The Park Shi-hoo scandal, as predicted, still has a lot of mileage. The full Kakao talk conversations between the trainee and her actor friend have been released by his law firm. They indicate the trainee and her friend were in communication after she had filed charges – contrary to her claims they were not. The trainee’s lawyer has handed her mobile in to the police to restore all the messages, but Park Shi-hoo has refused on the grounds of privacy and he is currently countersuing the trainee and his former agency EYAGI Entertainment for defamation and attempted blackmail. One thing is clear though – that the continued coverage and use of the media is not being recieved as well as either party might have wanted.
Block B and Stardom Ent are still throwing punches via lawyers and statements via websites. Unpaid fees, forged documents, claims and counter claims – it’s just terribly sad to witness greed and stupidity whichever side is involved or guilty.
Yoo Seung-ho enlisted quietly and without fanfare on 5 March. Known for being “the little So Ji-sub” and “the nation’s little brother,” he has notched up 15 dramas, 9 films, 9 music videos and 5 awards since he started his career at 7 years old. It’s highly unusual for an actor so popular to enlist at the age of 19 years like he has done, but it is the norm for many Koreans. His quiet enlistment was preceded by a sizable charity donation, and his return at 23 years old means he can continue building his career without hindrance and avoid that awkward transition time between child and adult actor. In South Korea, where enlistment is a really big deal, his quiet action, voluntary enlistment and refusal to be a celebrity soldier has been received well. Singer Se7en is also headed for enlistment on 18 March, and while he has been more public with his intentions he too seems to be avoiding the celebrity soldier status by selecting active duty.
Music News
Cube and Xing Tian, a Chinese Agency, have released the teaser MV for their new 4 boy group M4M http://youtu.be/nHMaGBNaezI. The lead, Jimmy, (http://youtu.be/NtIlE9xiSVM) is an ’86 from Hong Kong and is multilingual. Vinson, from Taiwan, is the dancer (http://youtu.be/7Zbwo_reET0); Alen, Chinese – the main vocalist (http://youtu.be/qbEmI1OT0po) and Bin, also Chinese – the rapper (http://youtu.be/GHVN0lH7p7g) are the remaining members. All except Bin are touted to be bilingual in Mandarin and Korean. The full MV will be out on 13th March and their official website is here: http://www.m4m-cn.com/.
Lee Hi has finally released the full MV for It’s Over (http://youtu.be/UJKOFMUGq2E). She has a really good voice that sounds more mature than expected from a 16 year old, and the quirky MV of gangster-like teddy bears prevents it from being too aegyo. The song has done very well on all the music charts with its jazz and blues feel, as well as other songs from the mini album. With lyrics from Tablo, and collaborations with Kush and Masta Wu, the album was bound to do well. The rookie singer has been given an apartment by YG Entertainment CEO as a gift, and she will move in there with her mother as she is still a minor
AA(double A)’s full MV for Rollin’ Rollin’ is now released http://youtu.be/CTOrqOfa6k0 but it has found itself banned from broadcast by KBS and SBS for unsuitable lyrics. It seems they might have interpreted the ‘rolling around’ part a little more suggestively than the label says they intended, but considering the MV takes place in a bedroom, that ‘dwinggul dwinggul’ is slang for sleeping with someone – I’ll let you draw your own conclusions.
Hwang Min-woo, whom you might know as ‘Little Psy’ from the Gangnam Style MV, has launched his own career as a singer. The teaser shown here: http://youtu.be/M-51O674DL8 is for his release Show + Time.
Psy himself has released two remixes of Gangnam Style http://youtu.be/gLBZtVD8LNU and http://youtu.be/6m9z753LG8o in advance of his concert on 13th April. The new track has been edited 30 times, but everyone is keen to know where the concert will be held. He’s also done a Gangnam Shake http://youtu.be/xQZTZHashKg
Other MVs
- UKISS – Standing still: http://youtu.be/bOPHIx81bQE
- Gold – Shiny Day: http://youtu.be/g9ZIKsH7Nio
- Ladies Code – Bad Girl: http://youtu.be/UXQFmGiZX2k
- ZionT – Two Melodies: http://youtu.be/Jkozsve2oKU
- JinBo x Digipedi – Be My Friend: http://youtu.be/O0QNZklmJB0
- 2AM – One Spring Day: http://youtu.be/UKgK5LqT6BY / http://youtu.be/GpdN9uaRIwA (Vocal version)
- JooWon – Don’t Know How to Love: http://youtu.be/q12kULw4Twc [remake of AshGray] [Level 7 Civil Servant OST]
- SoHyang – Don’t Forget me: http://youtu.be/1E3ikzMfFDg [Remake of Baek Ji-young][IRIS2]
- Taeyon – And One: http://youtu.be/sWGh1FzH2eY [That Winter the Wind Blows OST]
- Kim BoA – Tears Fallin’: http://youtu.be/GULDAXrJX1s [That Winter the Wind Blows OST]
- Eric Nam – Heaven’s Door: http://youtu.be/qBMe8F4zqj8 (English Version)
- Lee SoRa – Hard to Say I’m Sorry: http://youtu.be/z0u1jlK2lXo (cover version)
- Real 100% – I’ll Be Back: http://youtu.be/KCLLeGXqt6U (cover of 2pm track)
- LunaFly – 50 Ways to say goodbye: http://youtu.be/G0IqArskaGM (cover of Train track
Teasers
- RaNia – Just Go: http://youtu.be/zCrpaJ2RJi0
- FT Island – You Are my Life: http://youtu.be/ktWwV27OhJk [Japan]
Dance Videos
- 9 Muses – Dolls: http://youtu.be/fzJX1YdrbVw