Morning Musume’s Takahashi Ai sings a duet with Kusumi Koharu on “Oha Star”

Morning Musume leader Takahashi Ai appeared on the February 22nd episode of children’s television show “Oha Star,” where she and ex-Momusu member Kusumi Koharu sang an old Morning Musume song together.

Kusumi looks visibly excited and yells, “Ai-chan! Ai-chan! Welcome!”, when Takahashi enters the stage at 1:19. During this episode, the cast of “Oha Star” displayed their arigatou no ki (a tree decorated with cherry blossom-shaped thank you notes) and sang the 2007 Morning Musume tune, “Sayonara no Kawari ni,” which was released when Kusumi and Takahashi were in Morning Musume together.


The lyrics of the song express the feeling of wanting to say “thank you” rather than “goodbye” when the time comes to part, perfectly fitting with their thank-you tree and the touching story of a girl named Natsuko, who thanks her friend for the good times they had together rather than saying goodbye when her friend moves away.

Check out the cute video below!




source: tokyohive

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Who is Johnny Entertainment’s best actor?

First and foremost, Johnny’s Entertainment is known for producing male idols, and while many have tried to make a name for themselves as an actor, only a few are actually competing in the same league as full-fledged actors.

This year, Ikuta Toma, one of the very few talents within the agency who are solely focusing on acting, was the first Johnny’s talent to win an acting award in the 54 year-long history of the “Blue Ribbon Awards“.

Is Ikuta just one single shimmering light of hope among countless of cringeworthy idols-turned-actors? No. There are a few more Johnny’s talents that can actually act, and the mobile portal of goo/NTT DoCoMo have asked their users which of them have been delivering the best acting performances so far.

You can tell by the number of votes that it was a very popular poll, but can you guess who won? Scroll down and find out whether the actual results prove you right.


Who is the best actor in Johnny’s?

01 – 29,828 votes – Ninomiya Kazunari
02 – 11,266 votes – Kusanagi Tsuyoshi
03 – 10,054 votes – Ikuta Toma
04 – 6,142 votes – Kimura Takuya
05 – 4,662 votes – Okada Junichi
06 – 3,060 votes – Nishikido Ryo
07 – 2,004 votes – Yamashita Tomohisa
08 – 1,976 votes – Matsumoto Jun
09 – 1,391 votes – Nagase Tomoya
10 – 1,148 votes – Nakai Masahiro




source: tokyohive

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Super Junior transforms into sexy vampires for 12plus Cologne’s “Twilight”

The boys of Super Junior have transformed into smouldering immortals for a new CF with 12plus Cologne’s newest scent, ”Twilight“.

In the CF, the boys are seen chasing after a Thai actress, who plays an irresistible vampire. She seduces Super Junior with her vixen-like looks and her (presumably) alluring scent. Eventually, they too are turned into beautiful, yet hungry vampires.

Packaged in pink girly vials, “Twilight” is sure to be a hot product for many fangirls in Thailand. Check out the 30-second promo below!




source: allkpop

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IU reveals CFs for ‘Alicia’ and ‘Samsung Galaxy S Hoppin’

Korea’s sweetheart IU has just revealed her CFs for the online game “Alicia“, as well as for the ‘Samsung Galaxy S Hoppin‘!

For the ‘Galaxy S Hoppin’ CF, IU delves into a dreamworld where all her smartphone wishes come true, thanks to Samsung’s new phone. She’s also added her own sweet vocals to CF – in effect, making it a mini-music video – and succeeding in captivating the audience with her cute personality.



Meanwhile, IU has also released a CF for the online game, “The Story of My Horse and I, Alicia”. The starlet is seen running away from an ‘evil force’ with great urgency, but she’s determined to take a leap of faith with her horse and jump off a cliff. As they fly to the sky, a message reads, “If I’m with you, there’s nowhere I can’t go. The place we’ll go together will soon be a road.“



The two ads certainly capture IU in two very different lights: she’s proven that she can be as cute as a bunny, and as fierce as a road warrior!


source: allkpop

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Seungri went to the plastic surgeon because of his dark circles

Big Bang’s Seungri shared a woeful story of how he failed to get rid of his dark circles.

The February 22nd broadcast of SBS’s “Strong Heart” gathered some of Korea’s story-telling terminators, who all showcased their voluble wit.

