A Turkish news outlet reported that Song Hye-kyo visited Istanbul, printing a photo of her taken on the street in the capital. The photo was taken while Song was enjoying sightseeing in her spare time during her visit to Turkey for the shooting of her upcoming Chinese film “I Am the Queen.” The Turkish media outlet used a picture posted by Song’s agency. 　In the photo, Song flaunts flawless skin and much-envied facial features. The 32-year-old star looks younger than she is with her new short ha

Baekhyun, member of K-pop boy band EXO, removed his heartfelt apology for fans from his social networking site, 10 hours after it went viral. The idol left a message on Instagram early on Thursday, breaking his silence a month after he admitted that he is dating Taeyeon of labelmate Girls‘ Generation. But now the apologetic comment is deleted.  (OSEN)In the message, he explained why he had to remain quiet after the news broke and how sorry he is. “I know it is too late, but I am leaving a messag

South Korean actress Clara said Thursday on Twitter that she will turn into a rapper. “I am working on my first single. It will be a hip-hop song,” she wrote in the caption alongside her photo. In the photo, Clara is singing with headphones on at a recording studio.Her new tune “Fear” is raising the expectations of fans as it features the rapper Beast, who appeared as a judge in season three of the TV audition program “Show Me the Money.”　(laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)

 K-pop boy band JYJ will make a grand return to the K-pop scene with their new album “Just Us,” the group‘s label said Thursday. The second studio album to be released on July 29 will include 13 tracks including self-written and English songs that the group has worked on in Korea and the U.S. Their comeback is nearly three years after their debut studio album “In Heaven” in 2011. The three members have since been pursuing solo activities in various fields including drama, musical and film. Short

Sooyoung, a member of the K-pop girl group Girls’ Generation, is to play a lead role in an upcoming drama.The idol accepted the lead role in the MBC drama “Spring Days of My Life,” opposite the award-winning actor Kam Woo-sung. (OSEN)The family drama, directed by Lee Jae-dong, portrays the love story between the husband of a woman who donates her heart and the heart recipient. Sooyoung will play Bomi, who is terminally ill but grabs a chance for a new life after a heart transplant operation. Kam

백현, 태연과 열애 인정 후 남긴 첫 심경 고백 글 '삭제'그룹 엑소(EXO)의 멤버 백현이 소녀시대 태연과의 열애 인정 후 남긴 첫 심경 고백 글을 삭제해 눈길을 끌고 있다.17일 백현은 자신의 인스타그램에 사과 글을 남긴 뒤 곧 게시글을 삭제했다.앞서 백현은 "실망과 상처를 드려서 죄송하다"고 시작되는 장문의 사과글을 게재했다.백현은 "제 진심을 꼭 전하고 싶다"며 "팬 여러분들의 마음을 아프게 해서 정말 죄송해요. 그리고 그 안에서 생긴 오해들로 더 아프게 해드려서 다시 한 번 죄송합니다"고 사과했다.이어 "EXO는 저에게도 너무나 소중한 이름입니다. 결코 EXO를 가볍게 다르게 표현한 적이 없었다는 말씀만큼은 꼭 드리고 싶습니다"라고 전했다하지만 이후 백현은 이 글을 삭제, 그 이유에 대한 팬들의 궁금증이 높아지고 있다.백현 태연과 열해후 첫 사과글 삭제 소식을 접한 네티즌들은 "백현, 사과글 지울 거면 왜 쓴 거지" "백현, 사과글 안타깝네" "백현, 사과글에 무슨 문제 있

K-pop idol group EXO’s Baekhyun finally broke his silence on Thursday, a month after the idol admitted that he is dating Taeyeon of labelmate Girls’ Generation.(OSEN)“I know it is too late, but I am leaving a message here to apologize for disappointing and hurting you, my fans,” Baekhyun wrote on his Instagram. “I was not courageous enough to resolve misunderstanding or talk about my true feelings. I was afraid that you might feel that I am making excuses.... Maybe these words mean nothing to yo

South Korean singer and entertainer Shin Jung-hwan has been reported to the police for fraud, a Korean broadcaster reported Wednesday. Shin allegedly received 100 million won from an unidentified woman, 62, in 2010, promising he would debut her son in the entertainment scene, according to the police. (OSEN)In 2011, however, Shin was put behind bar on charges of overseas gambling and reportedly told the woman that he could no longer help her son debut.The angered mother reported him to the police

Culture Minister-designate Chung Sung-keun withdrew his nomination on Wednesday, despite President Park Geun-hye taking the political risk of pushing ahead with his appointment. The former TV anchor has been facing fierce resistance from the main opposition party over his record of drunken driving and alleged perjury during his parliamentary confirmation hearing last week.“Today, I step down from my position as minister nominee for culture, sports and tourism,” Chung said in a statement. “There

HyunA of 4Minute is gearing up for a return to the stage by starring in a new TV show that exclusively follows the idol, according to an industry watcher. (OSEN)The reality program, titled “HyunA’s Free Month,” will portray various aspects of HyunA’s daily life. As the release of her new work is nearing, the program will mainly capture HyunA working on her solo album and practicing her dance moves. “HyunA’s Free Month” is to air at 11:00 p.m. on July 21 on SBS MTV. 　(laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)

Lee Hye-ri, a member of the K-pop girl group Girl’s Day, revealed a photo that shows her slim figure on Tuesday on Twitter. She encouraged her followers on Twitter to stay tuned for the upcoming TV show in which Girl’s Day will return to the stage for the first time since they released a new tune.  (Twitter)In the photo, Lee is wearing a cute yellow dress that highlights her Barbie doll-like curves. Girl’s Day dropped the new track “Darling” on Monday, and it immediately topped local charts. The

