2014년 3월 31일 월요일

Google "South Korea stands out as important market account for one of top five sales in global market."


Google Korea pointed out South Korea as one of important area of conquest and sale market for its mobile platform, Google play.

In this regard, Google Korea held press conference named 'Google play and games' and released business performance and future plans of company to the the public at Google Korea office in Yeoksam dong, Gang Nam district, on March 31

"The Google Play ecosystems in Korea rely on great Korean developers making great apps," said Chris Yerga on hangout, who oversees the platform business, adding that 17 out of the top 20 most downloaded apps in the country were games.

The Internet giant said Google Play, its mobile application market brand that was rolled out in 2012, will provide local developers with new business opportunities as the platform is used in more than 190 countries.

The app market currently boasts an average 1 million downloads a day, with 50 billion downloads in total since its launch, Google said.

The company claimed a handful of Korean developers gained success through its platforms, such as WeGo Interactive Co.'s Revlot 2, which recorded 8 million downloads around the globe, or Vinyl Lab's Radio Hammer, which ranked No. 1 in major Asian markets.

"Games are a core part of Google Play's success," said Yerga, adding its Google Play Games platform will introduce developers' contents to a wider range of users.

Yerga said that as openness is the key value sought by Google, the company will not ban developers from launching their contents through other platforms such as Kakao Talk or LINE.

Google Korea also unveiled first national TV commercial for its newly launched Google Play on this day.

Korea's favorite baby, Choo Sarang in love with SNSD


Choo Sarang has become one of the viewers’ favorites on KBS show ‘Superman is Back' with her signature bowl cut and bursts of aegyo, which also brighten up the set.

The March 30 broadcast of KBS2’s Superman is Back has featured the rare occasion of Choo Sarang showing off her aegyo.
During the episode, SNSD’s Yoona, Taeyeon, Tiffany, Sooyoung and Sunny all visited Choo Sung Hoon’s house in Japan to meet with Choo Sarang.
The SNSD members are well known to be auntie fans of ‘Choo-vely’ with Sunny recently writing ‘Sarang, even your name is love. Wanna come over to aunties’ place? I’ll buy chicken for you’ on her SNS account. Sooyoung also posted a picture of herself with Choo Sarang on her Instagram, writing ‘Sarang is really cute. Look here, Sarang.’

When the girls finally met ‘Choo-vely’ at her house, Yoona narrated the story of Peter Pan in different voices and Tiffany, Sooyoung and Taeyeon gave her airplane rides on a blanket.
Choo Sarang was shy with SNSD members at first, she said "no" when Taeyeon and Sunny asked her to give them kiss but she finally opened up to the SNSD members, especially to Yoona and she only gave her kiss to Yoona later on which made Taeyeon kind of jealous.
Choo Sarang made a video message, where she said, “SNSD unnies, Sarang misses you!” in Korean.



2014년 3월 30일 일요일

Avengers: Age of Ultron start shooting in Seoul on 30th.


Avengers: Age of Ultron is about to start shooting in Seoul, Korea beginning on Sunday 30th, 6am at Mapo Grand Bridge , and director Joss Whedonhe has apologized to the people of Seoul for blowing up city on camera and promised to try and minimize the inconvenience to Seoul citizens while shooting the film.

As the Seoul government also signed the paper to promise cooperation, traffic control is planned from 30th of March and continues until April 14. The major spots that will be closed due to the shooting will be Mapo Bridge, Banpo Floating Island, Sangam-dong Digital Media City Road, Chungdam Bridge, Gangnam areas and Kaywon University of Arts & Design.

As these places are connected with 72 bus routes and have floating population, the Seoul government announced that temporary routes and stations will replace the original ones. Moreover, the government promised to minimize the inconvenience by placing fire trucks at every shooting locations.

The 1.6-kilometer Mapo Bridge is expected to be heavily cordoned off, making it unlikely that the public and press will have access to the actual shooting or the stars.

Filming scheduled for April 6 in Gangnam Daero, however, is restricted to one side of the road, meaning people in cars and passersby may get a glimpse.

Marvel Studios and Walt Disney Korea are keeping details under wraps and the public has been warned not to post photos that might amount to spoiler images as they will face possible lawsuits.

Scarlett Johansson has said she will not come to Korea due to her pregnancy. Johansson has reportedly filmed much of her actions scenes earlier than originally planned.


Meanwhile, ‘The Avengers: Age of Ultron’ is a sequel to ‘The Avengers’ released in 2010. Since the film is produced by the same director Joss Whedon, the casts will be the same as well except for Korean actress Kim Soo Hyun(Claudia Kim)’s join as an important supporting character.






