GD&TOP, SNSD, and Miss A to have Collaboration Stages with “Kpop Star” Top 3
A dream-like stage will be put on for SBS‘ “K-Pop Star,” which is now at the top 3, Park Jimin, Baek Ahyeon, and Lee Hayi. Top Korean stars G-Dragon and TOP, Girl’s Generation, and Miss A will be collaborating with the three contestants.
On the 18th, a representative revealed to Star News that G-Dragon and TOP will be performing on the K-Pop Star episode to be aired on the 22nd for a collaborative stage.
Girl’s Generation, who is talked about every day even though they are not currently promoting, will also be collaborating with one contestant.
Miss A, who released title song “Touch” with their new mini album in February, is also planned to perform that day.
People are interested because GD&TOP, Girl’s Generation, and Miss A are not only featured on the show, but are actually performing on this audition program. This show is continuously pleasing k-pop fans, as the top 3, Park Jimin, Baek Ahyeon, and Lee Hayi are rising to fame.
Girls’ Generation reveals character posters for ‘I AM’
Following the releases of the character posters for f(x), SHINee, BoA, Kangta, TVXQ, and Super Junior, Girls’ Generation has released their own for SM Entertainment’s upcoming film, ‘I AM‘.
The posters show the members on stage during their concerts or in photoshoots, each accompanied by captions unique to the girls.
Taeyeon: Have I…changed?
Jessica: The 7 years as a trainee swept by like a panorama.
Big Bang, JYJ, 2PM, and more take over the advertisement market with ‘CM songs’
Simply landing CF deals doesn’t seem to be enough for idols on their quest for world domination, as even singing ‘CM songs’ is now a required must for the hottest idol stars.
With the K-Pop boom being felt all over the world, the influence of idols has definitely reached new heights. Their names are regularly seen on everything from internet portals, variety shows, dramas, and endorsement deals, so it’s no wonder the advertisement industry is eagerly making full use of their potential.
CM songs, or theme songs for CFs and endorsements, has become an easy and effective way to increase marketing power for brands, as songs sung by idols will easily land at the top of music charts and earn an explosive response from consumers. Previously, bands like Big Bang, Girls’ Generation, JYJ, KARA, 2PM, and T-ara all have experience with hit CM songs under their belts.
Perhaps the strongest in the area is Big Bang thanks to their hits like “Stylish” for ‘Fila’, “So Fresh, So Cool” for ‘Hite Beer‘, and “Lollipop” for ‘LG Cyon’. Just these three tracks alone recorded over $883,978 USD in profits.
Big Bang and 2NE1 voted top K-pop stars in France
Big Bang and 2NE1 have been selected as the male and female groups most loved by the Hallyu fans in France.
The Paris office of Korean Tourism Organization has conducted ‘A survey to identify the status and distribution of Hallyu wave in France and the behavior of the Hallyu fans’ targeting 3,775 of local Hallyu fans. Big Bang and 2NE1 have each received 49.9% and 64.8% support coming in at #1.
The age range and gender of the fans who prefer 2NE1 and Big Bang were different. Big Bang was relatively highly preferred by male fans of Hallyu in France. As far a the age goes, Hallyu fans in their early 20′s seemed to prefer Big Bang. 2NE1 enjoyed most support of the Hallyu fans who are teenagers and those in their early 20′s and there was no significant difference between the genders.
The male group to rank #2 following Big Bang was Super Junior, then followed SHINee, B2ST, then 2PM. SNSD ranked #2 among female groups, followed by Miss A, f(x), then T-ara.
SHINee releases MV for “Sherlock”!
SHINee released their mini-album “Sherlock” and fans have been anxious for the music video. Well, the wait is finally over!
SM Entertainment releases official teaser poster for upcoming film, ‘I Am’
‘I Am‘, the upcoming film featuring the stories of SM Entertainment artists BoA, TVXQ, Girls’ Generation, and others, has finally revealed its release date!
The film has decided on May as its official release, and on March 21st, revealed the first of what will be a series of teasers to come. The first teaser is an official poster featuring a typographic compilation of all of the artists under SM Entertainment.
‘I Am’ previously received an explosive response with the launching of its worldwide UCC project event, where fans all over the world from the States, Canada, China, Japan, Germany, the Philippines, Indonesia, Columbia, Peru, and more sent in videos of cover dances.
The film is a biographic record of the years of effort made by the artists to realize their passions and dreams. Fans can look forward to everything from stage performances of ‘SM Town Live World Tour in New York’ to their day-to-day activities.
