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July 2, 2013
Series of celebrity hospitalizations arouse concerns
By Suh Hye-rim The Korea Herald
Park Mi-sun (Yonhap News)
June was a tough month for a number of entertainers who had to postpone their activities due to injuries and illness.
Comedian and presenter Park Mi-sun sustained injuries to both her ankles while filming MBC’s “Blind Test 180” on June 26. The accident occurred as she was trying a “flying chair,” in which participants are thrown into the air before landing in a swimming pool. It was revealed that Park might need surgery and it would take up to three months for her ankles to heal.
Meanwhile, actor and comedian Jeong Jun-ha and comedian Jeong Hyeong-don, who appear in MBC’s “Infinite Challenge,” have been hospitalized with a neck condition and a hernia, respectively.
Jeong Jun-ha had surgery on Friday after he injured his neck while performing in musical “Spamalot.”
He was hit by a mask that flew at him and injured his neck, which resulted in a herniated disk.
“I’ve been in hospital for 10 days since June 23. The herniated disk was more serious than I thought so I had to undergo surgery last Friday,” said Jeong on his Twitter Tuesday morning. Jeong said he would resume recording the show on Wednesday and also plans to return to the musical, which is scheduled to run through Sept. 1.
Jeong Hyeong-don had a hernia operation on June 19 and was released from hospital Friday. He was back on his show Monday. The comedian had been seen on previous episodes of “Infinite Challenge” suffering from pain, sometimes needing to lie down. |
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July 2, 2013
Box office sales near 100 million in first half
More than half of moviegoers watched Korean film
By Bae Ji-sook The Korea Herald
Nearly 100 million movie tickets were sold at cinemas in the first half of this year, with more than half of them seeing Korean films, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Tuesday.
Inspired by the record-breaking number, the authorities have been pushing a number of policies to support the local filmmaking industry, including subsidies, stipulation of fair contracts and encouragement of exports.
According to the ministry, the number of cinemagoers marked 98.5 million between January and June this year, generating 724.1 billion won ($638.6 million) in sales. Those watching Korean films marked 55.5 million, or 56.4 percent of the entire number. This represents a 25 percent rise from 44.4 million in the same period last year.
A moviegoer buys a ticket for “Secretly Greatly” in Samseong-dong on June 16. The movie drew more than 5 million viewers in its first 12 days of release. (Yonhap News)
Despite observers previously suggesting that the market was saturated, the film market boom was due largely to a number of blockbusters that drew more than 10 million people to the cinema.
Korean films “Miracle in Cell No. 7,” “Berlin,” “Secretly Greatly,” “New World,” “Man on the Edge” and “Tower” attracted 12.8 million, 7.1 million, 6.6 million, 4.6 million, 3.8 million and 3.1 million viewers, respectively. Hollywood films “Iron Man 3,” “World War Z,” “Les Miserables” and “Man of Steel” lured 9 million, 3.1 million, 5.9 million (3.2 million from December 2012) and 2.1 million moviegoers, respectively.
“Thanks to the increased use of IPTV and digital cable TV services providing video-on-demand, more Hollywood films targeting the video market are expected to be exported to Korea. It is truly a Renaissance for the film industry,” a ministry official said Tuesday when announcing the figures.
The government has also stepped up to support the industry. A 15 billion won fund will be created later this year, aimed at supporting independent films with budgets less than 400 million won and mid-sized films with less than 3 billion won. More than 40 percent of the fund should be designated to boost small films, the ministry said.
Earlier this year, filmmakers, at the behest of the government, agreed to adopt a standardized contract for their workers including screenwriters. Those who break the rules cannot receive investment from the government, which is crucial for many of the productions.
“We are seeing a slew of blockbusters being released in the latter half of the year, including ‘Snowpiecer,’ ‘Mr. Go’ and ‘Pacific Rim.’ It seems that the Korean film market will keep growing and we are hoping that the industry will continue its upturn,” a ministry official said. |
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June 2, 2013
Song Ji-hyo reps Benefit Cosmetics
by Ahn Joo-hee Korea JoongAng Daily
Actress Song Ji-hyo showed off her flawless skin with make-up in a photo shoot to promote Benefit Cosmetics, which released the photos on July 2.
