Big Bang’s music video for “Fxxx It” became the K-pop group’s ninth MV to reach over 100 million views on YouTube.The video for “Fxxx It,” released in December, surpassed 100 million views on YouTube on Saturday evening, YG Entertainment announced.The agency’s head Yang Hyun-suk posted an image on his social media account congratulating Big Bang. “Fxxx It” (YG Entertainment-YouTube)Other Big Bang music videos that have garnered over 100 million views include “Bang Bang Bang,” “Bad Boy,” “Loser”

Singer-producer Gill of hip hop duo Leessang apologized Saturday on social media after he was found intoxicated and asleep at the driver’s seat last Wednesday. “I have nothing to say even if people point a finger at me and throw insults at me for the rest of my life,” he wrote on his Twitter account. “I am ashamed to face my parents, family, friends and fans. I am very sorry.”  Gill stars in “Show Me The Money 5.” (Mnet)Gill, whose full name is Gill Sung-joon, was caught near the entrance of Nam

Singer-actor Eric of boy band Shinhwa and actress Na Hye-mi tied the knot at a quiet church ceremony Saturday.The ceremony, attended by family and a number of close acquaintances, took place around 3:30 p.m. at Young Nak Presbyterian Church in Seoul.Several celebrities attended the wedding, including the five other Shinhwa members who were present as best men, Lee Seo-jin, Yoon Kyun-sang and Ye Ji-won. 　Wedding photo of Eric and Na Hye-mi (E&J Entertainment)“I sincerely thank the many fans who h

Real(Korea)Opened June 28Science fiction, thriller. Directed by Lee Sa-rangJang Tae-young (Kim Soo-hyun) is a ruthless casino owner and gangster boss with a ferocious temper, who suffers from a dual personality disorder. He seeks the services of a psychoanalyst (Lee Sung-min), who hypnotizes Jang and delves into his deep subconscious to “murder” the second self. In a whirlwind of neon lights, debauchery-filled drug hazes, gang wars and a mysterious doppelganger who keeps chasing him, Jang comes

Tonkatsu is a panko breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet. Like the curry rice I posted last time, tonkatsu (called donkkaseu in Korea) is another dish that made its way into Korea by way of Japan and became widely popular. The Japanese adapted their version from the West. Pork loin chops are the best cut for tonkatsu. In the markets, you can find pork cutlets that are specifically prepared for tonkatsu with slits all over on the meat. The slits help tenderize the meat and keep it nice and flat when f

Prosecutors are seeking a suspended sentence against a top boy band rapper charged with marijuana use.On the first day of the trial Thursday, the prosecution said it is seeking a 10-month jail sentence suspended for two years for Big Bang rapper T.O.P, who has been charged with using marijuana on four occasions.T.O.P entered the Seoul Central District Court at around 11:31 a.m. clad in a black suit and read a statement of apology in front of press. T.O.P of Big Bang reads a statement in front of

A handful of Koreans, including filmmaker Kim Ki-duk, director of photography Chung Chung-hoon and CJ Group Vice Chairwoman Lee Mi-kyung, have been invited to become members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.　Also included are animator Lee Sang-jun, who worked on the 2013 animation “Epic,” and Korean-American Helen Lee-Kim, president of international sales at film production company Good Universe. The organization, whose members decide the recipients of the annual Oscars, announ

Bong Joon-ho’s “Okja,” which centers on the struggles of a genetically modified super-pig, has been described as an environmentalist film and a proponent of veganism and animal rights, among other things.But some have said that the well-being of animals can seem a distant issue when food is lacking and basic survival is still a battle in many countries. 　“It’s true. The perspective can be very different in Third World countries, where it is difficult for people just to get by,” Bong told The Kor

Im Si-wan will begin carrying out his mandatory military service next month. 　“On July 11, Im Si-wan will be enlisting as an active-duty officer at a training center located in Gyeonggi Province,” the actor’s management agency Plum Entertainment said Wednesday. 　“He plans to meet with fans briefly on the day of enlistment,” the agency added.　Im Si-wan (Hohoho Beach)“I’m leaving for a short while in order to fulfill my military obligations,” Im said in a message to fans through the agency. “I fee

Yoo Ah-in has been exempted from mandatory military service due to his medical condition, including a bone tumor, the actor’s management agency UAA said Tuesday. Yoo Ah-in (Yonhap)The 30-year-old actor was diagnosed with a bone tumor in 2015. He also ruptured his shoulder muscle while filming two action movies “Tough as Iron” (2013) and “Veteran” (2015). The pain had not been severe enough to hinder Yoo’s everyday activities, but the tumor recently grew in size and led to his exemption by the Mi

