour that they will not be partaking in interviews in order to focus on their concerts and producing a quality show. The company, writers, composers, and producers are the problem because they have lost sight of the core fanbase that made BTS who they are. Instead of reaching out to those fans by making quality music that speaks to them in incredible ways, those fans have been thrown to the curb because global fanfare has become more important.

Of course, as long as fans buy the music, there’s no need to care about the core that made it all happen from the start. This is where companies lose their souls. This is where artists begin to lose their hearts as well.

Global fame has taken away from BTS’ quality, and it shows in their recent music. BTS can experience the fruits of their labor while paving their way to K-Pop Royalty, but they need to not alienate their core fans. BigHit and their writers, producers, and composers need to stop looking at the “big picture” while needing to see the big picture, meaning that they need to return to their roots before they completely wreck BTS’ credibility and start having issues with keeping fans. While shooting high, they need to aim at the heart and go back to creating quality singles and albums that reach the original fans. By doing so, things will fall into place as they should. If they continue to aim toward Joe Nobody in the West, their efforts could lead BTS down a path of ruin and a quick fade following their meteoric rise.

 

—-Joelle Halon

Unless you’ve been sleeping under a rock, Hollywood lacks diversity. It’s rare when films featuring people of color make it past the Indie realm and into the mainstream world. In recent years, several films have made the push to challenge mainstream Hollywood. Films like Moonlight and Hidden Figures have shown that movies featuring black actors and actresses can make money (since money is what Hollywood is all about) and win awards, but even with these breakthroughs, actors and actresses of color have yet to steal the spotlight in Hollywood. Hollywood culture still lacks a spot for black, Latinx, Native American, and East and South Asian people. Asians, especially, barely have a stage in Hollywood, and when they do, it involves heavy stereotypes and type-casting.

Enter Crazy Rich Asians, the soapy film based on the Kevin Kwang novel of the same name. The film boasts a strong Asian and Asian-American cast featuring Constance Wu (Fresh Off the Boat), rapper/actress Awkwafina, comedian Ken Jeong (Community, The Hangover), Glee-alum Harry Shum Jr., TV host Henry Golding, the divine Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), and Gemma Chan (Botherhood, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them). Crazy Rich Asians is one of the first majority-Asian casts in a Hollywood film this past decade. Hopefully, it will not be the last. Of course, despite being one of the few Hollywood films with a majority-Asian cast, the cast has come under fire (because people can, and will, find fault with everything). Some consider the cast “not Asian enough” due to the casting of mixed-raced actors, or that it does not have enough Singaporean actors and actresses (the story is set in Singapore), and it’s caught flak for not featuring Singaporean minority groups (Indians, Malaysians, and Indonesians among others).

However, through the complaints, people fail to see that, in Hollywood, Asians are often neglected, and having any movie featuring Asians and Asian-Americans is a victory and stepping stone for others. Besides, Crazy Rich Asians is about a small social caste living in Singapore, not Asians in Asia as a whole.

Crazy Rich Asians is what the title suggests: It is a romantic-comedy about a prosperous Asian family. Nick Young (Golding) is the center of the story that documents his relationship with Queens-born N.Y.U professor, Rachel Chu (Wu). The two are a perfect pair despite their class differences, so they are a couple worth cheering even though Nick tends to be bland. As they embark on a trip to Singapore to attend a wedding, their differences come out in a big way as Young’s family takes it upon themselves to scrutinize Rachel as romantic rivals also come out to play.

All this drama equates one hell of a delicious soap-opera on the big screen.

As per the romantic-comedy formula, Nick and Rachel have plenty of obstacles to overcome before love can win. Clashes between younger and older generations, romantic adversaries, traditionalism and modernity, and family loyalty and true love unfold in often hilarious sequences that help make the family and drama somewhat relatable to those even outside the très riche club. While often melodramatic and sometimes over-the-top (like Nick’s mother buying a hotel after being insulted by the manager), the writing and execution of the storyline is not annoying and still remains grounded in some realism to where the film avoids being farcical.