As Seungri listened to Kim Dong Wan’s story about a time when SM Entertainment’s chairman, Lee Soo Man, ‘gifted’ him with a nose job, he was inspired to respond with his own plastic surgery tale.

Seungri confessed, “My agency wanted to give me a present, too. Because my dark circles are really severe, we went to a plastic surgeon, but the doctor said we couldn’t fix it.”

He added, “The cause of dark circles lies in the liver, sinus, and eyes – there is a total of three causes, but I have problems in all three areas.” In the end, after he received the diagnosis that his dark circles were incurable, he sadly went back home.



source: allkpop

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Super Junior-M’s Henry reveals the Korean pick-up lines his groupmates taught him

On February 22nd, Super Junior-M’s Henry guested on SBS’s “Strong Heart“, and confessed that his fellow groupmates gave him a unique lesson on Korean that brought about some interesting results.

He began, “My mother is Taiwanese, and my father is from Hong Kong. It’s been about three years since I came to Korea. At first, it was difficult for me to pronounce things in English with a Korean style, like ‘Hae-ri-po-ta (Harry Potter),’ ‘He-reu-mi-o-ni’ (Hermione),’ ‘Ham-buh-geo (hamburger).‘”

Henry continued, “I didn’t want to look like a disrespectful person because of my lacking Korean skills, so I asked the Super Junior members to teach me Korean.”

The expressions that he were taught consisted of pick-up lines, including, “What’s your horoscope (byeol jari)?”, to which he was instructed to respond, “Next to you (yeop jari).” Henry was also taught the question, “Where are you?”, which should be followed up with, “In your heart, in the second exit~”. Finally, when asking “What kind of alcohol do you like?”, he should know the answer, “Your lips~”.

Upon hearing the phrases, Shindong and Eunhyuk gave embarrassed looks and exclaimed, “I didn’t think he’d say this on broadcast!”

Be sure to check out his cute performance below as well!



source: allkpop

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[Spoiler: Dream High] IU tiptoes to give Wooyoung a…

Fans of KBS’s “Dream High” felt their hearts flutter at the ultra-cute kiss scene between ‘Pilsook’ (IU) and ‘Jason’ (Wooyoung)!

The February 22nd episode saw Jason provide an opportunity for Pil Sook to appear on broadcast. On their way home, Jason suggested that she delete the photos of her former chubby self, to which she replied, “Those were my happiest days.”

He responded, “Well, there is one other person who loved those days as well.” Jason took out his cell phone and flashed a photo of her from when she was 82kg to prove his point.

Touched, the two exchanged intense gazes before Pil Sook closed her eyes, expecting a kiss. Feeling playful, Jason decided to stretch out and give her stuffed animal a kiss instead. He teased, “Why are you closing your eyes? Did you expect something?“ Pil Sook gloomily retorted, “I didn’t expect anything!”

Jason then gave her a light peck on the forehead, which inspired Pil Sook to wrap her arms around his neck and tiptoeing, pull him down for a kiss.

Netizens commented, “Not showing the actual kiss scene was a lot more romantic,” “I want IU’s tip-toe kiss too!”, and “The hearts of her uncle fans have been demolished!”

Check out the cut below!



source: allkpop

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See Kahi’s emotional reaction to her solo album!

After School’s Kahi has been waiting a very long time to make her solo debut.

She had originally expected to release her album in September of 2010. It was then pushed back to November, but then in late October, we reported that the album was to be delayed 2-3 weeks because of Kahi’s “perfect-or-nothing” attitude. 2-3 weeks became months, as Orange Caramel’s “Aing” promotions forced the album to be moved into the new year.

Finally, at long last, it was released earlier this month, and it looks like all the delays paid off, as her mini-album earned a glowing 4/5 in our music review column.

Needless to say, her reaction to finally seeing the physical copy of her album was emotional. Despite the risk of ruining her stage makeup, Kahi shed a few tears backstage as she held her album.

Check out the video below!



source: allkpop

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Jo Kwon voted as ‘most likely to survive’ during world apocalypse

Singer Jo Kwon was voted 1st amongst idols who would survive if the world came to an end.

