Thursday, April 7, 2011

How did SISTAR survive the girl group rush?

Despite the many girl groups that keep debuting each month, industry representatives are already calling it the end of the girl group era. Variety programs that catered to girl groups like “Invincible Youth“, “Heroes“, and even “Bouquet“, have either been canceled due to low viewer ratings, or have undergone a concept change departing from girl groups entirely.

The competition still remains fierce though, and if a group doesn’t have that special something to set them apart from others, it only takes a second to be buried by the next.

It’s certainly a game of survival out there, and SISTAR has managed to play their cards right. It hasn’t even been a year since their debut, but they’ve already got three hit tracks under their belt, as well as a ‘K-Chart’ trophy.


So what made them so appealing? They chose the combination of their powerful vocal talent and their dance choreography.

Soyu commented, “Even when electronic sounds and auto-tune were all the trend, we didn’t use it. There’s no auto-tune in our MRs because when a song has a strong electronic sound to it, it eats up your vocals. We emphasized the sound of our natural voices instead.”

The girls have already had their vocal talent acknowledged by netizens through MR-removed videos, and since the girls are from a smaller label and didn’t have a strong fanbase to begin with, all they had to rely on to set them apart was their raw talent alone.

Although “Push Push” didn’t give them the push that they needed, “Shady Girl” put them on the right track until they finally hit their home run with “How Dare You.”

Out of the three, “How Dare You” is Bora’s favorite, as “it really brings out the characteristics of what makes up SISTAR.”


Hyorin’s voice is also worth noting, as it’s not only husky, but refreshing to hear. She’s been put in the same ranks of Taeyang and Taeyeon amongst idols in terms of talent, so naturally, she does have plans for solo activities.

Hyorin commented, “These days, I’ve been holding my breath while watching senior singers from ‘I Am A Singer.’ It’d be such an honor for me to be able to stand on such a stage some day.”

As previously reported, however, the girls really kicked off their popularity through variety shows like MBC’s “Idol Star Athletics Championships.“ They’ve garnered nicknames like ‘athletic idols’ and have shown a healthy image to the public. They’ve also since expanded their variety realm to include talk shows like “Radio Star” and “Strong Heart,” where they were both noted for their witty remarks.

Maknae Dasom has plans for pursuing an acting career once she feels she’s secured a position with SISTAR.

Thanks to their growing popularity, the girls are not only receiving more event requests, but OST participation and a growing uncle fanbase as well. “Whenever we perform at army events, it feels like a riot!”

These days, the girls are busily preparing for their next comeback and are more confident in dreaming of a win on a music program. Dasom concluded, “Just thinking of consecutive wins makes me happy.”


source: allkpop

KARA releases dance version and making-of PV for “Jet Coaster Love”


Girl group KARA has just unveiled another version of their PV for their latest track, “Jet Coaster Love”!

From start to finish, this version of their colorful music video focuses mainly on their dance choreography. This new PV release will coincide with the offline release of their single, which was delayed due to the unfortunate tragedy that struck Japan last month.


The girls have also released a ‘making-of’ video for the PV, so be sure to check out both below:




source: tokyohive

Brown Eyed Girls’ Narsha for “Thorn Birds” OST


Brown Eyed Girls‘ Narsha is the latest star to contribute her voice to KBS2TV’s “Thorn Birds” OST.

Following SG Wannabe and Lee So Ra, who’ve released Parts 1 and 2 of the album, Narsha’s song for the Part 3 was released on April 6th. Titled ‘A Woman I Know‘, this heartbreaking ballad draws out Narsha’s unique vocals to express the emotions of a woman experiencing love and despair.


Fans were thrilled to hear Narsha return back to her roots as a singer for this soundtrack, after she gained lots of popularity through variety shows.

Check out the song below:




source: allkpop

Happiness reveals short PV for “Friends”!


Yesterday, Happiness released a CM for their upcoming single, “Friends“, and today, they’ve revealed the short version of the PV!

Some of you commented that the teaser didn’t really show a whole lot of dancing, but in this 1-minute long PV, the girls really do showcase their superb dancing talent.



Check it out below and remember to support Happiness when the single is released on April 27th.




source: tokyohive

Girl’s Day to become spokesmodels for ‘Kona Beans’

On April 6th, a representative from Girl’s Day’s management company, DreamTea Entertainment, announced, “On April 5th, Girl’s Day signed a contract with cafe franchise, ‘Kona Beans’.”

