Netizens express disapproval at Daesang award going to Kim Soo Hyun in '2015 Korea Drama Awards'

With the announcement that Kim Soo Hyun has won the Daesang (Grand Prize) at the '2015 Korea Drama Awards' for the second time in a row, there has been mixed responses from netizens - a vast majority crying out that this seemed to be an unfair popularity vote considering the other amazing actors he beat.

Back in 2014, he won for 'You Who Came From the Stars.'  This year, he won for 'Producer' in which he played the bumbling rookie producer with a big heart, winning over the audience with his naive sweetness.  However, netizens raise the question of how his role beat out other big players like veteran actor Yoo Dong Geun from 'What's With This Family,' who wrenched hearts with his portrayal of a father devoting the rest of his short life to his children after discovering a fatal illness, and Ji Sung from 'Kill Me, Heal Me,' who played a man inflicted with dissociative identity disorder and overwhelmed by a traumatic past, going back and forth seamlessly between comedy and angst.

The top comments in the articles go, "Kim Soo Hyun did well, too~~ but Ji Sung was so extraordinary in 'Kill Me, Heal Me'.. what a shame.." "You're telling me he beat 'What's With This Family's Yoo Dong Geun?"  "You're telling me HE won instead of Ji Sung??? kekekekeke," and, "Kim Soo Hyun did well in Producer but... I think it was right for Ji Sung or Joo Won to win.  He won because of his drama last year.  What is this, a popularity award?  I cannot understand the wins of either Kim Soo Hyun or Kim Tae Hee.  It's even harder for me to understand how the writer of 'Yong Pal' won.  A worst award ceremony than when the Grand Bell Awards failed."

Other popular comments go, "Congratulations Kim Soo Hyun~~  You acted well in 'Producer.'  Don't worry about the malicious comments~~" "Is there no answer for this? No matter how much I think about it, the most memorable acting was Yoo Dong Geun and Ji Sung..  If they pick based on popularity, then I acknowledge this.." "It's definitely a popularity award keke giving it to the person who acted with his feet," while others said more bitterly, "You're 29 now, aren't you going to the army?" and, "Just go to the army."

What are your thoughts?  Do you think this was an unfair popularity award?  Even I have to admit Yoo Dong Geun and Ji Sung were completely amazing in their respective dramas; their performances blew me away... Leave your own opinions below!

IU reported to be dating singer-songwriter Chang Kiha?

We have some mind blowing news to report. Nation's younger sister IU may be off the market! Dispatch has reported she and musician Chang Kiha (age 33) are currently in a relationship. 

The two are said to have officially began dating this past March, and Dispatch caught several photos of the two together on dates, which took place mostly at each other's houses. Even with busy schedules, the two are said to have made time to meet each other.

It's a bit of surprise, as the two have a large age gap, 11 years to be exact. But the coupe were said to have gotten close through talking about music. Chang Kiha is a member of the indie rock band Kiha & The Faces. 

What are your thoughts?

Red Velvet's 'Dumb Dumb' hits 10 million views on YouTube!

Red Velvet is undoubtedly one of the biggest rookie groups active in the K-Pop scene at the moment, and their recent 10 million mark on "Dumb Dumb" is proving just so! 

The MV came out on September 8--nearly three weeks ago. The views have been steadily increasing since then, hitting the magic 10 not too long ago. With it's colorful MV, and the catchy, memorable hook, it's no big surprise that "Dumb Dumb" has already gained 10 million views. 

Congrats to the girls! 

Yoon Eun Hye wins first place for a second time on 'Goddess's Fashion'

After her last win on 'Goddess's Fashion's August 29 airing, actress Yoon Eun Hye took home her second win on the show's seventh episode. 

Yoon Eun Hye wore a shocked expression when her name was called as this mission's winner; however, that shocked expression soon gave way to euphoria and delighted laughter at her win. 

The actress raised a triumphant 'V' sign up in the air to celebrate her victory and didn't forget to smile brightly in the group photo. 

For this mission, Yoon Eun Hye had worn a tweed, checkered piece with a blouse underneath that was severed at the sleeves. Her cell phone case had matched the checkered print of her outfit. 

The total bidding for Yoon Eun Hye's piece was around 6,550,000,000 KRW (~$5.48 million USD). 

'Goddess's Fashion' is a competitive show on which five stars and five designers make up a team to participate in various missions. The outfit that wins on each episode gets bid at the highest price and will be sold in China. 

Despite the plagiarism controversies surrounding her last win's outfit, which some pointed out looked too similar to a design by Yoon Choon Ho, Yoon Eun Hye managed to win another mission. 

Regarding the plagiarism accusations, Yoon Eun Hye said, "There is no reason for me to plagiarize. It is just a marketing ploy." Yoon Choon Ho had released his own statement on the matter, and the actress has yet to respond. 

