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May 12, 2013
Pregnant Sunye returns for a visit
By Lee Sun-min Korea JoongAng Daily
Sunye of Wonder Girls, accompanied by her husband, came back to Korea recently to reunite with her family, according to local media.
It was reported she went to see a gynecologist soon after arriving and has been spending time with friends and family.
She won’t make any public appearances during her two-month visit.
An official at JY Entertainment was quoted saying as it looks like she will go back to Canada to have a baby, adding that the agency has no additional information and the pregnancy and birth plans are private matters.
Sunye also tweeted how happy she was to be in Korea. “I really missed fresh juice out of Korean strawberries. [They] are the best!!” she said.
She married James Park, whom she met in Haiti while he was doing missionary work. They married in January and honeymooned in the Maldives.
She tweeted about her honeymoon baby last month.
Her agency denied rumors that she may have gotten pregnant before her wedding. |
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May 12, 2013
Park Jung-ah has thyroid cancer
By Lee Sun-min Korea JoongAng Daily
Singer and actress Park Jung-ah has undergone surgery for thyroid cancer, according to her agency WM Company on Friday.
She spotted the cancer during a checkup after shooting the KBS drama “My Daughter Seoyoung.”
As the tumor was found early, the agency said the surgery went well, and Park is recovering.
Meanwhile, Park changed her agency to expand her presence in the acting arena.
She moved to WM Company this month. She left Star Empire 14 years after she was a trainee for the girl group Jewelry in 2001.
Her former agency also congratulated her on her new start.
“Park, who spent 14 years [here], is like a daughter to us and she is taking a big step,” said Star Empire, according to media reports. “We will continue support Park and cheer for her.”
She is signed to make an appearance in two Chinese dramas and will start filming for those after she recovers. |
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May 12, 2013
Kang Seok-woo makes kids' wishes come true
By Yim Seung-hye Korea JoongAng Daily
Kang Seok-woo, a veteran actor who is chairman of the supporters’ association of Make-A-Wish Korea, films an advertisement for the foundation next to pictures of children who have had their wishes granted. Provided by Make-A-Wish KoreaKang Seok-woo, a veteran actor who is chairman of the supporters’ association of Make-A-Wish Korea, films an advertisement for the foundation next to pictures of children who have had their wishes granted. Provided by Make-A-Wish Korea
Actor Kang Seok-woo may be an unfamiliar face to most Korean children, but he’s an important father figure for the “not so healthy bunch.” He embraces and encourages them and sometimes even makes their wishes come true.
Many big-name celebrities including Kim Tae-hee and Lee Min-jeong are goodwill ambassadors for the Make-A-Wish Foundation in Korea, which supports children with life-threatening conditions, but Kang has a different role as chairman of the supporters’ association.
“When the head of Make-A-Wish Korea came to me in 2008, I wasn’t going to accept their offer because I was already involved in seven or eight different organizations,” said Kang. “But I accepted the proposal because the role that they wanted me to take wasn’t a goodwill ambassador, but chairman of the supporters’ association. It sounded like I would do actual work rather than just act as a model - the role typically assigned to goodwill ambassadors.”
The 56-year-old actor debuted in 1978 in the leading role for the Korean film “Yeosu.” After about 35 years in the business, Kang has drifted into supporting roles, but he says he’s a “lucky person to be in a position to help others even today.” Currently, Kang co-hosts the morning radio program “Women’s Time” with Yang Hee-eun and also appears on Season 2 of KBS’ “Couple Clinic - Love and War.”
Recently, the Korea JoongAng Daily sat down with Kang at a filming studio in Yangjae-dong, southern Seoul, where he shot a promotional video for the foundation.
Here are some excepts from the interview:
Q. I heard that you’ve been active in helping NGOs. You are serving as a goodwill ambassador for a number of organizations and also helping many children in need with donations. How did you start, and why do you volunteer?
A. As a human being, it is our obligation to help those in need. The amount of money or time isn’t important. What’s important is helping continuously. Some people feel good one day and donate 1 million won [$920] or 20 million won and forget about it. I’m not saying that it’s bad, but I personally feel that once you decide to help someone, you should do so continuously. So I don’t start big.
I start with 10,000 won or 20,000 won a month under my name, my wife’s name, my daughter’s name and my son’s name in many different organizations.
