Yang Soo-kyung is returning to showbiz after nearly two decades of absence.

Yang, who was enormously popular in the 90s, is taking advantage of the current nostalgia wave to release a mini album which contains four songs including remakes on Saturday...More

A six-membered idol male group will soon be debuting from the same agency as Im Jae-bum.

According to Yedang Entertainment on July 9th, a six-membered male idol group named C-CLOWN will be releasing their debut album on the 19th. The teaser music video was dropped as well to entice the public...More

A photo taken in 1995 shows, from left, Lee Juno ,Yang Hyun-suk, and Seo Taij. Seo Taiji and Boys changed the history of Korean pop music when they debuted in 1992 with "I Know". / Korea Times file

By Noh Hyun-gi

"Nan, arayo!" (I know! in English)

With that musical declaration, the history of Korean pop music changed completely 20 years ago Friday when a group of three boys released the album and title song, "I Know". In 1992, Seo Taiji, Yang Hyun-Suk and Lee Juno shocked the music scene with combined elements of hip-hop and rock, bringing rhythm, rap, break dance and most importantly the bold attitude. Until their sudden disbandment in Jan. 22, 1997, Seo Taiji and Boys produced four albums...More

From left, Lee Soo-man, Yang Hyun-suk, Bae Yong-joon and J.Y. Park

The surging popularity of K-pop has sent shares of talent management companies through the roof, and this has generated huge wealth for the stars who own them.

According to Chaebul.com, a website that tracks the activities of business conglomerates, the wealthiest entertainer-turned-talent-manager was Lee Soo-man, owner and majority shareholder of SM Entertainment that manages Girls' Generation, Super Junior and other idol groups, whose stake in SM Entertainment is worth W165.7 billion (US$1=W1,151). The value of Lee's stake more than doubled this year due to the Korean Wave...More

Korean actress Kim Sun-ah at her Taiwan fan meeting [Yedang Entertainment]

Hallyu star Kim Sun-ah held her first Taiwan fan meeting over the weekend which attracted some 2,000 fans, according to her agency Yedang Entertainment on Tuesday.

Yedang announced in a press release that the event, held at the Taiwan International Convention Center on June 12, was also attended by 50 leading Chinese media outlets including ELTATV and ETTV...More

Korean actress Kim Sun-ah [Yedang Entertainment]

Hallyu star Kim Sun-ah will be visiting Taiwan this weekend to host her first-ever fan meeting in the country, according to her agency Yedang Entertainment on Friday.

Yedang announced in a press release that the actress, who left for Taiwan this morning, will be carrying out various activities in the country as part of celebrating the success of her SBS TV series "THE CITY HALL"...More

Korean actress Han Ji-hye (left) and Chinese director Huang Jian-zhong [Yedang Entertainment]

Korean actress Han Ji-hye has said that filming Chinese TV drama "Heavenly Embroidery" (working title) with noted director Huang Jian-zhong was a "precious" experience, according to her agency Yedang Entertainment.

The actress, who plays the female lead in the 26-episode drama, shared her sentiments after wrapping up three months of on location shoot through a press release distributed Tuesday...More

Lee Soo-man, the former singer and currently the largest shareholder of SM Entertainment, is the richest entertainment celebrity in terms of stockholdings.

According to analysis by Chaebul.com last Friday, 10 celebrities in the entertainment business had stock valued at W100 million (US$1=W1,137) or more as of Thursday last week. Lee, who holds 28.25 percent in SM Entertainment, had the highest valued stocks at W26.2 billion.

Next was Korean wave megastar and entrepreneur Bae Yong-joon, the largest shareholde...More

Korean actress Yoo Sun [Yedang Entertainment]

Korean actress Yoo Sun has been tapped as the new face of Japanese skin care brand Grace Aiko, according to her agency Yedang Entertainment.

"We picked Yoo Sun because fits our brand image with her clear skin despite being in her 30s...... We expect her to be effective in both promoting our brand and increasing sales", a representative from Grace Aiko said....More

Actor Lim Joo-hwan's official Japanese website [Yedang Entertainment]

Korean actor Lim Joo-hwan's official Japanese website will open on March 1, according to his agency Yedang Entertainment on Friday.

"We opened the website (http://www.juhwan.jp) because Japanese fans had been requesting for up-to-date information on his activities", said an official from Yedang Entertainment.

Lim's fan base is Japan has been increasing since the airing of MBC drama "Tamra, the Island" in the country which was followed by a fan meeting late last year....More

Korean actress Han Ji-hye [Yedang Entertainment]

Korean actress Han Ji-hye has been tapped to play the lead female role in a new Chinese drama, according to her agency Yedang Entertainment on Wednesday.