Director Jon M. Chu does well condensing a 500-page book into under two hours without a lot of compromise to the original story. Of course, there are some characters missing, some changed, and some moments left out that could have explained some key moments to the audience better. For example, while the sets show the Young family’s decadent lifestyle, the sets don’t come close to the pages (literally pages upon pages) of juicy details explaining the opulent lifestyle they experience. Other key moments, such as Eleanor’s (Yeoh) private investigation of Rachel and Michael (Pierre Png) and Astrid’s (Chan) relationship play out differently in the film than in the book, which makes the story arcs feel a bit off at times. However, all the subtleties from these stories could not be added or else the movie would be several hours long. As far as a book-to-movie adaption goes, Chu did a good job to where someone who didn’t read the book can understand the content.

Character-wise, casting was spot-on for the roles. Yeoh’s interpretation of Eleanor is fantastic, especially given Yeoh’s natural sophisticated demeanor. At times, it’s easy to liken her to Gilmore Girls’ Emily Gilmore given her loyalty to family and tradition. Her delivery is consistent and well done. Wu’s portrayal of Rachel is also well-done, and she’s actually how book-Rachel is imagined to be right down to the subtle facial expressions. However, Awkwafina’s portrayal of Peik Lin, Jeong’s role as Goh Wye Mun, and Nico Santos as gay-cousin Oliver are outstanding and provide the right amount of comic relief. Oliver is stereotypically gay, which is a bit overdone in movies where a gay character is featured (seriously, people in the LGBTQA+ community are not always stereotypes, so each character in media doesn’t need to be stereotyped to get across that the character is, indeed, gay), but he’s also portrayed well in the film. The characters of Goh Wye, Peik Lin, and Oliver thankfully have larger roles in the film than in the book, and the audience should be considered blessed for this positive, humorous turn.

Golding’s Nick is on the bland side, however. He’s handsome, but he’s also stuffy. At times, its clear Golding isn’t as sharp acting-wise as his costars, so in some pivotal moments, his character doesn’t come across as authentic. These moments are often seen when he’s with Yeoh, but he does have chemistry with Wu, thus balancing out the flaws.

Crazy Rich Asians, of course is a romantic-comedy, so it will have the typical, predictable rom-com ending. The lead-up to that point is fun and enjoyable, making the film worthwhile. Crazy Rich Asians earns a 4/5 and is a must-see.

 

—-Joelle Halon

Pretty animation cannot save everything… just ask the anthology film Flavors of Youth.

The 74-minute anime film comprised of three stories is the product of a collaboration of Japanese studio CoMix Wave Films (the home of the smash-hit, Your Name) and Chinese studio Haoliners. The stories—“The Rice Noodles,” “A Little Fashion Show,” and “Love in Shanghai”—follow different characters as they navigate simple, life-changing moments in their lives. Each character lives in a different part of China, but all of them are together in the end getting ready to board a plane to find new adventures after their pivotal moments are revealed to the viewers.

Given how tortuously dull this production is, hopefully the characters are boarding a plane to nowhere so viewers are no longer bothered by their lame tales that lack the appropriate ingredients to help them rise properly.

With a title like Flavors of Youth, one could assume that each story would focus on food. This would have made for a more interesting anthology as food often ties to people’s memories. However, only the “The Rice Noodles” directly relates to food while the other two stories cover two different experiences outside of comforting meals.

Each story lacks cohesion and clarity. With these glaringly obvious flaws, there’s no chance to get attached to the characters or the uninteresting stories they share. Each story is essentially rushed because they are all 25-minutes long. Additionally, character development severely lacks.

“The Rice Noodles,” which is directed by Yi Xiaoxing in his animation debut, focuses on a Beijing-based young man named Xiao Ming as he tells a story about growing up in the countryside with his grandma. We don’t know much about Xiao Ming other than he loves spending time with his grandma, enjoys rushing over to a specific noodle shop nearby just to stare at his crush, and that he really, really loves bee hoon noodles. These small details are overshadowed by the sub-storyline about the noodle shop and how it changed over time before completely going away and how he found a new noodle restaurant to spend his days. The viewer is left wondering why this one-note, cardboard-character-of-a-man ranked a story, especially since there’s nothing to him other than he really likes noodles. A lot of people like noodles, but that doesn’t mean they deserve an animated short. This story was all flour and no yolk.