Actress Song Ji-hyo looks at herself in a mirror with hair rollers in her hair in a photo shoot to promote Benefit Cosmetics, which released the photos on July 2
Actress Song Ji-hyo wears glowing make-up with a cosmetic product of Benefit Cosmetics in her hands in a photo shoot to promote Benefit Cosmetics, which released the photos on July 2. |
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June 3, 2013
Ki takes off for U.K. after wedding
by Ahn Joo-hee Korea JoongAng Daily
Footballer Ki Sung-yueng, 26, who got married to actress Han Hye-jin, 32, on July 1, left the day after the wedding to the U.K. alone. His wife Han will follow him after finishing her schedules, including filming a movie, tentatively titled “When a Man Loves,” in late July.
On the same day the couple tied the knot, Han’s talk show, “Healing Camp,” aired an episode in which Han appeared as a guest and further opened up about her romance with Ki. In the second half of the show, Ki made a surprise visit to propose to Han and joined the talk show. Ki revealed he once said goodbye to Han because of overwhelming pressure from the big age gap between them as well as their individual careers, but they soon patched things up as they thought they were meant to be together.
Footballer Ki Sung-yueng is leaving Incheon International Airport yesterday for the U.K., the day after his wedding with actress Han Hye-jin.
Meanwhile, many entertainers attended the wedding to bless Ki and Han’s love on July 1.
Actress Shin Se-kyung poses for the camera.
TV personality Kim Je-dong, Han’s “Healing Camp” co-host, smiles for the camera in a black suit.
Actor Hwang Jung-min, who also appears in Han’s new film, “When a Man Loves,” walks into the hotel.
Model Jang Yoon-ju poses for the camera in a black-and-white dress. |
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July 3, 2013
Won Bin, Lee Na-young dating: agency
By Yoon Min-sik The Korea Herald
The agency of South Korean movie stars Won Bin and Lee Na-young on Wednesday confirmed reports that the two stars are an item.
The admission came just hours after a local tabloid published photos of the stars on a date.
“The two (Won and Lee) are just starting their relationship,” Eden9 Entertainment said in a statement. “They recently grew fond of each other after frequently bumping into one another while working at the same agency.”
Eden9 CEO Kim Nam-kyung had previously denied the reports that his two biggest stars were in a romantic relationship, claiming that he could “conclusively say” that Won and Lee are like siblings and are not dating.
Earlier in the day, online media Dispatch reported that the 36-year-old actor was seeing Lee, two years his junior. In the report, a series of photos show Won entering Lee’s apartment at least eight times over the past month. Dispatch said Won left Lee’s apartment the next day on most of their dates.
The online news media, citing an unnamed source close to the actors, said the two grew close via mutual friends after Lee joined Eden9 Entertainment in 2011. The couple reportedly started dating last August.
Due to their popularity, the news of the two superstars’ relationship garnered massive attention among fans and media. As of Wednesday afternoon, “Won Bin” and “Lee Na-young” were the most searched words on Naver, the country’s largest portal, and the homepage of Eden9 was inaccessible until around 1:30 p.m. due to explosive traffic.
Won, whose real name is Kim Do-jin, rose to stardom after appearing in the drama “Autumn Fairy Tale” and gained national fame after appearing in blockbuster movies such as “Taegukgi: Brotherhood Of War” and “The Man from Nowhere.”
Lee also built up her career on both big and small screens. She appeared in a number of dramas including “The Fugitive: Plan B,” “Ruler of Your Own World,” while also starring in films such as “Someone Special,” and “Maundy Thursday.” |
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July 3, 2013
U-Know Yunho Selected as Goodwill Ambassador for Gwangju Design Biennale
KBS Global
Organizers of the 2013 Gwangju Design Biennale announced on July 2 that hallyu celebrity U-Know Yunho has been selected as the goodwill ambassador for the biennale, which is to open in September.
