OOh yes, to take advantage of our new ShenYuePop privilege I’m going to be contributing the first Kpop expose I’ve done, especially for this site. Its for all those of you out there who just don’t get scandals and why theyre done in the first place. Ive used the scandal of the first half of the year “taesu” as a case study.

So if you have a spare moment my friends,
get educated in a way they dont teach you in school.

A short introduction in to the world of Kpop, SM entertainment
with a case study of the Taesu Scandal!

Ok, so a lot of you are not too clear on the idea that the Taesu scandal is a scandal or two stars caught in the act. I fully understand the confusion and so thats why I thought it would be interesting for you to have an insight in to the world of Kpop, the media and more specifically SM entertainment. This article isnt about the Taesu scandal itself but I’m going to use it as a case study to prove my point. I’m going to try and cover all the areas of confusion and try to shed light to my reasoning. I am being completely neutral here and if I were to express my opinion I will state that it is just that. First things first, if you want to understand the logic of Scandals being orchestrated by the management of an artist, you need to understand a few things about basic Business.

Simply put, it’s all a case of Business
The number one goal in terms of any business, is profit. Businesses spend millions on Market research and development each year to gain the most returns on their products. The lifespan of many products released each year are quite short, and thats where the ‘product life cycle’ comes in to play. Everything that you see in shops, television or even in schools and politics can be fundamentally linked back to the formula of the product life cycle. Businesses need to keep their products in the stage called ‘Maturity’, where basically the product has already been established and profitbility is high, while costs are relatively low. Products left in that stage are referred to as ‘cash cows’. Everything reaches the decline stage eventually, but depending on how the business deals with this stage, they can choose to either stop production and let the product go in to decline or try to set it back to the maturity stage. That can be done with Marketing, more specifically advertising. Thats why you can see Pepsi and Coca Cola spending so much money using the biggest stars of the moment in all their ads every year. Yet sometimes adverts just dont get the amount of attention they can gain, and thats where one of the most affective marketing strategies come in to play, Publicity Stunts.
Here is a list of the top 10 Publicity Stunts in Business.

So, what has that got to do with the Kpop Industry?
It has everything to do with the Kpop industry. Kpop of course is show business and everything that applies to business is directly linked to it. Strategies are adjusted to fit the industry itself as of course the Korean Pop Industry is reflected upon the Korean culture and Korean society. Thats why marketing in Korea will be different to say the United States, publicity stunts are also different in the States than Korea. Check this link out if you want to know more about publicity stunts that are more Western centric. South korea of course, is more of a conservative country, making the Western approach to publicity inapplicable. Yet easy to administer to Korean pop culture by using it as a guideline. Basically, its easy to say that sex sells and that works extremely well in the west, but in Korea a watered down version of it cuts the cake a little more smoothly. Hence, the Lee Hyoris, ChaeYeons, Jewelry and of course SNSD. Why SNSD? Mostly because their marketing is just that, a very watered down version of sex. They appeal mostly to males because of their shortness of skirts, cleancut bubble gum pop with a slightly provocative underlying meaning and bright and bubbly demeanor. SNSD is a well marketed tool by SM Entertainment, innocent enough to use the ‘cute’ image, but if you look well enough you can see that they are selling their sexuality. Smart move, ne? Hiding their true purpose underneath a larger cleaner image. And thats what takes me to SM Entertainment.

SM entertainment, Marketing Powerhouse
Its no use denying the fact that SM Entertainment is one of the most influential and powerful entertainment companies in South Korea, also responsible for a large portion of the Music influence of the Hallyu Wave. SM Entertainment has a large portion of the Pop Market Share in South Korea, and what got them there is there ingenious Marketing Strategies. They have studied the industry well and have developed their own strategies to getting their Artists to the highest plateaus in their chosen career. That’s why they have Business students coming to Korea to have lectures in just that, Marketing and the Hallyu Wave.

I’m sure some of you have heard about Harvard Business Schools students coming to attend the lectures and more recently MIT Sloan School of Management students. Admittedly they are more well known for their Musicians and there’s no doubt in saying that they have got their image and marketing down pat. Just take a look at BoA and TVXQ!, undoubtedly at the top of their game and can only get bigger, they are the ‘cash cows’ of SM Entertainment, and they are not afraid of milking them dry. Hence why, you will see them being used for marketing for their Juniors quite often. Just look back to TVXQ!’s debut, where they appeared in a Britney Spears and BoA showcase, and TVXQ! were used for Super Juniors debut, the ‘Show Me Your Love’ collab is proof of that.