Girls' Generation's 'Lion Heart' MV surpasses 20 million views!

It's an understatement to say that Girls' Generation's "Lion Heart" promotions were a hit! Their super popular music video "Lion Heart" has just went beyond the 20 million view count milestone!

They managed to achieve this milestone in a little over a month, and we're sure everyone will agree their summer promotions this year were one of their best yet.

But there's more! Girls' Generation's 2012 PV "All My Love Is For You" has also recently passed 20 million views!

Congratulations to Girls' Generation and SONEs!

Are you ready for JYP Entertainment's USA&CANADA audition?

JYP Entertainment's '2015 USA&CANADA AUDITION' has finally started!

According to representatives of JYP Entertainment, they are currently accepting applications through their main audition page and are getting ready to leave for Washington D.C. on September 26.

The audition locations have also been set and will be held at the Korean Cultural Center in Washington D.C., TVK24 in Los Angeles, Pacific Academy in Vancouver, and finally at Hansik Korea in Toronto. Audition times will be announced on a later date.

AUDITION DATE & LOCATIONS:

September 26 (Saturday) - Washington DC - Korean Cultural Center (2370 Massachusetts Ave NW Washington, D.C. 20008)

October 4 (Sunday) - Los Angeles - TVK24 (3435 Wilshire Blvd. 19th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90010)

October 10 (Saturday) - Vancouver - Pacific Academy (10238 168 Street, Surrey, BC V4N1Z4)

October 17 (Saturday) - Toronto - Hansik Korea (1101 Finch Ave W. Unit 4&5 Toronto, ON M3J2C9)

In efforts to promote the upcoming auditions, Jae from DAY6 wrote on his official Instagram page, "I was able to achieve my dreams through the auditions. You will also be given that opportunity."

Meanwhile, you can still apply to the auditions via online by visiting their official audition page here! Selected finalists from this audition will be given the opportunity to be trained under the JYPE training program.

HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO PREPARE FOR YOUR JYP ENTERTAINMENT AUDITION:

• Vocal: First verse of song of choice (without instrumental)
• Dance: Music CD or MP3 and 1~3 minutes of dancing
• Acting: 1~2 minutes of impromptu or prepared acting
• Model: Posing and cat walking

APPLY HERE

Best of luck to everyone who will be participating in this audition!

iKON go for an all-kill on real-time music charts with 'My Type'!

iKON had impressively topped 6 music charts immediately after their warm-up single "My Type" was released, and now we're pleased to report that they have topped the remaining two music charts, achieving an all-kill for their track!

As of September 15, 7am KST, "My Type" has topped all 8 main real-time music charts, including Melon, Genie, Olleh, Naver Music, Mnet, Monkey3, and now also Soribada and Bugs!

Congratulations to iKON and may they have many more all-kills to come!

'Running Man's Ji Suk Jin joins Yoo Jae Suk by signing with FNC Entertainment!

Wow, FNC Entertainment is on a roll! They're quickly becoming a top name in the industry with all these big name stars they're signing on lately! Their newest addition? It's none other than the beloved Ji Suk Jin of 'Running Man'!

He's joining his fellow 'Runing Man' star Yoo Jae Suk by signing a contract with the agency for his future promotions. FNC promised to do their best for him, stating, "We will not spare any efforts in promoting Ji Suk Jin domestically and internationally."

Ji Suk Jin, who debuted as a singer originally, has become known for his various MC gigs as well as his position on 'Running Man'. He has quite a following not only in Korea but China as well, so FNC has got themselves a great new name to add to their roster!

FNC's lineup now consists of Yoo Jae Suk, Song Eun Yi, Jung Hyung Don, Noh Hong Chul, Lee Kuk Ju, Moon Se Yoon, and Ji Suk Jin, on top of their existing music artists.

YG Entertainment reveals the release date for Tablo's collaboration track with Joey Bada$$!

Around a month ago, it was announced that Tablo would be participating in a global hip hop project with Korean producer Code Kunst and Brooklyn-based rapper Joey Bada$$.

Now, YG has spilled the details on this sure-to-be-grand collaboration with a kick-ass teaser image! The picture shows broken, jagged pieces of the Korean 100 Won and the US quarter overlapping each other, signifying the joining of the rappers from East and West, respectively. The posting also reveals the release date is this coming September 5 at midnight.

Who is excited for this release? I know I am! 

'Unpretty Rapstar 2' reveals final batch of teaser videos for Hyorin, Sua, and Yezi

'Unpretty Rapstar 2' is coming up soon, and the show has revealed its final batch of teasers featuring SISTAR's Hyorin, FIESTAR's Yezi, and YG Entertainment trainee Sua.