Yunho, whose hometown is Gwangju, will engage in various activities as the Design Biennale goodwill ambassador and also participate in the public sector special exhibition “My Favorite Gwangju” with his own design products, featuring items and places in Gwangju.
BoA, another Korean celebrity singer, is also to perform a theme song for th event.
Gwangju Design Biennale 2013 will be held for 59 days from Sept. 6 through Nov. 3 under the theme of “Gusigi, Masigi (Anything, Something)" at Gwangju Biennale Exhibition Hall and at other places in Gwangju City. |
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July 3, 2013
'Hallyu' stars Won, Lee are dating
The Korea Times
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Actor Won Bin and actress Lee Na-young confirmed they were dating Wednesday, before pleading for privacy because they want to develop their relationship "carefully.’’ Well, good luck with that.
According to management agency Eden 9, which represents both stars, Won and Lee were drawn closer together while making films and shooting commercials.
"They had a lot of opportunities to work as they were from the same management agency,’’ Eden 9 said.
"Their relationship is just in the beginning and both are intent on developing it carefully.’’
Won, a high-demand star in both Korea and Japan, hasn’t appeared in a film since the 2010 hit ''The Man from Nowhere,’’ but has been a ubiquitous presence in television commercials and print ads. Lee, a spokeswoman for the Japanese fashion brand Uniqlo, hasn’t shot a film since ''Howling,’’ a thriller released in February last year. |
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July 3, 2013
Military investigating Seven
By Ahn Joo-hee Korea JoongAng Daily
Singer Seven, 29, was spotted Monday during an on-site investigation by military officials at the adult massage parlor he is accused of visiting during his military duty in Chuncheon, Gangwon.
“Live Star News,” a program of the cable channel Y-Star exclusively reported the news yesterday.
A reporter said, “Seven appeared at the massage shop accompanied by military officers. He looked gaunt and pale. The procedures went on for about one hour.”
The reporter added that Seven didn’t answer questions about his condition and dropped his head, avoiding any comment about his alleged wrongdoing.
It was the first time he made an appearance in the media after being under fire for shirking his military duty.
The investigation will be aired on Y-Star’s “Live Star News” at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. today.
Seven, whose real name is Choi Dong-wook, is accused of visiting a massage parlor during military duty with another entertainment singer, Sangchu, whose real name is Lee Sang-chul, after 3 a.m. on June 22.
The previous day, several entertainment soldiers, including Seven and Sangchu, performed for an event marking the 63rd anniversary of the start of the 1950-53 Korean War. But that night, they went drinking and allegedly visited the massage parlor in the city’s bar district. |
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July 3, 2013
Lee Hyo-ri to marry in the fall
By Carla Sunwoo Korea JoongAng Daily
Following the big announcement of the day - actors Won Bin and Lee Na-young dating - another bomb was dropped by singer Lee Hyo-ri. It seems love was all around yesterday as Ilgan Sports reported that Lee Hyo-ri, 34, will wed her longtime boyfriend, singer Lee Sang-soon, 38, in September.
“The two have already sat down with their parents and those who are close to the couple have known,” a source told Ilgan Sports. Apparently, Lee Hyo-ri is so besotted that she’s telling everyone that she’s never “felt this way.”
The pair has been dating since 2011 and it was a shocking announcement at the time as Lee Hyo-ri is deemed far more attractive and successful than her beau of the band Roller Coaster. The two got close through their involvement in animal rights activism.
In May, when Lee Hyo-ri appeared on the show “Thank You” on SBS, she said that if she was to marry, she wanted it to be with Lee Sang-soon. Meanwhile, Lee Sang-soon appeared on the same show last month and talked about how the two came to be.
“She asked me out,” Lee Sang-soon told viewers, and said it was kept a secret for some time because he didn’t want to damage his girlfriend’s reputation.
Lee Hyo-ri made her debut with the girl group Fin.K.L back in the late ’90s, and through constant reinvention, has become one of the nation’s favorite entertainers. |
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July 3, 2013
Won Bin, Lee Na-young confirm they’re a couple
Korea JoongAng Daily
Actors Won Bin and Lee Na-young have admitted to dating, just hours after news broke that the two were snapped by the paparazzi, enjoying a date.
