Showing posts with label Korean. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Korean. Show all posts

Friday, March 9, 2018

Korean stars Lee Dong Wook and Suzy are dating


MANILA – Korean celebrities Lee Dong Wook and Suzy are now dating, Soompi reported on Friday citing a statement from the actor’s agency.

According to Starship Entertainment, the two met at a private, casual gathering and “they recently started to get to know each other with good intentions and have feelings for each other.”

“Because it’s still the beginning and we just learned about it, there’s not much we can say about them dating or being a couple,” the statement added.

Lee was part of the hit Korean series “Goblin.” His other shows include “My Girl,” “Scent of a Woman,” “Hotel King,” and “Guardian: The Lonely and Great God.”

Suzy, on the other hand, started her career as part of the girl group Miss A. She recently released her solo album.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Thursday, December 21, 2017

SHINee star's suicide highlights dark side of the K-pop dream


SEOUL -- Known for its ultra-competitive, pressure-cooker society, South Korea has one of the world's highest suicide rates. And this week the even higher stresses in the country's lucrative showbiz industry took their toll on a K-pop superstar.

Kim Jong-Hyun, a 27-year-old lead singer of the hugely popular boy band SHINee, took his own life in a Seoul hotel room on Monday, with his death sending shockwaves through fans around the world.

Five-member SHINee were at the forefront of the "Korean Wave" that has seen South Korean pop culture sweep Asia by storm in the past decade and lap at shores even further afield.

The band has found fame and fortune with multiple chart-topping albums and sold-out concerts at home and abroad since their debut in 2008.

But a grittier reality lies beneath the glitz and glamour of the K-pop scene -- cutthroat competition, a lack of privacy, online bullying and relentless public pressure to maintain a wholesome image at all times and at any cost.

Many stars like Kim are picked up by agencies at a young age, usually in their early or mid teens, their lives then taken over by gruelling singing and dancing training, with the ever-present risk of falling foul of a cut-throat screening process.

Holidays are rare and privacy an unaffordable luxury as many live with other band mates in dorm-like apartments provided by their agents, who dictate everything from music styles and diet regimen to mobile phone use -- and normally impose dating bans.

Many struggle with a constant lack of sleep and privacy.

Kim Se-Jeong, a popular K-pop singer, confessed of once sleeping a total of one hour for four days. "I had to perform on stage, appear in TV shows and shoot ad commercials all at the same time," she told a television interviewer earlier this year.

Kang Daniel, of the popular boy band Wanna One, admitted that his biggest wish was "having just one day of rest."

"For months ahead of my debut, I usually woke up four or five in the morning... practised until two or three in the morning the following day," Kang said in a television interview aired in August.

He was "grateful" to get a chance at fame, he added, but the gruelling schedule eventually affected his health and the 21-year-old cancelled all public appearances earlier this month.

Smiley happy face
Many K-pop stars face tremendous pressure to look and behave perfectly in an industry powered by so-called "fandoms" -- groups of well-organized admirers who spend enormous amounts of time and money to help their favored stars climb up the charts and attack their perceived rivals.

In return, the stars are expected to tread carefully in an industry where today's most-fervent fans can be tomorrow's most vicious critics if their idols fail to meet their expectations -- or "betray" them.

Drug use or drunken driving are seen as career-breakers, while behavior that causes a "stir" -- anything from a social media gaffe to a failure to smile ceaselessly at public appearances -- could be criticized for years.

Many are constantly chased by paparazzi and camera-touting fans who share or sell every single detail and images of the stars' daily lives online for public scrutiny.

"These 'idols' virtually live in a fishbowl and are pressed to put on a smiley, happy face while behaving nicely 24/7," said cultural commentator Kim Seong-Soo, adding the strain could "cripple them emotionally."

Such challenges are common among celebrities around the world, he told AFP, but are amplified in the hyper-wired South Korea, which has some of the world's fastest internet speeds and highest smartphone usage, and a society where pressure to conform is high.

Taboos about mental illness dissuade many from seeking medical help, including public figures, he added.

Winner takes all

Kim's death is unusual for a K-pop musician at the height of his popularity, but is the latest in a long list of showbiz suicides.

In 2010, Park Yong-Ha, a top actor who had huge followings at home and in Japan and China, hanged himself, and former actor Kim Sung-Min, whose career was ruined by a jail term for drug abuse, did the same last year.

