Month: February 2023

Categories
K-Pop

EXO-SC to stage fan concert at The Star Theatre in May

EXO-SC, Sehun and Chanyeol, at the press conference for the Jarkata stop of Back To Back.

This article was updated on 16 Mar to reflect ticketing details. 

SINGAPORE – Two-ninths of K-pop group EXO are coming back to Singapore for their fan concert, titled Back To Back, come May.

They are the group’s second official sub-unit, EXO-SC, which represents the initials of members Sehun and Chanyeol. The duo debuted as a unit in 2019 with What A Life (2019).

Their fan concert will be held on 17 May (Wed) at The Star Theatre.

But fans expect an “official announcement” to be released soon, wrote local promoter IME Singapore in an Instagram post.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by iMe SG 🇸🇬 (@ime.sg)

The official announcement will likely comprise ticket prices, ticket sales details and fan benefits that fans can look forward to.

Living to the name of their fan concert, the duo’s schedule is pretty much, well, back to back.

According to an Instagram post on the official handle of show promoter IME Malaysia, they will be in neighboring Kuala Lumpur for a show on 14 May (Sun). The duo will then pop by Singapore thereafter.

To date, the fan concert only took place in Jakarta, Indonesia. It was held at the Beach City International Stadium in early February, with a mix of live performances and interactive game segments.

Tickets were sold out on the day of its release.

EXO-SC performing at the Jarkata leg of fan concert, held at the Beach City International Stadium in early February.

They are easily one of the big names in the K-pop realm. But EXO have been laying low recently as members were in the military under mandatory conscription.

Most of them have enlisted and have been discharged since.

The latest member that has been discharged is vocalist Baekhyun, on 5 Feb. Members Kai and Sehun have not been called up for enlistment.

The group is also slated to gather as a whole come April to celebrate their 11th anniversary with a two-day fanmeeting.

Update as of 16 Mar:

Tickets to the fanmeet will go on sale on 23 Mar (Thu) at 10AM. They can be purchased online on Ticketmaster or via the ticketing hotline at +65 3158 8588.

They start at S$198 and VIP tickets are priced at S$318. For VIP ticket holders, 50 fans will gain exclusive access to the press conference event, and 50 others will be entitled to a signed poster, all determined through a raffle.

Show Poster

Seat Map

Fan Benefits

Live: EXO-SC Back To Back Fancon Tour
Date: 17 May 2023 (Wed)
Time: 8PM
Venue: The Star Theatre

Categories
Features

McDonald’s Korea name NewJeans as newest brand ambassador

NewJeans in a promotional still for their first single album, OMG (2023). Photo: ADOR

McDonald’s Korea has named K-pop girl group NewJeans as their newest brand ambassador.

The fast food chain recently shared a teaser image with “attention” written in yellow font on a contrasting red background on their official Instagram handle three days ago.

Fans would know that the post was a nod to the quintet’s track from their titular debut EP – Attention (2022).

Characterised by addictive tracks on the musical front with a Y2K aesthetic, NewJeans are a formidable rookie group.

They were officially announced as brand ambassadors for McDonald’s Korea today, through an Instagram post.

Another promotional video posted also teases another new menu item. Its concept is for fans to go on an adventure with NewJeans to find the new menu item, a “crispy” burger.

It will soon be available in South Korea outlets come 2 March. Whether this promotional campaign will expand overseas remains unknown.

Despite only having debuted for less than a year, NewJeans are quite the up-and-coming rising stars.

The group bagged rookie awards at The-K Billboard Awards, Seoul Music Awards and Hanteo Music Awards.

Some other brands, including telcos, luxury fashion houses and banks have tapped on the group as brand ambassadors.

McDonald’s Korea previously worked with K-pop supergroup BTS for a special meal named the BTS Meal, which proved to be a wild success.

Categories
Features

V describes internship in Jinny’s Kitchen like “going for my first debut again”

Lee Seo-jin, Jung Yu-mi, Park Seo-jun, V and Choi Woo-shik pose for a press call at Jinny’s Kitchen press conference. Photo: tvN

SINGAPORE – Amazon Prime Video’s latest reality series, Jinny’s Kitchen, will get viewers’ stomachs growling.