A spokesperson from Eden 9, the agency of the two stars, confirmed the rumor.
“The two have recently started dating after becoming acquainted with one another through the agency,” said the spokesperson, putting to rest rumors in which the press and netizens had claimed they saw the two around Lee’s house in Bundang, Gyeonggi.
The company added that their relationship is still in its early days, so the two were being cautious.
Early yesterday, the video-sharing Web site Gom TV announced that along with entertainment news specialist, Dispatch, they had secured footage of the two actors on a date. Gom TV said that they were on Won and Lee’s case for over a month to find evidence of the relationship.
Meanwhile, it wasn’t just the media that caught a whiff of the romance that blossomed between the entertainers. On a Won Bin fan club forum, some claimed to have seen the pair at a local cinema. Until now, it was just hearsay and the agency had claimed they were just friends. Lee switched agencies from Keyeast to Eden 9 in 2011. |
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July 4, 2013
Won Bin Admits He's Head Over Heels for Lee Na-young
The Chosun Ilbo
Actor Won Bin is in love with actress Lee Na-young, their management agency Eden Nine Entertainment said on Wednesday.
"They got intimate recently, as they bumped into each other a lot because they are both under the same management agency," the agency added.
After several pictures of the two during romantic dates were revealed by a website for entertainment news on Wednesday morning, the agency confirmed their relationship later that day.
Lee moved to Eden Nine Entertainment, which was set up by Won in August 2011, and they soon became close. They dated at Lee's home in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province to avoid prying eyes and public scrutiny. |
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July 3, 2013
Number of Cinema-goers Watching Korean Films Reaches Record 55,550,000 in First Half
KBS Global
The overall number of cinema-goers for Korean films during the first half of this year has recorded its highest ever total, surpassing 55 million. The audience total has also set a new record, reaching 98.5 million.
According to the figures gauging the Korean film industry’s performance during the first half, which have been compiled by the Korean Film Council and were announced by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on July 2, the number of total admissions for Korean films during the January-June period was 55,550,000, which represents a rise of 25% when compared to the same period last year.
It is the first time the total size of the audience for Korean films surpassed the 50 million mark.
The total number of cinema visitors also set a new record of 98,500,000, a rise of 18.3 %, compared to last year’s 83,260,000.
The total revenue from films during the first half increased by 12.7 % or 81.7 billion won from last year’s 642.3 billion won to 724.1 billion won. The total reveneue from Korean films increased by 67.3 billion won from last year’s 332 billion to 399.3 billion won
The market share for Korean cinema has expanded to 56.4%, from last year’s 53.4%.
Six Korean movies were included among the top 10 films in terms of audience. The biggest box-office success was “Miracle in Cell No.7”, which attracted 12,800,000 cinema-goers, followed by “Iron Man 3 (9,000,000)”, “Berlin (7,160,000)”, “Secretly Greatly (6,640,000)” and “New World (4,680,000)”.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will establish and operate a monitoring center at the Korean Film Council to secure the implementation of various contracts and a standard contract form which had been voluntarily agreed upon by the people in the film industry. The result of the monitoring activities will be announced regularly.
The ministry will also push with a project to support establishing 'small cinema theater', and operate an 'indie film and small-budget film investment cooperative' fund, with the aim of expanding investment for low-budget and indie films. |
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July 3, 2013
September wedding rumored for singers Lee Hyori, Lee Sang-soon
By Suh Hye-rim The Korea Herald
Singer Lee Hyori is to tie the knot with her boyfriend Lee Sang-soon, a renowned guitarist and singer in Korea, in September, according to news reports on Wednesday.
Reports said that the upcoming wedding came to light as news spread about the couple preparing wedding invitations. The two have been together since 2011.
Lee Sang-soon (left) and Lee Hyori are seen in a screenshot from SBS’ “Thank You” on June 7. (SBS)
However, the news of the impending wedding has not been officially confirmed, with Lee Hyori’s agency B2M Entertainment changing its statements throughout Wednesday.
