BoA celebrates 10th year since debut in Japan. And still only 24 years old. http://bit.ly/iSiPha # [Read More]
Category: Light reading (page 7)
Hallyu Elvis and the draft-dodger
"Hallyu Elvis and the draft-dodger" – The Economist contrasts Hyun Bin with MC Mong (+ comment from Grand Narrative) http://econ.st/jtoGIX # [Read More]
The Chosun Ilbo’s movie popularity poll
Heartened (and puzzled) to see Im Kown-taek as best director in the same poll which has Ha Ji-won most popular actress http://bit.ly/f6zVYN #. “Most popular” stars were Won Bin and Ha Ji-won while the “best” were Song Kang-ho and Jeon Do-yeon. [Read More]
LG challenges good taste with mongol spot ad
Via @Hannah Bae: What the hey-hey is this ad? Obviously a Mongolian birthmark reference, but really ill-conceived: http://twitpic.com/4ldm7m [Read More]
Rain is Time’s most influential person again
Korean pop star Rain wins TIME 100 Poll — Again – TIME NewsFeed http://ti.me/gTao9a #. He also won in 2006 and 2007, and came second in 2008. [Read More]
British celebs in Korean commercials
Samira Ahmed is checking out the British actors taking money for some cheesy ads in Korea. Take a bow, Pierce Brosnan (casinos – Image source) and Jeremy Irons (coffee). I can’t find the coffee ad, but here's Irons advertising a Korean clothing brand on TV: [Read More]
Shilla Hotel in hanbok gaffe
This is unbelievable: Seoul’s Shilla hotel bans hanbok from its restaurant for health & safety reasons. Big mistake. (via Marmot’s Hole) http://bit.ly/dTkkaS #: [Read More]
Rain tops Time poll again
Rain currently tops the 2011 TIME 100 Poll Results. Again. http://ti.me/e5LpEl #. This has surely got to be the last year that he features on the list. [Read More]
Poetry actress becomes Chevalier des Arts et Lettres
Actress Yoon Jeong-hee (윤정희) (Poetry) joins Jeon Do-yeon, fashion designer Andre Kim, pianist (and Yoon’s husband) Paik Kun-woo and jazz singer Nah Youn-sun as Chevalier des Arts et Lettres http://bit.ly/i9rCRR #. I wonder if this is the first husband and wife both to have been given the honour. [Read More]
Jeon Ji-hyun’s comeback
Jeon Ji-hyun to feature in July issue of US Vogue to mark the release of her film Snow Flower and the Secret Fan – nice to see her back in the news after so long. http://bit.ly/ia2ohe # [Read More]
Arirang TV on healthy legs. Ugh.
Ghastly, cheap, trashy Arirang TV piece on "healthy" legs (http://bit.ly/ektinf) (for which of course read "fat") causing lively debate at Korean Studies portal http://bit.ly/ebT4F4 # [Read More]
Suwon Blue Wings appeal to female fans
If you were female, would this pic make you follow the footie? K-League Goes All Out to Attract Women Fans, says the Chosun Ilbo http://bit.ly/f93yc5 # [Read More]
A novel way to encourage people to pay tax
I'd be sure to pay my taxes in person if T-ara was down at my tax office. I expect that's the point. http://bit.ly/icptwa # [Read More]
A Lee Young-ae conundrum
Discovered on a Middle East fansite, whose location I can no longer find. Who on earth can be the Kim whose back acne Lee Young-ae is supposed to have witnessed? http://twitpic.com/3tovf7 #. [Read More]
Rain Rain, Come Again
Bella Frey gets star-struck. And who can blame her? Rain in London in January, nothing unusual there. However Rain, as in Jung Ji-hoon, South Korea’s delightfully handsome mega pop star and actor, in London is definitely a once in a blue moon event. As soon as the news hit Facebook that he would be here … [Read More]
A last look back at 2010
We’ve digested the albums, films, sporting events and books of the year, and reviewed some of the memorable stories of 2010 in our Quiz of the Year. Here are some of the other things we noted in 2010 which didn’t quite make it into any of those articles. 2010: a year of anniversaries It was … [Read More]