KARA, Girls’ Generation, 2PM, 2NE1, SHINee, and CNBLUE receive nominations for MTV Video Music Awards Japan 2012
Some of the top Kpop stars have received nominations at the MTV VMAJ 2012 (Video Music Awards Japan 2012).
On March 19th, MTV Japan revealed the nominees for the MTV VMAJ 2012 (Video Music Awards Japan 2012). KARA, Girls’ Generation, 2PM, 2NE1, SHINee, and CNBLUE all received nominations in various categories.
In the “Best Group Video” category, 2PM received a nomination for “I’m Your Man“.
In the “Best New Artist Video” category, CNBLUE received a nomination for “In My Head” along with 2NE1 with “I AM THE BEST“.
Shinhwa Picks BIGBANG, Girls’ Generation, Teen Top, and Stellar as Favorite Groups
On March 5, Shinhwa held their first comeback press conference with all six members in attendance. They answered a lot of questions regarding their comeback in nearly four years, but the answer that attracted the most attention was about their favorite idol groups.
When asked if they had any idol groups they’re keeping their eyes on, Eric answered, “In the past we really liked BIGBANG. But these days, we like Teen Top a lot. They remind us a lot about ourselves.” He said the awkward and naive looks of Teen Top, even after winning the #1 spot, made him think of Shinhwa’s earlier days.
Jun Jin, however, mentioned more girl groups, as he said, “I liked Girls’ Generation since we were under SM Entertainment. They were all elementary school students back then, but to see them work so hard now, it almost feels like we’re their older cousin, or real oppa, and we’d like to thank them for growing up so well.”
The group’s daner, Minwoo, in particular, showed his support for Hyoyeon, as he said, “I thought she was the second BoA, and it’s nice to see her be recognized as the main dancer even after debuting as part of Girls’ Generation.”
Which Girl Group Would Top the Hierarchy Chart?
If you were to create a girl group hierarchy chart, who would be your top pick?
According to a hierarchy chart that’s been quickly spreading online, Girls’ Generation and 2NE1 are the undisputed top two picks. This chart, dated February, 2012, covers 16 of the top girl groups and ranks them in order by five different categories, such as “Wall You Can’t Go Over (unbeatable, basically),” “Nationwide level,” “Socialite level,” “Mania level,” “the Maginot line.”
The top “Wall You Can’t Go Over” category is rounded out by Girls’ Generation at #1 and 2NE1 at #2. Closely following them in the “Nationwide level” are T-ara at third, the Wonder Girls and Kara at fourth, and f(x) at fifth. This shows the girl groups popular in Japan ranking higher than the Wonder Girls, who’s mostly spent their time in the U.S. lately.
The next category, “Socialite level,” is comprised of Secret and SISTAR at the same level, followed by 4minute. After School is ranked slightly above the “Mania level,” with A Pink, Girls’ Day, Rainbow, and Dal Shabet trailing them to complete the “The Maginot line.”
Girls’ Generation, KARA, TVXQ, 2PM, Jang Geun Suk, and B2ST awarded at 26th Japan Gold Disc Awards
The Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) has announced the winners of “The 26th Japan Gold Disc Award” on January 27th, and many Korean artists were featured.
European youths surveyed about South Korea & K-pop
The Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) recently conducted a survey on the brand image of South Korea among young people in Europe. They surveyed 1208 youths, aged 18-30 years old, in five major European cities — London, Paris, Frankfurt, Milan and Budapest.
Old photo of Jessica and Donghae causes a stir
An old photo of Girls’ Generation’s Jessica and Super Junior’s Donghae has been causing a stir.
Boy groups predicted to dominate the K-pop music scene in 2012
It would not be an overstatement to say that 2011 was all about the girl groups. Girls’ Generation, T-ara, Brown Eyed Girls, KARA, Wonder Girls, as well as other female idols topped the charts and had a strong grip on the K-pop music scene.
But now, 2012 is shaping up to be all about the boys. CHAOS, F.I.X, TEEN TOP, as well as other rookie boy groups have began their new promotions to kick off 2012, and their powerful stage performances as well as their confident vocals are raising fans’ expectations for their 2012 activities.
Five-member boy group CHAOS released their first single “She is Coming” on January 6th. “She is Coming” is a cross between funky rhythm and Rock & Roll, and the MV for the song was met with an explosive response upon release.