TVXQ & Super Junior – Show Me Your Love [MV]

Ok, so what about the Scandals?
Marketing strategies differ from one artist to another in the South Korean industry, whether the entertainer is simply a Radio DJ, Comedian or Singer, you’ll find that their marketed in different ways. Thats why some entertainers are more inclined to get away with more than others, and why if some celebrities are caught with their pants down, fans and the public are more forgiving. What you need to keep in mind about SM entertainment is that they are in the ‘Idol Making Business’, so if they were to have their stars dating others in the company or out of it, its bound to cause more of a stir than and average entertainer.

The ‘Idol making Business’?
Yes, SM Entertainment specialises in making ‘Teen idols‘. That’s why if the particular idol is female, she is most likely to have more male fans than female, and vice versa in regards to male idols. Now, if you consider the two idol groups at question, SNSD and TVXQ! its easy to see their appeal to the opposite sex and its no doubt that their fan base is largely populated by the oposite sex. These idols make a heck of a lot of money by just being physically attractive, and by their availability in the dating sense. SM knows that and uses that to their advantage, fans of ‘idol groups’ tend to be very dedicated and ready to spend a lot of money on their favourite stars. SO they concoct plenty of schemes to gain more fans and to get more money out of their stars, and what better way to do that than keep them in the public eye, and constantly in the news. How do they do that, besides of course making them active in music industry as well as opening doors for them to branch in to acting, letting them do charity work or even better yet, involving them in juicy scandals with the opposite sex.

You mean like the TaeSu scandal?
Yes. Its a part of human nature to gossip and to be curious, thats what makes celebrities such a large topic of interest. They’re public figures who allow us to watch them over the metaphoric garden fence. And if you found out your neighbour was having an affair with the milkman, wouldnt you be interested to find out the sordid details and find out more about her and the milkman? Ok, thats more of a housewife analogy but look at it like this, say you don’t know anything about the two involved in the scandal, but youre interested to know more about them and their history, as you look through site upon site, you start to take more interest and perhaps in the long run, become a fan yourself.

So are all scandals false and just used for publicity?
Not necessarily. Scandals can be true, two entertainers dating can be discovered by the public or the media and the information can be released. When it comes to that, its mostly those in the media that chose when to disclose that information. After all the media industry needs to make money from this information too. How do they make money? Lets look at the Korean Media world, people who read the news in Korea do it mostly through the internet. And every click that goes in to the big news sites gives money to the site itself, how? Through ads on the pages you read. Its a small amount but say a news agency gives a scoop with suitable evidence to back it up, the news would spread like wildfire and people will clamour to read all the details. The amount of clicks could possibly lead to millions, and at 25Won a click, it could lead to a heck of a lot of money. For example, did you know that the Korean Media had evidence and previous knowledge of Kim Jongmin and HyunYoungs relationship a year before it was released? They kept it quiet as to gain the most amount of attention right before he left for the military.

Now, for the juicy stuff the TaeSu scandal, is it true or another fabrication of SM? Personally I believe its a bunch of fodder, like I previously stated. But here I’m going to attack your questions or possible questions about the legitamacy of my claims.

Firstly, doesnt SM have rules about dating?
Yes, SM has rules about dating, but not the kind most people seem to have in mind. The entertainers are allowed to date, but are told to keep their extra curricular activities as undercover as possible. Like going to places that don’t have that many fans, keeping a low profile, wearing disguises and similar things. They are highly encouraged not to though, as of course the consequences can be severe if anything got out, and thats in regards to the entertainer themselves. The company can play some damage control until things blow over. I’m pretty sure loads of you have read about wildboy Kangin and his many relationships, but that just adds to his ‘badboy’ image, if you can call it that. Kim Kibum also admitted to dating after debuting, better yet a noona, which coincidentally is the role hes playing *a younger guy dating an older woman* So I guess we can conclude that their not banned from dating, but discouraged.

So, the two could actually be dating?
Now, this here is me talking from my very own opinion, do you guys honestly believe that those two would be dating just from those photographs alone?? Use your better judgement and think of it rationally.

Do these two faces look like two people dating for a while
and spending some well needed quality time together?

Perhaps, if the pictures were more incriminating I would understand all the hubbub, but for someone who knows a little something about dating and has 21 years of life experience under her belt, I can say that these barely even tell me that they are glad to be in eachothers company as friends.

But these guys on the other hand look delighted to be together.

^ if someone photoshops junsu and taeyeons heads on these guys
i would love them for life!!!