2014년 3월 29일 토요일

140 most beautiful Spring Flower Paths in Seoul


Seoul city introduced Seoul's 140 most beautiful Spring Flower Paths on their official website(Korean) on 27th.
The 140 most famous spring flower roads in Seoul have been classified into five different themes.
There are paths that are great for a spring outing, paths that are great for enjoying a variety of festivals, paths where you can appreciate unconventional flowers that you may not see every day, paths that are perfect for a leisurely drive, and paths that are suitable for brisk walking and exercise.


Seoul city picked Jungnang woods camping forest, Northern Seoul Dream Forest , Ttukseom Seoul Forest, Children's Grand Park, Seoul Grand Park, Boramae Park, National Cemetery, Seodaemun Ansan, Seokchon Lake (Songpa Naru Park), West Seoul Lake Park and more as great paths for spring outing.

Inwang mountain drive way at Jongno-gu(district), Walker hill road at Gwangjin district, gomdalrae road at Gangseo district, cherry blossoms road at Geumchun district were selected as good paths to enjoy spring flowers while driving in Seoul.

According to the Korea Weather forecast, cherry blossoms are expected to be in peak bloom from April 7 to 11th in Seoul.

You can find more information about Seoul spring flower paths in english at www.visitseoul.net





2014년 3월 27일 목요일

Top Male actors who will be enlisting in the South Korean military soon


Many of top male actors in their 20's who are getting popular in Korea and oversea are expected to join mandatory Korean military service from this year to early next year.
As a result, many broadcasting companies which organize and plan casting of drama are desperatly trying to secure and find male lead actor for their upcoming projects in preparation for top male actors's absence due to military service.

Top male actors who will  be enlisting in the South Korean military soon includes Kim Hyun Joong, Yoo Ah In who were born in 1987 and Lee Min Ho, Lee Seung Gi, Jang Geun Suk who were born in 1987 etc.
Kim Soo Hyun(born in 1988) who is enjoying exploding popularity with SBS's "You Who Came From The Stars" received physical examination for enlisting military service in 2012 and expected to join army soon as well.

Insider at one of major broadcasting company commented on 25th, "Male actors who is joining army this year to next year are all on the top of list for casting as our dramas's male lead.  Especially they tend to pick movies over dramas before joining the army considering the timing of release of movie to public to relatively reduce their interregnum making it casting them even harder for us.  
It will affect domestic entertainment industry and it appears to affect the Korean Wave as well because they have many fans in other asian countries."
"But It also opens a opportunity for a new batch of enlisted stars who are returning from duty such as Lee Je Hoon, Yoo Seung Ho, Yoo Yeon Seok and Song Joong Ki." he added.






2014년 3월 26일 수요일

Samsung, LG compete for bigger slice of Air Conditioner market in Korea


Competition in domestic appliances market for upcoming summer between Samsung and LG is expected to heat up as they have just released their new line up of air conditioner this month.

Samsung Electronics has introduced the Kim Yuna Special Air Conditioner on March 24th.
Kim Yuna, the 2010 Olympic champion from South Korea announced her retirement recently after a controversial silver medal-winning, virtually flawless performance that many believe should have won gold at Sochi Winter Olympics.
Samsung named their new air conditioning line up after the Korean figure queen who has been the CF model for Samsung Smart Air Conditioners for six consecutive years.
Samsung's special air conditioner for Kim Yuna was designed and developed with her in mind from the beginning. It comes in two models of the Kim Yuna Special Queen and the Kim Yuna Special Edge.
To celebrate the release, Samsung posted a special video on Youtube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Odt0aqpQzE) to look back the six years history of Kim Yuna and Samsung Smart Air Conditioners.
With features like S-Plasma ion technology and virus doctor, Samsung added air purifier functions to their newest line-up.

LG Electronics unveiled its latest Whisen air conditioner and a dehumidifier to showcase the most up-to-date technology in home appliances on March 25th.
At a press event, LG said the air-conditioning speed of its new Whisen Victory is 20 percent faster than the previous products. The product also has an Ice-cool Power function, which quickly lowers room temperature with winds that are colder than existing models.
LG Electronics also has applied the “HomeChat” service, which allows users to chat with home appliances through mobile messenger services.
“The global mobile messenger Line will be applied from April and Kakao Talk from May to the air conditioners, which can support Wi-Fi services,” said Oh Jung-won of LG Electronics’ Residential Air Conditioning division.
With the added technologies and features, LG expects strong growth this year, noting that the company’s Air Conditioning & Energy Solution division had posted sales of 4.6 trillion won ($4.2 billion) in 2013.




2014년 3월 25일 화요일

MBC’ “Empress ki” has been chosen as Korea’s favorite TV program on March


MBC’ “Empress ki” has been chosen as Korea’s favorite TV program, beating the long-time #1 show, MBC’s “Infinity Challenge.”

