In the second of four retrospective articles, we recall some of the entertainment stories that caught our eye in 2015. We’ve left out a few of the more scurrilous stories. Also, a few sad deaths of people outside the entertainment industry. Entertainment Ode to My Father became the second-biggest box-office hit of all time, boosting … [Read More]
Musician: Girls Generation
Selected publications
- Anthology: The Korean Popular Culture Reader ed Kyung Hyun Kim, Youngmin Choe, Duke University Press 2014
Looking back at 2014: Entertainment news
In the second of four retrospective articles, we recall some of the entertainment stories that caught our eye in 2014. Good year for: Popular TV drama My Love from the Star had an impact beyond its 21 episode span. The lead female character, played by Jeon Ji-hyun, managed to boost sales of trenchcoats in Korea, … [Read More]
Looking back at 2013: Entertainment news
In the third of five retrospective articles, we recall some of the entertainment stories that caught our eye in 2013. Korean box office records were broken in 2013. Korean films accounted for 59.5 percent of box office takings, with the feel-good drama Miracle in Cell 7 gaining 12.8 million admissions. The big new band to … [Read More]
All I want for Christmas …
This MBC video is at least two years old, but like a Richard Curtis film it bears watching again. [Edit: the original MBC video is no longer online, but the above more recently uploaded item seems to be the same thing] [Read More]
Looking back at 2012: Hallyu and entertainment news
In the second of four round-ups of links to news which caught our eye in 2012, we focus on hallyu-related stories from around the world, some of the local entertainment industry stories plus a quick look at the film industry. UK. The Guardian put together an entertaining photoshop when London Mayor Boris Johnson claimed he … [Read More]
Saharial’s Entertainment Weekly: Rain, Tablo, Psy and Propofol
In 2008 Choi Jin Shil, a popular actress, committed suicide after threats and pressure from netizens and from her personal life. Two years later in March 2010 her brother committed suicide, and now on 6th January 2013 her ex husband Jo Sung Min also took his own life in the same manner. A former basketball … [Read More]
SNSD members at London Fashion Week
Girl’s Generation members YoonA, Seohyun and Tiffany at London Fashion Week reduce “the crowd outside to hysterical shrieks”, says the Telegraph. http://t.co/qRXZoph3 [Read More]
Girl’s Generation on David Letterman show
If you’re in America, don’t forget to watch David Letterman tonight for SM Entertainment’s latest marketing push – a performance from Girls Generation http://t.co/NQoasFfa. And here’s the video: [Read More]
How Korean Pop Conquered Japan
How Korean Pop Conquered Japan: K-Pop groups look and act like real adults, whereas J-Pop outfits often emphasize adolescent cuteness, says Patrick St. Michel in The Atlantic. [Read More]
A Japanese take on a Girls Generation video
This has been doing the rounds for a while, but still worth a look: Japanese middle aged men take off SNSD’s Gee MV, led by a member of J-pop boyband SNAP. http://bit.ly/qiCLxB (#) An alternative version is available here: http://v.youku.com/v_show/id_XMjk2MDIxNDY4.html. Many versions have been removed from YouTube following a complaint from the Japanese TV company … [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]
Airport management and face cream among highlights for Brulé’s Brand Korea
Last weekend international design guru and Monocle editor-in-chief Tyler Brulé had an interesting column in the FT, listing out 10 things he likes about Korea. There’s some items which you might expect, and also some surprises. Brulé has rightly waxed lyrical about Incheon Airport before – and coincidentally Incheon has just been awarded the Korea … [Read More]
SNSD at an East Coast resort – a Korean man’s favourite holiday
Korean men want to go on holiday with Girls’ Generation, according to a KBS survey. Now that’s being greedy. http://bit.ly/a4zZ4O # And while on the subject of holidays: doing the arithmetic, does this mean around 6-7 million Koreans will be heading to the East Coast at the end of July? http://bit.ly/9HYiuk #. (47% of a … [Read More]
The Korean Music Awards
The winners of the Korean Music Awards were announced on 30 March. Anna over at Indieful ROK has the complete list. A couple of the winning acts were highlighted by LKL contributors as leading lights of 2009. First, Anna herself voted Apollo 18’s Red Album as her Album of the Year: “the most amazing post-rock … [Read More]
SNSD are National Assembly’s singers of the year
Korean National Assembly have refined tastes: Girl’s Generation named singers of the year by their popular culture and media study society. http://bit.ly/8EnyG7. [Read More]
According to Gallup, my favourite singer should be Jang Yoon Jeong
At least, that’s if I’m a Korean conforming to the profile of the sample selected by Gallup Korea for their 2008 K-pop poll. OK, I’m reasonably happy listening to her first album, but there are other albums I’d much prefer to have in my CD player. Jang Yoon Jeong (장윤정 – right) is the younger … [Read More]