And if my children grow up and become financially independent, I can hand this down and they can spread more branches and hand it down to their children without stopping.
As chairman of the support association for Make-A-Wish Korea, what’s the most worthwhile feeling for you?
Having hope or a dream has become very difficult. Many young students today live without any dreams or hope. Adults tell the kids to have a dream and believe in a miracle, but that is something we cannot force them to do.
But these sick children, they have hope and dreams. They wait for a miracle, and they wait for their wish to come true. Watching those children up close, I finally learn at this age what a real dream is all about and what real hope looks like.
As I watch a young girl whose doctors tell her that she can’t be cured, I still see in her, a flicker of hope. I can see that the girl believes in a miracle and hopes that she’ll one day be cured.
This optimistic way of thicking can happen, especially after a child’s small wish is granted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. And so with my work, I started to have hope and wish for these children’s health to improve.
We grant about 300 or so children’s wishes every year and say that if even one child survives his or her illness and speaks out about the miracle, the ripple effect on other children will be tremendous. These miracles really do happen, and that is why we work so hard to grant the wishes of these children.
You said earlier that you believe the true role of a goodwill ambassador has deteriorated.
Names of celebrities who received money to be goodwill ambassadors were revealed last year. There shouldn’t be any form of compensation exchanged between an NGO and a goodwill ambassador.
If there’s payment of some sort, the celebrity is a paid model, not a goodwill ambassador. Both the organization and the celebrities use the title “goodwill ambassador” to serve their own interests.
It’s good for the organization because it doesn’t have to pay a huge sum to hire a model, and it’s good for the celebrities because although they don’t receive as much money, they still get some good press exposure.
Because of a few bad examples, many goodwill ambassadors have seen their reputations deteriorate. Helping someone should be focused on that someone, not yourself. |
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May 12, 2013
From bride-to-be, answer is still yes
By Moon Gwang-lip Korea JoongAng Daily
Jung Suk-won has proposed to Baek Ji-young, again. According to their managers, he surprised his bride-to-be at an event Saturday at the Sori Arts Center in Jeonju, North Jeolla, where she was performing as part of her first nationwide concert tour in seven years.
Forestar Entertainment, a management agency for Jung, said the actor kept his second proposal secret with the help of the concert staff.
According to news reports, a video message from him was shown onstage during an intermission. Jung climbed up on the stage after the video message was over, and said to Baek, “Please marry me.” Baek answered, “Of course.”
The audience responded enthusiastically to the proposal, shouting “Kiss,” and the couple complied.
Last month, Jung and Baek announced they would wed June 2. Jung told “Section TV” on MBC that he initially planned to marry next year, but changed his mind and proposed to her earlier. Baek and Jung have been dating since early 2011. The 27-year-old Jung is nine years Baek’s junior.
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May 13, 2013
Han Hye-jin, Ki Sung-Yueng to Wed This Summer
The Chosun Ilbo
Han Hye-jin (left) and Ki Sung-yueng
Swansea City midfielder Ki Sung-yueng will wed actress Han Hye-jin, eight years his senior, in July, just months after they went public with their relationship in March.
Han's management agency said on Friday that they decided to tie the knot in July in consideration of their work schedules, dispelling rumors of a shotgun wedding due to the sudden nature of the announcement. "The relatively short dating period had no bearing on their decision to tie the knot," the agency said.
As Ki has a few more games to play before this season's English Premier League wraps up, specific wedding plans have not yet been decided.
The two first met at a charity football event hosted by the JS Park Foundation in Vietnam in 2011. Han was invited to help promote the event due to her huge popularity in the Southeast Asian country. They met again last August when Ki appeared on SBS talk show "Healing Camp," which Han co-hosts. "If I had a girlfriend like Han, I'd marry her instantly," Ki said on the show at the time. They kept in touch and later started dating.
Their relationship came to the fore when a news website spotted them together after Korea played Qatar in the final round of Asian qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup on March 26.The following day, Ki admitted he was dating Han. "I wanted to be open about our relationship, but I've been waiting for the right time to make an announcement," he tweeted.
