Korean Media News

SNSD's Jessica was invited to throw the opening pitch for the LG Vs Samsung match earlier today.

She tried her really best to throw the ball but something went wrong during the throw,instead of throwing it to the player,the ball hit the ground directly before bouncing to the player.

What a cute mistake right ^ ^,her expression is simply too cute!

Actor So Ji Sub caused a halt in the subway.

Part of the subway station came to a halt when So Ji Sub appeared to take part in a scene for the upcoming SBS drama “Ghost.”

Many stopped their tracks to catch a glimpse of the actor who was running all about the station. He wore a sophisticated looking grey suit on this day and started acting with control and charisma.

It has been revealed that there was difficulty trying to capture the right moment for the drama to get a scene of the train coming in.

In addition, the running time between the trains was usually long for this line so every time there was an NG, they have to wait for over 10 to 20 minutes. Despite the fact that the scene was shot for over 10 hours, So Ji Sub didn’t showed signs of exhaustion and ran around busily.

Meanwhile, So Ji Sub is taking on the role of Kim Woo Hyun, a cyber investigator in the drama “Ghost.”

Source: hancinema

"I really can't watch the 'superior orchestra' video"
EXO-K’s D.O’s real name is Do Kyungsoo, he’s born on January 12th 1993, his blood type is A. He was selected through SM’s casting system in 2010 and then started to prepare to become a singer. His specialities are singing and beatboxing.

It’s interesting to know how D.O got his stage name but somehow, rather than his nickname, his real name is easier to say. D.O as well said “Truthfully, I can’t get used to it either. The members too call me by my real name more than my stage name” and Chanyeol next to him agreed and added“We’re not familiar with it either”.

On April 8th, at SBS ‘Inkigayo’, the day they had their debut stage, D.O’s ‘superior orchestra’ interview left a deep impression and it made us want to meet him the most. His anxious image when he gets ready for each interview is easily noticeable and it gives him a cute little brotherly feeling.

“It wasn’t like that during the (debut stage’s) rehearsal. I personally think I did well during the rehearsal but thinking it was a live broadcast, I couldn’t remember the word “imposing”, I could only remember it started with “im” (T/N: The words “imposing” and “superior” start the same way in Korean Woongjanghan/Woowolhan). I couldn’t remember how you said it. I really can’t watch that video.”

Because of his big eyes, D.O gives a strong ‘kind and weak’ feeling but he also looks very stubborn “We had to post a message on our official homepage and I told them to write “Heart” but then I saw they changed it to an emoticon. So I asked them to change it back to “Heart”. I don’t really like emoticons.”

When we asked D.O what musician he was looking up to, he replied Yoo Youngjin who’s working at SM. D.O said “I saw him write and compose for our upcoming ‘MAMA’ promotions as we recorded, I thought he was someone I really had a lot to learn from. I admire him a lot.”

During this interview that wasn’t a broadcast, he didn’t look nervous at all and talked nicely but at the sudden question ‘Is there anything you want to say?’, he gave us again a model answer “Give us a lot of love and attention, please” raising a laugh.





source: newsen
translation cr; emilie @ exok-trans

Noble Idiocy? That’s not what I ordered. Why are you coming and ruining my kimchi? Wait, is this even about kimchi anymore?

EPISODE 12 RECAP

The boardinghouse throws Kang-jae a birthday surprise of confetti and cake the next morning. Hey Mom, I think the bomb that Dad killed off the father of your children officially makes it the worst birthday gift ever.

Kang-jae covers up his dampened mood with his usual bravado that he’s never been surprised before. With a smile he excuses himself from the festivities because he’s allergic to birthday cake. Allergic?! Inconceivable!

Gun-hee knocks on his door to bring him some anyway, but he’s gone. We get a quick flashback to earlier that morning when Kang-jae read up on old headlines concerning the fishing accident.

Bad news bears for Chinjung Kimchi. Dad’s secretary reports that sales have been declining since early last week and their regular clients have been dropping like flies. The general manager notes that Kang-jae isn’t showing respect to his parents on his birthday and Dad shuts him up that they’re talking about HIS kid. Aw.

