Pledis Entertainment will be hosting their first 2011 audition in search of the last member for their upcoming debut group, ‘After School Boys’!
According to the official audition poster that was uploaded by @pledisboss on Twitter, auditions will begin on March 3rd, where they will be seeking one talented male singer in their teens who has what it takes to debut with Pledis’ first male idol group.
You can visit the official Pledis website for more information or by clicking here.
Stay tuned to allkpop as we reveal more information about this mysterious rookie group in the near future!
B2ST and G.NA will be participating in the remake album of Japanese singer-songwriter/actor, Fukuyama Masaharu!
On March 3rd, representatives of Cube Entertainment revealed, “B2ST and G.NA have sung remade versions of Fukuyama Masaharu’s hit tracks in celebration of his 20th anniversary. ‘With Special Guests – Fukuyama Masaharu Remake‘ will be released all over Asia.”
B2ST remade the popular track “Niji (Rainbow),” which was also used as a drama theme song. The addition of B2ST’s vocals was said to have given the fun song an interesting dynamic. G.NA’s remake, “Milk Tea,” features her powerful vocals to balance the delicate feeling of a narrator’s love story.
Others like Tei, Lim Jung Hee, 2AM, Ban Kwang Ok, Joo Hee, and Young Jee will also feature.
Representatives continued, “Fukuyama Masaharu’s remake album is an opportunity for B2ST and G.NA to appeal to a wider audience outside of Korea and Japan.”
The tracks will be released as a digital single for each contributing artist by the end of this month.
Source: Asia Today via Nate
The KoreaTimes Korean Music Festivalis no doubt one of the most highly-anticipated events for kpop music fans in North America – after bringing huge artists like TVXQ, the Wonder Girls, Big Bang, SNSD, Super Junior, 2PM, KARA, BEAST, SHINee and more in past years, the concert is back for its ninth year on April 30, 2011.
After much anticipation, the first batch of artists for the concert has been revealed:
Sul Woon Do DJ D.O.C. SISTAR.
The Korean Music Festival, which takes place in Los Angeles every late spring at Hollywood Bowl, tends to draw a crowd from across the continent with a few fans even traveling overseas to see their favorite kpop artists live.
It hasn’t been confirmed when the second batch of artists will be announced, so until then, reminisce and take a peek at allkpop’s extensive coverage of last year’s Korean Music Festival through our event recap, high-definitionphoto sets, videos and more. And of course, expect to see me & other allkpop staff at the concert again this year – we’ll have more surprises planned for both concert attendees and allkpop readers around the world!
For more information: Official Website Facebook page
Whew, it’s been a while since our last ‘Way Back Wednesday’, hasn’t it?
To commemorate our first ‘WBW’ of 2011, I’ve decided to spotlight the Queen of K-pop – Ms. BoA Kwon herself. And yes, I feel that I can confidently crown her as ‘the Queen’ because this lady has been around for more than 10 years, and she’s consistently demolished the charts with every new release. Her fanbase is global, and her reputation is legendary, for BoA was Korea’s first true Hallyu pop star.
BoA’s story began in 1998, when she attended an SM Entertainment audition with her older brother. Though both tried out, it was BoA who snagged the talent scouts’ attention, and they immediately offered her a contract. Her parents weren’t quite sure if they wanted their only daughter to withdraw from school for a career in entertainment, but her older brother was adamant about letting her grab this opportunity, and so they let BoA sign.
Suddenly, BoA found herself immersed in SM Entertainment’s rigorous training system. Accounts vary about her training years, but it’s said that she received tutelage from the H.O.T members themselves. What’s known for sure is that BoA dedicated everything she had to refining her dance skills and strengthening her vocals. After observing her growth over two years, SM decided that their young star was ready to debut.
At this time, BoA was only 13 years old, and she was about to head alone into an arena dominated by huge pop groups, like H.O.T, S.E.S, Fin.K.L., and g.o.d. Like any other debutante, BoA must have felt nervous about whether she’d be able to contend with these big players; after all, she was so very young, and perhaps that would be detrimental to the public taking her seriously.