According to a monthly poll done by Gallup Korea between March 17th through 20th, 10.8% of 1,216 adult voters chose Empress ki as their favorite TV program.

This is only the third time that a different program came out on top over “Infinity Challenge” after “My Daughter Seoyoung” won last year and "You Who Came From The Star" this year.
Korean viewers in their 40's and 50's paid great deal of attention to this drama.

“Infinity Challenge” has been keeping its #1 spot for many months but has fallen down to the 50 episodes popular fantasy saguek series.

The following programs were the next ranked: “Happy Sunday-1 Night 2 Days(6.3%)” “Running man(5.9%),” and “Jeong Do Jeon.(5.0%)”




The Cheon Song-yi Phenomenon Is Still Going Strong in China



SBS's ‘You Who Came From The Stars’ has become a knockout hit and has gained a huge following all over asia, especially in China.
Heroine of mega hit drama, Jun Ji Hyun made her first public appearance in Shanghai, China, 21 March 2014.

Dressed up in a black cocktail dress and nude high-heels, Jun maintained her chic and goddess look as her role "Cheon Song Yi".
Jun also presented fried chicken and beer to fans which was Cheon`s favorite snacks in the drama. However, Jun finished her event in 6 minutes after 3 official questions from host about skin care, which broke actor Lee Min Ho`s record of showing up for only 10 minutes at a promotional event.
Some fans cried outside the site for such a short meeting after waiting 3 hours and spending hundreds of yuan on tickets and related products. And 600 fans who attended this event were also required to go though serious security clearance which took nearly 2 hours for just meeting Jun for only 6 minutes.

A superstar who rarely makes more than one movie per year, she is a model-turned-actress who has been part to several of Korea’s biggest film hits, including “My Sassy Girl,” “The Thieves,” “The Berlin File.” “Stars” is her first TV drama in 14 years.

Less comfortably, it has also put the spotlight on her ethnicity. It was back in 2007 when she controversially changed her name from the Korean-sounding Jeon Ji-hun to the more Italian-sounding Gianna Jun. But since then it has emerged that both her parents are of Chinese origin, a black mark in Korea even today, and that she was in fact born Wang Ji-hyun.

Jun initially denied having Chinese roots and does not speak much of the language, but she has more recently confirmed her origins. While that represents a stigma in Korea, it could be a big plus in an era where today China is an economic superpower.

2014년 3월 24일 월요일

GD·TAEYANG·f(x) and many more at The Simply K-pop Tour 2014 in Shanghai concert on March 22


Korea's Ministry of Sports, Culture, and Tourism, in conjunction with the China Youth Development Foundation, presented the Simply K-Pop Tour 2014 in Shanghai on March 22.
The concert was held at the Mercedes-Benz Arena and broadcasted by Arirang TV and Dragon TV, in Shanghai. Big Bang's leader G-Dragon participated in the event along with his group mate,Taeyang. Other artists participating in the three hour Simply K-pop Tour 2014 in Shanghai include f(x), U-KISS, Crayon Pop, Rainbow, VIXX, Block B, AJAX, Kan Mi Youn, C-Real, and Jjun.

The concert which is organized by F.M. Media and Intercrew, had part of its proceeds benefit victims of the deadly earthquake in China and will also be utilized to build a goodwill library known as the Korean-China Friendship Library.
Artists participating in the concert also had their names embellished on a placard which will adorn the library.
The 'Simply Kpop Tour in Shanghai' is an event with a good cause.

Industry official said, "China has recently emerged as an attractive market for K-pop. China in the past, was difficult and time-consuming for K-pop stars to promote their songs due to different broadcasters separately for each region of China.
Recently, however, many K-pop stars established themselves in the China entertainment industry thanks to live stream internet video which was difficult to watch directly on TV due to Chinese government regulations."









2014년 3월 23일 일요일

Yoo jae suk showed exceptional skill as a racer from MBC's Infinite Challenge in an episode of 'speed racer'


Yoo jae suk showed exceptional skill as a racer from MBC's Infinite Challenge in an episode of 'speed racer' which was broadcasted on March 22nd

The show's staff stated, "Yoo jae suk showed superior driving skills and was complimented by a current active racer.  From the first practice he was noted by the other members, and is currently considered the ace of the group."

He won first prize in the last race. Beating Park myeong su and Jeong Jun ha in 2 minutes and 25 seconds record time ,finishing lap  in a short period of time

The "Infinite Challenge" members declared their participation in the Korea Speed Festival" in May at Songdo.
They revealed their preparation for the tournament in the March 22nd broadcast.