Which is when Kang-jae shows up in sweats and jeans, inebriated. He doesn’t mask his midday drunken state but with a deep sigh, he asks mumbling if it’s true. Dad is confused at the cryptic question and he comes out with it – did he kill off Gun-hee’s father?

Shocked faces everywhere and Kang-jae follows up that it isn’t true right? Dad’s secretary butts in that Kang-jae doesn’t know anything but what else does he need to know? His attempts to keep the truth he already knows at a safe distance just about kills me.

It doesn’t matter who he heard the news from and Kang-jae pleads that Dad tells him that he’s mistaken, that he’s talking nonsense. But Dad clams up and Kang-jae takes his leave, accepting his silence as his answer.

Dad paces back and forth in his office, contemplating whether or not to call but doesn’t.

Kang-jae trudges back home and lingers outside. His ears perk up at the sound of Gun-hee’s voice and he pouts that he was at least somewhat content with his life but now he’s suddenly sad.

Gun-hee just accepts his childish pout as a part of his character – strange but cute. She adorably comforts him in maternal babytalk and he looks up, his eyes starting to shake, “Gun-hee, don’t hate me. If you hate me… I’m afraid that you’ll hate me.”

She simply instructs him to come inside and like the innocent 4 year-old to ask Mom not to punish him before he admits to what he did wrong, he insists that she agree not to despise him, and Gun-hee does.

How much do I love that their exchange takes place right by the light pole where they’ve had many a romantic exchange plus the added Romeo-Juliet setting?

The other boarders are out on a hike and Sun-hee’s been praising her new boyfriend all morning. She notes that Min-ji is still recovering from her one-sided crush rejection and makes the effort to apologize for everything once they’re alone.

Back home, however, a pot clatters to the floor and Mom clutches her stomach in pain. Uh-oh, looks like said cancer is starting to take its toll.

She excuses herself from breakfast as the boarders delightfully dip their spoons to dig in… and reels from the saltiness. Everyone finds it inedible except Kang-jae who comments that it’s the most delicious meal he’s ever had.

Gun-hee is distracted at work, finding it strange that the taste of Mom’s cooking has changed. Chinjung’s declining sales concern her as well since Mom tastes each batch of kimchi herself. Her secret is in the quality of salt because Mom believes that salt brought out the food’s sweetness not saltiness.

Meanwhile memories with Mom from their first kimchi on rice exchange to calling her Mother replay in Kang-jae’s head.

The general manager joins him on the rooftop and explains that the fathers started a business together with the shared vision to enrich the world with their food. Dad is simply trying to fulfill that dream.

Kang-jae scoffs when he hears the name of the company: Sangcharim. The pieces start to fall into place and the way that he sees it, Dad pulled the company from under his friend’s feet and now plans to overtake Chinjung as well.

No matter what the manager says in defense that Dad has good intentions, Kang-jae doesn’t know who or what to believe anymore.

He does his best to put on an unconcerned smile when Gun-hee berates him for missing the team meeting. She pulls him aside and points her nose in the air that it’s too late to give him his birthday present. Hilariously, he gapes, “That’s a shame.”

They scuttle off into a stairwell and Gun-hee demands a childish taunt to prod it out of her to which he willingly complies. The curiosity keeps eating at him which when she pushes him against the wall (rawr) and leans in close for a kiss.

He’s in no mood for kisses, tossing out that they’re at the workplace. Gun-hee quickly apologizes to cover up her embarrassment, and turns away.

As soon as she turns away, he pulls her in for a back hug. His eyes closed, he asks that they remain like this just for a moment.

In his office, Dad comments that the repercussions of the parents’ actions are affecting the children. At the same time, Mom wonders how to tell the news to her children.

Gun-hee complains aloud that the attempted kiss was a huge step of courage for a woman to take. Kang-jae defends that he was just surprised and she scowls asking if he expected cash instead.