But these fears would crumble easily. Breaking out into the music scene with her debut track, “ID; Peace B“, the public was in awe of BoA’s amazingly mature voice and crisp dance moves. The girl became an overnight sensation – she was something special, the public felt. Someone who was uniquely talented and fresh. They’ve never seen anything like her before, and so, they couldn’t get enough.
After releasing two singles in 2000 – “ID; Peace B” and “Sara” – BoA wrapped up her whirlwind year by taking home the “Rookie of the Year” award from the KMTV’s Music Awards.
Having grabbed everyone’s attention in her first year, the young singer walked confidently down the path towards superstardom.
BoA was accruing enough success by 2001 that her company felt they could expand upon her potential. Reaching out to Japanese label Avex Trax, SM Entertainment arranged to launch her Japanese career with their aid.
She broke into the Japanese music scene in May of 2001 with the Japanese version of her hit single, “ID; Peace B“. It garnered considerable success, landing in the Oricon Top 20 along with her follow-up singles, “Amazing Kiss” and “Kimochi wa Tsutawaru“.
All in all, it was a solid start for the young Korean star. Yet BoA knew that she could reach even higher, and so her team decided to be more aggressive in 2002. If 2001 was all about baby steps, then BoA was ready to hit the ground running for 2002.
In January, she released her fourth single, “Listen to My Heart”, which immediately became a breakthrough hit. Though her previous singles landed in the ‘Top 20′, “Listen to My Heart” peaked at the #5 spot on the Oricon charts. As in Korea, Japan learned to love the passionate girl with the aggressive moves and strong voice. It was a triumphant moment for BoA, and it allowed her to finally step out from the threat of obscurity.
BoA released her first Japanese album, “Listen To My Heart”, on the same day as her fifth single, “Every Heart: Minna no Kimochi“. The single landed in the ‘Top 10′ again, and the album became a certified ‘RIAJ million bestseller’. It was the first time for a Korean album to ever reach the top in Japan.
The months flew by, and before she knew it, BoA was counting down the final minute to the New Year. On her shelf, several new trophies sat gleaming, bright as her hope for further success. After releasing four more Japanese singles and a second studio Korean album, BoA was showered with awards at the year-end ceremonies. From Korea, she took home three Bonsangs, two Daesangs, and many other awards besides for her music videos. From Japan, the starlet was granted the ‘Gold Prize’ from the ‘44th Japan Record Awards’, a prestigious awards ceremony from the Japan Composer’s Association.
2002 had marked a turning point in BoA’s career – or rather, it marked BoA’s true launch into the world. By now, every K-pop and J-pop fan knew of BoA, and they were always waiting in the wings for new material from the idol. It seemed like nothing could touch the star as she continued to make headlines with every new achievement and shining statistic.
But like all stars, BoA eventually learned that headlines weren’t always kind to them. Reporters were always waiting for a whiff of a scandal, and in 2005, they finally got one.
In May, a Japanese tabloid magazine by the name of “FRIDAY” unleashed an article about how they caught BoA on a date. An accompanying photo showed the two interacting cozily in a park, and the media was in a frenzy over the development. Who was the man in the picture? Did BoA finally get a boyfriend?
Prior to the release of the article, BoA’s team quickly published the following press notice onto BoA’s official website:
“Some magazine will publish an article about me tomorrow featuring a photo of me and my dancers’ stylist. This article may cause some misunderstanding, but there’s nothing to worry about.”
Her male fans in particular were heartbroken at seeing their princess with another man, and there was high demand for further information. Remorseful feelings gave way to scandalized ones after the media discovered that the man in question was living with his girlfriend at the time.
Malicious rumors flared, with gossiping tongues quickly flapping about how BoA was coming between the couple. Though BoA’s camp adamantly denied that there was any romantic involvement, the damage was already done. Her image took quite a hit, and it was reflected in her sales.
Still, many sympathized with the star over the senseless media frenzy. Ironically, it did BoA some good, as it warmed her image more to those who thought she was a little cold.