They had previously had some racing experience in 2010 with the 'F-1' special, so they didn't imagine it would be too difficult. However, when they got into the car with an actual racer and witnessed the high speeds, their faces turned pale and one member even had difficulty walking afterwards.
The nervous members worked on circuit training, and battled each other to decrease their times with every round.

The 7 men are each working to become the best racer.

2014년 3월 21일 금요일

Seoul Unveils Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) on March 21


The Seoul city unveiled a Dongdaemun Design Plaza(DDP), spaceship-shaped multipurpose cultural center in the city's shopping district of Dongdaemun on Friday, March 21 , with hopes it will become the capital's most prominent landmark.

Designed by Pritzker-winning Iraqi-British architect Zaha Hadid, the 500 billion won (US$463 million) Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) opened its doors to the public with a ceremony to mark the occasion.
Zaha Hadid is one of the world’s most famous architects, with recent projects including the London Aquatics Centre for the 2012 Olympic Games and the Fiera di Milano masterplan.

The structure is the world’s largest asymmetrical free-form building, featuring three stories below ground, four above, and a total space of over 85,000sqm. It was designed to host exhibitions, conferences, fashion shows, concerts and seminars, acting as a cultural hub for the South Korean capital.

“The design was governed by the belief that architecture should enable people to think beyond existing boundaries, in order to reach innovative solutions,” states Zaha Hadid Architects .

The opening program will feature various exhibitions including “Sports Design: Science, Human, Fashion and Victory,” which will be on display at the Design Plaza until May.

As part of opening ceremony of DDP, 2014 Seoul Fashion Week will kick off at DDP beginning on March 21 for a six-day run and EXO will collaborate with Generation Next during Performance 2 of the Seoul Fashion Week.



More American top chain restaurants are adding Korean flavors to their menu



TGIF’s Korean steak tacos.
American restaurants such as CPK, Gordon Biersch, TGI Fridays, PF Chang are increasingly embracing Korean flavors — most prominently kimchi, gochujang and Korean BBQ — on their menus.

Some chains that have recently taken on Korean cuisine are: California Pizza Kitchen’s ‘Spicy Korean Barbeque Pizza’ with Korean BBQ sauce, garlic, ginger and sesame seeds; Gordon Biersch’s ‘Korean BBQ Pork Chop’; California Tortilla’s ‘Korean BBQ Burrito’ served with a choice of chicken, steak, or pork; P.F. Chang’s China Bistro’s galbi jjim and kimchi fried rice for its Hawaiian menu; and TGIF’s ‘Korean Steak Tacos,’ with Korean-marinated beef with ginger.
Korean cuisine, after all, was No. 4 on the National Restaurant Association’s 2013 chef survey list of Top 5 Ethnic Cuisines and Flavors.

And between the Michelin-starred Annisa featuring a dish of yookhwae and grilled mackerel with gochujang and Mama Fu’s, the Asian fusion fast food chain, using gochujang in its stir-fried dishes, it’s clear that the Korean pepper paste, more than anything, is experiencing popularity in the U.S. like never before.

Bon Appetit, the restaurant magazine, chose gochujang as one of the hottest food trends of 2013 and predicted it would become as popular as sriracha sauce in the U.S.

Meanwhile, Google searches for ‘kimchi’ have seen a 96.1 percent increase since 2010, while ‘Korean BBQ’ jumped 75.4 percent and ‘bibimbap’ a whopping 194 percent.

2014년 3월 20일 목요일

Horse Dance Your Way to Gangnam ? Gangnam trolley tour bus plagued with operating deficits.


Gangnam, in southern Seoul, passes for a hip, savvy place in Korea among international visitors thanks to the popularity of K-pop sensation Psy’s music video “Gangnam Style.”

The song’s popularity is fading into history, but the district has become a tourist magnet, attracting internationals and K-pop fans alike. It has luxury brand stores and fancy restaurants lined along the streets. But, most of all, it is home to major entertainment agencies such as SM, JYP and Cube Entertainment. Some 150 small and big agencies prosper in the area.

The Gangnam district opened a trolley bus tour program for Korean and foreign tourists beginning on Dec.12 last year hoping to garner more attention and profits from this gangnam craze worldwide.
However, only 2500 passengers used this trolly bus program in the last three months, just 30 passengers a day on average, falling far behind of Annual target of 60,000 passengers.

Gangnam-gu office is trying to promote and pick up sales through signing an MOU with major Korean travel agency and waiting to see how sales would go up during march,april and may, its peak season.

The “trolley bus” stops at 21 tourist attractions such as Apgujeong Rodeo Street, SM Entertainment, COEX, Garosu-gil, and Dosan Park. It accepts 20 different currencies and like the center it is operated year-round from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The 16-seat bus offers free interpretation services in Korean, English, Chinese and Japanese, and free Wi-Fi and VOD (video on demand) services.