Ki has missed Swansea's last two games as he picked up a thigh injury at the end of April. He will return to U.K. to prepare for next season after the wedding ceremony, while Han, who is currently working on her new film, is contemplating whether to maintain her career in Korea. |
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May 13, 2013
Korean movies to reclaim box office from 'Iron Man 3'
Jin Eun-soo, Intern reporter The Korea Herald
"Iron Man 3"
Superhero sequel “Iron Man 3” has dominated Korea’s box office for over three weeks, showing strong ticket sales since its opening on April 25. It is estimated to have sold about 7 million tickets as of May 12.
However, in its third week, the Hollywood blockbuster is losing steam at the box office, raising hopes for Korean filmmakers who are planning to release their latest movies.
“Iron Man 3” kicked off with 420,000 viewers on the first day of its release and its success continued with an average of more than 200,000 viewers each day for two consecutive weeks.
The number fell sharply in its third week in Korea’s theater chains. The figure went down to 112,000 viewers a day on May 9. The market share of the total ticket sales also went down to 60 percent, from 87.4 percent.
Some observers had expected the superhero movie to set a box office record like “Avatar,” which held as high as 91.7 percent of all ticket sales in 2009.
(From left) "National Singing Contest" "Boomerang Family" "Be Covert, Be Brave"
Korean movies are now readying to claim back their share. “National Singing Contest,” directed by well-known Korean comedian Lee Kyung-kyu, was released on May 1 and sold 729,470 tickets to take the third place in the movie rankings chart.
“Boomerang Family,” released on May 9, came to carve out a 20 percent share of the ticket sales on its first day to be ranked second place with 357,343 viewers.
“Mina Stationary” and “Montage,” both Korean films, are set to open on May 16, and “Be Covert, Be Brave” starring Kim Soo-hyun, will premiere in June. |
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May 13, 2013
Celebrity chef ties the knot
By Lee Sun-min Korea JoongAng Daily
Raymon Kim, left and Kim Ji-woo kiss during a press conference before their wedding yesterday.[NEWSIS]
Actress Kim Ji-woo married celebrity chef Raymon Kim yesterday in Raum, southern Seoul. Prior to the wedding, the couple had a press conference and shared their excitement about the new chapter in their lives. The two met on the cable show “Kitchen Fighter.”
Celebrity chef Raymon Kim, left, and actress Kim Ji-woo make a heart with their hands before their wedding yesterday.[NEWSIS]
Raymon Kim, left, and Kim Ji-woo, hold hands as they enter to meet with reporters prior to their wedding in Raum, southern Seoul.[NEWSIS] |
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May 13, 2013
Ha Ji-won lands leading MBC role
By Lee Sun-min Korea JoongAng Daily
Ha Ji-won of SBS drama “Secret Garden” has been selected to take a leading role in the upcoming MBC drama tentatively named “Flower Cards.”
She will play Qi Empress, a lady from the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392) who becomes the empress of the Yuan Dynasty of China.
The empress is known to have kept her self-esteem as a Goryeo descendant abroad while showing love and political ambition at the same time.
“Through [recreating] the little-known love story of Qi Empress, we can present a different kind of charisma from Ha Ji-won,” said a member of the production staff, according to local media reports.
Earlier this month, she went on SBS talk show “Thank You” and shared the struggles she encountered while shooting “Secret Garden.” She said she often felt lost and couldn’t focus on reading the script.
Before her upcoming TV appearance was announced, she released photos last month that were taken during filming for a Northcape advertisement in Thailand. |
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May 13, 2013
Woman Drops Rape Charges Against Actor Park Si-hoo
The Chosun Ilbo
A 22-year-old aspiring starlet who had accused actor Park Si-hoo of rape has dropped the charges, Seoul police said Friday.
The woman has also dropped sexual harassment charges against another actor who was present during the alleged incident.
The woman gave no explanation why she dropped the charges in the papers submitted by her lawyer.
Since sexual offenses in Korea are prosecuted only when the victim files charges, prosecutors automatically followed suit.
Prosecutors also decided not to indict Park on charges of assault, since the wounds the woman claimed to have suffered during the alleged rape were minor.
Meanwhile, Park dropped libel charges against the woman. |
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May 14, 2013
Psy to perform in final round of 'American Idol'
YonhapNews
SEOUL, May 14 (Yonhap) -- South Korean rapper Psy will perform during the final round of "American Idol Season 12" this week, his local management agency said Tuesday.