CHAOS, which made its debut through SBS Inkigayo on January 8th put on an impressive dance performance dressed in pink and grey stage ensembles and showcased their vocals live for the very first time. Norazo‘s Lee Hyuk was also revealed to be their vocal coach, further raising fans’ expectations for the group as a whole.
YoonA, Lee Seung Gi, and Song Ji Hyo to host the 2011 SBS ‘Gayo Daejun’
SNSD‘s YoonA, Lee Seung Gi, and actress Song Ji Hyo have officially been chosen to MC the upcoming SBS ‘Gayo Daejun’.
On December 27th, a representative of SBS shared that the three entertainers will be hosting the music ceremony on December 29th at 8:50 p.m. KST. The ceremony will be broadcasted live for viewers to watch. This is also YoonA’s second hosting for year-end ceremonies in 2011, as she previously led the KBS ‘Entertainment Awards‘ back on the 24th.
Furthermore, top artists such as B2ST, 2NE1, 2PM, Wonder Girls, KARA, Super Junior, SNSD, and TVXQ will also be participating in the ceremony, showcasing a never-before-seen joint performance.
But that’s not all — SBS has also organized a dance battle between boy groups, ballad performances, and a sexy performance by several divas.
Source + Photos: Mydaily via Nate
by MrTuxedo @ allkpop
2NE1 & SNSD rank on SPIN Magazine’s ’20 Best Pop Albums of 2011′
American music magazine ‘SPIN‘ have released their annual ranking of the best pop albums of 2011.
Big Bang, 2NE1, SNSD, & SHINee featured on online fashion site, ‘Refinery29′
Many fashionistas may know of ‘Refinery29.com‘, a popular one-stop website for fashion, style, and shopping.
The site posted an article today called ‘Kpop Cheat Sheet: The Bands To Know Before They Blow Up’, and introduced Big Bang, 2NE1, SNSD, and SHINee to their readers. The passage read:
“Okay, we’re calling it, right here, right now. Kpop is going to be 2012′s hottest trend. Straight out of Seoul, these acts are already bringing their edgy, high-end style and infectious tunes all over the world. Asia knows what we’re talking about. Europe is already obsessed. South America goes gaga for these multi-talented superstars. And North America? The craze has already started with the hottest Korean acts selling out Madison Square Garden in NYC, the Staples Center in LA, and the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas — just to name a few places. For those of you who haven’t yet become ingrained, we’re here to present to you a little primer to get in on the action. We’re giving you the rundown on four of the hottest Kpop artists that are headed for world domination, the songs you need to hear, and, of course, the styles you’re going to want to copy. Big Bang, 2NE1, Shinee, Girl’s Generation. Memorize these names, people. Let the obsession begin.”
In addition to giving some background information on each group and introducing some of their popular songs, the site also analyzed and broke down the style of each group.
SNSD’s Yuri gets offered main female role in new drama, ‘Fashion King’
Rumor has it that SNSD‘s Yuri will be making her small-screen debut through the new SBS drama, ‘Fashion King‘!
The drama is scheduled to air its pilot episode in March of next year, and Yuri is considering the role of the female lead.
At this time, she is reportedly looking over SNSD’s schedule and seeing if she can move things around to take the role. Schedules should finalize around mid-to-end December, and Yuri is planning to attend the first film shoot to see how it feels.
‘Fashion King’ tells the story of a young man who began working at the Dongdaemun market, and makes it big in the fashion industry. The main role will be played by Yoo Ah In, who’s famous for his role in ‘Sungkyunkwan Scandal‘.
SNSD’s Yoona amazes again with side profile shots
On December 16th, a netizen uploaded a set of profile shots of SNSD‘s Yoona titled ‘Yoona at work‘, which showcased her pure and innocent charm.
In the photos, Yoona appears to be on set, wearing a yellow barrette to hold her hair back, unveiling her naturally beautiful face.
She garnered attention for her perfect features and captured the hearts of her fans with her angelic countenance.
Netizens who saw the photos left comments such as, “What does she eat? How is she so beautiful?”, “Daebak. I gasped when I saw these“, “The word ‘pretty’ doesn’t do her justice“, “It’s just a candid, but she looks so surprisingly good“, and more.
SNSD spotted bowing 90 degrees to A Pink
SNSD was recently spotted bowing in a respectful 90 degrees to their juniors, A Pink, while at an event.