2014년 3월 18일 화요일

Reason why Yoo Jae Suk and Kim Soo Hyun don't bother with SNS


Korean celebrities use social media as effective marketing tools for maintaining their high media profiles.
It is now common thing to do online for Korean idols and actors to communicate with fans and post their own opinions about many things on SNS.
But some of top stars still opt not to bother using SNS for various reasons


Korea's favorite MC, Yoo Jae Suk is one of few celebrities who doesn't have any SNS account.
He is known to be smartphone-illiterate and has been sticking to his 2G phone until recently, while pretty much the rest of Korea had moved on to higher technology.
While the fact that Yoo Jae Suk got a smartphone is news in itself - many were hoping that this means that Yoo Jae Suk would enter the world of social networking but it never happened.
His agency said he is not using SNS just because he's not good at using smartphone and he thinks he is communicating with his fans through his appearence on TV itself.
If Yoo Jae Suk starts using a social network, he will certainly become a giant influential figure in the area considering his large and devoted fan base in Korea.


There's not much reason why Hyun Bin choose not to use SNS either.
His agency said, "Hyun Bin is not interested in the SNS at all. He doesn't necessarily dislike communicating via online but it's not his favorite nor priority things to do, he only leave posts occasionally on his official fansite which only members can see instead"


Unlike Yoo jae suk and Hyun bin, Lee Seung Gi is not using SNS for obvious reason.
Lee Seung Gi said in the past, in an interview, "SNS can be very misleading unlike my intention, In addition, I'm worried that i might post things i will regret on SNS when i get drunk,"
Self management is the main reason why Lee seung gi keeps himself away from SNS.
In fact, celebrities like T-ara, Soyeon, IU and Clara almost ruined their careers through mistakes on SNS during last few years.
Lee seung gi is well aware of SNS leaving more room for celebrities to make mistakes.


The reason why Kim Soo-hyun avoids social networking services is he prefers offline meeting and see face to face to communicate with fans over online media.
Kim soo hyun is setting out to meet with fans in six asian countries for his upcoming fan meeting tour starting this March
Kim's agency said "Kim Soo-hyun loves to meet directly with the fans, there are too many fans to meet in person but still he prefers actually meeting with fans and say hello to them," "He is more private about his life than others his age too, he has never been compelled to share details about his life to anyone with Internet access."












2014년 3월 17일 월요일

Ha Ji Won's many off screen hobbies


Picture of Ha Ji Won taking pictures of "Empress ki" shooting set and other staffs with her big camera was revealed on 17th.
It is known that taking picture is one of Ha Ji Won's many off screen hobbies and she often take picture of drama shooting set, other actor,actress and staffs to post on her SNS.
Her hobby contributes to promote her drama in many ways as well

Ha Ji Won is also in love with 'cappuccino'
Her agency said that Ha ji won drinks 3~4 cups of cappuccino every day
I guess she needs extra energy boost considering all the energy that she has put into her acting.
Ha Ji Won got many coffee CF deal thanks to famous 'Foam Kiss' on SBS's 'Secret Garden' few years ago.

Samsung has launched a new premium refrigerator, the Self Collection


Samsung Electronics has launched a super premium refrigerator, the Self Collection. On the 12th, Samsung Electronics held the Samsung Electronics Self Collection Media Day at the Dynasty Hall in Shilla Hotel to announce the introduction of the first product of its next-generation kitchen appliance line-up, the Self Collection refrigerator.
Many celebrity like French ambassador and actress Jun Ji-hyun was seen at the show.
Jun Ji Hyun has been selected as the new model for Samsung Electronic’s Zipel line of refrigerators since january this year.


Samsung’s Self Collection refrigerator, which was jointly designed and developed with 3 Michelin-Starred Chefs, is a specialized food-care refrigerator to reflect the professional chefs’ philosophy that fresh tastes come from fresh ingredients.
Even without connectivity features, Samsung executives say they’re confident the Chef Collection fridge will do well. Since going on sale last week here, the company has sold more than 120 units of the fridge in Korea, where it is priced at between $5,500 and $6,900 – all without a promotional push, said senior vice president Park Jongkap.




2014년 3월 16일 일요일

Lee Seung-gi on KBS2 'Entertainment Weekly' this week


Singer and actor Lee Seung-gi has appeared in KBS2's Entertainment Show on Satuday broadcast, March 15th.

On KBS2 'Entertainment Weekly', Lee Seung Gi was interviewed while he took a break from his recent commercial shoot.
Lee Seung Gi to play as office worker commuting to work on a bike in this CF.
While filming he had little hard time riding a bicycle and made joke "i'm not good at anything," with self-mocking chuckling.