Hyorin says that she wants to prove herself, Yezi throws a few insults, and despite being the youngest of the contestants, Sua raps that she's sure to be the winner. The three have their own unique styles, so it's up to the viewers to decide which rapper they prefer the most. Whose teaser impressed you?

Check out Gilme and An Soo Min, Yubin, Kasper, and KittiB, and Heize, Ash-B, and Truedy if you missed them, and Hyorin, Yezi, and Sua's above and below!

Kim Ki Bum announces that he's officially 'finished' with SM Entertainment

It seems that Kim Ki Bum's contract with SM Entertainment has finally come to an end. There were always questions as to whether the star, who was technically still a member of Super Junior last we heard, would return to the group, but it looks like it's now very unlikely.

Kim Ki Bum posted to Instagram a few hours ago, "2015 August 18th. Finished with SM Entertainment. Let's begin my new life...!!! Thank you to SM, who was with me until this time." The idol-turned-actor has not been active with Super Junior for 6 years and has been pursuing an acting career since he started his hiatus.

SM Entertainment has also confirmed that Kim Ki Bum's exclusive contract with the agency has come to an end.

Stay tuned for updates from Kim Ki Bum!

Netizens condemn Donald Trump after he criticizes Korea for its reliance on the U.S

This is not how you start off your presidential campaign, Donald Trump.

The hopeful Republican candidate recently came under fire for his comments regarding South Korea and its relationship with the United States. According to Trump, South Korea is doing quite well for itself and is strong enough that the country doesn't need to rely on the United States defense forces without giving anything back, making for a "crazy" situation.

Trump, however, failed to mention that the South Korean government has historically covered much of the costs for the soldiers. In fact, the South Korean government covered a whopping $861 million of the defense costs last year. In addition, with a rising China, the United States has a strategic advantage with troops stationed in South Korea.

Netizens couldn't help but feel angered at Trump's comments, saying, "Try speaking nicely. Is that the best you can say?", "And this is the guy that says that he doesn't need money," "His hair is more real than his words," and "It would be a shame if he became president." 

To see his misguided remarks on Korea, watch from 16:20 in the video above. Additionally, you can view Donald Trump's similar sentiments from 2013 below.

Audition program 'Superstar K7' releases poster, teaser, and premiere date!

Audition show 'Superstar K' is coming back with season 7! The official poster, teaser, and release date have been officially revealed!

The poster features the judges of this upcoming season looking happy and ready to find the next big talent! Yoon Jong Shin, Baek Ji Young and Kim Bum Soo are back for season 7 and Sung Si Kyung joins as well!

The premiere date is Thursday, August 20 at 11pm KST on Mnet. The show's airing day has been changed from Friday to Thursday, and in the teaser below, the judges talk about how much they like that change.
Many contestants on this show go on to debut and become popular singers, even if they don't win the coveted first prize. So we're very curious as to who will be up next to show their amazing singing skills in this season!

Watch the teaser below and don't forget to tune in on August 20!

Han Ji Min, Han Ga In, and Han Hyo Joo to leave Lee Byung Hun's agency?

The Han goddesses, Han Ga In, Han Ji Min, and Han Hyo Joo, might not remain in Lee Byung Hun's agency.

According to the industry on July 8, the three ladies' contracts with BH Entertainment are expiring this year.  As they're one of the top actresses in the company, it comes as no surprise that there is a lot of interest in whether the girls will renew their contracts.  

Their contracts will be expiring in October.  Regarding this, Munhwa Ilbo said the three actresses were currently in talks with the companies regarding their stances about possibly renewing the contracts, raising the high possibility of them walking from failure to find a common standing ground.  Quoting one entertainment rep, Munhwa Ilbo reported that there would be tough competition to recruit these ladies if they become free agents because of they often get the leads in dramas and movies and are influential in advertisement.

Stay tuned to see what they will decide!

T-ara's Jiyeon writes message to fans about relationship to Lee Dong Gun

Though she briefly mentioned her relationship with actor Lee Dong Gun, T-ara's Jiyeon has now written an official message to her fans about the news.


On July 7, Jiyeon posted to her official fan cafe:

"This is T-ara's Jiyeon. I apologize for the sudden message. I've wondered for a long time how I should tell fans. It's late, but I thought it was right to tell you, who I sincerely value, personally, so I'm carefully writing this message. I think a lot of people were probably shocked. For me, my fans' support gives me great strength. I'm in the beginning stages of this relationship, so I hope that you watch over us and cheer us on. I'll return your love by working even harder. Thank you."

As previously reported, actor Lee Dong Gun's agency confirmed that the 34-year-old actor and idol star were dating late last week.

GOT7 fans compete to meet GOT7 in Thai vareity show 'The Fanclub GOT7'

Lucky Thai IGOT7s will be competing to meet GOT7 on the reality show 'The Fanclub GOT7'!