Kim Soo-hyun believes that the cryptic sci-fi, action-crime psychological thriller “Real” will become the symbolic project of his 20s.　“Personally, I hope (the film) will be remembered as the representative work of my 20s, the last film of my 20s,” he told reporters after the press screening of “Real” at Seoul’s CGV Wangsimni, Monday. 　The 29-year-old actor, who rose to pan-Asian popularity as the extraterrestrial heartthrob in the 2014 drama “My Love From the Stars,” returns to the big screen w

On Sunday, a photo of Kim Woo-bin was uploaded to an Instagram account falsely claiming to belong to the actor.The account does not belong to Kim, a representative of Sidus HQ, Kim’s management agency, said Monday. “Kim does not have any social media accounts,” the representative said. The uploaded photo was one taken a long time ago, the representative added. A photo of Kim Woo-bin at a gallery that was uploaded to a fake Instagram account on Sunday. (Instagram account)“We have expressed numero

K-pop girl group member-turned-actress Sulli felt that the explicit sex scenes in the upcoming film “Real” were necessary to the story, she told reporters Monday.“I don’t think it was easy. It was a huge challenge for me, acting-wise and in other areas. It was hard and I had a lot of concerns but it was fun,” said Sulli in a rare press interview at the press screening of “Real,” held at CGV Wangsimni. Sulli attends the press screening of "Real" at CGV Wangsimni, Monday. (Yonhap) Sulli attends th

Black Pink’s latest release “As If It‘s Your Last” is sweeping local charts as of Friday. The single has topped major music charts Genie, Bus Music, Naver Music, Olleh Music, Soribada and Monkey 3, and ranked second on Mnet and Melon behind girl group Mamamoo’s “Yes I Am.”(YG Entertainment)(YG Entertainment)(YG Entertainment)(YG Entertainment)“As If It’s Your Last” also scored first place on the iTunes global singles chart and second on iTunes Japan. The music video for the track surpassed 13 mi

A love affair with a sort of ironic passion, drunken pseudo-philosophical conversations poking fun at the clueless male lead, and a timid but keen female character -- these are the ingredients for Hong Sang-soo’s 21st feature, “The Day After.” The film had its local press screening on Thursday after competing at the Cannes Film Festival in May, one of two films by Hong -- the other, “Claire’s Camera” -- which screened at Cannes this year. 　While few events propel Hong Sang-soo films, which cente

Son Ye-jin and Hyun Bin have started shooting the new police thriller “Negotiation” (unofficial translation) last Saturday, the film’s producer JK Film announced Friday.　The film is about Chae-yoon, a cop at the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency played by Son ye-jin, attempting a dangerous negotiation with a kidnapper who has taken her boss Tae-gu, played by Hyun Bin, hostage.　The first shoot was completed on a set in Paju, Gyeonggi-do Province, JK Film said.　 Son Ye-jin (left) and Hyun Bin on se

Michael Bay’s previous film was a cranked-up, little-seen dramatization of the 2012 Benghazi tragedy called “13 Hours.” By sheer coincidence — or, for all I know, by diabolical design — that title also sums up how long it would take you to watch all five of Bay’s “Transformers” movies back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back, not counting the occasional break to use the bathroom, pop another Advil or hurl yourself off the nearest cliff.Don’t worry. Having just endured “Transformers: The Last Knight,

Director Don Siegel created in “The Beguiled,” back in 1971, an emotional tension as thick and muggy as the air in summer. The only thing more stifling and heated in this story set during the Civil War was the sexual tension created by a wounded Union soldier (Clint Eastwood) being given sanctuary at a girls boarding school. The film, based on the novel by Thomas Cullinan, mixed passion and betrayal in such dark quantities that at times it played more like a psychological thriller or horror movi

Transformers: The Last Knight (US)Opened June 21Action, science fiction. Directed by Michael BayTwo worlds collide as humans go to war with the robot Transformers. Optimus Prime, the leader of the transforming species of synthetic intelligence, no longer sides with humans. To re-establish Cybertron, the home of the Transformers, on Earth, Optimus Prime embarks on a search for ancient relics on earth, which results in an inescapable conflict with the human race. The key to saving the future of ma

In recent years, a host of cafes with furry creatures rarely seen in the city have popped up around Seoul.　Most of the cafes are owned by enthusiasts who began raising the animals at home as pets, but decided to open a shop when their numbers got out of hand. 　Dozens of local visitors and foreign tourists were spotted in such cafes, concentrated in the Hongdae area, on a Tuesday afternoon. Some cuddled the animals, while others observed with curiosity. There were also those who just sat and sipp