Lol, yeah im only kidding, but the simple fact that the pictures and fan accounts leave room for doubt, is a hint of a staged scandal. IF they wee seen canoodling or better yet kissing and just simply some proper couple behaviour than cant be mistaken for friendship, it would be a little more convincing. Not for me, but perhaps for the public, I have no doubt in my mind this is staged, mostly due to the stuff on the actual stage too. For people that have suffered in the past for scandals, and by that I mean DBSK, do you think they would try to jump around with someone their dating on stage for all the world to see? Its common sense not to, and even if Junsu didnt know better, I think his hyungs would, who have been caught dating after debut.

But, what if they actually are dating?
Something I truly doubt is true. But if you push and push and want to know to the answer to that. I must say that if these two are in fact dating, then they are being exploited for the sake of benefiting the company.

How could them two be rumoured to be dating be benefiting the company?
Now, this is the juicy bit for me. It benefits the company immensely, as I mentioned before TVXQ! are a ‘cash cow’ for the company. Theyre fully established, make a lot more money than most, have a record-breaking fan club and are considered entertainers with substance. (By entertainers with substance I mean entertainers who can elongate their careers as they are individually seen as entertaining as well as talented, so basically theyre loved for their personalities as well as talent) In fact, its not considered much of a threat to fans of TVXQ! but extremely beneficial for SNSD. SNSD are quite plainly a group in need of support and attention, they are relatively new in this industry, so a scandal like this that isnt really inflammatory can do wonders for their careers. Just look at the fact that the news of the scandal has already reached the Chinese media, its quite simply a tactic of ‘fame by association’.

What this does is that if they choose to promote SNSD abroad, they will have articles written about them in the media, like this fake one I just wrote…

SNSD a new girl band making appearances all over China have caused quite a stir with their cute and lively ways. SNSD is a popular Korean girl group, whose leader Taeyeon has been rumoured to be girlfriend of popular band TVXQ!s Xiah Junsu.

etc etc etc

And whats the best weapon when your trying to gain popularity, attention. People who read that will check to see who this Taeyeon is and as i mentioned before, curious readers are potential fans. Just look at the Park Taehwan and Wonder girls leaders news as an example. They release rumours that theyre dating everytime they need publicity.

Haven’t there been rumours before that they’ve been going out?
Theres no proof that that is in fact true. If there were rumours before with substantial evidence, then you would have gotten news of it a long time ago. What I can say about these rumours popping up after this scandal broke out is this. On the internet people would do anything and say anything they feel like doing, so if news like this comes out then some people, just for the sake of drama, start throwing around accusations and so called ‘eye witness accounts’. Thats why you cant believe everything you read on the internet. I’ve read plenty of so-called ‘fan accounts’ on this whole thing that are so obviously fake and the work of anti-fans. The anonymity of the internet makes it possible. SO please dont believe every account youve read, it could just be there to fool you.

Won’t rumours like this make either person get anti-fans?
It may be surprising but entertainment companies actually prefer having anti-fans for their artists rather than having none. What happens is the anti-fans contribute to the attention factor. Anti-fans feel passionately about the artist too, they just are not in favour of them. So, what do antis do, they go online, search for stuff about the artist, post stuff about them and try to drag their popularity down. But instead what it does for the company itself is, increase hits on the search list for their artists. What that does is on the surface create the impression that the artists popularity is on the rise, and it makes other people who are neither a fan or anti-fan curious as to why they are so popular. And what have we said before? Anybody is a potential fan, even antis. A case of antis switching to fans is when say the anti-fan senses that people are going too far, and starts to sympathise with the artist, and in the long run they can start to support them just for that. Going back to the Search list, some of you may be aware just how important having your name in the Search list is for an artist. It mean that people want to know more about you, that people like you or better yet they are fans. That equals money, how? People are most likely to click on the official sites in order to find out about a star, those sites have a counter on them, calculating the amount of clicks a day. The more people that search, the more interested Advertising agencies and other companies would want to use their artists as spokespersons. And the more clicks, the more money SM can ask for. Yes, the key is to think of artists as commodities and not people, after all this is all a world of business.

Can’t they just pay off the big newsites and not bother with staging it?
The kpop industry is one driven by the internet. So you can say that netizens and technology are what create news and drive the market. Netizens are also very opinionated and have no problem to voice their concerns and at some points shame the media. So the media is very wary of them, and must be as convincing as possible when publishing news, in regards to entertainment and artists. A lot of the time, netizens are the ones that make the news and are not easily fooled. So, if your smart, which we’ve established SM is, you need to make them think that theyre the ones that discovered the news. That is also a much cheaper method, all they have to do is feed on the technology obsessed fan culture and tell their artists to overact, be seen together in obvious places in suspicious circumstances and sit back and watch the fruits of their efforts, for free. And it doesnt even have to be very convincing. All the while, making the fans think that they have made a large discovery, and didnt it just, how many fan accounts, pictures and fancams have you seen claiming their proof of TaeSu?