 “A Little Fashion Show,” directed by Yoshitaka Takeuchi, is the most interesting story out of the three tales, and that’s not saying a lot because there’s interesting and then there’s “interesting…” This short focuses on two sisters, Yi Lin and Lulu, who are both in the fashion industry in some way. Yi Lin is an aging model who struggles to come to terms with her fading beauty in the face of younger models getting more attention. Yi Lin’s assumed love interest even leaves her for a younger, perkier model, and Yi Lin’s cold personality and propensity for lateness works against her as her career trends downward. Following a rehab stint for an eating disorder, Yi Lin becomes the head model for Lulu’s fashion line.

This story has some character develop, but it’s still a flat story. The viewer does get some insight behind Yi Lin’s motives and why she pursues modeling, and it’s clear why Lulu chooses to make clothes for her sister to model. The bond between sisters is always a good story, but for this short, the two sisters didn’t feel closely related, so the bond needed showcased more. However, “A Little Fashion Show” is the strongest of the three tales.

Finally, the anthology closes with “Love in Shanghai,” directed by Li Haoling. “Love in Shanghai” takes place in a shikumen neighborhood. The story focuses on Limo and his love interest, Xiao Yu. The two talk to each other through a series of recorded “notes” as they prepare for their high school exams. Limo tries his best to rise to Xiao Yu’s level so they can get into the same prestigious high school, but Xiao Yu, although she is abused by her father, fails the exam in hopes to stay with Limo. However, Limo is unaware of this as he failed to listen to the final tape Xiao Yu sent him, leading to them both to be separated until their adulthood.

“Love in Shanghai” could have been a better story, but it failed to live up to its potential due to poorly constructed time shifts and jilted storytelling. The story was difficult to piece together at times due to hasty delivery, thus ruining the effects of a bittersweet story of budding romance, love lost, and love rekindled.

As a whole, the issue was that each director tried cramming full-length stories into three 25-minute segments. Clearly, this is a recipe for disaster because the ingredients for each didn’t combine. The audience should be able to connect to the characters, and they should be allowed to get invested in the stories, but the times left the content raw and undercooked.

The English dubbing is also pitiful. With a voice cast featuring Evan Rachel Wood (True Blood, Westworld), Ross Butler (13 Reasons Why, Riverdale), Crispin Freeman (Fate/Zero, Fate/stay night), and Erica Mendez (Aggretsuko, Sailor Moon Crystal), the dubbing should have been stronger. However, the English voices made the anime even harder to watch. However, the Chinese dubbing was well-done and felt authentic, so Chinese is recommended for this film.

On a positive side, the animation is beautiful for Flavors of Youth. If viewers look past the drab color palette, the animation is very pleasing, especially during the food shots in “The Rice Noodles,” which essentially is nothing more than animated food porn. “Love in Shanghai” does a great job showing the beauty of landscape art, but pretty images do not make a movie. Flavors of Youth tries hard to rely on “art” to make it a good, slice-of-life film, but it cannot deliver.

Flavors of Youth also relies heavily on the “from the studio that brought you Your Name” too much. Your Name was a mega-hit globally, so relying on this film to market a sub-par, boring, basically whiny anthology of spoiled, self-centered individuals is a cheap-shot. It’s like telling the audience a cheap hot dog is a prime rib roast: It just doesn’t work.

Flavors of Youth is pretty, but it’s not even close to being a good movie. It’s not even close to being a decent short series. This anthology is a poorly executed mish-mosh of slapped together material, almost like the writers used the spaghetti-method: Throw it at a wall to see what sticks. If you like boring stories, check it out. Otherwise, Flavors of Youth is a skippable film that earns a 1/5, and even that’s a generous helping.