The CEO of the agency Kil Jong-hwa told a media outlet that it is only a rumor and denied reports of wedding invitation cards, while another official at the agency acknowledged the existence of wedding invitations. In yet another unconfirmed report, the couple is to wed on Sept. 1 on Jeju Island.
Meanwhile, Lee Hyori in the past talked about the issue of a wedding while on a television program.
“I can’t give a definite answer yet, but if I do marry someone, I wish it would be Lee Sang-soon,” she said on SBS’ talk show “Thank You” on May 31. The couple appeared together on the same show on June 7. |
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July 4, 2013
Peers, fans recall life of Park Yong-ha
By Ahn Joo-hee Korea JoongAng Daily
Sunday marked the three-year anniversary of actor Park Yong-ha’s suicide at age 32, which left Korea and his worldwide fans shocked and grieving. A commemoration of his life was broadcast on cable channel tvN’s “eNEWS” yesterday.
At his memorial event held Sunday at Bundang Memorial Park in Gyeonggi, a slew of celebrities paid tribute to the late actor.
Actress Choi Ji-woo, the co-star of Park’s signature drama, “Winter Sonata,” came and mourned his death. Choi watched a tribute video of Park and consoled his mother, who was seated next to her.
Other entertainment figures, including actor Park Kwang-hyun and broadcaster Kim Jun-hee also attended. A teary Kim said, “I feel guilty that I am living so well when he is not here. I hope he is also living happily in heaven.”
Park Yong-ha rose to stardom in the 2002 drama, “Bogo to Bogo” and became a leading Hallyu star through the hit drama, “Winter Sonata,” along with actor Bae Yong-joon and Choi.
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July 4, 2013
Jang Geun-suk begins ad campaign
By Ahn Joo-hee Korea JoongAng Daily
Hallyu heartthrob Jang Geun-suk, 26, has set up an advertisement display to greet fans and foreigners who have just set foot on Korean soil at Gimpo International Airport.
The advertisement board, which is not for a particular commercial purpose, was planned and designed by Jang to show how much he appreciates his fans’ love and support.
The large-scale display catches passengers’ eyes with Jang’s heart-melting smile in a plunging white shirt with the words “Jang Geun-suk welcomes you” and the QR code for his fan site, his newly launched fashion brand, Zikzin, and the brand’s upcoming festival.
Jang is slated to return to the Korean small screen later this year with “Beautiful Man,” an adapted drama from a comic book of the same name by Chon Kye-young, in which he will play the lead role of Dokgo Ma-te, an exquisitely beautiful man. |
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July 4, 2013
Sohee lands first acting role in drama
By Ahn Joo-hee Korea JoongAng Daily
Sohee, 21, of the girl band Wonder Girls thrilled her home fans by landing her first lead acting role. She’ll star in an episode named “Happy! Rose Day” of “Drama Special,” according to her agency, JYJ Entertainment.
In the upcoming drama, Sohee will play a vibrant and plucky girl named Areum, who works at her mother’s flower shop and aspires to be an actress. He co-stars will be Jung Woong-in and So Yu-jin.
It is Sohee’s first role on the small screen and the first since she acted in the film “Hellcats, I Like It Hot” in 2007.
“Happy! Rose Day” is set to be aired on KBS in early August. |
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July 4, 2013
Drama gives 'Voice' to unique storylines
'It is hard to tell what genre the drama falls into after just watching the first episode'
BY YANG SEONG-HEE, LEE SUN-MIN Korea JoongAng Daily
Lee Bo-young, left, plays the materialistic public defender, Hye-sung, and Lee Jong-seok plays the boy, Su-ha, who tries to protect her from a spiteful killer in the SBS TV series “I Hear Your Voice.” [JoongAng Ilbo]
A boy that reads other people’s minds and a materialistic public defender in the ongoing SBS drama “I Hear Your Voice” are among the most popular combination of characters in TV dramas recently.
Such combinations have been attracting more viewers on Wednesday and Thursday nights. “I Hear Your Voice” recorded a 16.4 percent viewership rate with its eighth episode on June 27, according to Nielsen Korea, blowing away another drama in the same time slot, the KBS drama “Heaven’s Order,” which recorded a 9.6 percent viewership rate.