Han will play the role of Chun Chae-hee, a young woman with a strong passion for embroidery in search of her mother, in the 26-part drama to be helmed by top Chinese director Huang Jianzhong of "As You Wish" and "Good Woman"....More

Korean actor Lee Jung-jae [Yedang Entertainment]

Korean actor Lee Jung-jae has decided to play the main male role opposite actress Jeon Do-yeon in "The Housemaid - 2010", according to a press release on Monday.

Lee had been contemplating till last week on whether to take on the role in "The Housemaid - 2010", a remake of a 1960s classic Korean film "The Housemaid - 1960" of the same title which is about a middle-class family breaking apart when the husband has an affair with the maid....More

Korean actor Lee Jung-jae [Yedang Entertainment]

Korean actor Lee Jung-jae is reconsidering his decision to appear in Jeon Do-yeon film "The Housemaid - 2010", agency Yedang Entertainment said a phone call with Asia Economic Daily on Thursday.

Yedang explained that although Lee had initially considered doing the film, he is currently "negotiating the details at the request of the producers" and that "a final decision will be made soon".

The film's producer Miro Vision also confirmed today that "nothing has been set" regarding Lee's participation in the movie....More

Former singer Yang Soo-kyung and actress Kyeon Mi-ri's stock holdings increased to W5 billion through purchase of newly issued shares of listed companies, Chaebul.com reported Monday (US$1=W1,234).

Yang, the wife of Yedang Entertainment Company CEO Byun Du-seop, bought 3.84 million newly issued shares in the company in June, becoming the second largest shareholder with 5.4 percent. As of Sept. 4, the value of Yang's shares was W5.46 billion, which made her the third richest entertainment celebrity in terms of stocks.

Kyun bought 55,000 shares of FCBTwelve in July, and as of Sept. 4, her shares were worth W4.59 billion, making her the fourth biggest stock holder among entertainment c...More

Actress Jang Jin-yeong, who died of stomach cancer on Tuesday afternoon, had married her new boyfriend in a secret ceremony in the United States in July. Jang's agency Yedang Entertainment on Wednesday said the man, identified only as Kim, "proposed on June 14, Jang's birthday, and they got married in Las Vegas on July 26, promising each other eternal love".

The two registered their marriage in Korea on Aug. 28, only four days before the actress' death. Kim An-chul, a spokesman for the agency, said, "Jang and Kim first met on Jan. 23, 2008 when an acquaintance introduced them, and he was by her side while she was battling cancer until she drew ...More

By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

The late actress Jang Jin-yeong was confirmed to have wed a month ago, registering the marriage four days prior to her death, her management agency Yedang Entertainment said Wednesday.

The 35-year-old, who died of stomach cancer Tuesday, and her husband, identified only by his surname Kim, wed in Las Vegas in July, said Kim An-cheol, the public relations manager at Yedang, in a briefing Wednesday at Asan Medical Center, southern...More

Top actress Jang Jin-yeong, who had been struggling with stomach cancer, died on September 1 at age 37. Jang's agency, Yedang Entertainment, said the actress passed away at 4:04 p.m. at St. Mary's Hospital in Seoul.

Jang learned about her disease in September last year during a health checkup, and since then had undergone treatment in Seoul. Her condition improved once, and she even attended a concert of singer Kim Gun-mo in May. In July this year she received treatment in the U.S. and shortly afterward disclosed that she had a boyfriend.

The actress also received acupuncture treatment and even talked about it on TV. But she was hospitalized again because her condition deteriorated last month, and she was told that her cancer had spread all over the body and was impossible to cure.

Jang's agency said the actress had suspended her treatment last month and had ...More

By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter

Korean actress Jang Jin-yeong passed away Tuesday evening after losing a battle against stomach cancer. She was 35.

Jang had been hospitalized in Seoul after her condition recently worsened and doctors had reportedly been giving her morphine and other drugs to relieve the pain.

The news of the actress' sudden hospitalization Tuesday startled fans, as it was thought that she was recovering after resting for a month in Los Angeles.

Jang was diagnosed with stomach cancer in September last year when she paid a visit to the hospital for a regular checkup. What she thought was a stomach ulcer turned out to be cancer, and Jang has been out of the public eye ever since.

"Actress Jang Jin-young passed away today at the Seoul St. Mary's Hospital at Catholic University of Korea. Even after she was diagnosed with cancer, she was always positive and t...More

Actress Jang Jin-yeong died Tuesday afternoon after battling stomach cancer for nearly a year.