What about Cassiopeia, shouldn’t they be riled up about it too?
Let me tell you a little something about Cassiopeia. Cassioepeia is quite a fanclub, one known to be acknowledged even by SM as a force to be reckoned with. The fanclub is not in fact run by SM, it has ties with it as an official fanclub, they liaison, but of course they are run by the fans themselves. So there of course would be a fanclub president and a heirarchy of people who are in charge of certain things within the fanclub. So thinking that the fanclub itself would go berserk about the whole scandal is wrong. People a part of the fanclub, yes maybe, but not as an official movement. You have to consider that they are now a part of the Guinness book of records and have to live up to a certain standard. The Fanclub is made for the benefit of the artist and not the company, they think of the boys first. They wouldnt act officially, like they did a while back when they ordered a boycotting of SM goods, unless it directly threatened the boys future. I wouldnt be surprised if the fanclub held SM entertainment in contempt. I guess you can say that the relationship between SM and Cassiopeia is that of a daughter in law and a mother in law. You may hate the mother in law but without her you wouldnt have your precious husband. So unless they thought that something needed to be done, they would just leave things be for the sake of the boys. So do Cassiopeia know this is a publicity stunt? Most likely, but they cant do a thing about it, afterall the boys benefit from the publicity as well.

So what would happen if they did get riled up?
That’s no longer in the ‘IF’ category!

SNSD arrival at the DREAM CONCERT 2008

^ Look for Tiffany! with the shortest skirt, highest heels
and with the over the top pose!?

it seems that after months and months of poking at the wounded ribs of Cassiopeia by SM Entertainment and years of torment for the Super Junior pro-Only 13 ELF fans, they joined an alliance in this years DREAM CONCERT with other fanclubs, namely the Triple S supporters of SS501 to stage a silenceing throughout the SNSD performance, and turning off all light sticks.

Fans Boycotted SNSD at DREAM CONCERT 2008 [FANCAM]

What pushed them so far, its of course the ongoing scandals and games SM entertainment have been playing on fans and the public, namely the Haptic scandal commercials which ended up introducing said scandals, and the TaeSu scandal may have perhaps been the final straw for Cassiopeias. Furthermore, it seems fans are angry of the attention the SNSD girls get, namely Tiffany who claims she had a crush pre-debut with every male idol under the sun. The attention goes to them and pushes negativity to their own stars, also one needs to consider that these girls are rookies and have not worked as hard as the established stars to achieve their dream, so all this attention and publicity is sure to make fans of Seniors in the business angry, and do I even need to mention the SNSD-SHinwha business?

Now, what have they gained from this silenceing business?
The main objective was to show SM entertainment that they can try and play with their artists and their reputations as much as they want, but in the end, the fans have the control to make or break people in the business not them. It was meant as a united stand against the SNSD publicity stunts and their outrageous outbursts. You can say, other idol fans have had enough of girls flashing panties, excited male hormone-driven fans getting all the attention for doing just that, flashing their panties. But, this didn’t go entirely as planned. Rumour has it SNSD fans got wind of the plan and tore down a Super Junior fanmade banner, breaking hearts of Super Junior fans. Fan wars can get ugly, other rumours state that fans of larger groups involved in the boycott of SNSD were attacked by SNSD fans after the concert, some say even by knives.

^ an SNSD fan holding a knife!
These pictures were posted in Daum by a Cassiopeian.
She was saying this 2 guys were waving the knife in front of them and threatening them.
Telling them something like “You should try going home and….”
And then someone in ELF got stabbed. (translation: capri-shiqi)
Some other account report of a Triple S fans who also got stabbed by SNSD’s fan with pocket knife! a 14 year old Cassiopeia is reported that was beaten up to death! All the victims were sent to hospital.

We can all agree that boycotting a performer may seem harsh but it is in no means physically harming to the artists or their fans, intending physical harm is something gangsters do and cannot be taken lightly. Remember fandom is meant for your entertainment and it is not something to risk your life or health for or the health or lives of others.