"When love is concerned i'm not weak hearted ," he confessed when asked about relationship with SNSD's Yoona on a interview.

On the first day of this year, Lee Seung Gi and Yoona admitted to be in a romantic relatioship and became one of most famous celebrity couples
.



2014년 3월 14일 금요일

Kim tae hee posts selfie celebrating white day on Weibo


March 14th, one-month after Valentine's Day, is called "White Day" in Korea and it is the day that a man who has received a chocolate from a woman on Valentine's Day gives her a candy in return.

Kim tae hee took a  selfie of herself showing off rainbow candy bar she received  and posted on Weibo today.
"Today i received many candy bars from staffs, Thanks a lot guys and i wish today would be heartwarming days for all of you giving candys to someone dear to you."

She posted a picture of herself, close up. Her features and flawless skin make her look as beautiful as ever.

Netizens posted comments like, "She's flawless", "Show me the candy Rain gave to you", "She's a goddess", "I envy her skin" and more.

2014년 3월 13일 목요일

Actor Bae Yong-joon hits jackpot on drama “You Who came from the Stars”'s huge success in China.

Bae yong-joon, known as "Yonsama" earned not only fame but wealth when his television drama “Winter Sonata” aired in Japan in 2003 and many consider “Winter Sonata” boom in japan is what started Hallyu in the first place.
The "Korean Wave," also known as "Hallyu," refers to the phenomenon in which South Korean popular culture, ranging from television shows to pop singers, has spread abroad for many years.

Bae yong-joon is also biggest shareholder of KEYEAST, the entertainment company which has several stars including Kim Soo-hyun, Kim Hyun-joong, joo-ji hoon and Lim Soo-jung and recent success of “You Who came from the Stars” starring Kim soo hyun has sent the stock price of KEYEAST to an all time high.

KEYEAST, the company whose biggest shareholder is Bae yong joon with 31.7 percent, saw its stock price close at 2,655 won ($2.48) Tuesday, a 14.94 percent jump from the previous day.

The agency said its stock price had increased a combined 84 percent, while the mega hit drama was on the air.
Bae is said to have earned a staggering 32.5 billion won.

Kim Soo-hyun, who played romantic alien from 400 yrs ago in drama, captured hearts in China with the drama’s soaring popularity.
Kim recently appeared on Chinese variety show “Super Brain,” reportedly arrived on a chartered plane hired for him by the Chinese broadcaster.
According to Chinese news reports, the price of the show‘s admission tickets skyrocketed to as much as $5,000.
He was reportedly paid nearly 500 million won for the brief appearance on the program.

"This reflects how popular the drama is in China,”
“There are more than 40 Chinese companies trying to cast Kim for their advertisements and programs. All of this brightens the outlook for the company’s profitability.” CEO of Keyeast, Yang-keun hwan who accompanied Kim soo hyun in China commented.



2014년 3월 12일 수요일

Lady GaGa showed up at "K-POP NIGHT OUT at SXSW," in Austin, Texas on Tuesday Night.

Following the success of 2013's inaugural "K-POP NIGHT OUT at SXSW," Korean Creative Content Agency (KOCCA) has supported the showcase to expand the base of K-pop at one of the world's biggest and most influential music industry event: SXSW 2014.

It took place on March 11 at legendary live club Elysium in Austin, Texas, "K-POP NIGHT OUT at SXSW," featured a slew of top talent: K-pop stars HyunA and Jay Park; rock sensations Crying Nut, Nell, Kiha and the Faces; electronic trio Idiotape; plus, experimental-rock group Jambinai.

Lady GaGa showed up while Jay Park performed on stage during K-POP NIGHT OUT at SXSW on Thursday night.
Lady GaGa had concert in Korea as part of her world-tour concert in 2012.
Also she is known to have shown her interest in K-POP many times before.






Empress ki is a ratings blockbuster ~on the verge of reaching 30% viewer rating this week

On 11th "Empress Ki" episode 37 reached a 29.2 % viewer rating, a 2.3% increase from the previous night's rating of 26.9 %, breaking its own record in viewer ratings for several episodes.

Viewers of "Empress Ki" have waited a long time to see the drama's characters exact revenge against the tyrannical regent El Temur and his evil family.
And now that Ha Ji Won's character Seungnyang has returned to the palace and her revenge is in full swing, the anticipation and ratings keep climbing.
In episode 37, Seungnyang(Ha ji won) finally dragged Tanashiri(Baek jin hee)out of palace and sent her to cold palace.

Meanwhile SBS's new drama "God's Gift - 14 Days" starring Lee Bo Young kicked off to a strong start with a 9.1% and KBS's "Beyond the Clouds" is in distant 3rd with 3.0% viewer rating this week.







