[New Album pics] LEE Hi’s new album FIRST LOVE cuts

Although she is young, she sings well

• credit: YG Entertainment

BTOB’s Peniel has been cast as MC for Pops in Seoul

 The Korean idol group BTOB’s Peniel has been chosen as MC for Pops in Seoul, aired on Arirang TV. On March 28, the group’s agency, Cube Entertainment, reported that Peniel had successfully completed his first recording of the show.

 Recently Idol group DMTN’s Daniel resigned from the program because he was being investigated by the police on a misdemeanor charge for procuring marijuana. Peniel, who was born in Chicago, Illinois, and speaks fluent English, has now become the successor on the program, which introduces K-pop to the world.

 Pops in Seoul is has been presenting Korean popular songs for 15 years since it began broadcasting in 1998. Nowadays, the program has about 100 million viewers in 188 countries around the world, so it has taken on the important role of sending the Korean wave out to the entire globe beyond Asia.

 Here is a message Peniel has sent out through his agency: “I have assumed the heavy responsibility of giving wider publicity to K-pop, and I want to be a good messenger for K-pop.”

• Source: Starnews

Half of the top 10 on the Japanese Oricon Chart are Korean groups

 According to the Oricon Chart, Japan’s the most prestigious music ranker, Supernova, Kara, FT Island, Boyfriend, and MBlaq all ranked in the top 10 on the Oricon Daily Singles Chart on the March 27, the very day their new songs were released. As a result, half of the top 10 list was swept by Korean groups.
Supernova ranked second with their song “抱·き·し·め·た·い,” Kara hit number three with “Bye Bye Happy Days,” FTIsland took number four with “You’re My Life,” Boyfriend ranked fifth with “Melody in the Eyes,” and MBLAQ ranked eighth with “Mona Lisa.”
The Korean boy group My Name, who released a new album on the same day, also ranked number three on the Oricon Daily Album Chart. On March 20, the girl group T-ara ranked second on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart for March 18 to 24 with their new song “Banistar,” which sold 56,785 copies. Girl’s Generation also released a new album, Best Selection Nonstop Mix, on March 20, ranking sixth on the Oricon Weekly Album Chart.

• Source: Starnews

Idol couple, Goo Hara and Yong Jun Hyung, break up

A well-known couple has separated after two years dating. According to an announcement made by her agency, DSP Entertainment, on March 27, Goo Hara of Kara has ended her relationship with Yong Jun Hyung of Beast. The reason for the separation is that they can’t meet often enough, because of their busy schedules. Cube Entertainment, Yong Jun Hyung’s agency, also confirmed the fact, saying, “They will remain good colleagues as singers.”

The pair began going together in June 2011. When people started doubting that the relationship was still on, because Goo had stopped following Yong on Twitter, the couple denied that they had broken up, but it turned out to be true.

• Source: Starnews

Far East Film Festival in Italy

 The “Far East Film Festival” is an Italian festival dedicated to the popular Asian cinema, moreover it’s one of the most important event in this field, dedicated to the Far East in Europe. It focuses on the present and, at the same time, to the past of the Asian cinema, thanks to the 60 movies in program.

The first edition was held in 1999 in the middle of April in the city of Udine. This year the festival starts on April 19th and ends on the 27th of the same month.

 

For nine days the manifestation will take place not only in the cinemas but also in the squares, streets…everything and everyone in Udine is going to “host” one of the most awaited event of the year. It doesn’t mean only movies because people can also attend different activities, from Ikebana to Martial Art, from Japanese and Chinese courses to make up lessons, Tea Cerimony, traditional dances and many others.But this is not the end, the city will create a friendly atmosphere thanks to the organized happy hours and dj set, dedicated to the “Far East”.

Since it is a “Far East” Film Festival, there are movies from all Asia: China, Japan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Philippine, Malaysia, South Korea, Japan, Thaiwan, Thailand, Singapore. But this edition, the 15th , is going to be really important for South Korea.

During the last editions the comedian, Michael Hei and the director, Johnnie To were awarded with lifetime achievements awards, the “Gelso d’Oro” (the “Golden Mulberry”), since they are icons and experts in this field. This year, the “Gelso d’Oro 2013” is for the great director Kim Dong-ho, who is, since years, a representative of the South Korean cinema.

There are also some information about the movies that are going to be in this festival : “Girls for Keeps” by Fukagawa Yoshihiro, a Japanese comedy and “Ip Man – The Final Fight” by Herman Yau, an other sequel dedicated to kung fu master Yip Man. These are only two titles but the list is not ended because people can see four European premieres : “A Story Of Yonosuke”(Okita Shuichi ), “The Bullet Vanishes” (Derek Yee and Lo Chi-leung), “Cold War” (Longman Leung and Sunny Luk) and “Lost In Thailand” (Xu Zheng).

More information about the movies will be added in the following weeks.

You can check the website,which is also in English.

•  Source : Far East Film Festival official website.