As an afterthought I would like to mention a little something. I myslef was qutie disgusted when I first found out just how money-driven and corrupt the ShowBiz industry is. I didnt like the idea of being seen as currency and neither did I like that the artists where seen as a means for gaining currency either. In fact I was downright outraged, as a fan I wanted to just stop bothering with the industry, why support something so corrupt? And then the outrage died down and I realised a little something. Everything in the world that deals with money is corrupted, so does that mean I had to cut out of my life everything that had to do with that? Politics, Business, the Food and Beverage industry. So if I was going to boycott all things corrupt I might as well be living in a hut in the middle of nowhere, raising cattle and growing crops. the real world is a cruel and tainted place, why complicate things by reading way too much in to everything. Enjoy the industry for the sake of enjoyment, take it lightly, have fun with rumours, take part in the discussions but dont let it rule your life. As long as the entertainment industry is sticking to the fundamentals of entertianment and as long as I’m entertained what should I care. I like a lot of people in the industry, I love TVXQ!, they are a bunch of boys who are talented and hardworking, who have great personalities and do just that, entertain me. So I will buy their albums, I will watch shows they’re on, Buy their DVDS, I have no qualms about spending my hard earned money that way, because afterall their doing their jobs, I’m being entertained, why should they suffer for it? Ok, so Im buying in to the deceit but isnt life too short to take things so seriously.

There are people out there, celebrities who are seeking fame for the sake of fame, dont care who they have to step on and what they do and I dont like them. Who dont work as hard and reap more rewards than people who are extremely dedicated. If I choose to mock them in my little ways and take part in not so positive discussions, thats my choice. They put themselves in positions to be criticised, as public figures we have a right to pick them a part, its a part of democracy and free speech. they know what their getting in to beforehand. Perhaps I;m being hypocritical, for equally adding positivity and negativity and accepting them, but I’ll say it again, just enjoy it, if you take it too seriously you’ll only end up hurting yourselves. This stuff has more of an affect on our lives than we know, when we grow older we’ll think back at these times where we loved boybands and remember them fondly, perhaps even laughing at ourselves and how ridiculous we may have been. I remember Backstreet Boys and Nsync and love those times while I get embarassed by how much it took up of my time, yet I am grateful to the people that worked so hard to give me alittle something to amuse myself with. The drama it caused in school life and how we saved up as 12 year olds *i didnt do the math i dont remember how old i was then* to buy magazines, tape cassettes and CDS when they became popular. I came back to that world when I got in to the drama of Kpop. The media circus of Kpop is a drama in itself and its almost as entertaining as the Mini-series’s and movies they come out with and thats why I follow it. It has created a world in which I can forget the stress of my education, job and personal life and thats what the Entertainment industry essentially was. An escape from the harshness of the real world. SO appreciatte it, have fun with it, enjoy it, but please dont let it add to the stresses of life. take care of your mental health. :3

ALL THE CREDITS TO: noonoo_shoo from SYP FORUM
THE WRITER MAY CONTACTED FOR ANY QUESTIONS

Haha!we didn’t do it, trust me!

nor xyrhene who posted it on soompi forum. Xyrhene found it on a friendster account, which apparently, when i tried to enter, is already suspended. Not the best anti-fan artwork, is it?

Now lemme quote what soompiers say (allow me to share the info, soompiers!) :

caramelly :

That kid’s really immature. She’s indonesian btw (xyrhene assumed he/she was Malaysian~ Louise). haha. she hates yuri bcos xiah’s close to her…? wth. It’s kinda amusing if you look at it from a diff point of view. That fan spent so much of her time ‘anti-ing’ SNSD , as if that’ll make her colser to sj or dbsk.

  o.O   Indonesian???can i say something in our language here??well i guess not..gosh!!how embarassing..if you wanna establish yourself as an anti, at least you should show some more work of your left brain, darling..

Ah, how many times do i have to say “i’m speechless” toward anti-fans??

Dear anti-fans : grow up, people..and be a lil bit more creative…

_______________________________________________________________

Full Credit When Posted Elsewhere

Credit for pictures : xyrhene @ soompi

Credit : Shenyue + Louise @ Shenyuepop.com

No Additional Credit Should Be Added

 

Blog Hacker Threatens Singer

By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter
It is not only malicious comments on the Internet that irritate stars. Hacking of stars’ blogs is more bothering, as their private life and personal information can be leaked and sometimes used for a crime _ like a recent case involving BoA.

According to the police and S.M. Entertainment Friday, a 23-year-old college student was arrested for hacking a blog of singer BoA and blackmailing her, threatening to spread her private photos.

The student, identified as Seo, sneaked onto BoA’s Cyworld blog in April 2006 and obtained photos that she took with a male singer. He sent e-mails to her manager to threaten that he would release the photos if they did not provide money. He took 35 million won.