Jang, 35, has been hospitalized in Seoul since her condition recently worsened. Doctors have been reportedly giving her morphine and other drugs to relieve the pain.

Yedang Entertainment, her agency, said she died at 4:04 p.m.

Jang was diagnosed with stomach cancer last September after having a health checkup to treat a simple stomach ulcer. She immediately stopped working and has since been fighting the disease.
...More

Acclaimed actress Jang Jin-yeong is reportedly in critical condition at a hospital in Seoul. She has been battling stomach cancer since last fall. Her condition has gotten worse in recent days, relying only on morphine to kill the pain. Her representative at Yedang Entertainment has not released any statement, claiming that there is nothing to say about her health at the moment.

She first found out that she had stomach cancer last year when she ...More

Dynamic singer Lee Jung-hyun is ready to come back to the Korean music scene by releasing a mini album in mid-May. This is the first album to be rolled out in Korea in two years and seven months. The last of Lee's album was her sixth one released in October 2006.

Meanwhile, Lee has established a new management agency named Ava Entertainment after leaving her previous management company, Yedang Entertainment. The name "Av...More

It is the first time in 11 years since she appeared in a music video for Cho's debut song in 1998

Actress Kim Ha-neul will work with singer Cho Sung-mo for the first time in 11 years. Yedang Entertainment, her agency, said Wednesday that Kim is to shoot a music video for Cho's new song "I Was Happy" on Friday.

In 1998, Kim, who had then just started her acting career, appeared in the music video for the s...More

Jeon Yoon-soo's "Portrait of a Beauty" is attracting great interest globally; first, it will be exported to Japan, Singapore, and Thailand. Yedang Entertainment closed these deals with the three countries at this month's American Film Market (AFM) in Los Angeles.

Europe also expressed much interest in the Korean blockbuster. It is expected that the European deals will take place at 2009's Berlin Market in February.

"Portrait of a Beauty" has topped the box office since its release, beating international blockbusters Quantum of Solace and Max Payne. The somewhat controversial take on Joseon dynasty painter SHIN Yoon-bok reached th...More

Actress Jang Jin-yeong (34) has been admitted to a hospital after being diagnosed with stomach cancer.

"Jang Jing-yeong has been admitted to a hospital in Seoul for further examination", said her agent from Yedang Entertainment. "We are not sure of what stage she's in, but we heard that her cancer should be curable", they explained.

Jang has starred in movies such as "The Scent of Love" (2003), <...More

Yedang Entertainment announced that actress Han Ji-hye participated in the recording of "Friends ", the official theme song for swimming at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

"Friends " was a joint effort produced by China's National Olympic Committee, WBBN and Korea's The Saem Entertainment. There are two versions of the song, Korean and Chinese, which were sung by actress Han Ji-hye and the Chinese star, William, respe...More

Active both in its advance into the film business and the expansion of its media business this year, Yedang Entertainment (CEO: Yang, Hee-Jong) is seeking to widen its scope to include the performing events and drama industry.

Yedang announced that Lobbyist, an SBS' special drama scheduled to be broadcast in October and a co-production between Yedang and Chorokbaem Media, was Yedang's signal to get into the drama business. Yedang has actively been investing on dramas, starting with Winter Sonata, the icon of the Korean Wave, as well as "New Employee" and "Sweet Spy", and has been analyzing the profitability of the drama market. Particularly, Yedang teamed with TBS in Japan to produce "Rondo" last year, which made huge waves.

After "Lobbyist", given its experience in investment a...More

Actress Kim Ah-joong will attend '2007 Dynamic Korean Cinema Festival' from the 31st to 3rd, a cultural event commemorating 15 years of exchange between Korea and Vietnam.

Kim Ah-joong's agency, Yedang Entertainment, commented on the 25th, "Kim Ah-joong will attend the '2007 Dynamic Korean Cinema Festival' as Korea's representing actress".

The festival will feature six Korean films while '...More

Actress Kim Ah-joong has risen to celebrity status through her lead role in Korean comedy "200 Pounds Beauty". After a successful run in Singapore last April that made it the top Korean record-holder in that region, the film is scheduled to open on 20 screens in Hong Kong on May 17th.

Some four initial previews of the film in Hong Kong helped fuel the celebrity treatment actress KIM has been receiving since her arrival there May 12th. She was greeted at the airport by throngs of adoring fans. During her 5-day stay in Hong Kong, KIM was interviewed by nearly 150 news outlets in both individual and group press-publicity sessions.