In light of the upcoming premiere for “World Invasion“, the film’s PR team held a survey from February 11th asking the question, “Like in the movie “World Invasion,” which idol star would be able to live through a risky scenario in which the human population is in danger?”


The response from netizens were explosive, as 2PM’s Taecyeon, SHINee’s Minho, Big Bang’s Seungri, and many more were voted to be the ultimate survivor. Yet it was 2AM’s Jo Kwon who rose to 1st place, as he took 46% of the votes.

Jo Kwon was able to beat out the other idols, thanks to his athleticism (as shown through various variety programs) and his strong will to survival in any scenario.

Do you agree with the netizens’ vote? And did anyone else envision Jo Kwon ‘kkabing‘ to Destiny’s Child’s “Survivor” after reading this?

source: allkpop

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HAM releases comeback music video, “Lower Your Sight”

Rookie girl group HAM has just released the music video for the title track of their fourth single, “Lower Your Sight“, and with it, they’ve also announced their plans to promote in both Korea and Japan!

The trio is already working a busy promotion schedule in Japan, appearing on programs like “Made in BS Japan” and “Yajiuma Terebi“. The girls also performed at a showcase in “Club Asia“, and met with 50 different Japanese press agencies.


Lee Yeon Entertainment revealed, “The Japanese media took an interest to them before and after their Japanese showcase. Their promotional period was very short, so it was difficult fitting everything in. In order to focus more attention on the girls’ Japanese activities, we’ll be promoting them in both Japan and Korea.”

HAM continued, “Our Japanese activities only consisted of a documentary appearance and a few performances, so we’re extremely surprised about our Japanese fans recognizing and supporting us. We believe that the rock base in our songs and performance style appealed to them.”





source: allkpop

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G-Dragon to reveal an embarrassing drunk story on “Strong Heart”

During the most recent recording of SBS’s variety show, “Strong Heart“, G-Dragon shared an embarrassing drunk story.

G-Dragon explained, “I normally can’t drink alcohol very well, but there was a day when I drank a lot more than usual because it was a friend’s birthday. To me, I thought that I just got drunk, played quietly, and went home.”


However, a story from GD’s friend differs greatly from the account that GD gave. According to his friend, G-Dragon became ‘very happy’ from the alcohol that night, which led him to make a huge and embarrassing mistake when he approached and confronted a nearby idol girl group.

Any ideas on what this story could be? Stay tuned to allkpop for the full story come February 22nd!

source: allkpop

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eto Aya makes a lovely appearance at the “Kimono Queen Contest 2011″

Actress Ueto Aya made a guest appearance at Japan’s biggest kimono-centered event, the “Kimono Queen Contest 2011“.

“I’m sorry for interrupting.” That’s how Ueto made her surprising entry at opening of the event. After a short greeting, she introduced her gorgeous black kimono. She stated, “I chose a stylish and beautiful kimono with a fan and crane pattern for today.” Further, she introduced the theme of this year’s contest. “The theme for today is ‘wannabe adult’. I’m 25, I’m already becoming one,” she said with a smile.



She continued to talk about more things related to kimonos. “For my coming-of-age ceremony, my grandma gave me a light purple kimono with the pattern of a night-blooming cereus and added the brooch my mother was wearing for her coming-of-age ceremony. It’s a very precious item to me.” About the times she likes to wear a kimono, she replied, “Usually I like to wear a kimono when I’m going out for a meal or when I’m going to watch a play. It would be a dream if I could wear one every day. I think it’s a great privilege for women to be able to wear kimonos.”


Ueto also recalled her own first beauty contest, which became an important stepping stone to where she is now. “I was in sixth grade and completely felt out-of-place. However, I hate to lose and therefore came up with choreography and went up on stage. I worked hard for the prize, but knew that it would be impossible to win. I couldn’t believe it when they called my name. I didn’t know why I was chosen, but I was very grateful.”

It is already the 42nd year that the “Kimono Queen Contest” is being held in Japan. Ueto’s agency, Oscar Promotion, is sponsoring the contest in which girls have to properly dress and wear a kimono and look beautiful at the same time. College student Natsume Yuika was chosen as the queen, and another young woman, Sato Riho, won the Oscar Promotion Award, which could open the door to a promising career in the future.





source: tokyohive

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AKB48 to release their first album in April!

It’s just been announced that AKB48 will be releasing their first full original album on April 6th!