S.M. Entertainment said in a press release that the victim was BoA and the male singer was Ahn Danny, former member of pop group g.o.d., and the two have been close friends.

“Seo threatened to spread a rumor that was not factual, and BoA’s manager tried to catch him by contacting him and giving him money,” the entertainment company said.

Seo also sent e-mails to Ahn and his manager on over 10 occasions earlier this month, demanding 65 million won in exchange for not spreading the photos and the rumor. The police investigating BoA’s case traced the e-mails and caught Seo, according to the police and the company.To hide his identity, Seo sent the e-mails with pop star Lee Hyo-lee’s e-mail address that he obtained five years previous when hacking Lee’s Web sites.

SK Communications, operator of Cyworld, said the police found that Seo did not break into the Web system but logged into the blog with a password that he guessed from BoA’s information open to the public, such as date of birth.

However, whether through hacking or logging in with IDs, it is not the first time that stars’ blogs with personal information are disclosed, and pressure is mounting that people need to respect stars’ privacy.

In April, a personal blog of KBS anchor Choi Dong-sok was hacked and his photos with his girlfriend and anchor Park Ji-yoon were posted on the Internet. The photos were personal and the two reported the leakage to police.

“Public attention to stars is excessive and is reaching a law breaking-level,” an Internet user with the ID “Jiyeong” said on Daum.

rahnita@koreatimes.co.kr  (June 15th 2007)

Louise: aren’t these fans smart or what to guess the passwords?

ShenYue: while i was searching around … i found some pics that Korean netizens are gathering of BoA and Danny! The fishy part is why SM paid the hacker before reporting it to Police, if the two were only friends! Seems like everyone after this news is convinced the two sure been dating! Here are more pics Koreans are gathering!

Credit: suejinners @ soompi

Guest on TV Show Kills Herself

By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter
The suicide of a high schoolgirl who appeared on a television entertainment program is heating the cyber world over the reason for the suicide. According to police, the 16-year-old girl, Lee Eun-ji, hung herself in her room at her home in Daejeon early Tuesday morning. Her mother was the first to find her. Early last month, the girl appeared on an SBS television show titled “StarKing,” where ordinary citizens with extraordinary abilities or stories compete for an award.

Lee drew public attention to her loss of 40 kilograms, bringing her weight from 87 to 47 kilograms in three months. She said she did so in order to please her late grandmother who used to worry about her being overweight.

Lee’s mother told police that she had scolded her daughter the evening before her death for not eating to lose more weight. Then Lee went to her room and the next morning her mother found her dead, according to the police.

There was a written will on her desk. It read, “I’m sad to have been scolded. Father and mother, I’m sorry for having worried you. I’m sorry for having given you pain.”

Although her mother said Lee had suffered from depression over the stress of weight control, many Internet users are blaming fans of boy band Super Junior for Lee’s death _ Lee’s friends testified she received malicious comments by Super Junior fans after a picture of her posing with one of the group members during the television show was spread on the Internet.

A friend of Lee said Lee had posted a note on a Web site last month saying she was distressed by the comments.

Another friend said not only the star’s fans but also Lee’s classmates posted hurtful comments on her blog, with one of the comments saying, “Are you happy to have lost that much weight and to be on TV? I bet you underwent liposuction.”

Producers of StarKing put an article of mourning on the program’s Web site, saying they were shocked at the news and were praying for her.

A fan of the pop group also posted a written apology on a portal site. She said she and other fans recognized their comments could have led to Lee’s suicide and apologized, adding they were regretful for having been jealous of the picture.

taken from The Korea Times June 7th 2007

Picture credit : hseliz.blogspot.com

SARANGHAE @ soompi

the picture that drew bloods.

i’m speechless on how absurd some people can react..

The service that brings you Korean star Bae Yong Joon’s voice to begin your day have launched.

Bae Yong Joon’s agency in Japan, IMX, started “BYJ Voice Message” service through Bae Yong Joon’s official mobile communication site, which received a good response from users.

The messages used for email, voice mail, alarm clock, etc, were directly recorded by Bae Yong Joon, and have been made available for downloading.

The top telecommunication company, NTT DoCoMo, and Softbank will launch the Bae Yong Joon Voice Message Service on the 13th.

Presently, it offers messages in Korean such as “Hello, this is Bae Yong Joon,” or “I love you,” and messages in Japanese are projected to be offered starting next month.

In the case of Japanese messages, it will offer commonly used phrases such as, “Mail has arrived,” “Good night,” and etc. If used in conjunction with the Korean messages, one can use about fifty of the messages.