The actress has received several offers for roles by Hong Kong film companies, according to her management agency, Yedang Entertainment Company. A joint Korea – Hong Kong project is also under negotiation but details remain u...More

Korean actress Kim Ah-joong had a closed-door meeting with Hong Kong filmmakers while in the territory to promote her latest film "200 Pounds Beauty".

Kim has been in the spotlight during her five-day stay in Hong Kong, conducting interviews with over 150 news outlets.

She reportedly had the secret meeting with the movie makers to discuss a joint Korea...More

After a drug bust in 2001 that put her career on hold, actress Hwang Soo-jung (34) has finally made her comeback in a music video by the singer WAX. Yedang Entertainment, which represents the artist, in a press release Wednesday said Hwang worked all night for two days late last month to finish shooting the title track ("Because Love is Always Like That") for WAX's sixth album. It thoughtfully enclosed some pictures from the shoot.

Her handlers quoted Hwang as saying she was "really excited" since it was her first shoot in six years. "The song is a great fall track, the melody and lyrics touched my heart, and I'm just so happy to be a part of a video for such a good song", she was quoted as saying. In the promo, Hwang portrays the happiness and sadness of one woman through four changing seasons, from spring to wi...More

The pilot episode of the Korean-Japanese TV drama "Rondo", starring top hallyu actress Choi Ji-woo, recorded viewer ratings of 20.6 percent when it aired in Japan Jan. 15 on Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS), reported Choi's agency, Yedang Entertainment, on Jan. 16.

TBS officially announced the figure via the Japanese viewership research firm Video Research.

Co-produced by Yedang Entertainment and TBS, the 11-episode drama co-stars Choi opposite Japanese actor Takenouchi Yutaka, and will air until March....More

Korean soap opera star Choi Ji-woo, best known for her leading role in "Winter Sonata", wildly popular in Japan, fainted Wednesday night from fatigue and was forced to cancel her trip to Tokyo, Kim Hyun-mo, the manager of the actress' agency Yedang Entertainment told The Korea Herald.

Choi canceled her Tokyo press conference and other events which had been organized by the Korea National Tourism Organization, Kim said. She may need to cancel events beyond next week too, he said.

Korea and Japan share a long, acrimonious past, but have designated 2005 as the Year of Korea-Japan Friendship to mark the 40th anniversary of a f...More

Actress Choi Ji-woo will hold a solo concert entitled "Ji-woo's Secret Garden" on June 24 at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the Little Angels Art Hall in Gwangjin-gu, Seoul. A person close to Choi said on June 10 that the actress has been rehearsing for the concert since March. He also added that the music will be performed by the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, and guests will include singers Lee Jung-hyun and Kim Beom-soo.

At the concert, Choi will perform theme songs from her television dramas "Beautiful Days", "Stairway to Heaven" and "...More

As Hanryu (Korean Wave) star Choi Ji-woo holds a press conference regarding her photograph collection and DVD collection release, scheduled to be launched on June, in the Western Hotel, Tokyo on May 9, Choi Ji-woo's large-sized photograph collection as well as DVD collection enthusiasm is expected to fascinate Japanese fans once more.

Choi has come to release her photograph collection and DVD collection for the first time for a Korean actress in Japan following Lee Byung-hun, Jang Dong-gun, Won-bin and Bae Yong-joon.

In her collections, whose picture-taking ...More

Korea has always been proud of its culture. Until now, culture has been considered something that required money and efforts to develop and preserve -- not something that could be a source of income. But the country has come to realize that, in fact, culture can indeed be a money-maker for the nation.
That realization came with the emergence of what is now called the "Korea Wave" - the sudden rapid penetration of Korean popular culture into the countries surrounding Korea that began in the latter 1990s.

The term was first used by the Chinese press to refer to the popularity of Korean pop music, TV dramas, movies, fashion, food, and celebrities in China, especially with young people. That popularity also expanded to Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Vietnam.

The Korea Wave is currently at a height, with Japan joining in the phenomenon. Japan had stayed relatively cool toward the Korea Wave until recently, but the Korean TV drama "Winter Sonata", charmed Japanese fans, causing them to view Korea with new interest.

Realizing that culture could be an excellent tool to expand the nation's exports, the government has been taking steps to maximize the profits.

Culture and Tourism Minister Chung Dong-chae said in an interview posted on a government Web site earlier this month that Korea's culture is becoming the core of the nation's future industry.

The government has been adopting new laws to encourage and aid those who are leading the Korea Wave, and also working on ways to improve the environment for cultural creativity.

in efforts to promote the country and push the wave forward, the Korea National Tourism Organization (KNTO) has identified the 2004-2005 tourism season as "The Year for Promoting the Korea Wave".

The fact that Japan has be...More