2014년 3월 8일 토요일

Jangsado Island, beautiful island where Cheon Song Yi from "You who came from the Stars" fell in love.



Jangsado Island is island located at Tongyeong, the South Gyeongsang Province coastal city
It's little far from seoul, about 370km which would take you about 4~5 hours by bus + 40 min boat ride from Tongyeong port.

This island is also one of filming location for the SBS's hit drama "You who came from the Stars" which Do Min Joon had teleported Cheon Song Yi to in episode 19.
After drama aired, more tourists are visiting this island including foreign tourists from other asian countries nowadays.


This island is filled with trees with red Camellia flowers and there are some iconic structures which allow you to confirm this filming location for drama. It is pretty scenic too, with breathtaking views that overlooks the sea and other islands near it.

Even though this island is now uninhabited, houses and school where island residents used to live more than 30 years ago are still left intact for visitors to see.
Old house 'Island ahgijip' furnace still has smoke rises and you can see old organ at jangsado elementary school classroom.


The highlight of the island would be the Camellia Flowers which blooms from November till April, with its peak in Jan-Feb, which I believe was near the time of filming too. This island is a popular place for hiking and there are many routes that you can explore.

How to get to this lovely island: Camellia Jangsa-do
1.Nambu bus terminal in Seoul -> 4.5 hours bus ride to Tongyeong
The travel distance is 372km and it cost 21,800W (normal service).
2.Go to Tongyeong Ferry Terminal
3.Ferry – 15,000W (adult)
4.Entrance to Jangsa-do, 8,500W (adult)

2014년 3월 7일 금요일

Kim Hyun Joong's "Inspiring Generation" is wed/thursday’s #1 drama this week


Inspiring Generation surpasses its highest viewer ratings this week.
According to AGB Nielsen Media Research, 16th episode of KBS2's "Inspiring Generation" which aired on the march 6th, maintained its first place with a 12.5% viewer rating which is a 0.5% increase from its wednesday”s rating of 12.0%.

SBS 's new drama “Three days” starring Park yoo chun kicked off this week to a strong start with a 11.9% but dropped 0.8% to a 11.1% viewer rating for its thursday episode.

Both Kim hyun joong and Park yoo chun have title roles in their respective dramas
These two have gone up against each other in their respective groups SS501 and JYJ, but this time they'll face each other on television.




2014년 3월 5일 수요일

Why there are so many fried chicken shops in Korea?


Fried and roasted chicken is an overdone culinary craze in South Korea.
Korean consumers can’t keep up with the explosion of shops dedicated to Korea's favorite meat, and that could mean the country is facing a fried chicken bubble.

In september, 2013, South Korean officials ordered that restaurant franchises are no longer allowed to open two restaurants within 800 metres of each other. Fried chicken restaurants are a particular target, because around 7,400 are opened in the country every year.

Every year in South Korea around 5,000 chicken shops go out of business, which policy-makers fear is contributing to the country’s rising household debt.

Many baby boomers (ages 55 to 64) retired during last few years and they tend to open small business like chicken joint or coffe shop in Korea hoping to make steady income after their retirement because they can't rely on government
South Korea's government has been slow to provide a safety net. Only a third of retirees have pensions, and the payouts are relatively paltry, analysts say.
In a fast-paced nation famous for its high achievers and its big spending on private tutors and luxury goods, half of  Korea's elderly are poor, the highest rate in the industrialised world.

Also if someone falls out of employment due to whatever reason or fails to be employed at a proper company while they're still in their prime, it's next to impossible for them to get back in the game again. Given how competitive Korea is and the lack of proper welfare, opening a small business/working for one is the only option many can see unless they're clever and can come up with some other way to make money.

number of chicken shops in Korea per major cities


2014년 3월 4일 화요일

Upcoming releases of Samsung Curved TVs in the US market

Samsung Electronics achieved a record-high market share in the North American Ultra HD TV market, reached over 50% market share in January 2014
According to market research firm NPD, Samsung grabbed a share of 50.4 percent in terms of sales value in the North American UHD TV market.
Not only in the UHD TV market, Samsung also enjoyed a high market share in others areas, including 60 inch-plus large TVs (44.7%), smart TVs (46.4%) and premium TVs with a price of over $1,500 (65.2%).

From this month, Samsung Electronics plans to release a variety of brand-new UHD TV lineups in North America, centering on its curved TV models.
The company recently held a North America Dealer Conference where it revealed its cutting-edge models, including curved UHD TVs.