Psy will perform his new hit single "Gentleman" as a special guest on the American reality singing competition being aired Thursday (American Pacific time) on Fox TV live across the United States from Los Angeles, YG Entertainment said.
"Gentleman," the follow-up to his previous global hit, "Gangnam Style," has been viewed more than 322 million times since it was posted on the video sharing Web site YouTube on April 13.
First broadcast in 2002, "American Idol" has spawned many Billboard chart-toppers and a platoon of pop idols such as Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and Adam Lambert.
American pop star Rihanna performed during the final of the program's last season.
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May 14, 2013
Pregnant for 9 weeks, singer Baek Ji-young to marry in June
By Jung Min-ho The Korea Times
Singer Baek Ji-young, 37, and actor Jung Suk-won, 27, will marry on June 2, with their first baby already on the way.
"Baek has been pregnant for nine weeks. Their parents are elated about the news,’’ Baek’s agency WS Entertainment said Tuesday in a statement. "The bride-to-be has been really careful with her health after she discovered her pregnancy.’’
On the heels of their marriage announcement on April 18, rumors flowed the the K-pop star was pregnant, which the couple initially denied.
Baek is currently a judge on the cable television singing contest "Voice Korea 2’’ while Jung is filming the movie "NLL – Battle of Yeonpyeong.’’
Due to their busy schedules, and Baek’s pregnancy, the honeymoon will have to wait.
Their three-year-romance and marriage plans took a firm step toward the altar when Jung made a surprise appearance on stage at a concert by Baek in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, on May 11.
On his knees and broadcast on screen, Jung proposed to Baek in front of the audience, making her burst into tears.
"I really wanted to propose to her, but we were both so busy it was all talk and no action. So today, I asked my movie director to spare some time for me, and now I’m here,’’ Jung said before he asked Baek, "Will you marry me?’’
The proposal was aired on MBC’s television ''Section TV’’ on May 12.
MBC’s "I Am a Singer’’ Director Kim Young-hee will officiate at their wedding at the W-Seoul Walkerhill Hotel. Baek appeared on the show as a contestant in 2011 and they have continued their relationship since. |
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May 14, 2013
Baek Ji-young will deliver in the fall
By Lee Sun-min Korea JoongAng Daily
Baek Ji-young and Jung Suk-won, who announced their wedding plans after dating for two years, will have a baby soon, according to Baek’s agency yesterday. Baek is nine-weeks pregnant with a due date in the fall.
“Baek knew about the pregnancy when she announced the wedding and wanted to share the news, but the agency was worried about negative online reaction,” Baek’s agency said.
The couple will not have a honeymoon after their June 2 wedding considering Baek’s condition, according to local reports. Other acquaintances said busy schedules also stand in the way of a post-wedding celebration.
Jung proposed to Baek over the weekend during her performance at Sori Arts Center in Jeonju, North Jeolla, as part of her first nationwide concert tour in seven years.
The romantic serenade led many netizens to leave congratulatory messages on social networking sites.
The couple has been dating since early 2011 after they met through mutual acquaintances. |
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May 15, 2013
Baek Ji-young Feels Baby Kicks Before Hearing Wedding Bells
The Chosun Ilbo
Singer Baek Ji-young and actor Jung Suk-won, who are planning marry in June, will become parents several months later in fall.
"The bride-to-be, Baek Ji-young, is expecting a baby in fall," said Baek's agency WS Entertainment. "As Baek is now in the early stages of pregnancy, she is being very careful about taking care of her health and making quiet trips to hospital [to avoid the media and fans]."
The confirmed that they were in a romantic relationship last year and announced their wedding plans last month, but denied rumors that Baek was pregnant. |
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May 14, 2013
Baek Ji-young, Chung Seok-won to have a baby
By Suh Hye-rim The Korea Herald
Singer Baek Ji-young and actor Chung Seok-won are to become parents in the fall.
Contradicting their statement denying the pregnancy last month, when they announced their June wedding, Chung’s agency Forestar Entertainment said Tuesday that the couple decided to release the news of the pregnancy in response to “widespread media speculation concerning their wedding.”
According to an insider, Baek is now four months pregnant and getting prenatal checkups.
The source also stated, “Since Baek is in the early stage of her pregnancy, she can’t make long-distance trips. In addition to their conflicting schedules, they’ve accepted that skipping the honeymoon is part of their fate.”
