At a press conference for JTBC’s new drama “Age of Youth” on August 4, actress and former T-ara member Ryu Hwa Young compared her kiss scene with Han Seung Yeon to a previous kiss scene with Lee Seung Gi.“In the movie ‘Love Forecast’ I had a kiss scene with Lee Seung Gi,” she said. “But I liked [my kiss scene with Han Seung Yeon] better.”She added playfully, “It was more moist. I want there to be more in the future. It’s the start of a new ‘war romance.'”Han Seung Yeon said, “When I started acting, I thought there might come a day when I had to kiss another actress. But I didn’t think it would happen so soon. Hwa Young played her part with a lot of force so it was easy to give the proper reaction. The director told us to make it longer, though.”“Age of Youth” is about five college girls who share a house despite their differences in major, lifestyle, and dating styles.Source: http://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=241&aid=0002581549

MBC’s new drama “W” (written by Song Jae Sung and directed by Jung Dae Yoon) is currently on a ratings streak and gaining popularity only a couple weeks after its release.The drama department head at MBC, Park Sung Soo, said, “We’ve always kept an eye on Song Jae Sung’s projects. When we saw the first script for ‘W,’ we thought, ‘This is it.’ Choosing a drama based on the script alone is unusual, but ‘W’ was a very new, interesting, solid production.”He continued, “It has themes that the current generation will enjoy and the fact that the script is finished will please audiences.”Despite juggling both the two-dimensional manwha world and three-dimensional reality, the producing director (PD) revealed that he focuses on portraying the characters’ emotions.“All filming must be undertaken with the intent to maximize emotion,” he said. “Since ‘W’ is set in a very unusual world, it can be a little awkward. We have to work hard to make sure the audience never loses the characters’ feelings.”“W” airs every Wednesday and Thursday on MBC.Source: http://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=382&aid=0000492203

On August 4, an inside source spoke with news outlet Ilgan Sports and revealed details about BLACKPINK’s debut plan and release schedule.The source said, “BLACKPINK who is YG’s new girl group in seven years after 2NE1 will be releasing two tracks in August.”Although the group’s debut album has been completed by YG’s main producer Teddy and three music videos have already been filmed, the agency has decided to release two tracks on August 8 according to the report.A source from YG commented, “The decision to release two tracks was somewhat expected as they have been trainees for six years and the album took two years to finish which resulted in the aspiration to film music videos for all of their songs and release the songs at different times rather than all at once.”It appears as though BLACKPINK will continue promoting from their debut until the end of the year with the rest of their songs being released at different times.Domestic and international fans have shown great interest in the teaser images and dance practice video released thus far. Many are anticipating BLACKPINK’s debut.Following the release of their debut tracks on August 8, BLACKPINK will hold their debut showcase at 3 p.m. KST which will stream live on Naver’s V App.Source: http://entertain.naver.com/now/read?oid=241&aid=0002581633

SBS’s upcoming drama “My Sassy Girl” was known for its unique way of casting a female lead. Out of 1800 contestants of celebrities and non-celebrities, actress Kim Joo Hyun was chosen through a final fan poll.However, the actress will no longer be starring as the main female lead. According to Sports Joseon, the actress felt very burdened by her first main role and the sudden amount of public attention, and ultimately decided to step down.Instead, actress Oh Yeon Seo will be taking on the role of the iconic female lead in the 2001 film “My Sassy Girl” starring Cha Tae Hyun and Jun Ji Hyun. Since stepping down from the drama role, Kim Joo Hyun plans to star as a lively princess in the drama “Aji Gongju” (romanized title) instead.  The drama “My Sassy Girl” also stars male lead Joo Won, and plans to air next year.Source: http://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=277&aid=0003801788

Actor Jeong Woo-seong watches a woman sign a petition to help global refugees in downtown Seoul on Wednesday. /Courtesy of the United Nations High Commissioner for RefugeesActor Jeong Woo-seong promoted a campaign to help global refugees on a street in downtown Seoul on Wednesday.He took part in the street campaign with other volunteers in front of the Korean office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.He encouraged people to sign up to help refugees live with human dignity at least with minimum sustenance and shelter. "A place to sleep, a job to make a living and a school to educate children are basic rights of everyone in the world", he said.Jeong has been working to raise awareness on the humanitarian crisis since May 2014 first as the UN commission's honorary advocate and then as honorary ambassador to which he was promoted in June last year.Jeong himself had lived in a shanty town until he was in middle school and that experience helped him understand refugees, he said. He also said that Korea rebuilt the country with the help from the UN after the Korean War, so Koreans may be in a better position to understand refugees. The petition campaign is being conducted to encourage countries around the world to guarantee education for all refugee children, safe homes for refugee families and jobs or vocational education for all refugees. Some 470,000 people have signed up in Korea as of Wednesday. The refugee agency plans to submit the list of signers to the UN Headquarters next month."I am proud of the activists who are working hard in the hot weather. I hope people will give refugees a helping hand", Jeong said.Source: http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2016/08/04/2016080401346.html