Flavors of Youth is available on Netflix.

 

 

—-Joelle Halon

2018 marks the 20^th anniversary since Ayumi Hamasaki’s debut on the J-Pop scene. On August 15, Hamasaki released her seventh EP (her 18^th studio album overall), TROUBLE. TROUBLE is her first release since 2016’s M(a)de in Japan as well as her first album since the announcement of her separation and pending divorce with her second husband, Tyler Bobkin. The album debuted #2 on Oricon charts, indicating that Hamasaki has another successful release on her hands.

For the most part, TROUBLE is, indeed, a successful release for the Divine Ayu as it marks a return to the signature Ayu sound fans have grown accustom to throughout her long career. Since 2014’s Colours release, it appeared Hamasaki’s career was on the decline due to weak songs that lacked her usual flair. Many feared that Hamasaki had lost her touch due to hearing loss, but thankfully, this is not the case as she is still one of Japan’s reigning queens.

The five-track EP features a good mix of rock, pop, and ballad-tracks to have a little something for everyone. The beauty of the album lies in its throwback sound since it recalls Hamasaki’s early-2000s vibe without compromising today’s modern composition. The marriage of Hamasaki’s two eras make TROUBLE a potentially timeless classic.

Originally released in 2016 as a CM for the mobile game Clash of Queens, the lead track, “We Are the Queens,” starts in epic fashion with solid percussion, orchestra, and chants before shifting into powerful, empowering dance track that echoes prior Hamasaki-hits like “Kanariya,” “Unite,” and “Because of You.”  The track features a solid chorus that feels like a rallying cry, which is a common motif for many Ayu songs. The overall composition carries the opening’s epic sound, so this is a track that deserves a full-blown MV outside of the game ads as it would be interesting to see how Hamasaki interprets the song’s story. The five-minute track maintains solid energy until the 3:21 when it shifts to include more percussion before shifting again at 3:50 to a more movie-esque sound complete with brass instruments that enhance the excitement and tone.

“Æternal,” “Words,” and “The Way I Am” provide listeners with standard, mid-tempo pop tracks that are public-friendly and brimming with nostalgia. The songs are quintessential Ayu complete with her usual string instrument-backing. Listening to these tracks definitely serves as a throwback to Hamasaki’s classic era when songs like “Moments,” “Heaven,” and “Forgiveness” reigned supreme. Each song has solid choruses that accentuate Hamasaki’s vocal color and tone. Listening to these songs, the overall production kept Hamasaki’s imperfections in the audio. While it is clear autotune is used in the songs, Ayu’s tone goes in different directions thus enhancing the nostalgic feel. “Æternal,” specifically, feels the most imperfect and nostalgic for these reasons.

Meanwhile, “WORDS” brings Hamasaki’s sweeter, more fragile vocals to the forefront during each verse, while showing that Ayu can still bring power during the chorus. “WORDS” is emotional and calming, hitting all the sweet spots for those who love and miss Hamasaki’s old sound. “The Way I Am” also features delicate tones. While the instrumentals are considerably louder on this track (they almost drown Hamasaki out at some points), the track does well touching listeners’ hearts due to its calming arrangement. Unfortunately, the chorus does feel forced at times like there is some strain on Hamasaki’s vocals. It feels like the song could have been toned down so vocal strains are not evident. However, the song is a raw, beautiful, goosebump-inducing track.

Finally, “W” is a solid return to some of Hamasaki’s rock vibes that she’s channeled periodically throughout the years. The track opens with some scratchy beats that recall military-march music. The scratchiness gives way to heavy bass and percussion. Hamasaki’s imperfect tone complete with some yelling and softness makes the track a potential standalone single that could showcase her fun side while showing off her many facets.

