SEOUL, Dec. 21 (Korea Bizwire) — The funeral for the late Kim Jong-hyun, lead singer of K-pop group SHINee, was held Thursday, attended by his family, close friends and fellow artists. Kim, better known as his stage name Jonghyun, died Monday in an apparent suicide. The 27-year-old singer left a suicide note describing his harrowing [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 20 (Korea Bizwire) – The death of K-pop superstar Jonghyun from SHINee has sparked a debate over deep-rooted problems facing the K-pop industry. In a suicide letter released by his best friend Nine9 from rock band Dear Cloud, Jonghyun said he was ‘broken from inside’ and that ‘depression slowly began eating away at me [...]
SEOUL, Dec. 18 (Korea Bizwire) — Kim Jong-hyun, singer of popular K-pop group SHINee, died Monday in an apparent suicide, police said. He was 28. Kim, better known by his stage name Jonghyun, was found unconscious at a rented apartment studio in Cheongdam-dong, southern Seoul, around 6:10 p.m., according to police. Kim’s sister made the [...]
SEOUL, Jul. 9 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea’s No. 1 discount retail outlet E-Mart said Sunday that it will expand work with a leading K-pop agency to market products that can attract young shoppers. The chain store, a key affiliate of retailer Shinsegae Group, said it will create 49 everyday products in cooperation with SM [...]
SEOUL, April 5 (Korea Bizwire) – South Korean retail chain operator E-mart Inc. said Tuesday its sales of goods produced through collaborations with local pop stars have emerged as a new cash cow on the back of their strong popularity. E-mart, which rolled out different kinds of goods designed under ties with local entertainment agency S.M. [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 22 (Korea Bizwire) – Taemin of K-pop boy band SHINee, the darling of S.M. Entertainment, set sail with his first full-length solo album “Press It” on Monday, determined to show his musical assets in one shot. Almost eight years since the band’s debut EP “Replay” in 2008, Taemin, 22, returned with the 10-song [...]
SEOUL, Feb. 2 (Korea Bizwire) - South Korean boy band SHINee has embarked on its fourth Japanese tour, which could draw hundreds of thousands of people, its agency said Tuesday. The five-member act touched down in Fukuoka for concerts from Saturday to Sunday, S.M. Entertainment said, adding it will stop in Tokyo, Osaka and six other [...]
CHANGWON, Oct. 30 (Yonhap) – Dozens of young people from 14 countries will compete in their ability to reproduce or reinvent K-pop acts in later Friday, organizers said. Only 57 out of some 12,000 contestants made it to the K-pop World Festival finals set to start at 7 p.m. at the Changwon Sports Park in [...]
SEOUL, July 16 (Korea Bizwire) — With the rise of “My Little Television” — an MBC variety show that communicates with its viewers via a live chat room — more TV networks are getting on the “real-time” bandwagon. “My Little Television,” endearingly known as “Maritel” here, features celebrities producing their own segments and talking to viewers [...]
SEOUL, April 16 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean celebrities remembered the victims of the ferry Sewol sinking in social networking services and handwritten letters Thursday, the first anniversary of the tragedy that claimed 304 lives. Actress Jung Ryeo-won posted a picture of a yellow duck with the message, “Let’s remember April 16, 2014″ on her Instagram blog [...]