In the most shocking series of suicides, actress Choi Jin-Sil - a household name - hanged herself in 2008, her actions blamed on online bullying.

Her brother, also an actor, killed himself two years later, and her ex-husband, former baseball star Cho Sung-Min, followed suit in 2013.

Actress Park Jin-Hee interviewed hundreds of actors and actresses for her master's thesis in 2009 and said that 40 percent had considered suicide at least once due to a lack of privacy, online bullying or unstable incomes.

But celebrity suicides are only a microcosm of South Korea's wider social problems, including cutthroat competition in areas from education to workplaces and a lack of safety nets, said commentator Kim, calling depression an "inevitable outcome" of living under such strain.

"Our country has an extreme form of winner-take-all system where those who fail can hardly make a comeback, or even survive."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Fans mourn death of SHINee's Jonghyun


SEOUL - Hundreds of fans of top South Korean boy band SHINee member Jonghyun visited his altar on Tuesday at Asan Medical Centre in Seoul to mourn the death of the singer.

Tearful fans and his fellow singers offered condolences and expressed their sadness at the loss of the K-pop star.

  
"I feel really sorry that I didn't consider his pain at all, I only thought of him giving me strength," said Jeong Yujin, a 22-year-old South Korean fan.

"I hope Jonghyun is happy wherever he is," said Walatip Kitkan, a 24-year-old Thai fan.

Kim Jong-hyun, 27, was found unconscious next to burning briquettes on a frying pan inside a serviced residence in the South Korean capital Seoul, a police official told Reuters.

"We're always going to miss you. And I'm so sorry this is what you thought and you needed to do, though I'll always love you. And for everyone that couldn't be here, I'm so sorry. But he knows you guys are here with him too," said 26-year-old American fan Natasha Burgard.

Kim spent nearly a decade in his leading role as one of five members of SHINee, one of the most popular boy bands in the country. He also sang as a solo artist.

His death is a blow to the massive worldwide fan base that Korea's K-pop music has attracted in recent years.

Editor's note:

A group in the Philippines is dedicated to addressing those who have suicidal tendencies.

The crisis hotlines of the Natasha Goulbourn Foundation aim to make these individuals feel that someone is ready to listen to them.

These are their hotline numbers:

Information and Crisis Intervention Center

(02) 804-HOPE (4673)
0917-558-HOPE (4673) or (632) 211-4550
0917-852-HOPE (4673) or (632) 964-6876
0917-842-HOPE (4673) or (632) 964-4084

In Touch Crisis Lines:

0917-572-HOPE or (632) 211-1305
(02) 893-7606 (24/7)
(02) 893-7603 (Mon-Fri, 9 am-5 pm)
Globe (63917) 800.1123 or (632) 506.7314
Sun (63922) 893.8944 or (632) 346.8776

source: news.abs-cbn.com

SHINee's Kim Jonghyun bemoans loneliness in suicide note


SEOUL -- A top K-pop star bemoaned feeling "broken from inside" and "engulfed" by depression in a suicide note, it emerged Tuesday, as his death sent shockwaves among fans worldwide.

Kim Jong-Hyun, a 27-year-old lead singer of the massively popular K-pop boyband SHINee, was found in a Seoul hotel room on Monday in what police said was suicide.

Kim's close friend, musician Nain9, released a suicide note on Tuesday on her Instagram account, saying he had asked her to publish the message in the event of his death.

"I am broken from inside. The depression that gnawed on me slowly has finally engulfed me entirely," it said, adding he "couldn't defeat it anymore".

"I was so alone," he went on. "The act of ending is difficult. I've lived until now because of that difficulty."

"Please tell me I did a good job," he implored, ending the note with: "You've worked hard. You've really gone through a lot. Goodbye."


Five-member SHINee debuted in 2008 and went on to lead the "Korean Wave" that saw South Korean pop culture develop followings across Asia and beyond.

Known for peppy songs and carefully choreographed dance numbers performed with military precision, SHINee has become one of the world's best-known K-pop acts.

The band has released five albums that swept charts at home and abroad, with some topping the US Billboard World Albums chart.

The band's agents SM Entertainment -- which dominates K-pop and has several other top acts under its wings -- said Kim's funeral would be held on Thursday.

"Other members of SHINee as well as other artists at our company are all mourning his death amid deep sorrow and shock," it said in a statement.