An online community board shared a video of the moment under the title, ‘SNSD Bowing to A Pink’. In a culture that’s centered around hierarchy and respect, this short moment was enough to attract several headlines, since it’s not expected for seniors to bow down to such a degree to their juniors.
In the video, A Pink greets their seniors, and Sunny and YoonA immediately respond by bowing back.
In a previous radio show, the girls once stated, “Rookie groups have a hard time approaching us so we always bow back to them in 90 degrees. It’s only been four years since our debut so we’re not in the position to be receiving bows, but bowing right with them.”
Netizens commented, “They’re not just talk, they’re action as well,” “SNSD is known for their respectfulness,” and “Very friendly atmosphere.”
Source + Photos: E News 24 via Nate
by VITALSIGN @ allkpop
Lee Seung Gi and SNSD gets crowned as 2011′s CF King and Queens
In the Korean entertainment biz, one of the best indicators of your popularity depends on the number of endorsement deals you can score. According to a recent survey, SNSD and Lee Seung Gi were the CF Queens and King for the year 2011!
SNSD and Lee Seung Gi both filmed a total of 27 different commercials in the past 12 months. SNSD filmed and endorsed brands for fried chicken, water purification systems, beauty products, and more. On the other hand, Lee Seung Gi took on commercials for pizza, banking and finance, refrigerator brands and more.
Next on the list were top stars like Won Bin (with 24 commercials), Hyun Bin (with 19), and IU (with 18).
Source + Image: Star News
by jae.lea.jung @ allkpop
Netizens captivated by Seohyun’s glamorous figure
Photos of SNSD’s youngest member Seohyun have been gaining a lot of attention lately.
A few snapshots of Seohyun at the 2011 MAMA were shared online under the title, “A twist in Seohyun’s body [image]“. The photos caught Seohyun stepping onto the red carpet in a curve-hugging dress with a daring low cut.
Netizens commented, “Is Seohyun the new Bagel Star?” and “Wow there really was a twist. But she looks great!”
Source + Image: Star News
by jae.lea.jung @ allkpop
Which celebrity should open an online shopping mall?
A recent online survey conducted by Korea-Center asked netizens, “Which celebrity do you think would be the most successful if they opened an online shopping mall?”
A total of 429 voters participated in the survey, and sexy diva Lee Hyori dominated with a resounding 38% of the total votes. Runner-up was Lee Seung Gi who received 18% while Yoo Jae Suk came in third with 14%.
In addition, 58% of the voters chose Lee Seung Gi as the most preferred male model for a shopping mall while SNSD secured the ladies’ section with 33% of the total votes. Other top male celebrities on the list included So Ji Sub (29%) and Won Bin (25%); the female side consisted of Lee Hyori (26%) and Kim Yuna (23%) who came in 2nd and 3rd respectively.
Tell us if you agree with the results and who else should be included on the list!
Source + Photos: Nate
by MrTuxedo @ allkpop
Sunny and Taemin Cast as Voice Actors for “Koala Kid: Birth of a Hero”
SM Entertainment labelmates Sunny (of SNSD) and Taemin (of SHINee) have been cast as voice actors for the upcoming animation film Koala Kid: Birth of a Hero. Sunny will voice a female koala named Miranda, and Taemin will voice a male koala named Johnny.
The movie will chronicle the adventures of Johnny, an oddball of the circus, who fights against alligators to protect Australia’s natural habitats with his friends and becomes a hero. This is the typical story of an under-appreciated protagonist overcoming a great obstacle and earning the title of being a true hero.
The film will be released in January 2012 in 15 countries. Be sure to bring the children with you if you plan on watching it!
Source & photo credit: Korea via TVREPORT
Posted By KIMBERLY @ hellokpop
Tracklist + jacket covers for SNSD’s “The Boys Re:packaged” album released
Earlier, we reported that SNSD would be releasing a special Japanese repackage of their latest album, “The Boys“. The covers and tracklist have finally been unveiled, and it looks like the girls have drawn some big names from the electro genre for their remixes.
The album will be available in two versions: ‘Regular’ and ‘Limited Edition’.
The regular is a CD-only, meaning that there will not be any extra goods attached to the release. On the other hand, the limited edition includes a treasure trove of bonuses, including a photobook, a DVD, rubber coasters, and an obi.
Interestingly enough, it looks like the girls are repackaging their 1st Japanese album as opposed their 3rd Korean album. They’ve brought back the tracks from ‘Girls Generation‘, and added a Japanese version of ”The Boys“.
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