She jumps into an elevator in a distracted moment and orders that he’ll meet her downstairs if he’s so sorry. He doesn’t believe her and she presses the button. Kang-jae laughs at the absurdity of the situation when the door closes…then makes a run for it. HA.

He barely makes it down two stories when he stops, tears in danger of filling his eyes. This is how Gun-hee finds him and he explains that he was just resting. A slip on the stairs has him falling right into her arms and he coyly asks, “Can I get a refill on that birthday present?” RAWR.

Gun-hee socks him in his side and calls it his “birthday punch” and skips away. Hehe.

Looks like Sun-hee and Jang-won are going ahead with wedding preparations as Min-jung is enlisted to help her unni. She’s totally professional during their exchange, and they try dress after dress as Min-jung explains in voiceover how she’s picked out every detail down to the wedding hall to personally match the couple.

Jang-won is none too pleased to see Kyung-joo, his ex come waltzing in to the coffee shop. Kyung-joo digs in that he must not have forgotten about her if he’s still coming to their old shop but Jang-won coldly dismisses her way.

So she asks if he thinks he can make Sun-hee happy and he says, “Even if it’s small, we’ll head in the same direction. We’ll laugh and cry for the same reasons.” Kyung-joo brazenly offers that they start over, to walk the same path.

This is the moment when Sun-hee marches in. Lifting the wedding dress so he can see, she admits that she never thought that she’d get the chance to wear one. She asks: “When I wear this, can you be my side?”

Er, wait – is this a proposal? Oh Sun-hee you are tttthiiisss closeee to becoming a stalker. She turns to Kyung-joo and says that’s not sorry in the least, because at least she’s being genuine.

They exit the coffeehouse together and Jang-won apologizes for making things harder for her. With a smile, she assures him that he can make her happy from now on.

Gun-hee and Kang-jae pull up to Chinjung and confronts Director Park. He won’t budge to disclose a thing and she exposes that the rumors that the company’s going under are false. She’s checked with the bank, so what’s actually going on?

She repeats the question when Mom comes in only to be told that she’ll be told “later.” Gun-hee pouts that ever since Mom took over the company, she’s only seen her back. Even when she needed her mother the most after she realized that she wasn’t her biological daughter, she was always second to the company.

Mom must think that Gun-hee only thinks about herself but what’s the difference now? Was there ever a time when she depended on her children for support? Or did she ever let them? Thanks to the company she’s felt like she’s never had a mother.

Then she digs in the final nail – if Chinjung is too much for her mother to handle, she should sell it. Gun-hee is confused when Mom gasps, asking if she realizes what Chinjung is. Mom: “It’s your father! It’s your father’s vision!”

It strikes a chord with Gun-hee but she shrugs it off the next moment, “Then you should have sold it for more.” She instructs Mom to put her affairs in order because she can’t see Mom continue to lie to her family. If she can’t, then she’ll move out.

Kang-jae, who’s been on the sidelines this whole time, finally steps in but Mom shuts him up. She calls Gun-hee’s bluff, that she cannot acknowledge a daughter who cannot realize her father’s dream.

Gun-hee storms off and Mom orders Kang-jae to stay out of their family’s business, adding that things would have never come to this if their families weren’t involved.

Kang-jae stops her in her tracks, telling her that her anger shouldn’t be geared towards Mom but President Lee. He asks her to assess Dad’s intentions regarding Chinjung but all Gun-hee hears is him mention business again and tells him that this concerns her mother and herself.

Mom braces herself again the pain as Gun-hee packs up her things. Brooding sessions all around as Dad mulls over an old photo of the three parents.

On a happier note, Jang-won reminds Sun-hee of his inadequacies but agrees to seek Mom’s blessing for their marriage.

More bad news on the Chinjung front – their salt provider fell through. Director Park: “The taste of the kimchi has changed.” Mom assures him that she’s on her way but it’s a good of a time as ever for her pain to kick in and she doubles over.

Su-ho approaches Kang-jae by the water cooler to check in if something’s the matter. Hey buddy, I thought we wrapped you up and sent you back with the bad kimchi.