South Korean brother-sister duo Akdong Musician talked about the hardships they have been through after rising to fame in a television program on Monday. “I didn’t like my friends seeing me as if I am a celebrity. I grew apart from my friends,” Lee Chan-Hyuk said on the SBS talk show “Healing Camp.” The teenage singer-songwriter further elaborated on his emotional distress. “My friends are now seniors at high school and study hard. But I also have difficulties. They don’t get me and envy me when

South Korea will decide its final position on the rice market opening later next week amid strong opposition from farmers and others who were worried that it may hurt the country's rice industry, a lawmaker said Tuesday. The decision will be made in a meeting of policymakers aimed at discussing the country's trade and other economic issues. It would come after the government earlier delayed its decision on the issue, which was supposed to be made by the end of June. "The government will decide i

Still photos of the upcoming film “Pit-a-Pat My Life” starring South Korean actor Kang Dong-won and actress Song Hye-kyo were revealed Tuesday. The sought-after stars are playing husband and wife in the film, which will kick off in September.  (CJ Entertainment)Based on the best-selling book of novelist Kim Ae-ran, the film portrays the lives of teenage parents and their son suffering from progeria. Kang will play a 33-year-old father with a 16-year-old son while Song will play a 17-year-old mot

‘두근두근 내인생’ 강동원 송혜교, 부부 케미 제대로 “열애설 날만해?”강동원과 송혜교 주연의 영화 ‘두근두근 내인생’의 스틸컷이 공개됐다.15일 ‘두근두근 내인생’의 배급사 CJ엔터테인먼트는 영화 개봉 소식과 함께 두 배우의 스틸컷을 선보였다.공개된 사진속에는 33살의 나이에 16살 아들을 둔 철부지 아빠 강동원과 한때 아이돌을 꿈꿨지만 17살에 덜컥 엄마가 된 송혜교의 모습이 담겨 있다.영화 ‘두근두근 내인생’은 김애란 작가의 동명 베스트셀러를 영화화한 것으로 오는 9월 개봉할 예정이다.한편 송혜교와 강동원은 이 영화로 인해 최근 열애설에 휩싸이기도 했다.중국팬으로 추정되는 한 누리꾼이 영화 화보 촬영차 파리로 간 강동원과 송혜교의 뒷모습을 찍으며 목격담을 게재해 열애설로 번진 것. 양측 소속사는 “이들은 화보 촬영을 위해 파리로 간 것이고 스태프들도 동행했다”고 해명했다.‘두근두근 내인생’ 강동원과 송혜교의 스틸컷을 접한 누리꾼들은 “강동원-송혜교, 부부 케미 제대로네”, “강

South Korea said Tuesday it will provide North Korea with humanitarian aid worth 3 billion won (US$2.9 million), apparently a conciliatory gesture amid confusing signals from the unpredictable communist neighbor.Seoul will use government funds to finance civilian groups' projects to offer assistance to North Korea in the agricultural, livestock and health-care sectors, said the unification ministry.It would mark the first time that the South spends money from state coffers to support such nongov

President Park Geun-hye on Tuesday withdrew her nomination of embattled Education Minister-designate Kim Myung-soo and named Rep. Hwang Woo-yea, former chairman of the ruling Saenuri Party, as his replacement. (Yonhap) “President Park has withdrawn her nomination of Kim Myung-soo as education minister. The president appointed Rep. Hwang Woo-yea of the Saenuri Party as new education minister,” presidential spo

Hyundai Motor Co., South Korea's largest carmaker, said Tuesday that its plant in Turkey rolled off its 1 millionth vehicle, marking a milestone in the company's presence in the country and Europe.The plant located in the port city of Izmit, which has the capacity to produce 200,000 cars per year, has been in operation since 1997, with vehicles such as the i10 and i20 supermini cars currently being made there.Both cars are so-called strategic cars introduced by Hyundai Motor for the European mar

비 장근석 탈세 의혹? '환치기'가 뭐길래가수 비와 배우 장근석이 해외 수입 조세 포탈 의혹에 휘말렸다.종합편성채널 채널A는 14일 오후 방송을 통해 비와 장근석 등 한류 연예인 10명이 중국 내 공연 수익 등을 국내로 가져오는 과정에서 탈세한 정황이 포착돼 검찰의 수사를 받고 있다고 보도했다.(OSEN)보도에 따르면 이들은 한류 중개기획사가 중국에서 받은 수익금을 중국 현지 ‘환전 브로커’에게 전달하면 이들과 연계된 한국 내 ‘환전 브로커’가 국내 연예기획사에 수익금을 전달하는 일명 ‘환치기’ 방식을 사용한 것으로 알려졌다.환치기는 통화가 다른 두 나라에 각각의 계좌를 만든 뒤 한 국가의 계좌에 돈을 넣고 다른 국가에 만들어 놓은 계좌에서 그 나라의 화폐로 지급받는 불법 외환거래 수법이다. 탈세와 돈세탁용 자금거래의 온상인 조세피난처와 함께 자금을 해외로 유출하는 방법 가운데 가장 많이 쓰인다.환치기를 이용하면 외국환은행을 거치지 않고 서로 돈을 주고받을 수 있다. 외국환거래법에

South Korean actor Jang Geun-suk and singer Rain dismissed earlier reports on their alleged tax evasion as “groundless” on Monday. Controversy swirled over the popular stars after a news outlet reported that 10 celebrities including Jang and Rain are under investigation for evading taxes. The two are reportedly suspected of having created false-name accounts abroad to avoid paying taxes at home.  (OSEN)Jang’s label, TreeJ Entertainment, however, flatly denied the reports. The agency stated that