At the North America Dealer Conference ,Samsung showed its latest 2014 products including most of its strategic products such as 78-inch, 65-inch, 55-inch Curved UHD TVs, and 110-inch, 85-inch, 55-inch flat UHD TV.
About 320 major buyers participated in the conference which was held at the Omni Hotel Dallas from 25th to 27th.

In particular, a lot of visitors were attracted to the Curved TV section, revealing huge expectations for the upcoming releases of Samsung Curved TVs in the US market. Dennis May, CEO of H.H.Gregg said that Samsung Curved TV is very impressive, and the year of 2014 will be an exciting year with the launching of the Curved UHD TVs.


2014년 3월 3일 월요일

Drama SBS's "You who came from stars" Filming Locations Tour



TV dramas have proven to be an effective tool for marketing in Korea
Gyeonggi Province Tourism Organization will introduce new tour package with filming locations tour of SBS's "You who came from stars" to the Asian Market including China this month.

Filming locations of SBS's hit drama in Gyeonggi province such as Petite France(French cultural village in Gapyeong),Korean Folk village‎ in yongin, Cafe Street in Pangyo,  Jangam reservoir in Pocheon city and Lake Park in Ilsan city are included in "You who came from stars" locations tour package program.

More than 10 travel agencies confirmed the launch of a this tour product in China and more than 20 travel agencies in China and Taiwan are preparing the release of the relevant products.

CEO of Gyeonggi Province Tourism Organization, Hwang jun gi commented "Through a variety of efforts to attract tourists like developing tour package product such as 'You who came from stars' fliming location tour , Gyeonggi-do tourists visit this year is expected to increase more than 50%,"







2014년 3월 2일 일요일

Healthy meals with beans in Korea

According to a study in the International Journal of Cancer, People who eat beans frequently have a significantly lower risk of developing many cancers including breast cancer, ovarian cancer and stomach[gastric] cancer than people who seldom eat them.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer and the second most common cause of cancer death in women.
Women who ate beans or lentils two or more times per week had a 34% lower risk of breast cancer than women who ate them one or fewer times per month.

Beans are a major protein source in vegetarian diets. They are rich in some of the food components believed to protect against cancer, including antioxidants, fiber, and phytoestrogens.
Frequently eating beans can be recommended for women who want to reduce their risk of breast cancer and generally increase the healthfulness of their diet.

Legumes have been significant crops in Korean history as well.
Legumes, like red beans, soybeans and mung beans (called "nokdu" in Korean), are also an important part of Korean cuisine. Soybeans are not only made into tofu ("dubu"), but it's also eaten steamed, made into soy milk, and used as a base for noodles. Even the soybean sprouts ("kongnamul") are eaten as a side dish, made into soups and mixed with rice. The fermented soybean is made into a paste ("doenjang"), which is similar to miso, but has a chunkier texture and earthier taste.
There are many restaurants specialized in cuisine made from bean only in Korea.

Below are few of korean foods made with bean that korean eat almost everyday along with rice and kimchee


1. Doenjang (soybean paste),

Doenjang, with its anti-cancer attributes,has attracted the attention of modern-day nutritionists. Koreans used to make doenjang at home by boiling yellow beans, drying them in the shade, soaking them in salty water, and fermenting them in sunlight. However, only a few families go through this process anymore; the majority buys factory-made doenjang.
Doenjang is considered one of the essential sauces of authentic Korean cuisine.
Among hundreds of foods made with doenjang, Korean Soybean Paste Stew (Doenjang Jjigae)is most popular one.




2. Kongnamul muchim (seasoned soybean sprouts)

It is one of the most commonly served side dishes in Korean homes.
You've probably seen this dish among the array of side dishes served at Korean restaurants.
It's also one of the classic vegetables used in bibimbap. Usually, this dish is mildly seasoned to savor the natural nutty flavor of the soybean sprouts. It's also very common to add gochugaru (red chili pepper flakes), along with a little bit of soy sauce, for a little spicy kick.
Soup made with kongnamul which is called Kongnamul Kuk(Bean Sprouts Soup) is also popular in Korea.
Soybean sprouts is low in calories and have 9 grams of protein, which is three times more than you'll get in mung bean sprouts. Both types contain a small amount of fiber and carbohydrates, also rich in vitamin B, C.
This explains why kongnamul guk is a popular home remedy for common colds and hangovers in Korea.





3. Korean Sweet Black Beans (Kongjaban)

A sweet and nutty side dish, these seasoned black beans are a protein-filled complement to any Korean meal.
Black beans are packed with fiber,proteinare and high in antioxidants.
Plus, the fiber content of black beans will help you beat cholesterol. The soluble fiber in black beans binds with the bile acids in your system and carry them out of your body, making it impossible for those acids to become cholesterol. This is great news for your heart health, and can dramatically reduce your risk of a stroke or heart attack.