This service is charged by content, so each usage will cost 210 yen.
credit : broasia

Fans of the actor So Ji Sub published a book in honor of him.

So Ji Sub’s fan site “Eternally Loving Only So Ji Sub,” in commemorating its seventh year, published a book titled “While Loving A Silent Star.” The book contains the ten years of So Ji Sub’s acting career, the posts on his fan site, pictures, and etc.

So Ji Sub, who received the book, said that he was so touched by the great gift. He wrote on his homepage that he will show his fans his hardest efforts in film, to repay them for their kindness.

The fan site’s webmaster said, “Through this book, I hope that many people will understand why So Ji Sub can only be So Ji Sub, and no one else.”

The proceedings earned by this book is planned to be used for the joint project between the fan site and So Ji Sub that had been running for the past two years.

 credit : broasia

this has been around for about a week, but i just found it.

This interview is from 2003

I still remember the first time I have in contact with se7en, It was in a record store in the center of Seoul. The cover of his CD was very simple, just a big ” 7″ locate in the middle. After flipping through the booklet in his CD, I feel like he is just like Rain, dressing in a Hip Hop style and showing all different kind of pose. Even though 2 years have gone by, that “Must listen” CD I’ve already listened so many times, this is the first time I have a close contact with him.

Se7en was schedule to visit HK for 3 days, but he still accept the offer of this interview. The first thing he did as he arrived to the studio is sleep. He was sleeping on the sofa with his cap and sunglasses on. Even with the noise of the cameras, and the loudness of us talking he can still sleep like there is no disturbance. But after his agent tells him to get ready, he quickly settle himself to the best shape possible, and neatly sat still just like a regular high school student.

Between the interview, I found out besides se7en looking like a high school student, he is sweeter than I thought. How can I describe this professional and hansome boy as sweet? Well, maybe I should say he really likes to smile. He smiles while facing camera and also off camera too. He kept on smiling until his eyes are tight just like a string across his face. I guess it’s this cute, pure and naive smile made all the asian girls fall for him.

“You should be a good lover !” I said. After se7en hear my compliment he smiled again and replied me “No, not really, I don’t have a girlfriend right now, I’m too occupied with my work! But even if a girl ask me out, I still can’t accept her because if I know I won’t be able to have time to spend with her, then I don’t want to delay her bright future, so I’m not a good lover right at this moment.”

“To me, happiness don’t have to be an oath. Happiness can simply be doing the stuff she likes with her, and gladly accept her life, then I think she will easily feel the happiness.”

Se7en think it’s not hard to handle relationships, in a matter of fact, it’s all about honesty. So, Se7en’s dream girl is very simple, and that is the girl must have the same thought with him. He want someone who will be able to share his happiness and sadness that appears in life. “I’m not a very romantic person. I don’t know how to say stuff to impress girls. The only thing I know how to say is I love you.” Se7en told me. After hearing his word, I smiled at him and told him that it’s ok to not be romantic, because the 3 “I love you” words is already powerful enough to steal a women’s heart.

” When was the first time you say I love you?” I asked him. He said he forgot it already. ” My first relationship started in 5th grade. I really liked a girl in our class, so I wrote a letter to her. It’s just a few simple words like I really like you.”
“So what is her feedback?” I asked him. ” We went out for about a month, but when I think back now, I don’t even think thats a real relationship. It’s just that we hang out in school, but we never really had a date. But anyway, I count that as my first relationship!”

Even though Se7en admitted that he is not a romantic person, but I can still feel that who ever date him, she must be filled with his warmth, and must be melted by his smile. Since Se7en was little, he is use to share happiness with his surrounding people. He leaves all the pain and sadness to himself. “When I feel frustrated, I rarely share my pain with my friends, I just use singing and dancing to let-off my frustration. Then I eat a delicious meal and go to sleep.” He expressed. “So, when was the last time you cry?” I asked him curiously. “Never, I will not let myself be unhappy for long, because when I am unhappy, I find a way to cure it instently. I find ways to let my self stay happy.” He replied.

News: Men’s UNO megazine from Lucky Se7en Taiwan
Credit: 7Style china and helloseven cafe/yahoo blog/hk cafe
Tranlsation: Jennifer @ Shenyuepop.com
Credits: www.ShenYuePop.com
DO NOT REMOVE ORIGINAL CREDITS AND ADD OTHER CREDITS

Edit: Thanks to Jennifer the mystery of the interviewer is solved LOL~!
if bunch of kids can get an interview with a guy … then classy site of shenYuepop .. can’t? LOL~!