Many other K-pop stars at the firm cancelled public appearances to visit the mourning altar at a Seoul hospital where his body lies, with hundreds of tearful fans also in attendance.

"It looks certain that it was a suicide," police told a briefing. "So we plan to close the case without autopsy as requested by the family."

Ultra-competitive society

Social media was flooded by thousands of messages of mourning, with photos showing throngs of fans sobbing near a makeshift memorial set up outside the Korean embassy in Santiago, Chile.

Kim was pronounced dead shortly after being moved to a hospital. A coal briquette was found burning on a frying pan in the room where he was found -- a common method of suicide in South Korea.

The country -- known for its ultra-competitive society -- has one of the highest suicide rates in the world, with the deaths of public figures and celebrities often making headlines.

K-pop stars go through cutthroat competition and gruelling, years-long training by their agents, who dictate everything from the artists' music style to diet regimen and even mobile phone use.

Many are also pressed to maintain squeaky-clean and wholesome images at all times, smiling throughout their public appearances and staying away from "troubles" such as romantic relationships.

Kim earlier sent his sister several text messages saying "This is my last farewell" and "Please let me go and say I did a good job", prompting her to make an emergency phone call to police.



Editor's note:

A group in the Philippines is dedicated to addressing those who have suicidal tendencies.

The crisis hotlines of the Natasha Goulbourn Foundation aim to make these individuals feel that someone is ready to listen to them.

These are their hotline numbers:

Information and Crisis Intervention Center


(02) 804-HOPE (4673)
0917-558-HOPE (4673) or (632) 211-4550
0917-852-HOPE (4673) or (632) 964-6876
0917-842-HOPE (4673) or (632) 964-4084

In Touch Crisis Lines:

0917-572-HOPE or (632) 211-1305
(02) 893-7606 (24/7)
(02) 893-7603 (Mon-Fri, 9 am-5 pm)
Globe (63917) 800.1123 or (632) 506.7314
Sun (63922) 893.8944 or (632) 346.8776

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Thursday, March 19, 2015

VIRAL: Korean beauty through 100 years


A short video of a Korean model changing hats and hairdos to show 100 years of Korean beauty is going viral online.

A crew of four people made model Tiffany Lee depict how a woman from North and South Korea looked like from the 1910s to the 2010s.

The one-minute video uploaded by Cut.com on Wednesday has now more than 3 million views on YouTube.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Cafe De Seoul adds Korean twist to the coffeehouse


MANILA -- As a Korean living in Manila, I find myself craving for a Korean café with its distinctive atmosphere and menu. So I was quite happy to have discovered Café De Seoul near the De La Salle University-Manila campus.

Cafe De Seoul serves coffee and food influenced by Korean traditions and taste. Opened just last March 1, most of its customers are La Salle students, who stay in the café to study, hold group meetings or simply chat with friends.

As early as now, the café's owners are already thinking about opening more branches around Metro Manila.

Interiors

The first thing customers would notice when they enter the café is how modern and clean it looks, simply decorated with a black-and-white color scheme.

Since students are the primary customers here, visitors won’t find couches in the café. Instead, tables and chairs are provided, which are perfect for meetings and study groups. Café De Seoul also provides magazines and books for customers who just want to enjoy their time in the café.

Students can also enjoy WiFi, printing services and charging stations for free. Some tables are even equipped with with Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1s which customers can use, also for free.

And unlike most coffee shops, Café De Seoul is a full-service restaurant.

Some of the online reviews of noted that the coffee here is little bit expensive. Prices are on a par with those at high-end coffee joints like Starbucks and The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf.

Drinks and coffee


Café De Seoul serves coffee-based drinks, mocktails, teas, juices, yogurt and various cakes and pastries.

It is particularly proud of the quality of its coffee beans as these are imported from South Korea. The beans are sourced from various coffee-producing countries and include Brazil Santos No.2, Guatemala SHB, Costa Rica SHB, Tanzania AA, and Kenya AA. These coffee beans are nourished, pruned, picked and perfectly roasted from the best selection of beans, which is why the café's coffee-based drinks are famous for their outstanding flavors.

Ddalgi Sonagi is one of the best-selling beverages in Café De Seoul. It's a colorful drink since it is made from kiwi and strawberries. The Korean term literally translates to “strawberry rain,” which is a fitting name for this refreshing drink, especially on a hot and humid day. Customers can also choose from other fruit-based beverages from the menu.