Gun-hee hasn’t said anything but he recognizes that forced smile is a signal that something is weighing on her mind. She never liked talking about her father’s fatal accident and Kang-jae asks if she hated her father. All Su-ho knows is that she told him that her father had lied to her.

He advises Kang-jae that if he truthfully loves Gun-hee his actions should exhibit the same. Er, you’re giving Kang-jae love advice?

Kang-jae steps back into the office that he needs to speak with her and drags her out by the wrist. In a lowered voice he says in banmal that it can’t wait. Outside, he lets her know that he needs to tell her something important.

But then she receives a call from Sun-hee and drops her phone at the news – Mom’s fainted.

They rush to the hospital and Sun-hee informs them that the test results aren’t back yet, so they should talk outside.

It’s then that Gun-hee asks what Kang-jae had to tell her because she wants to hear before things get more complicated. Oh honey, it’s already complicated. He averts his eyes and tells her that he’s leaving the boardinghouse.

He lies that there’s a family situation and Gun-hee grows more concerned and confused. He continues, looking at her now: “It’s something I need to take care of. There’s no way if I don’t.”

COMMENTS

SIGH. Hello Noble Idiocy. Meet Annoyance. Drama, you just jumped ship didn’t you? First birth secret, then secret illness, fatal accident, and now noble idiocy. And here I am drumming my fingers about why this needs to happen. In this drama. About kimchi and family and a boardinghouse. You didn’t have to go here…but you did.

What was seemingly supposed to be a happy-go-lucky forced cohabitation of, “Oops! I didn’t knock and now you’re in your underwear!” filled with metaphors about how the process of kimchi making is a reflection of life veered toward the age old conflict revolving mother and daughter and a company. Now we’re stuck circling this topic again and again while Kang-jae, who fell apart after hearing the truth, spends this entire episode wondering when and how to tell her that his father is responsible for her father’s death. Mostly I’m annoyed that it took someone like Su-ho to nudge him in that direction.

Does anyone feel like he got a lobotomy after his whole speech about knowing Gun-hee better? I swear he’s a cardboard cutout walking around to be filled in a scene whenever someone needs an ear.

There are still a few nuggets in the show that I’m hoping will turn this ship around, like about Gun-hee’s relationship with her father, her aversion to kimchi, and what will happen if Mom should die. I want her to realize what Chinjung mean, take ownership of it and fight for it against Sangcharim and come into her own about what kimchi means to her. Is that too much to ask?

Don’t spoil on me now – I’ve got one more batch of kimchi to wait on.

Aspiring celebrities consider SM Entertainment (aka SM) as one of the hardest places to get into.

The reason is, the first hurdle to get through to become a big star like BoA, DBSK or SNSD, is to get acknowledged. However, it’s been said that when the SM trainees are accepted, it is only the beginning of their hardship because to reach the second hurdle, the debut, the trainees have to take part in a neverending competition among themselves.

EXO-K who just debuted with much difficulty, opened up about their life as SM trainees and their activities after their debut.

▶What are the words SM trainees hate to hear the most?

Even if they are part of the same team, each member had a different training period.

The leader, Suho, became a trainee in 2006 and went through six years of training whereas Baekhyun only had one. Only dreaming about debuting ever since his third year of middle school, Suho who endured pain for a long time sometimes felt depressed. However, Suho stated with a smile “I want to tell (the trainees) to go for it no matter how it is. People who try will succeed”.

After a while of being a trainee, similarly to when you get rookies in the army who are older than you, the ranks can be often confusing. In this situation, you have to give priority to the eldest.

More than the intensive schedule and the occasional injuries caused by the choreographies, the hardest for trainees is to see juniors they’ve practiced with debut first just like what happened to Suho with SHINee.

What does debuting mean to trainees? EXO-K replied, smiling “Debuting is every trainee’s dream. Moreover it’s the proof we have fulfilled this dream.” In addition, they disclosed their pains as trainees and how distressing for them it was to hear their surroundings ask questions such as “When are you debuting?” or “Are they really SM trainees?”

▶How to pick a good agency?