Korean stars are still popular and widely represented in China, even though the official atmosphere is thick with mutual suspicion after Korea decided to deploy a U.S. Terminal High-Altitude Defense battery.On Wednesday the Beijing Youth Daily, the official newspaper of the Communist Youth League, felt moved to deny rumors that programs featuring Korean stars are being canceled on Chinese TV.The rumors said Beijing would limit appearances by Korean TV and movie stars on state-run channels.The daily said it checked with various media outlets and the rumors were false.Indeed, a Chinese movie starring Korean singer Hwang Chi-yeol previewed on Monday and will hit theaters on Friday. Another movie featuring Seung Ri of boy band Big Bang continues filming in Hong Kong.The daily added that the TV series "Uncontrollably Fond" starring Kim Woo-bin and Suzy will start airing on Chinese TV on Sunday.However, Hong Kong's South China Morning Post, which is marginally freer of state control, quoted broadcasting sources in Guangdong as saying government officials gave orders to limit appearances of Korean stars.Meanwhile, China's Global Times quoted Korean reports that Korean stars are bracing for retaliatory measures over the THAAD decision but added they were probably due to a guilty conscience.Source: http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2016/08/04/2016080401612.html

The second episode featured the remaining performances for the first round of the dance competition show. Taemin and Koharu Sugawara won with their adaptation of Taemin’s Japanese song “Sayonara Hitori.” The accusations of unfairness mainly argue it was unfair for the other contestants who created completely new dances/stages.“Hit the Stage” has responded to these criticisms saying, “There is no problem. The producers only present the theme. We respect the artists’ choices regarding their song selection and stage performance. Taemin just expressed the devil’s internal image and selected the song that would express this the best.”The show explains that there are no restrictions and the dancer who performs the best stage fitting the given theme wins. The source clarified, “Taemin and all of the other contestants have not violated any of the rules presented by ‘Hit the Stage.'”Source: http://osen.mt.co.kr/article/G1110468435

9MUSES Kyungri recently revealed her past on a recent episode of MBC’s “Radio Star.”On the episode, Kyungri talks about the truth about being an unknown back-up dancer and her passionate dancer days.Kyungri shares that she was a back-up dancer for Chaeyeon’s popular song “Look Look Look,” surprising all of the panelists on the show.Back then, Kyungri was in her early 20s but was known for being a skilled dancer on music broadcasts. “I was not only a back up dancer for Chaeyeon, but also for Park Mi Hyung and Kim Gun Mo sunbaenim,” she says.In order to build up her experiences, Kyungri worked hard and danced for many other famous singers prior to debuting as a member of 9MUSES.Source: http://www.insight.co.kr/newsRead.php?ArtNo=70667

The police have requested for a preliminary arrest warrant for “A,” Park Yoochun’s first accuser of sexual assault.On August 4, the Gangnam Police Station revealed that they requested preliminary arrest warrants for A, A’s boyfriend, and A’s cousin for attempted blackmail.A source from the police stated, “We requested arrest warrants because we judged that the crime is not minor but rather quite serious. The acceptance or rejection of the request will be decided later today.”Following the results of this request, the police will send their findings on the case to the public prosecutor’s office.The first accuser accused Park Yoochun of sexual assault on June 10. He was later accused of sexual assault by three more individuals. Following investigations, Park Yoochun was acquitted of sexual assault charges. However, he was booked without detention for suspicion of solicitation of prostitution involving one of the individuals.Source: http://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=404&aid=0000146525

Lee Jin Wook has been freed of all suspicion from sexual assault allegations made against him mid-last month, while the plaintiff, “A,” is under investigation for slander.With the case largely resolved, Lee Jin Wook’s side released an official statement to the press:“1. We sincerely thank everyone who believed in Lee Jin Wook to the end. Lee Jin Wook will now be returning to his life and doing his best as an actor.“2. For the duration of the case, we couldn’t help but have horrible feelings watching the lies of the plaintiff getting reported while Lee Jin Wook’s truth was buried. However, we did the best we could to refrain from taking action through media, and waited for the results of the police investigation.“3. We proved through this investigation that truth prevails over lies.“4. As Lee Jin Wook said before his questioning, slander is a serious crime. It can ruin a person’s life, especially that of a celebrity like Lee Jin Wook, and leaves a permanent scar. As a result, there must be due process.“5. Once again, we’d like to bow our heads in thanks and apology to all the fans who stood unwavering by Lee Jin Wook’s side in difficult times. Lee Jin Wook will pour his efforts into becoming a great actor, and will repay all the love and support of fans with quality projects.”Source: http://news.nate.com/view/20160803n10700?mid=n0107

Actor Lee Min Ki will soon be returning from his mandatory military service.On August 2, a representative from the Seoul district office clarified earlier reports that had announced his discharge, saying, “Although reports had said he would be released on August 3, it was incorrect and he will actually be discharged on August 6.”Lee Min Ki had entered the army in August of 2014 and has been working as a public service worker. He had been embroiled in a sexual assault scandal earlier in the year and despite being acquitted of the charges, his casting offer for an upcoming tvN drama “Tomorrow With You,” starring alongside Shin Min Ah, had fallen through. As a result, there is a lot of attention on whether the scandal will continue to affect his return to society.Source: http://news.nate.com/view/20160802n29392