Lee Bo-young, star of the KBS drama “My Daughter Seo Young,” plays the materialistic public defender Hye-sung, who testified in favor of a boy with supernatural abilities 10 years ago after she witnessed the boy’s father being murdered.
Actor Lee Jong-seok from the SBS drama “Secret Garden” plays the boy, Su-ha, who tries to protect the lawyer from a spiteful killer played by actor Jung Woong-in from the KBS drama “Ojakgyo Brothers.” Jung is determined to take revenge on the lawyer, who made him serve jail time.
The drama is popular because it doesn’t fit in any particular genre.
It encompasses a fantasy element with a boy with supernatural abilities, a thriller with a killer bent on taking revenge and also a romantic element, as Jong-seok grows amorous feelings towards Bo-young.
“It is hard to tell what genre the drama falls into after just watching the first episode,” said Yim Young-ho, communications professor at Pusan National University.
“It is a good example of combining different genres by taking the elements that can help raise the viewership rate.”
Also, the drama has employed the popular format used in sitcoms in which every episode has a conflict between the characters, followed by a resolution. Writer Park Hye-ryeon has experience in writing scripts for sitcoms as well.
“As more sitcom writers move to soap opera, Korean dramas, especially the legal or investigative ones, are being reformatted,” said Kim Ju-ok, a Ph.D. student at Temple University in Philadelphia.
Along with a storyline that gives tension and relief in every episode, the two main characters contribute in other entertaining elements.
Critics say that Lee Bo-young has managed to absorb the mischievous character, leaving behind her stereotypical image, which was too calm and tidy. Her stubborn and argumentative personality brings attention to her voice.
“Lee Bo-young is the exemplary case of an actress who has a good voice who will eventually succeed in TV programs, as TV is also an audio device,” said Kim.
Lee Jong-seok, who plays high schooler Su-ha, seems to be on the border of a boy becoming a man. Such a pure but masculine combination attracts female audiences as he tells his first love, Hye-sung, that he will protect her from now on.
“The mysterious boy with supernatural abilities fits perfectly for him,” said professor Kim Young-chan of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.
However, some of the experts pointed out that the drama should have considered more about child violence, as in the beginning 8-year-old Suha witnessed his father being beaten to death after he was hit by a car.
“Such a scene could never be aired in TV channels in Europe, where people are very sensitive about child violence,” said Hong Seok-kyung, journalism professor at Seoul National University.
“Although such a scene was necessary to have a strong storyline, it is too direct and strong a video expression which did not consider children who will be watching the show from their own point of view.”
Another expert pointed out that Korea should implement some guidelines to regulate scenes that involve child actors.
“It is an important matter what scenes young actors can play and Korea should have a production guideline, just like United Kingdom’s channel BBC has,” said researching faculty Kim Su-ah at Seoul National University. |
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July 5, 2013
Lee Hyo-ri Admits She's Ready to Wed Guitarist Boyfriend
The Chosun Ilbo
Singer Lee Hyo-ri admitted on Thursday that she will marry guitarist Lee Sang-soon.
"We just thought that September would be a good time to do it, and we didn't even talk about our wedding plans with our parents," she wrote on her fan site. "We haven't prepared anything yet."
Lee Sang-soon (left) and Lee Hyo-ri
The K-pop singer posted the message one day after an online media outlet reported that the couple was preparing their wedding invitations.
"It's not the way I wanted to make my wedding announcement, but it has been abruptly revealed, so now I want to focus on preparing for my big day," she added.
The two have been dating since they collaborated on Lee Hyo-ri's single album in July 2011, the proceeds of which went to support abandoned animals. |
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July 5, 2013
Rain Set to Be Discharged from Military Next Week
The Chosun Ilbo
Singer and actor Rain, who joined the army in October 2011, will be discharged next week after completing his mandatory military service.
Before wrapping up his 21-month stint, he already signed a contract with Cube Entertainment to serve as his management agency, and has reportedly been working on his future plans. |
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