The café also serves different kinds of Korean tea but the most famous one is the Honey Yuja. It is a healthy, traditional Korean drink that is good for digestion and helps relieve hangovers. The tea consists of thinly sliced Korean citrus fruit and infused with sugar and honey stirred in water. It has high calcium and vitamin content and is also helpful toward relieving blood pressure. The taste is somewhere between an orange and a lemon with touch of sweetness.

Desserts

Café De Seoul also serves a variety of desserts such as cakes, cookies, rice cakes and breads, but the most recommended one here is the Korean rice cake.

Café de Seoul’s rice cakes are modernized versions of the traditional Korean rice cakes and tailored for Filipino customers. With 10 flavors, the rice cakes is made of pounded chewy rice and filled with a mix of fruits and sweet bean paste, making it the perfect to pair with the cafe's teas.

There’s also a special item called the Seoul Bing-Soo, which is like a Korean halo-halo. Normally, it is an ice dessert topped with red beans and rice cakes. The Seoul Bing-Soo also has these but with the addition of gelato and sliced almonds on top. There are also other flavors of the Bing-Soo here, such as green tea, strawberry and wine.

With its cool ambiance, generous service and interesting mix of drinks and food, Café de Seoul is an opportunity for Filipinos to experience a modern Korean coffee shop.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com



Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Holdak promises 'real' Korean fried chicken


MANILA, Philippines – There’s a new player in the growing Korean-style fried chicken segment in Manila and this time, it promises to be the real thing.

Holdak, which promotes itself as “the real Korean fried chicken,” started in 2003 as a small family-owned restaurant in Busan and has since evolved into a chain of fast casual restaurants in Korea with branches in Seoul, Daejeon and Chungnam, as well in China and Japan.

The other restaurants serving Korean fried chicken in the Philippines originated elsewhere. Bonchon, for instance, started in the United States, while 4 Fingers first opened in Singapore.

It was in Beijing, China where Filipino entrepreneur Carl Tan had his first taste of Holdak. Tan, now the president of Holdak Philippines Inc., told a select group of food writers recently that he was studying in China at the time and it became his dream to bring Holdak to the Philippines.

That wish finally came true this year when he opened Holdak’s first Philippine branch at the SM Mezza Residences in Sta. Mesa last January.




Asked why he chose the non-mall location, Tan pointed out that the area has several schools, including the University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center, as well as the SM Centerpoint mall. Students can easily afford the meals at Holdak with a two-piece chicken with rice priced at only P99.

The restaurant’s bright interiors also have a youthful vibe, with its orange and white color scheme, a mural of Seoul’s busy Myeongdong shopping district and lighting fixtures made to look like streetlamps.

Four chicken sauces
Customers can choose between four special sauces for its crispy fried chicken, which are made from boneless thigh filets, said to be the juicier part of the chicken.

Yang-nyam (pictured above) is the original Korean-style fried chicken recipe sauce with the chicken sprinkled with sesame seeds. The flavor is a balanced mix of sweet, sour and salty.

But for those who want their chicken with a little more kick, the yang-nyam also comes in a spicy version topped with whole dried red chilis and chili flakes.



Jack Daniels is Holdak’s version of the popular Jack Daniels sauce, popularized by the American chain TGIFriday’s. Holdak’s Jack Daniels fried chicken is topped with caramelized onions which added to the sweetness of the dish.

The best of Holdak’s sauces is the Padak, which Tan said is also the most popular with its customers. The Padak’s freshly sliced spring onions and a light zesty modern Asian flavor lift the dish above the run-of-the-mill fast-food fare.



Holdak’s lineup of extras also veers from the usual. The fries, for instance, are flavored with curry powder. The coleslaw is mixed with sesame dressing, which is best paired with the spicy yang-nyam. One can also order the pajeon or Korean pancakes.




A surprise addition is the ramen. Make no mistake, this isn’t the noodle dish served in specialized ramen restaurants in the metro but more at par with the instant variety – not when it’s priced at less than P100 for a small bowl. But the familiar taste of Holdak’s ramen has a comforting feel and by all means order the cheese ramen, which has bits of melted cheese mixed in.



Dessert at Holdak is limited to ready-made Korean treats such as Melona ice cream, Samanco ice cream waffle shaped like a fish and Snow iced coffee.