You will soon be able to see an exciting lineup of some of today’s hottest girl groups on an upcoming episode of KBS 2TV’s “Happy Together!”According to a broadcast representative on August 3, Girls’ Generation’s Sunny, EXID’s Solji, GFRIEND’s Yerin, gugudan’s Kim Sejeong, Melody Day’s Chahee and LABOUM’s Solbin will be recording for the popular variety show later this week on August 6.The broadcast is already garnering a lot of interest for gathering some of today’s most popular girl groups together in one setting. Moreover, the members who are featuring on the episode are the ones who are known for their great skills and humor on variety shows and so many people are curious about what charms they will show on the broadcast.Source: http://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=109&aid=0003367974

Jang Hyunseung, a former member of BEAST, opens up about his reasons for joining on the Mnet dance show “Hit The Stage.”On the August 3 episode of the show, Jang Hyungseung appears on his first broadcast since his departure from BEAST.He shares that every since he was little, “I wanted to be a singer who can dance well while singing.” However, he couldn’t dance very well so he practiced very hard in order to become a good dancer.When asked about his appearance on the show, he confesses, “I really worried a lot about it. Thinking about it positively, I realized I want to have fun and enjoy the music.”As he watches the other participants rehearse for the show, which includes I.O.I’’s Kim Chungha, BIGSTAR’s Feeldog and Stephanie, he appears nervous. However, when he finally stands on the stage for his rehearsal, he is able to capture the attention of everyone with his charismatic dance.Source:http://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=421&aid=0002203760

BIGBANG has been selected as a national “Creative Icon” by the South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.On August 2, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism revealed that BIGBANG will be the ambassador of the country’s new national brand “Creative Korea.”As creative ambassador, BIGBANG will be involved in the Rio Summer Olympics this August as well as the 2018 PyeongChang 2018 Winter Games Olympics.“Creative Korea” is the result of the ministry’s efforts to rebrand Korean’s national identity and will replace “Dynamic Korea” and “Imagine Your Korea” as the country’s slogan. “Creative Korea”A ministry source comments, “Through ‘Creative Icon’ BIGBANG’s activities, we believe we will be able to promote ‘Creative Korea’ far and wide. The group will play a huge role in elevating Korea’s image.”Source: http://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=241&aid=0002581194

During the corresponding interview, the actor does a little psychoanalysis on his character Hong Ji Hong and the toy claw machine he keeps in his home.“I was also curious about why the [claw crane machine] was in the house. I asked [the writer] whether she doesn’t think it’s a bit troublesome, but she found a way to make use of [the machine] like that,” Kim Rae Won says.He continues, “I think that in the writer’s set up, [the machine] represents something like Hong Ji Hong’s longing for love, his loneliness. Perhaps his inability to hold his mom and dad’s hands and go to the amusement park is manifesting in this way.”Kim Rae Won laughs, “I think we used [the claw crane machine] very well as a kiss scene location.”When asked about the recent kiss scene with “Doctors” co-star Park Shin Hye that took place on the claw machine, Kim Rae Won says there wasn’t much to it.“I don’t know why I’m receiving such a response [to the kiss scene],” the actor says. “The angles and such are all the director’s doing. When I’m doing a kiss [scene], I don’t think even one percent about how the kiss will look on screen.”“All I focus on is immersing myself in the scene. When I act naturally, the director figures out the right angles, and it turns out well,” Kim Rae Won says.Source: http://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=009&aid=0003778768

On August 3, a source from SEVENTEEN’s management agency Pledis Entertainment revealed its plans for Mingyu in light of his recent back injury.“Mingyu has suffered a back injury, but he will attend the planned schedules”, the source says. “The injury isn’t severe, but the muscle has been shocked, so for the time being he needs to get rest.”“[The injury] is currently improving, but we for now, we will have to wait and see,” the source continues. “We will do everything we can do make sure he can return healthy.”Mingyu has also taken to SEVENTEEN’s official Twitter to personally address fans regarding his injury. “Hello, it’s Mingyu,” he writes. “I was debating about whether to write something or not, but [I am] because you were so concerned. I am both sorry and upset because it feels like I am causing harm to the fans and the members who have been waiting.”He clarifies the extent of his participation in SEVENTEEN’s upcoming concert in Japan. “I just slightly threw my back out, so I think it’s fine, but the agency has told me to consider the long term. The members have also said it’s okay and have been accommodating, so I will be part of the concert but will probably skip out on a few performances with demanding choreography,” Mingyu says.“I’m sure it’s a performance that you were really looking forward to, so I am so sorry and regret not being more careful. I will recover quickly so that I can show you a proper performance, and I’m sorry for making you worry,” Mingyu concludes.Source: http://star.mt.co.kr/view/stview.php?no=2016080323085826674&type=1&outlink=1