One of the few downsides to TROUBLE is that it isn’t a full album. Since this is Hamasaki’s 20^th anniversary year, a full album is well-earned and well-deserved given fans’ loyalty and Hamasaki’s love and lust for performing. It is a travesty we were only given a five-track EP, especially since TROUBLE is a solid release that bridges the gap between Ayumi’s classic era and today’s modernized fandom. TROUBLE is an album that whets an appetite but doesn’t quite quash the hunger for more. TROUBLE does earn a solid score of 4/5 though, but we’re left wanting more.

TROUBLE is available on Spotify.

 

In celebration of Ayumi Hamasaki’s 20^th anniversary, we compiled her singles into a retrospective video. Check it out below, and “Like” us on Facebook for more exclusive content like this.

 

—-Joelle Halon

Sometimes, life sucks. However, one guaranteed way to feel better about some of life’s little problems is to get all dolled up or even just pamper ourselves and wash away the stressors of day. We at Kcrush love our beauty products, and we also know the value of a good, simple pick-me-up when things get overwhelming. Check out our list* of beauty finds (don’t worry! No foundations are mentioned because we want to be inclusive for all skin-types!).

 

Dermal Collagen Essence Sheet Masks

Available on Amazon, this inexpensive sheet mask set packs a nice punch. This 16-pack set has plenty of variety for different skin needs, so it’s a great set to have for various points throughout the year when skin changes with different seasons. Each mask is infused with collagen, so you’ll experience the skin-brightening and tightening along with effective moisturizing to keep skin dewy and youthful for days.

There are two sets available for the Dermal masks: Set A features masks with aloe, gold, platinum, green tea, Q10, royal jelly, pearl, snail, and snake venom essence. Set B features fruits and plant extracts along with bee venom, ginseng, seaweed, and wine.

Each mask is designed to target specific needs such as brightening, dry skin, and elasticity. Each mask is saturated with moisturizers and moisturizing oils, so skin will get a heavy dose of product. The masks are cooling and work great after sitting in the fridge for a while, so you also receive the benefits of depuffing the face and eyes as well. The moisturizers absorb into the skin nicely, leaving behind a fresh, baby-soft face that glows.

 

Peripera Airy Ink Velvet Lip Color

Richly-colored and scented like roses, Peripera’s lip tints are long-lasting, smooth, and feel like nothing on the lips. For hot summer days, this product is perfect for keeping your pout pretty without feeling heavy, sticky, or goopy. The colors are deliciously bold and compliment all skin types. Lighter pinks and oranges are great for casual, every-day-wear, while the reds, darker oranges, and browns are great for date-nights, the office, or an evening out.

At first, the product feels almost slimy on the lips before it dries velvety smooth. The initial wetness helps with spreading the color around and layering to get the perfect shade or ombre-lip effect if the latter is what you strive for in a completed makeup look. The product has a strong rose scent when it’s initially put on, but it fades so it’s not overpowering. The color lasts several hours and won’t bleed into fine lines or rub off on cups or clothing. The product is so lightweight, you’ll forget you have it on, and it will last for several hours without needing to be re-applied. At well under-10 dollars, it’s a must-have in a makeup bag!

 

Karadium Shining Pearl Smudging Eye Shadow Stick

Delicate, feminine, shimmery, and flirty are the best ways to describe Karadium’s pearl eye shadow sticks. Available in ten shades, the eye shadow stick makes eye-shadow-application foolproof: Just glide the color on your lids, then use the smudge-sponge on the opposite side of the shadow to blend and soften the color. That’s it!

The stick is a cream-based shadow that is easy to smudge to create dreamy looks. Without smudging, the colors are soft-but-fierce, showing the product’s versatility.

The pearlescence is subtle, so this isn’t your 1980s and early 2000s eye shadow. The shades and shimmer are appropriate for all ages and situations, so you’ll never look like a regrettable high school picture personified.

 

Julep #Coveted 12-Piece Mini Nail Polish Kit

 

Julep has many products worth noting, especially their long-lasting waterproof gel eyeliner (it glides like a dream!) and buildable mascara (bye-bye, spider-lashes!), but their nail polishes are pretty, and some formulations can take a beating and make it out alive.