JYP Entertainment had been working with the Thai digital mainstream channel PPTV for the past few months, and announced, "'The Fanclub GOT7', a real variety show that got its name for GOT7, will be aired to PPTV starting from July 5th." 'The Fanclub GOT7' is the first variety show in Thailand that features a K-pop artist's name. The show will air for 13 weeks starting at 8:30 local time this Sunday.

'The Fanclub GOT7' is a variety show that features 6 fans who were chosen from 1,600 applicants. The 6 fans came to Korea this past April for a final mission that determined the three winners, and the winning team got to meet GOT7 in private!

GOT7 said, "It's really meaningful that we were able to have a fun and happy program with Thai fans in BamBam's home country Thailand, and we're thankful. Through the program, we were able to feel the fans' amazing love even though we spoke different languages, and we felt once again that we should work harder. We hope a lot of people love 'The Fanclub GOT7'."

S.M.ROOKIES Doyoung and Jaehyun to leave their MC positions on 'Show Champion'

There's a bit of sad news as S.M.ROOKIES' Doyoung and Jaehyun will be saying goodbye, leaving their MC spots on MBC's 'Show Champion'.

A representative from MBC Music told Sports Today on June 25, "S.M.ROOKIES' Doyoung and Jaehyun will leave their MC positions on MBC Music's 'Show Champion' after their last broadcast on July 1. The broadcast will be a special taking place at Yeoju in Yeonyang province."
According to the same representative, the two had their last recording at MBC's Ilsan Dream Center on June 24 and held a little fanmeeting.

Doyoung and Jaehyun began as the new MCs back on January 21, so it is unfortunate that they are leaving after only 5 months.

The MCs to replace the two rookies have not yet been decided on, though MBC will likely make their decision very soon, as new MCs are needed for the July 8 broadcast.

SS501 celebrate their 10th anniversary since debut!

Happy tenth anniversary to SS501!  Can you believe it's already been a decade since this boy group debuted?  There have been a lot of ups and downs since they set off to take over K-Pop, but there's no doubt that through thick and thin, the boys remained loyal to their fans and to one another.

Kim Hyung Jun posted a picture on his Instagram and wrote a long message: "We got to enjoy a cool ten years thanks to everyone supporting, valuing, and loving us always for a long time.  I think there were really many enjoyable memories and happy days that we had created together, which makes me feel I have been such a blessed person.  When I look back, I see that I have not done as much as I've received, so I feel sorry and regretful.  We will be sincere as all five of us do our best; please support us so that we could be together in the best position possible.  I thank everybody who has been with SS501 and even now are still with us looking at the same spot.  Lastly, our eternal companions.  You are now like our family and friends and dongsaengs who are like the same peas in a pod,Triple S!  I pray that you guys will have good results and only good things happen to you wherever you are :) 2005. 6. 8 ~ All of us are, as always, moving forward!"

Kim Kyu Jong wrote, "I feel like 10 years went by really fast ^^  When I look back.. there are times for which I am very grateful..  Thank you.. !!  I feel like I came up to here with all of the people who love SS501!!  Thank you ^^  Aja aja !!  Let's all be healthy and happy always !! ^^  Got it?!!  Thank you~  I will return the happiness you gave me!! (F.T Island!! You lovable guys, happy 8th anniversary)."

Hongki responded to this on his own Instagram with, "Thank you!!!!!  And really, congratulations to SS501 on their 10th anniversary!!!!!!  I'm drunk!!!"

Happy anniversary to both groups!

YG Entertainment starts promotions for its next artist's comeback

YG Entertainment continues to tease the fans with the continuation of their infamous 'Who's Next' series as they recently uploaded a picture of a time bomb set for April, 2015! 

According to previous reports, YG Entertainment kept teasing the media with several different statements, saying that Big Bang will be the first in line to make a comeback in 2015. However, later reports also claimed that the comeback of Big Bang seemingly set for April will be delayed, confusing the fans. 

Although YG Entertainment is known to be the ultimate trolls of the industry, is it safe to assume that Big Bang will be the ones to make their comeback in April? 

JYJ's Junsu sells out solo concert '2015 XIA 3rd Asia Tour Concert in Seoul' in 20 minutes

JYJ's Junsu sold out his upcoming solo concert in 20 minutes!

C-JeS Entertainment announced, "Tickets for Junsu's concert '2015 XIA 3rd Asia Tour Concert in Seoul', taking place on March 7 and 8th at Jamsil Arena, opened tonight at 8PMKST through Interpark and sold out in 20 minutes."  A rep from Interpark also said,"Junsu has always had a flood of buyers and made records selling out tickets. This upcoming concert didn't disappoint either."

In other news, Junsu will be returning with a solo album this March. Congrats to Junsu!