“I am now studying at Korea’s Dankook University. Last year, Rain attended the ceremony marking beginning of the school year. Last week my classmates and I were late to class, and we saw that Rain was in class! Last year our university had invited him to perform, last week during the university’s 60th anniversary a concert was held where “IVY” and some other performers whom I didn’t recognize performed. When he came to class, he had an agent/bodyguard with him, but when class started, the agent left. The entire school got the news and everyone started to crowd at Rain’s classroom to catch a glimpse of him. Heard that eventually Rain’s agent came to get him and left. The university has many branches/campuses, I am in the Seoul campus, and so is Rain. Heard that he’s been to class twice already. ”

Credit: Rain USA + http://moveonwithbirain.blogspot.com/

for anyone who remember when i threw the bet about who’s gonna fall and who’s gonna raise, http://shenyuepop.com/2007/04/30/i-miss-good-old-days/#comments    now i  know where i should put my bet on. he’s raising, as Arirang put him in Star Focus today, May 9.

Ha Suk-jin

PROFILE

Here’s an actor that people are oddly drawn to… and find him to be oh-so-charming! Today’s STAR FOCUS turns SUPER ROOKIE to meet an actor with SO much potential… Ha! Suk! Jin!

He’s 2007’s ‘actor to keep an eye on’!
This super rookie has a packed schedule this year – Ha takes his FIRST lead roles in both a TV drama AND movie! He runs around like crazy with filming schedules, interviews, and promotions.

Ha Suk-jin is in his mid-twenties, but people still mistake him as a young college student – sometimes even a high-schooler! Maybe that’s because almost every role since his debut was as a student in high school – a REBELLIOUS student.
For most people, looking younger than your age, and having a strong image, is a good thing. But for actors, it’s more the opposite. It could get them stuck in a rut.

Now Ha Suk-jin is beginning to gain momentum and he’s revealing that there’s a lot more variety in his acting skills than he led on! He has been singled out as 2007’s greatest potential in acting.

After meeting Ha Suk-jin in person, we learned that he has enough depth to become a true actor.
We applaud the bright and ambitious Ha Suk-jin on his journey to the top.

credit :arirang.co.kr

I remember old times when i just finished watching the movie See You After School, i browsed the internet to find Ha Seok Jin, and all i got was this lousy site contained male models from all over asia. just one picture of Ha Seok Jin, squeezed between Indian and Thai model photos.

now? he’s everywhere on the net!it feels a lil bit hurt, people…coz i spotted him since long time ago…and all those tears and blood i shed just to find out more about him…now everyone can just get him..just like that..*sigh*

btw, just in case you don’t know him, he’s the one playing Lee Ji Hoon’s cousin in Hello Miss. and he also appeared in Monday Kiz MV.

check out his weird taste of taking pictures! he’s so not boring!

credit : hancinema for all pictures + reika no rakuen

People, from today we have a new category to my blog “Fan’s Corner” this is an opportunity for my readers to have a chance to post their thoughts and concerns on any Kpop related news and celebrities. I’m sure so many of you either don’t have any Kpop related blog or readers and some of you might not have a time for it! However, there are times that you crave for having your thoughts published somewhere just to see people’s reaction to your thoughs and concerns or you simply wanna share it in more defined format to the regular kpop readers here. So here is your chance people! If interested simply send your posts with the picture or video etc…to me via email and I will publish them for you under your name, then we can all enjoy and chat over your posts How cool is that?
So we launch this new idea with Kwfong posts! Congrad Kwfong for being the first one on this corner! And thanks for the effort! ^^

SONG HYE GYO IN PERSON

I dont wish to put down any K-celebs but I was rather disappointed when I saw Song Hye Gyo in person not more than 10 feet away last Feb. Everyone raves about her beauty but I didn’t see the radiating beauty that I saw on the TV screen. She looked a little emaciated (very thin) and very pale with face plastered with very white and dull foundation.

Since I couldn’t reconcile the fact with the face on TV, so I rushed home after the
special meeting the fans to watch her live on TV one and half hour later. As though by a stroke of the wand, she was back to the SHG we knew, the radiate and absolutely beautiful woman with translucent and glowing complexion. Subsequently, I scanned four her pictures in the newspapers and she was the raving beauty again. I came to the conclusion that she must be very photogenic and that the white foundation with strong artificial lighting gives her a translucent, pinkish glowing complexion.

The MC who was with her during her trip here said that in person she looked like a girl next door.

Author: Kwfong 29mar07