The #Coveted set comes in 12 stunning shades that are perfect for transitioning into fall. While the set has lovely red and orange shades, the purples, blues, and greens are beyond gorgeous and look different depending on how many layers you add to your nails. One coat makes the polish look soft and delicate, while two-to-three coats make the colors bold and show-stopping.

Julep products are a favorite because they are cruelty-free, paraben-free, and vegan-friendly. However, while these polishes are lovely, the price may be too much for some for 12-mini bottles. However, the colors, fast-drying time, and long-wear make the price worth it.

 

Tree-to-Tub Soapberry for Hair in Relaxing Lavender

If you’re looking for a gentle shampoo, Tree-to-Tub has products for you. Derived from the soapberry plant, Tree-to-Tub’s cleansers are skin-safe, hair-safe, PH-balanced, organic, and gentle. It may take a few washes for hair to acclimated to the ingredients, but once hair adapts to the soapberry, the results mean smooth, soft, manageable hair.

The hair cleanser has a nice lather and a calming, gentle scent. It does take a little more effort to wash it out because the ingredients do “cling” to hair, but when it’s washed out properly, it’s easy to go two days without needing to wash hair due to oily residue.

 

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

In news that is both a positive and a negative, B.A.P’s leader, Bang Yong Guk, has left TS Entertainment. Bang Yong Guk has been with TS Entertainment since August 12, 2011; his exclusive contract ended August 19, 2018.

In a statement, TS Entertainment said, “We have spoken extensively with both Bang Yong Guk and the other members of B.A.P, and we will be respecting his decision to not renew his contract with us. We want to express our gratitude to Bang Yong Guk for being with us till now, and we wish him the best of luck on his future endeavors.

“Bang Yong Guk has departed from B.A.P as his contract has ended, and B.A.P will continue on with five members. Their scheduled activities will continue as planned and we will continue to give B.A.P’s activities our support.

Please continue to give B.A.P your love and interest in the future. Thank you.”

 

Contract News Shared in July

B.A.P’s contracts with TS Entertainment end at different times. On July 22, 2018, B.A.P discussed this during their B.A.P 2018 Live Limited in Seoul. Youngjae said, “Today marks the end of our tour. We were able to end it well because you were all here with us.”

“Actually, all six of us have contracts that end at different dates,” Himchan said. “That’s where we are. In a way, this might be the last concert we do together. I wasn’t sure if I should say this today, and I was thinking of not saying it. We still have time left on our contracts, so you might be able to see us on stage again, but we think this will be our last concert as six.”

Nothing has been decided yet, but as of now, this is our last scheduled concert. But we’re always ready to greet you. So please don’t be sad. If you cry…” Daehyun said while trailing off. He later concluded with, “After every event like this, we always have time to look back on ourselves. I think I’ve only just begun, and if you all stay with us, that beginning will be even more special. Seven years have passed, and we’ve collected many memories, but we’re too young and still have too much to show to stop here and do nothing but look back at memories.”

Jongup completed Daehyun’s statement by saying, “We filled this concert with our story, from our debut till now. This concert has been a time for me to look back on myself, and it was a concert that made me think a lot. It will remain with me as a good memory Six boys ran with all their might, and it was all of you who made us special. I want to tell you that I’m always grateful. Please continue to make us even more special in the future.”

Yong Guk followed Jongup’s statement with, “Don’t cry. Never forget that BABYz are always a big source of energy for us. We are always working hard to show our best side, so please keep giving us your love.”

The group collectively ended their show by stating, “We still have so many days ahead of us to spend together, so let’s keep walking together.”

At the time, the statements by the B.A.P members sounded hopeful, but now they have a foreboding tone.

What’s Next?

Currently, TS Entertainment said B.A.P will continue as a quintet, but nothing is certain as of right now. With the other members’ contracts set to end soon, there’s no telling what could happen. The rest of the team may decide to leave as well, meaning that there is some small hope B.A.P may reform as six, but nothing is certain, especially in the K-Pop world.