The circus came around again in April of 2010, as BoA was swept up in another ’skinship’ scandal. This time, it was with KAT-TUN’s sexiest member, Akanishi Jin. A photo was snapped of the two interacting intimately in a Tokyo nightclub; witness accounts say that the two hugged several times, and that at one point, Jin had his face very close to BoA’s.
But 2010 proved to be very different from 2005, as people seemed to care less about their idols’ personal life. Only the true diehard sasaeng fans seemed to care, but the more reasonable minds believed that the ’scandal’ was at best, trivial. As BoA matured, the idol industry seemed to grow with her, as fans sought (for the most part) to respect their idol’s happiness and privacy.
So where is BoA today? Well, the question is, where isn’t she? After 2002, BoA released four Korean albums, 26 Japanese singles (not including her many collaboration joints), six full-length Japanese albums, an English album, and numerous remix albums besides. She’s even recorded some tracks in Mandarin-Chinese! Whew, it makes me almost lose my breath just listing all her releases.
At this time, BoA is preparing to film for her debut Hollywood dance film, “Cobu 3D“. Production starts in Spring, and she’ll be filming in New York City and Toronto.
As for her impact, BoA’s been cited as the personal role model of many idol stars. She’s pioneered the way for Korean artists to make their mark in Japan, and we’re sure that she’ll be successful in her upcoming Hollywood debut.
BoA started out as a young trainee, whose future seemed as unsure as a candle’s light. But armed with her “manic supersonic bionic energy“, she’s fought her way into becoming Korea’s true pop queen.
As noted, BoA’s released a veritable trove of music. I’ve gone and picked my personal favorites along with her top hits. Enjoy!
===
♤ KOREAN HITS ♤
—
> “ID; Peace B”
Mnet’s M! Countdown is back with another weekly fun-filled music show and awesome performances. MBLAQ’s G.O and Seungho were the MCs for today.
Besides the usual performances, SECRET’s Song Ji Eun begun her solo promotions while T-ara’s Eunjung, Hyomin and Jiyeon collaborated with 5dolls for a special stage.
It was a battle between Big Bang and MBLAQ for the #1 spot on M! Countdown today, and in the end, it was former who got their first win since returning last week. Unfortunately, the Big Bang boys will only be appearing from next week and couldn’t receive their trophy in person today.
Congratulations to Big Bang nevertheless!
And a tease of Big Bang’s comeback next Thursday.
Other performers who performed this evening included Insooni, Kim Hyun Jung, Hong Kyung Min, Lee Hyun, Flower, Ye Ara, Lady Jane, Mighty Mouth, Kan Mi Youn, G.NA, Kan Jong Wook, TEEN TOP, Dalmatian, Young Gun, and MBLAQ.
Meanwhile, it was teased that an all-new M! Countdown will happen next week, March 10th.
SECRET’s Ji Eun finally held her debut stage for “Going Crazy” on this week’s episode of Mnet’s “M! Countdown“!
Released earlier this week, “Going Crazy” is a smooth R&B/hip hop track that was co-produced by Kang Ji Won and Kim Kibum. Unlike the cute image this SECRET member showed in her previous promotions, Ji Eun aimed to express her power as a vocalist with a unique concept change.
Check out her creative stage below with featuring rapper, Bang Yong Guk!
T-ara’s Eunjung, Hyomin, and Jiyeon joined 5dolls for a collaboration stage on this week’s “M! Countdown.”
The Core Contents Media labelmates will be collaborating all week long for “I Mean You” as a special act of support and friendship.
The T-ara members revealed, “We’ve always wanted to perform with 5dolls because we really love the song, ‘I Mean You’. We asked our agency if it was possible, and they readily agreed, which is why we’re able to stand on the same stage together.”
Check out their performance below!
Music Bank is back once again with a fun and exciting show filled with amazing performances!
Besides the usual performance stages, Lady Jane, and Sori made their comebacks, while SECRET’s Song Ji Eun began her solo promotions. Meanwhile, the T-ara trio of Eunjung, Hyomin, and Jiyeon teamed up with 5dolls for a special collaboration stage.