Baek is currently appearing on Mnet’s “Voice Korea 2” as a coach, and is preparing to enter the live broadcast round, while Chung is busy filming his movie “N.L.L. ― Battle of Yeongpyeong,” leaving them unable to go on a honeymoon immediately after the wedding.
Meanwhile, Chung proposed to Baek with the blessings of thousands of her fans at Baek’s concert on Saturday. Their wedding is scheduled for June 2. |
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May 15, 2013
Rocker Seo Tai-ji to marry actress
By Kim Tong-hyung The Korea Times
Pop singer Seo Tai-ji, right, announced that he is marrying actress Lee Eun-sung, who he has been dating since 2009. / Yonhap
Singer Seo Tai-ji, who ruled Korea’s music scene in the 1990s with his mixture of rap and hard rock, will marry an actress 16 years his junior, according to an announcement made on his website.
Seo, 41, and his wife-to-be Lee Eun-sung, 25, first met in 2008 when Lee appeared in the music video of his song "Bermuda Triangle,’’ and it was now revealed they have been dating since 2009.
The singer didn’t announce the date or venue of the wedding ceremony.
"I have met my soul mate I have been looking for, for so long. And now I plan to marry my soul mate who I love," Seo said on his website.
Previously, Seo had married actress Lee Ji-ah in a private ceremony in 1997 before divorcing her in 2006. Their relationship wasn’t publicly known until 2011 when a local newspaper picked up their messy legal fight over property. |
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May 15, 2013
Seo Taiji to marry actress Lee Eun-sung
By Julie Jackson The Korea Herald
The iconic ‘90s singer and musician Seo Taiji announced on Wednesday his engagement to actress Lee Eun-sung, who is 16 years his junior.
Seo Taiji, 41, and Lee, 24, reportedly met in 2008 when she appeared in one of the singer’s music video. They revealed they began dating a year later and are currently living together with his parents in his newly built house in Pyeongchang-dong, Seoul.
Seo Taiji made the announcement on his official website and claimed that he been waiting a long time and was happy that he had finally found “the one.”
“I’ve liked his music for a long-time but I never thought I would get a chance to meet him in person,” Lee stated through her agency. “While I was on the film set of his music video, I saw the way Seo Taiji treated his colleagues and other staff members and I just thought to myself, ‘He’s a decent guy.’”
This is set to be Seo Taiji’s second marriage. The star shocked the nation two years ago when his secret marriage to actress Lee Ji-ah and their subsequent divorce were uncovered.
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May 15, 2013
Seo Tae-ji announces wedding plans
By Lee Sun-min Korea JoongAng Daily
Seo Tae-ji announced his plan to marry actress Lee Eun-sung yesterday through his official Web site.
“I have found my partner and am about to get married to her,” he wrote in a post. “I’m so thankful for the inexplicable love you have given me for the past 21 years, and I hope you look forward to having another musical journey that will begin after another heart-pounding feeling.”
Seo said the nuptials will have a unique impact on his music.
The two first met on the set of the music video for “Bermuda Triangle,” a song on Seo’s eighth album that was released in 2008.
Lee was cast to act in the video, and the two began dating in the end of 2009, according to Ilgan Sports, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily.
“We have blessings from our families, so I hope you can also give us a warm [response],” Seo said.
No further details on the upcoming wedding were released, but Seo also talked about having children. |
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May 15, 2013
Seo In-young releases her latest EP
By Lee Sun-min Korea JoongAng Daily
Singer Seo In-young, former member of girl group Jewelry, made a comeback with the new EP “Forever Young” yesterday.
The new EP, which is different from her previous music that was accompanied by eye-catching performances, focuses on calmer acoustics.
In a press conference one day prior to her new EP release, she said she is nervous that so many singers have been making comebacks this month, including the sexy diva Lee Hyo-ri.
“I’m very nervous because it’s been a while, but I feel good,” said Seo. “I felt especially nervous about the comeback of Lee Hyo-ri, but I have my own style, so I can have a fair competition [with her].”
Other fellow singers have cheered on her return.
Seulong of boy band 2AM said on Twitter, “I love Seo In-young’s new song, especially the lyrics and the melody of the chorus.”
It has been said that many women on the production staff cried after listening to her title song “Let’s Break Up.” |
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