If all the members decided to leave and reform later, they may need to start from scratch again because they may not have the rights to the group name or even the song they’ve released up until this point (see B2st/Highlight and the recent court battles with T-ara).

However, if B.A.P all decide to leave TS Entertainment and reform later, there’s also a higher chance of B.A.P creating stronger original tracks if, hypothetically, they create their own label. However, the future is still unclear since the remaining members need to decide what’s best for them.

 

It’s Not a Negative Story

While it’s sad Yong Guk has departed the group (for now and maybe not forever), the story, overall, is not negative news. In fact, B.A.P fans have celebrated Yong Guk’s freedom on social media and the group’s fan café because he is free from the company that caused him and his group so much grief and mental and physical anguish. Groups and their members should not be forced to stay with an ill-managed company that mistreats its artists.

We wish Yong Guk the best in his career moving forward. In the coming months, we’ll see what happens with the rest of the group.

 

—-Joelle Halon

 

*Could you briefly introduce yourself to our readers? (Please tell us a little about our early life/background, your career path and etc.)

Hi, I’m Alisha. I was born in Virginia, but I moved to Seoul when I was little. I grew up living back and forth between two countries.

I’m currently living in Seoul.

 

*Tell us how you got into music.

I started listening to hip-hop and R&B when I was in 6^th grade. That’s when I got my first iPod. I’ve always been a fan of music, especially hip-hop and R&B.

But I never thought that I’d be making music myself. So, I went to college and majored in International Business. In my senior year, I was interning at a trade company and I was actually about to enter that firm right after my internship.

I’ve always loved music and I knew I had passion for it, but I never even considered becoming a musician because I thought I had no talent and I was too scared to even try in the first place. But while I was working, I kept thinking about what it’d be like if I actually gave it a try. So, I decided to take a break from school and work and “try” music because I was like “it’s now or never” lol.

I had one semester left and if I didn’t take a gap year, I’d have to graduate and get a job for real. And I was like NOPE. This is my last chance to at least try.

 

*How would you describe your sound and music?

I think my voice is unique and it has diversity. So, you won’t get sick of it. Lol. I think my voice goes well with any type of beats.

If you listen to my mixtape, it has a consistent sound throughout the whole tape because I wanted to set a certain “vibe” to it. But if you listen to my official singles, they’re all very different. It’s because I wanted to try different genres of music.

I’ve released 5 official singles so far and there’s PB R&B, hip-hop, house, jazzy R&B… and I’m always willing to try new stuff.

Other than my voice, I think my lyrics are very honest and straight up. I always write about something personal…

 

*Which artist or musician do you admire the most and why?

Rihanna. Her voice is so unique and she sounds amazing on any type of beats. And her style is amazing too. There’s no song or look that she can’t pull off.

 

*If you could spend a whole day with anyone of your choice, who would it be and why?

Syd from the band The Internet because I LOVE HER and I’m obsessed with her music and I wanna know what it’d be like to be on a date with her.

 

 

*What kind of person is your ideal date?

Someone who can make me laugh and… who has a good taste in music.

 

*What would be your hobbies or interests?

I like traveling. I work my ass off every day so that I can save up money and travel at least 2, 3 times a year.

 

*Have you seen interesting movies or musicals lately?

I’ve been more into series than movies lately. On Netflix, my favorite shows are <Orange Is the New Black> and <Black Mirror>.

 

*Do you have your own fashion code?

I’m kinda obsessed with matching the colors… With my outfits, shoes, nails, other items.

Even if it’s not something very noticeable, when the colors match, it just makes me happy. Lol.

 

*What is your favorite food or beverage?  

My favorite food is salmon. Then Mexican food & Vietnamese food.

I order a coke every time I go to a restaurant (NO DIET COKE) and when it comes to alcohol, I like Soju and white wine.

 

*What do you think you’ll be doing 15 years from now?

Hmm… I haven’t really thought about that long ahead of a future. I just hope I’m happy.

 

*What are you goals and hopes for the future?  