So far, Tan said delivery is limited to the Sta. Mesa area but there are plans to open more Holdak outlets in other areas of the metro.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com




Monday, July 29, 2013

Korean Jinri Park debuts on FHM


MANILA – For the first time, Korean celebrity Jinri Park is gracing the cover of the men’s magazine FHM Philippines.

On the cover of FHM Philippines’ August 2013 issue, Park is seen wearing a white cropped top and a pair of red underwear.

In her interview with FHM, the Korean celebrity called FHM Philippines her career “stepping stone.”

“I always tell this to other magazines and newspapers when I get interviewed that I think FHM was really my stepping stone to getting into DJing, showbiz and other things. Even though it wasn’t my first cover, FHM was my first mainstream cover. You have a wide range of audience and that started it.”

FHM Philippines’ Mikey Agulto noted how Park “has worked her way up the ranks,” with the Korean celebrity included in the “Girls of FHM” list three times and working as a columnist before making it as a cover girl.

“It’s very clear that 2013 is Jinri’s breakout year, spreading out her Korean charms not only in print media, but also in television, radio and the web. Heck, she even has her own buko shake business now! We don’t want to sound presumptuous, but we hope FHM really did have a hand in bringing her all these good things,” Agulto wrote in an article published on FHM Philippines’ website.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Monday, December 31, 2012

Psy turns 35, celebrates 'Gangnam Style'


MANILA, Philippines – Korean singing sensation Psy will celebrate his birthday in a style true to his hit song in Times Square, New York on New Year’s Eve.

Born on December 31, 1977, Psy will join a host of US music stars set to perform in the traditional New Year’s Eve ball drop over the famous landmark.

“Leaving Vegas, Heading to NYC to spend my b-day in Time Square tomorrow!!!#GangnamFinale lol,” Psy (@psy_oppa) tweeted at 5:43 a.m. Philippine time.

He had performed at the Pure Nightclub inside Caesars' Palace in Las Vegas, the Las Vegas Review-Journal said.


The photo the singer posted on Twitter showed a cake he was gifted with in celebration of his 35th birthday and in commemoration of the 1 billion views of his “Gangnam Style” music video on YouTube.

Aside from his numerous fans, Psy was wished a happy birthday by supermodel Heidi Klum, who he thanked in a subsequent post on Twitter.

“Thx Heidi,see u in LA next year. Lol,” he said.

source: abs-cbnnews.com

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Korean superstar Lee Min Ho arrives in Manila


MANILA, Philippines – Korean superstar Lee Min Ho arrived in Manila on Thursday afternoon.

Lee Min Ho landed at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1 past noon today for a commitment with local clothing line Bench.

Dubbed a “GlobalBenchSetter,” Lee Min Ho is set to meet his Filipino fans on November 16 in a "Fun Meet" organized by Bench at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Lee Min Ho, who will be staying in the country for four days, was tapped to become a Bench endorser after rising to fame for his role as Gu Jun Pyo in the hit Korean series "Boys Over Flowers." The show was first aired in the Philippines by ABS-CBN in 2009.

This was followed by the local airing of another Lee Min Ho-starrer, "Perfect Match," in 2010, and "City Hunter" in early 2012.

Lee Min Ho’s latest Korean series “Faith” is also set to air on ABS-CBN.

Aside from Lee Min Ho, two other Korean stars Si Won and Dong Hae, of the group Super Junior, also visited the country. The two are also among the roster of Bench's international endorsers.

Other foreign endorsers of the local clothing line are Filipina-Mexican-American singer Jessica Sanchez, Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine, Hollywood actor Liam Hemsworth, Disney-grown singer Joe Jonas, and American TV stars Lucy Hale and Michael Trevino.

source: abs-cbnnews.com

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Korean Star Lee Min-ho Coming To Manila In November


MANILA, Philippines - Korean superstar Lee Min-ho is bound for the Philippines next month to meet fans as the new endorser of a local clothing brand.

The Benchsetter Fun Meet with Lee Min-ho, to be held on November 16 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, makes the Korean star the latest celebrity to visit the country as clothing brand endorser.

Last September, Maroon 5's Adam Levine visited the Philippines for his own fan meet aside from his band's concert.

"American Idol" runner-up Jessica Sanchez was also in the country last month for the “American Idol Live!” tour and Bench fan meet.

In August, K-pop stars Donghae and Siwon of Super Junior visited the Philippines for a Bench event.