A total of sixteen songs will be featured in the currently untitled album, including the group’s huge hits “Ponytail to Shushu”, “Heavy Rotation”, “Beginner”, and “Chance no Junban”. The album will be available in two different versions: a limited ‘CD+DVD’ version and a regular ‘CD-DVD’ version. The limited edition is a special box set that comes with an exclusive 100-page photobook, a random collectible card featuring one of the girls, and an application for a special lottery. Albums purchased at any of the theater performances will include a ticket to a handshake event and a photographing session with the girls.


The DVD will also contain a few special goodies for fans – dance versions of the four songs mentioned above will be included alongside their PVs.

Stay tuned to tokyohive for more updates on this exciting new release!


source: tokyohive

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Mizuki Nana celebrates the release of her autobiography, “Shin Ai”

On Sunday, voice actress and singer Mizuki Nana held a handshake event to celebrate the release of her autobiography, “Shin Ai“, which was revealed in late January.

In her autobiography, she talks about a lot of things we haven’t heard from her before, and she also included some precious memories she had with her late father. She said, “He probably would have gotten angry at me for writing something like this, but I still would have given it to him with a ‘thank you’.”


Furthermore, she appealed to the 1,200 fans that attended the event, “I hope this book can became a source of energy for some of you.”

Regarding Valentine’s Day, she commented that she gave self-made chocolates to 40 people from the staff. “I don’t have a special someone in my heart,” she explained.

Mizuki was also asked about her favorite type of man, and she answered, “He has to be a good eater and should have a taste similar to mine.”







source: tokyohive

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Big Bang’s T.O.P purchases a $3 million USD villa

Big Bang’s T.O.P was recently reported to have made a villa purchase 90-pyeongs big at the cost of $3 million USD.

According to the real estate industry, T.O.P purchased a luxurious villa, ‘P,’ located in the UN Village in Hannam-dong, Seoul last December under his own name. His new home is located next to actor Jung Jun Ho, and features four bedrooms and three bathrooms.

T.O.P previously rented the villa last April, but after becoming captivated with the surrounding environment and facilities, decided to go ahead and make the purchase eight months later.




The ‘P’ villa features high-end interior with a view of the Han river, and is a favorite amongst celebrities for the priority it places on security and private life protection.

Aside from the newlywed Jung Jun Ho and Lee Ha Jung, T.O.P’s neighbors include Lee Young Ae, Park Ye Jin, Lee Hyori, and Soo Ae as well.



source: allkpop

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SNSD models with Lady Dior tote bags for “Cosmopolitan”

SNSD’s Yuri, Jessica, Tiffany, Sooyoung, Sunny and Hyoyeon transformed into luxurious ‘Dior Girls’ for a recent photoshoot with “Cosmopolitan“.

The emphasis of the shoot was on the brand’s tote bags, and so each member was given a Lady Dior bag in a different color to showcase the bag’s versatility and ability to work with any outfit.

Hyoyeon commented, “I like matching the red bag – which also has a romantic chain – with sexy outfits.” Jessica added, “I like classic signatures as opposed to trendy styles.”

Sooyoung wore a casual outfit consisting of denim, while Sunny and Yuri showed off their beauty in a mini one-piece that’s very reminiscent of Hawaii. Tiffany was given a bag redder than Hyoyeon’s, which she matched to her watch.

Check out the rest of their shots in the March edition of “Cosmopolitan.”









source: allkpop

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SBS will not air “Poseidon” and “What’s Up”

Contrary to initial reports, SBS will not be airing ”Poseidon” through their network.

On February 21st, a representative of SBS’s drama center revealed, “Earlier, reports stated that ‘Poseidon’ would begin airing after ‘Midas‘ this May, but SBS has not once confirmed this. We were in discussion for broadcast rights, but we’ve decided not to.”

Instead, the broadcast station is in discussions for other dramas to fill in for ‘Midas,’ which is scheduled to air its pilot episode on the 28th.

This new development marks yet another chapter in Poseidon’s lengthy history of mishaps, as the drama was forced to pause its filming after the Yeonpyeong Island skirmish last year. A representative from one of the cast members also revealed that other issues, such as the weather, postponed the recordings ’til March.