It was Big Bang up against Mighty Mouth for the K-Chart tonight, and it was the former who won tonight. But unfortunately, just like yesterday, the Big Bang boys were not present to receive their trophy personally. Nevertheless, congratulations to the Big Bang boys!
Other performers include HAM, Ye Ara, Park So Vin, Piggy Dolls, Flower, Hong Kyung Min, TEEN TOP, Kan Mi Youn, Dal Shabet, Lee Jung, Insooni, Lee Hyun, MBLAQ, G.NA, IU, and TVXQ.
Backstage with MBLAQ, T-ara and 5dolls.
Backstage with Mighty Mouth, Soya and Song Ji Eun.
SECRET’s Song Ji Eun finally held her first solo comeback stage for “Going Crazy” on this week’s episode of KBS’s “Music Bank“!
Released earlier this week, “Going Crazy” is a smooth R&B/hip hop track co-produced by Kang Ji Won and Kim Kibum. Unlike the cute image SECRET showed in their previous promotion, Ji Eun aimed to express her power as a vocalist with a unique concept change.
Check it out below with her featuring rapper, Bang Yong Guk!
After taking a brief break from the scene, female soloist Sori returns to the stage of Music Bank this week with her fourth digital single, “Dancing Heart!“
Known for her powerful dance performance, Sori returns with a powerful emotional ballad, which is intended to showcase her deep vocals. Bolstered with beautiful lyrics penned by poet Won Tae Yeon (‘My heart is dancing,’ ‘My tears are dancing’), the song also features a unique background sound of guitar and accordions. Tying everything together are Supreme Team’s explosive raps.
Without further ado, check out Sori’s comeback performance with Crispi Crunch below.
T-ara’s Eunjung, Hyomin, and Jiyeon joined the 5dolls for a collaboration stage on this week’s “Music Bank.”
The Core Contents Media labelmates will be collaborating all week long for “I Mean You” as a special act of support and friendship.
The T-ara members revealed, “We’ve always wanted to perform with 5dolls because we really love the song, ‘I Mean You.’ We asked our agency if it was possible, and they readily agreed, which is why we’re able to stand on the same stage together.”
Check out their performance below!
Having taken a hiatus after debuting last October, Lady Jane has returned with her second single, “Just Friends“, on today’s Music Bank.
Having showed her potential as a solo artist with an album that showed both musical creativity and depth the last time round, her second single, “Just Friends,” features her mature vocals and an emotional melody that were previously unheard of in her urban synth pop debut track. Both elements now come together in telling the story of a heartbreaking crush.
Check out her comeback performance below!
MBC’s Music Core is back once again with yet another fun and exciting show!
Besides the usual performances, SECRET’s Song Ji Eun begun her solo promotions, while T-ara’s Hyomin and Jiyeon collaborated with 5dolls for a special stage.
MC Cuts for today.
Other performers included TVXQ, G.NA, IU, Kahi, MBLAQ, TEEN TOP, Jewelry, Kan Mi Youn, Dalmatian, Lee Hyun, Insooni, Kim Hyun Jung, Navi, Hong Kyung Min, and 2face.
T-ara’s Hyomin and Jiyeon joined the 5dolls for a collaboration stage on this week’s “Music Core.”
The Core Contents Media labelmates will be collaborating all week long for “I Mean You” as a special act of support and friendship. T-ara’s Eunjung misses out due to another schedule.
The T-ara members revealed, “We’ve always wanted to perform with 5dolls because we really love the song, ‘I Mean You.’ We asked our agency if it was possible, and they readily agreed, which is why we’re able to stand on the same stage together.”
Check out their performance below!
SECRET’s Song Ji Eun finally held her first solo comeback stage for “Going Crazy” on this week’s episode of MBC’s “Music Core“!
Released earlier this week, “Going Crazy” is a smooth R&B/hip hop track co-produced by Kang Ji Won and Kim Kibum. Unlike the cute image SECRET showed in their previous promotion, Ji Eun aimed to express her power as a vocalist with a unique concept change.
Check it out below with her featuring rapper, Bang Yong Guk!