Lee Min-ho's Bench endorsement was announced last July.

He is currently starring in the Korean drama "Faith," which started airing in August.

This is one of the many product endorsements for Lee Min-ho, who became a favorite endorser among several brands after he starred in the drama "Boys Over Flowers" in 2009.

The drama won him his first acting award and brought him fame. He followed this with dramas such as "Personal Taste" in 2010 and "City Hunter" in 2011.

Last year, he won as best actor at the Korean Drama Awards.

article source: mb.com.ph

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Jinri Park releases first gravure book in the Philippines


Model. Radio DJ. FHM columnist. Cosplayer. Now, Korean hottie Jinri Park can add “gravure idol” to her expanding resume.

Jinri has just released “The Jinri Experience”, a volume of her sexy photographs billed as the Philippines’ first ever gravure book, making her the country’s first ever gravure idol.

Gravure idols are female models who appear in men’s magazines, photobooks and DVDs in Japan.They are commonly photographed wearing bikinis, lingerie or schoolgirl uniforms, in poses that convey innocence and playfulness rather than aggressive sexuality.



Jinri has posed for FHM five times and joined the magazine as a sex and relationships columnist early this year.

Even though she is full Korean, this DJ for RX 93.1 Monster Radio grew up in Cebu and considers herself more Filipina than Korean in a lot of ways.

Published by Rawr Books and photographed by Jay Tablante, “The Jinri Experience” is already available at selected National Bookstore outlets. It will be officially launched on Sunday, August 5, at the Robinsons Galleria Activity Center, 3 to 7PM.

Two more signing events will follow: on August 11 at National Bookstore Trinoma, 3 to 7PM, and on August 15 at Powerbooks Greenbelt 4, 5 to 9PM.

source: interaksyon.com


Korean syndicate busted for hacking Globe’s network


MANILA, Philippines – A Korean cybercrime syndicate tagged in the hacking of one of the country’s telecom networks fell to the Philippine National Police recently, authorities reported on Tuesday.

The group, which allegedly hacked into the International Gateway Facilities (IGF) of Globe Telecom, is being charged with violation of the Access Devices Law for rerouting international calls as mere local calls.

It was only a week ago when the CIDG nabbed a Korean national for being involved in the same crime, this time involving Smart Communications.

The illegal activity, known as International Simple Resale (ISR), involves completing international long distance calls using lines that connect directly to the domestic exchange facilities of local telecom networks.

As a result, telecom networks lose potential IDD revenues because the international calls are treated as local calls, which significantly reduce the bill charged to users.

Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) Anti-Transnational and Cyber Crime Division (AFCCD) Chief Police Senior Superintendent Gibert Sosa added that ISR activities also rob the government of potential revenues from these transactions.

The suspects were nabbed in four separate raids in Metro Manila, the CIDG said, including residential units in Ortigas, Roxas Boulevard, Malate, and Mandaluyong City.

The raids resulted in the arrest of nine Korean nationals and their six Filipino cohorts.

The suspects reportedly used GSM hardware in their illegal operations, which allow them to route the calls through a computer to be processed by a software capable of doing ISR.

“ATCCD operatives have also confiscated numerous computers, network hubs, GSM modems, and two vehicles—a black Hyundai Tucson and silver Toyota Camry—where numerous bundles of unused sim cards of Globe and Touch Mobile were seized,” the CIDG added.

CIDG Chief Police Director Samuel D Pagdilao Jr. meanwhile harped on the need for a tougher law to deal with challenges such as ISR and other cybercrimes, which he described as a “crime that develops faster than the law that will prevent it.”

Last year, the local police went as far as deeming the Philippines a “cyber mafia haven” for not having the proper legislative structure that would allow authorities to go after these cybercrime groups.

The Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012, which is meant to augment the provisions of the E-Commerce Act of 2001, has already been passed by Congress and is only waiting to be signed into law by the President.

source: interaksyon.com

Friday, February 17, 2012

Jay Park Enters Billboard Chart


MANILA, Philippines – Jay Park's new album has entered two Billboard charts on the day he made his comeback on Korean TV.

On the latest Billboard charts for the week ending Feb. 25, Jay Park’s “New Breed” album, which was released first online on Feb. 7, debuted at No. 4 on Billboard’s World Albums and No. 16 on Billboard’s Heatseekers Album charts.