Girl’s Day received a lot of love for being ‘growth-idols’, and their image was exactly what Kona Beans was looking for. A representative from Kona Beans expressed, “Girl’s Day is a group with infinite possibilities. We are looking forward to Girl’s Day growing into Korea’s best girl group.”


The members are not only going to be the spokesmodels, but they’re also planning to be experts in the business. To start, the members will be travelling to the city of Kona in Hawaii to learn about the production process.


source: allkpop

T-ara’s Hyomin bemoans her diet


On April 6th, T-ara’s Hyomin tweeted two pictures with the caption, “Raising patience, the most difficult thing in the world. Today, there was the temptation of pizza again. Also have to endure for the summer clothes. Ack… I’ve reached my limit!”


In the first picture, Hyomin is seen reaching out for a few slices of a pizza. The following photo shows Hyomin in summer clothes, baring her mid-riff. Fans gushed over her slender figure, and assured the star that she could still eat a few slices if she really wanted to.

Netizens commented, ‘Without any touch-ups, your legs are still so long!’, ‘Your body sees to be fine even if you eat a pizza’, and ‘This photo makes me so envious’.


source: allkpop

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

“Eigakan Taisho 2011″, the top 20 movies according to movie theaters


The top 20 films of “Eigakan Taisho 2011” were just announced today!

The “Eigakan Taisho” is a survey where the staff from all independent movie theaters in Japan are able to vote for the movies from the previous year that they had enjoyed screening to the masses the most.

Due to the nature of their job, many of the cinema operators get in contact with a great variety of films throughout a year. From big blockbusters to low-budget films, from foreign treasures to domestic pearls.

This time, the visually stunning “Kokuhaku” (Confession) managed to rank first among all of them, followed by the South Korean movie, “Breathless“, and the American mega-hit, “Avatar“.

Check out the top 20 below!

01 – “Kokuhaku” aka “Confession” (Nakashima Tetsuya)
02 – “Breathless” (Yang Ik-joon)
03 – “Avatar” (James Cameron)
04 – “Toy Story 3″ (Lee Unkrich)
05 – “Inception” (Christopher Nolan)
06 – “Akunin” (Lee Sang-il)
07 – “District 9″ (Neill Blomkamp)
08 – “Le Concert” (Radu Mihăileanu)
09 – “13 Assassins” (Kudo Eiichi)
10 – “The Secret in Their Eyes” (Juan José Campanella)
11 – “Caterpillar” (Wakamatsu Koji)
12 – “Kaitanshi Jokei” aka “Sketches of Kaitan City” (Kumakiri Kazuyoshi)
13 – “(500) Days of Summer” (Marc Webb)
14 – “Kawa no Soko Kara Konnichiwa” (Ishii Yuya)
15 – “The Borrower Arrietty” (Ghibli – Yonebayashi Hiromasa)
16 – “The Hurt Locker” (Kathryn Bigelow)
17 – “Invictus” (Clint Eastwood)
18 – “Haru tono Tabi” (Kobayashi Masahiro)
19 – “Let the Right One In” (Tomas Alfredson)
20 – “Ototo” (Yamada Yoji)

source: tokyohive

F.T. Island releases full PV for “Satisfaction”


We recently reported that F.T. Island’s new track, “Satisfaction“, was picked up to be the theme song for the Japanese anime, “One Piece x Toriko Crossover“. Now, the full PV has been released!

Alternating between shots of the band members moving in slow-mo and the full band performing the song, the MV sticks to the basics and shows F.T. Island’s musicianship. And (gasp!) there isn’t even a romantic storyline in this MV! That’s right, not a single female to be seen throughout the 4-minute video.

If you’re looking for some good ol’ shots of F.T. Island rocking out to their song, then check out the video below!




source: tokyohive

Happiness releases CM for “Friends”!


Dance unit Happiness has just released a 15-second CM for their second single, “Friends“, which is set to be released on April 27th.

Just like in their debut single, “Kiss Me“, the members showcase their superb dancing through the teaser.

Check out the clip below!




source: tokyohive

After School’s UEE blamed herself for the obstacles of “Birdie Buddy”

On April 4th, After School’s UEE guested on SBS’s “Night by Night” and revealed her feelings on her golf drama, “Birdie Buddy,” doing poorly because of her.

In response to actress Min Hyo Rin’s story on the obstacles she had to go through with “Triple,” UEE added, “I was also cast for a golf drama last year and recorded for nine months.”

She continued, “I saw an article a while ago and they had used the phrase ‘UEE’s collapse.’ I also saw replies that had said it was the end for me, and I truly was upset. The producers had given me such a big role, and I began wondering whether it was because of me that the drama wasn’t getting picked up by broadcast stations. Not only that, but I was scared that it’d affect After School as well.”