Seeing the recent issues with trainees, they spoke up about the way to pick the right agency.

EXO-K explained “The most important thing is to never go to an agency that asks for money. Plus, you have to check the agency’s website and meticulously check who the celebrities they debuted are. Then you should be able to distinguish the bad and good agencies.”


The name EXO comes from the word EXOPLANET, which is a planet outside of our solar system, meaning they are the new stars coming from an unknown world.

Just like their name, they received a lot of attention before their debut. The reason is because they are split into two teams, EXO-K and EXO-M, and promote at the same time in Korea and China. EXO-K is made of Suho, Kai, Chanyeol, Sehun, Baekhyun and D.O while EXO-M’s members are Kris, Luhan, Tao, Lay, Xiumin and Chen.

Their debut song, “MAMA”, was produced by Yoo Young Jin and signals the revival of the SM Music Performance genre (SMP).

EXO-K and EXO-M are respectively promoting this song in Korean and Chinese. The members thus explained: “It is the same song but the feeling is different. While EXO-K’s version includes raspy singing and oozes a magnificient feeling, EXO-M’s is sang in a higher tone, creating a pure feeling”. 

▶EXO-K and EXO-M, even though we are separated for now…

Their debut album includes six tracks and to show EXO’s various charms, each song evokes a different appeal.

Among them, “History” is a cool dance song that mixes a fresh and bouncing percussion beat with a strong and addictive melody and “What is Love” is a track led by the vintage feel of an electric guitar.

Besides, “Two Moons” features SHINee’s Key, adding more freshness to the album.

The perfectly prepared former SM trainees who just debuted still cannot realize they did it “Because we were still unexperimented, our heads would go blank everytime we were filmed. But we told ourselves it would get better with time.

Even though EXO is currently split and promoting in Korea and China, they’re all doing their best and waiting for the day they will stand on the same stage. EXO-K revealed “Right now, we’re using our manager’s phone to communicate with EXO-M who is currently promoting in China via video call in order to comfort each other. However, after each other succeeds, at the end of the year, we will hold special stages as a 12-membered group”.




source: Nate
translation cr; saphira @ exok-trans

Actor Lee Min Ho updated his fans with a new lovable selca!

On May 10th, Lee Min Ho posted the above photo on his me2day saying, “It’s a happy May everyone! Thanks for the wishes! I am coming back with ‘Faith’ soon!”

In the photo, Lee Min Ho is holding up a V-sign pose on his hand, smiling brightly to the camera. His bright expression and clear features show how lovable the actor is. The photo seems to be put up by Lee Min Ho for fans in celebration of his sixth year anniversary since his debut.

Netizens commented, “I can’t wait for ‘Faith’”, “I am waiting so be careful”, “Still shining with good looks” and more.

Meanwhile, “Faith” will be aired in August this year.

“The government will kick out CEOs and staff members who disgrace the entertainment community with shameless crimes.”

This is the determination that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism revealed to eradicate sex crimes rampant in the entertainment industry in a press conference Wednesday.

In this connection, the ministry said that the government will seek legislations on prevention of sex arrangement in the entertainment industry this year.

The move has come as a chief executive officer of an entertainment management agency was arrested last month for having sexually assaulted 11 girls who were training as singers or actress at the agency. The CEO is a Chang of Open World Entertainment.

“There is no system that protects trainees at an agency or star-wannabes from swindlers or brutal owners who ask sex.” said Kim Gap-su, director-general in charge of Cultural Content Industry Office at the ministry. “Of course, 'hallyu', or Korean wave, contributed to boosting the national brand power but illegal acts or frauds targeting young star-wannabes in the pop-culture industry have to be rooted out immediately.”

The ministry will look into all entertainment agencies to check whether they are involved in unfair practices against trainees in collaboration with Korea Entertainment Producers' Association and the Korea Entertainment Management Association.

The two private organizations will also form task forces to cooperate with the government. The task forces will collect basic information on music video makers and training management agencies, such as what kinds of businesses they are doing, how many trainees and entertainers they have.