Billboard noted that the album made the biggest jump on the World Albums chart for the week.

Last year, Jay Park released his first Korean mini-album “Take A Deeper Look,” which debuted at No. 3 on Billboard’s World Albums chart and No. 26 on the Heatseekers Albums chart.

In addition, “New Breed” also copped the No. 1 slot on Gaon Chart, Korea’s version of Billboard chart. The album is No. 1 on Gaon’s physical albums chart.

When the album was released, it zoomed to No. 1 on iTunes R&B/Soul Albums charts in the US, Canada and Australia, No. 2 in Japan and No. 5 in France.

Overall, it grabbed the 27th spot on the iTunes Top 100 Albums chart.

Also on Feb. 16, Jay Park returned to TV and started promoting the title track “Know Your Name” on Mnet “M! Countdown.” He will be on KBS “Music Bank” today.

Besides promoting the album, Jay Park will hold his first independent concert called “Jay Park: New Breed Live in Seoul” on March 3 at Seoul Olympic Park’s Olympic Hall.

source: mb.com.ph

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Hallyu Stars Boost Sales of Korean Cosmetics


MANILA, Philippines – Korean stars have not only helped in boosting the popularity of Korean music and dramas but have driven up the sales of Korean cosmetics.

Quoting government agency Statistics Korea, media said sales of cosmetics in Korea last year ballooned to 10.82 trillion won (P409 billion), an increase of 9.6 percent from 2010.

In addition, export of Korean cosmetics increased to $761 million (P32.30 billion) in 2010, according to the Korea Cosmetic Association.

The increase in sales of Korean cosmetics is a result of the increase of the number of tourists visiting Korea, the increase in demand from Korean consumers and the Korean wave.

Cosmetic companies hire Korean stars as their endorsers to boost sales.

A visit by Bulletin Entertainment to Myeongdong and other shopping districts in Seoul recently showed cosmetics stores displaying life-size photos of Korean stars to attract tourists and local consumers.

Singer Kim Hyun Joong, for example, is the endorser of The Face Shop and his image is displayed in all the stores in Seoul.

Nature Republic has boy band JYJ, singer and actor Jang Geun Suk and KARA member Goo Hara as endorsers.

Etude House has Sandara Park of 2NE1 and boy band SHINee.

The Saem has Lee Seung Gi and After School.

It’s Skin got 2PM’s Nichkhun as endorser while Tony Moly has actor Song Joong Ki and girl group T-ara.

Clothing companies also use Korean stars to endorse their products.

These Korean stars form part of the current hallyu boom that is spreading in Asia and in different regions.

source: mb.com.ph

Monday, February 13, 2012

Grace Lee asks journalist for public apology over 'married to President' report


MANILA, Philippines -- Entertainment host and radio jock Grace Lee has demanded a public apology from veteran journalist Ellen Tordesillas over the latter's article published on Vera Files stating that the Korean celebrity sees herself marrying President Benigno Aquino III.

In her Twitter account, an infuriated Lee (@gracelee899) called Tordesillas's story "very false and vile."

"I think journalist Ellen Tordesillas need to formally apologize to the public for a very false and vile article!!" she tweeted past 11 a.m. Monday.

Lee also said she was "deeply offended" that Tordesillas would write what she called an "article of lies to sensationalize one's private life."

"I have never said anything remotely close to what her write-up says I did. I believe the public deserves an apology from her," Lee said.

In her Vera Files story dated February 13, Tordesillas wrote that in conversation between Lee and Mo Twister in the radio show “Good Times in the Morning” last week, Lee was asked how long her relationship with Aquino will last. She answered, "the full length.”

Lee also requested that Tordesillas name her source "who claims to have spoken to me regarding the PSG issue as this is not to be taken lightly."

Tordesillas quoted a "TV host" who claimed to have spoken with Lee saying that the President had offered to provide her security from the Presidential Security Group.


article source: interaksyon.com

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Grace Lee: PNoy courts 'like any normal guy'


MANILA, Philippines – Following President Noynoy Aquino’s admission that they are dating, TV and radio personality Grace Lee has become more open in disclosing some details about their burgeoning bond.

Despite holding the highest post in the country, PNoy’s courtship style remains “normal,” according to the Philippines-based Korean.

“I don’t know about calling everyday, I don’t wanna divulge too much details, pero yes very normal, like any normal guy,” Grace said in an interview on “24 Oras,” Feb. 2.