Despite “Birdie Buddy” having completed filming, the drama is still undergoing difficulty in securing itself a broadcast station to air through.




source: allkpop

Idol groups under fire for excessive performance fees at university festivals


The National Tax Service has begun a tax investigation on idol singers and universities after receiving complaints that idol performance fees for university festivals have skyrocketed as of late.

According to information revealed by CBS and No Cut News on April 5th, the National Tax Service began investigations on March 15th by asking universities to fill out a form detailing, from 2008 to 2010, which celebrities they had invited, how much they were paid and withholding tax, whether a contract was used, how they were invited, and other related information.

One university representative claimed that they speculated tax evasion on the celebrity’s end to be the cause, as festivals are usually paid for in cash without material evidence.

CBS reported that in 2010, the following idol groups received an average payment of:

Big Bang – $45,000 USD
2NE1/SNSD – $25,000 USD++
2PM – $25,000 USD
B2ST – $17,000 USD
KARA/T-ara – $16,000 USD
SECRET – $14,000 USD

The numbers are alarming in that most of the payments were within the thousands, rarely ever exceeding $10,000 USD, a couple years ago.

The topic of overpaying celebrities has been a hot debate for a while now, with many of the belief that the money should instead be invested in facilities for the students. While a guideline is needed, the National Tax Service has no right to block or bring down the worth of a star in the market.


source: allkpop

KARA’s Goo Hara’s college photo have drummed up interest once again


KARA’s Goo Hara is fully immersed in her college life, but she is still drawing a ton of attention from her peers and fans.

Recently, another photo of Goo Hara attending college classes has sparked interest once more.

On April 5th, a photo of Goo Hara signing an autograph at the school’s cafeteria has drawn the attention of her many fans.

The netizen which released the photo said, “There was a goddess-like girl in the cafeteria, it was Goo Hara… As I really saw her, all I could so was awe. Pretty and good-natured… Even though I’m also a girl, she is a goddess.”

It has been said that Goo Hara, who was admitted to Sungshin Women’s University as a freshman, has been faithfully living out her school life. It seems that she is finding much joy in being able to be immersed in school life for the first time in a long time.


source: allkpop

G.NA shows off her perfect body through non-edited photos for Juvis CF

Singer G.NA was recently spotted showing off her perfect body while filming a new CF for “Juvis,” a dieting company.

In a slim fitting black one-piece, she’s seen posing confidently before the camera.

Noticing the peak of her cleavage, netizens expressed their amazement over her perfect body and acknowledged that the pictures proved no need for photoshop editing.


Netizens commented, “Anything can turn sexy if worn by G.NA,” “There’s probably no difference in the before and after edited shots,” and “She has such blessed genes…”







source: allkpop

Bae Seul Gi cast for MBC’s “Best Love”


Singer/actress Bae Seul Gi will be returning to her acting career through MBC’s “Best Love“!

Having gained experience through musicals, one-acts, and movies, this will be her debut in a drama mini-series. Bae Seul Gi had unfortunately been dropped from the movie “Final“, making this casting more important to her than ever.


As the drama revolves around the love story of a former girl group member, Gong Hyo Jin, Bae Seul Gi will be playing a member of the same girl group. Producers felt that her singing background fitted perfectly with the role, since she had made her debut in 2005 with “The Red” and later had gone solo.

The line-up for the drama also includes Yoo In Na and former Baby V.O.X. member, Lee Hee Jin.


source: allkpop

“We Got Married” to kick off season three with a new theme

With the introduction of the Eunjung - Lee Jang Woo and Park So Hyun - Kim Won Joon couples, MBC’s “We Got Married” has officially begun its cycle of promotions for its third season!

Unlike season two, which focused on the love story of couples in their 20s, season three aims to draw upon stories of a variety of different age groups.

Kim Won Joon and Park So Hyun, who have been friends for 18 long years, will be taking the viewers with them step-by-step as they transition from friendship to romance in a reality show format.

In the history of the show, the couple has been named the most brave couple with “absolutely zero fakeness involved.”

The second couple is none other than Lee Jang Woo and Eunjung. Lee Jang Woo, who’s currently starring in “Smile, Donghae,” shared his hopes of showing a more honest side to himself.

He’s also known for having a stronger male fanbase, which many think will be an interesting element to their relationship. Right from the start, he reportedly expressed his masculine charms by being the leader of the relationship.

Season three officially begins on April 9th, at 5:10 PM KST.




source: allkpop

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