I hope more people listen to my music. I have so many things I wanna do. I want to perform at a jazz bar, at a club, at concerts…

I want to make a dope ass music video. I want to work with many new producers and artists. I want to make an album and have physical copies of it.

Other than music, I want to travel more and love more. <3

 

Thank you for your precious time.

 We wish you all the luck in all your endeavors…

—– J. Chung.

In 2017, Cartoon Saloon released the stunning Breadwinner, a story about a young girl trying to survive in Taliban-ruled Kabul, Afghanistan.

Based on the Deborah Ellis book of the same name, the Nora Twomey (The Secret of Kells) directed film—which is produced by Angelina Jolie and Mimi Polk Gitlin—follows 12-year-old Parvana as she navigates her world after her father, Nurullah, is arrested for allegedly insulting Taliban member, Idrees. Parvana is as resourceful as she is clever thanks to her father’s teaching and her mother’s creativity prior to the Taliban takeover. After the Taliban ruled that women cannot be outside without being completely covered or without a male escort, and after her mother gets beaten, Parvana, with the help of her sister Soraya, chops off her hair to become a boy named “Aatish” to work and make money for her family and to hopefully get her father out of prison.

While some consider The Breadwinner as a new-age Mulan, the story is much more mature due to its true-life scenarios that many Afghanis experience in their war-and-Taliban-torn country. The movie has stronger implications and meaning given its backdrop and how the events still currently unfold in the country. Whereas Mulan is a fictionalized and Disneyatized tale, The Breadwinner (while the story is fiction) is a story about the realities of small-scale terrorism that inflicts a nation.

Featuring stunning animation and storytelling, The Breadwinner is a rare film that is appropriate for adults and children. The harrowing details accounting the horrors the Taliban inflicts on its citizens are tastefully addressed. For adults, the content plays on awareness of the situation and the brutality that exists, especially toward women and children. However, for children, the actual violence is not shown, but the adults know what occurs based on sound and shadow-play.

As Parvana’s story plays out, she also tells her young brother a story about their past and what happened to their older brother, but it’s done in a way to where she creates a fairytale. The viewer does not know it’s about her brother at first, but key details reveal this is the case. There is a double-layer of tragedy in the story as we learn about her older brother’s death, but there is the added travesty of wasted talent. Parvana has storytelling skills, but she cannot market those skills due to her gender. Here, the viewer experiences what it’s like to live in the underground world of femaleness in a male-dominated, terror-riddled society. What other skills and talents lie beneath? This is how the movie makes the viewer think.

With thinking in mind, this is a film for those who enjoy critical analysis, so it would serve as a great teaching tool in the classroom. For example, each character’s name has meaning, and it’s interesting to see how the characters live up to their names. For instance, Parvana means “butterfly,” and the viewer sees the lead character transition from a young girl (a caterpillar, so to speak) to a powerful young woman with bravery and strength (the butterfly). Her boy name, Aatish, means “fire” (explained in the film). The meaning of Aatish shines through Parvana’s will and fiery personality as she stands up to the Taliban, takes on different jobs to support her family, and even fights for the right to see her father.

In addition to the character names, viewers should pay attention to how colors play a role in the film. Red and green are especially prominent.

Despite Breadwinner’s overall dark tone, there is an overall sense of hope. The viewer sees the creativity and craftiness it takes to try to overcome evil, and there are times where the feminist voice rings louder than the bombs that explode across the landscape. Besides Soraya’s tale, the viewer also experiences her mother’s anguish over the loss of her son and her husband and how she and Soraya find their voices to fight against an arranged marriage originally thought to be a way out of danger. There are many slices to the loaf of bread the Breadwinner brings to the table, and it’s interesting to see how each slice enhances the entire meal.

The Breadwinner was critically acclaimed for a reason, and it’s worth viewing due to many facets that make the film shine. It is viewer-friendly for all audiences, which is a positive, especially if the film is used as a teaching tool. The Breadwinner earns a 5/5.

The Breadwinner is available on Netflix.

 

 

—-Joelle Halon