The Poseidon announcement followed an earlier one about how SBS would not air “What’s Up” as well. On February 20th, SBS’s Kim Young Sub CP revealed the reason why the broadcasting network decided to drop the series.

“I think we need a new challenge, as well as change. It’s not only for the Friday line-up, as we’d like to try new things, in addition to aiding the promotion of the visual industry,” he explained.

The drama began filming last July and is currently 90% complete in all its pre-broadcast preparations.


source: allkpop

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Dalmatian stuns with perfect live performances

When Dalmatian debuted last year, the boys established a positive reputation as a talented group with strong vocals and rap skills. Their recent comeback, however, confidently cemented their position in the ‘talented rookie’ rank in the music industry.

Many expressed their disbelief over the group being ‘rookies’ after watching their comeback performances this week; the boys consistently delivered their solid talents, and utilized a cute, musical-like element to their performances that was both eye-catching and unique.


Fans commented, “They have the skills unlike any rookie. Their live singing is absolutely perfect,” and “Their unique choreography is fun, it’s been a while since I was satisfied with both the singing and dancing.”

A representative of their agency explained, “For their comeback, the members of Dalmatian rehearsed endlessly to provide a great performance. Member Youngwon, especially, dyed his hair about eight times to achieve his blue color. We’re glad that they were able to live up to the expectations of fans.”

If all that high praise weren’t enough to convince you, check out the MR-removed performance below!





source: allkpop

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More info on B2ST’s debut Japanese single “SHOCK” + new DVD

With the large number of Hallyu debuts announced in Japan, including that of Korean pop group MBLAQ, pop fans all over the world are bracing themselves for impact. B2ST is about to make their much-anticipated Japanese debut, and why not with an appropriately titled debut single? ”SHOCK“, a remake of the title track from their second Korean mini-album, is set to hit shelves on March 23rd, paving the way for their Japanese career.

B2ST will be joining the likes of fellow boy bands Choshinsei and Tohoshinki, and they’re expected to charm a large number of Japanese fans with their impressive dance routines, good looks, and catchy melodies.

The debut single will come in four versions, three of which are of limited edition:

> ‘Limited Edition A’

- Box, T-Shirt, Sticker

> ‘Limited Edition B’
- +DVD (“SHOCK” PV Japanese Ver.)

> ‘Limited Edition C’
- +DVD (Live performances)

> ‘Normal Edition D’
- Trading Card

B2ST will also be releasing a 2-disc DVD, “Genesis of BEAST“, to be released on March 2nd. It will contain music videos and rare footage of the boys; meanwhile, the ‘limited edition’ will contain a special 8-page postcard set and a trading card.





source: tokyohive

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Ori Star unveils results for their poll, “What’s your favorite song by your favorite artist?”

Weekly entertainment magazine Ori Star recently announced the results of its latest survey, asking for their fans’ favorite song by their favorite artist.

Arashi top’s track was “Monster”, the theme song to the drama “Kaibutsu-Kun” which stars member Ohno Satoshi. When asked why they chose this song, one fan replied, “I can’t help but love the impact of the song and their cool dancing.” To round off the top three tracks for Arashi, ”Monster” was followed by “truth” and “Troublemaker”.


Other favorites include Ikimonogakari’s hit song “Arigatou”, which earned three times the number of votes as their debut song, “SAKURA”. Tohoshinki’s first song as a two-member unit, “Why? (Keep Your Head Down)”, also ranked highly on the list.

Check out the first part of the list below and let us know what you think!

Arashi – “Monster”
B’z – “ultrasoul”
EXILE – “Lovers Again”
Fukuyama Masaharu -” Sakurazaka”
Hey! Say! JUMP – “Arigatou ~Sekai no Doko ni Itemo~”
Ikimonogakari - “Arigatou”
Kanjani∞ - “Life ~Me no Mae no Mukou e~”
KAT-TUN - “Real Face”
Kimura Kaela – “Butterfly”
Kinki Kids – “Family ~Hitotsu ni Naru Koto~”
Mr. Children – “Owarinaki Tabi”
NEWS – “weeeek”
SMAP – “Sekai ni Hitotsu Dake no Hana”
Spitz – “Sora mo Toberu Hazu”
Tohoshinki - “Why? (Keep Your Head Down)”
YUI – “CHE.R.RY”

The second part of the ranking has been published in the February 18th edition of the magazine


source: tokyohive

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HAM delivers a successful showcase at a special live event in Japan

Rookie girl group HAM held a special live event at Shibuya’s “Club Asia“, and showed off a variety of impressive performances.