She has also received “a couple of chocolates and flowers” from the chief executive.

“He’s just very sweet,” Grace added.

Although she’s been part of the entertainment industry for some years now, Grace is still surprised by the outpour of attention she’s receiving. Reporters and photographers of international wire agencies, such as Agence-France Presse, were seen tailing her on Thursday, “24 Oras” stated.

It took a while for the GMA-7 showbiz reporter to speak up about PNoy because she “wanted this to be more private.”

“We’re still at the stage of getting to know each other. And I didn’t want so many people having so much to say about what’s going on between us... I don’t think I’m gonna waste my time, spending hours of my day trying to know a man if I was not interested at all,” she related.

She may have evaded the question about PNoy’s chances on winning her heart, but Grace generously attached positive adjectives to him. At one point, she said, “He is a wonderful person…”

Grace did not reveal when she and PNoy began dating. It can be recalled though that their paths first crossed June last year at the inauguration of Korea Electric Power Corp. power plant in Cebu. She hosted the said event.

The 29-year-old DJ had a closer, longer encounter with the president before Christmas through an interview they did for her radio program. According to “24 Oras,” their conversation ranged from serious topics like his visions for the country, to lighter ones such as his taste in music.

“He’s brilliant, he is the most intelligent man I’ve met in my life,” Grace enthused.

She appreciates that PNoy admitted that they are “seeing each other.”

"He’s such a gentleman. When he acknowledged it, I think that was out of respect for me because he doesn’t need this… but he did and that tells you a lot about what kind of man he is.

“He’s such an inspiring character,” Grace said in a separate interview with “TV Patrol,” adding, “To be liked by a man who leads a country is very flattering.”

While things are looking up for the two, Grace, as well as her family, are “worried… on the public attention.”

“I just didn’t think it was gonna happen this fast,” she said.

She also got concerned about their racial difference. Nevertheless, “it’s the reason why I fell in love with the Philippines in the first place, so accepting and so understanding.”

Grace merely laughed off speculations that PNoy has already proposed to her.

“We are starting so sana everyone would give us time and space to get to know each other more,” she said.

Reporter Mario Dumaual then told Grace, “love knows no age gap or age differences.”

“At least whatever we have right now will serve as an inspiration to a lot of people out there. But aside from that, I would like to believe so as well,” she said with a smile.

For PNoy’s 52nd birthday on Feb. 8, Grace said, “What can you give the President, right? It’s so difficult. But I’m brewing something up. Surprise na lang.”

“You can give your love,” Mario teased her.

Laughing, she responded, “Oo nga eh, puwede rin.”

Her manager, Arnold Vegafria, deemed that the recent turn of events marks a big change for Grace.

“But the most important dapat, guard your heart,” he pointed out on “24 Oras.”

source: mb.com.ph

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Girls Generation makes debut on US TV


MANILA, Philippines - Korean pop group Girls Generation made their successful debut TV performances on two popular talk shows in the US.

The girls performed their English song “The Boys” on “Late Show with David Letterman” on Jan. 31 and “Live with Kelly” on Feb. 1.

At the David Letterman show, fans and media waited for the arrival of Girls Generation. Before entering the Ed Sullivan Theater, where the show is recorded, Girls Generation members met with fans and signed autographs.

During the Jan. 31 show, the guests were Bill Murray, Regis Philbin and Girls Generation.

Before their spot, Letterman introduced the girls: "Our next guests are a very popular group from South Korea who have just released their first album in America, it’s entitled ‘The Boys.’ Please welcome, making their network television debut, Girls Generation.”

After Girls Generation performed, Letterman told them “Kamsahamnida” or “Thank you” in Korean.

At the “Live! with Kelly,” the girls also performed “The Boys.” Fans waited outside the studio to see the pop group.

Co-host Howie Mandel took notice of the fans inside and outside the studio.

Ripa quipped “That’s incredible” while Mandel said, “Isn’t that amazing?”

During the interview portion, Mandel said, “I love your dancing. Your moves were tremendous.”

After the show, Ripa posted a photo of herself with Girls Generation on Twitter with the caption “GG! [Girls Generation] With the newest GG member? Lol.”

Ripa on her personal Twitter account posted, “Yes I am! Love @GirlsGeneration love!!!” to answer a fan’s post that she was becoming a fan of the girls.

source: mb.com.ph