Japanese fans gave a warm welcome to the girls as they performed their debut track, “T.T Dance“, along with “So Sexy,” and “Doo Geun Doo Geun.” Fun solo stages included leader Sujin’s “Work It Out“, Hyoni’s “Say You Love Me“, and maknae Gahyun’s “Get Sexy.”



Afterwards, at their press conference, the three members commented, “We were nervous, but thanks to the support of our fans, we were able to successfully complete the event.”

When asked about their future Japanese activities, Sujin replied, “We want to release an album and get on the Oricon chart.” Hyoni added, “I hope to study Japanese a bit more and appear on talk shows,” while Gahyun said, “I think Japanese cuisine is really delicious, and I hope to live in Japan should the opportunity come up.”


Reporters then asked the girls to elaborate on their plans for Japanese success with a ’sexy concept’ that isn’t usually seen amongst idol groups in Japan. The girls revealed, “Your facial expression is really important. You have to dance with the thought of captivating the cameraman’s heart.”





source: allkpop

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Iida Kaori sends a greeting from the studio

Dream Morning Musume member Iida Kaori updated her blog with a picture of herself in the studio, making fans excited once more for the Dorimusu’s upcoming “debut.”

“Went and did some recording for Dream Morning Musume’s ‘Dorimusu ① ♥,” the idol blogged, along with a picture of herself posing cutely for the camera. The ex-Morning Musume member has not recorded any official material as a Hello! Project soloist since the end of 2005, so fans were understandably elated to see her back in the studio.


Fans replied, “I’m really looking forward to the album,” “Can’t wait to hear the results of your recording session!”, and “I want to listen to ‘Dorimusu ① right now.”


source: tokyohive

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Lee Hong Ki dated someone eight years older + candy kiss advice

F.T. Island’s Lee Hong Ki revealed a juicy dating secret from the past on KBS 2TV’s “National Talk Show Hello.”

While listening to to Supreme Team’s Simon D and Lady Jane talk about their lives as a couple, Lee Hong Ki dropped his love story bomb.

He said, “I’ve actually dated someone eight years older than me.”


He shocked his fans one more time when he made a comment about the candy kiss from IRIS. He said, “Aren’t you supposed to do a candy kiss until the candy melts all the way?”

This episode will air on February 14th.


source: allkpop

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Is IU now a “sell-out girl”?

It looks like IU is well on her way to earning the title of ’sell-out girl’.

Viewers have been clogging up KBS’s phone lines inquiring about the fashion item she wore on the latest episode of “Dream High“. On February 7th’s broadcast of the drama, IU, acting as Kim Pilsook, ate meat secretly after getting sick of the bad hospital food.


In this scene, IU wore a cute Disney ponytail holder in the shape of Mickey Mouse. After this scene aired, Disney’s internet homepage displayed an increase in traffic by 30%.

The ponytail holder is made by Walt Disney Jewelry, composed of pink cubic crystals. IU made a hair statement by putting only half of her hair up with this adorable hair accessory.

A spokeswoman from Disney revealed, “This is one of Walt Disney Jewelry’s steady sellers. It has been very popular among our customers for its cute appearance and useful function. You can easily put your hair into a ponytail with this accessory to accentuate your cuteness“.

Everyone go buy this accessory and you’ll instantly be as cute as IU (hopefully)!


source: allkpop

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Super Junior-M unveils teaser images for comeback

After a long hiatus, Super Junior’s sub-group, Super Junior-M, will be making their comeback this Valentine’s Day.

There’s no official word of anything concrete from SM Entertainment as yet, but four new teaser images of Super Junior M members, Si Won, Donghae, Henry, and Zhou Mi, were revealed on the morning of February 12th through avex’s Taiwan official website, sparking talks of an impending comeback. In addition, their name of their title track is likely to be “Too Perfect“, as seen on the website.


Meanwhile, it’s said that Eunhyuk and Sungmin will be linking up with Super Junior-M, while their comeback date is set for February 14th.








source: allkpop

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