Actor Lee Seo-jin assumes the role of the CEO of a pop-up restaurant set up in Mexico, leading a four-man team. The team consists of actress Jung Yu-mi, the director of the restaurant and Park Seo-jun, the senior manager.

There are also two interns, who happen to be best friends off-screen – BTS’ V and actor Choi Woo-shik.

The 10-episode series is a sequel to Youn’s Kitchen (2017-2018), named after veteran actress Youn Yuh-jung. Lee starred in both seasons of the programme as the executive director and he now has his own eponymous series.

Lee’s management philosophy is very much profit-driven. He said in a highlight clip: “you run a restaurant in a capitalist world to make money”.

Yet, reality is often more cruel than imagined.

The restaurant, which mainly sells quick snacks like kimbap, a Korean dish made with cooked rice and various ingredients wrapped in seaweed and ramyeon, saw close to zero customers on its opening day.

“I felt down when there were no customers after working hard to prepare,” Park Seo-joon said in a Q&A video sent to the media.

The youngest member in the team, V, even enrolled into a Spanish language centre to learn the language. “I had the mindset of a hard-working intern and it was as if I was going for my debut again,” he said.

V hard at work in Jinny’s Kitchen. Photo: Prime Video

Even with the countless hurdles, the five-man team sparks great chemistry.

Lee, who speaks fluent English, led the team with Jung Yu-mi, whose main task is to prepare kimbap. Park Seo-joon is the man responsible for the taste of the food, so he even visited other restaurants to taste their food for reference.

Jung Yu-mi preparing kimbap in Jinny’s Kitchen. Photo: Prime Video

The two interns, Choi Woo-shik and V, who mainly juggles behind-the-scenes work like handing out flyers and cleaning up the kitchen, are a humorous duo at times. V would request to take a vacation and Choi would disappear, according to CEO Lee.

To their relief, business soon ramped up and on the last day, patrons were streaming in and out of the restaurant.

You can watch Jinny’s Kitchen to find out what went down at the pop-up restaurant in Mexico.

Jinny’s Kitchen is airing on tvN in South Korea and it is available on Amazon Prime Video in other regions such as Singapore.

Categories
Features

Physical: 100’s only Singaporean Elaine Wong talks her Korea experience, Netflix debut and more

SINGAPORE – “I’m [like] a rabbit being thrown to a pack of wolves,” recounted Physical: 100 contestant Elaine Wong, 34, a television personality and actress.

She sat down for an exclusive interview with HallyuSG, dialling in remotely from South Korea, where she now resides.

Wong is the only Singaporean contestant in Netflix’s most-raved physical reality series, Physical: 100. The nine-part series concluded its broadcast run on Tuesday (20 Feb).

Physical: 100 featured big names in the sports industry like MMA fighter Choo Sung-hoon, skeleton racer Yun Sung-bin and YouTuber Shim Eu-ddeum.

Contestants are oblivious as to who their fellow participants will be, until the first episode where they meet each other with their ceramic busts, as shown to viewers.

It was then Wong realised that Choo was also in the same programme. “I signed up for the wrong show; what show can I do with him?” she joked before cracking up.

Wong previously starred in variety television programmes like MBC’s South Korean Foreigners (2018) and Welcome, First Time Living in Korea? (2020). But Physical: 100 easily tops the list of most challenging series for her.

The showmakers first contacted her through her entertainment label, and that’s where she “got a hunch” that she might have been selected for the show. The whole process took two months and producers were tight-lipped throughout.

They only asked her one question: are you scared of water and heights?

Viewers would know that this is probably a pre-show check on quest zero, where contestants had to hang to an elevated metal frame. Failing to do so will cause them to free-fall into a pool of water.

Contestants of Physical: 100 hang onto a metal frame for their pre-quest mission. Photo: Netflix

Her answer was yes to both.

And it was even scarier than viewers might have thought as what was presented was visually misleading.

It didn’t look like it, but the height from the metal bar to the man-made pool was about two to three storeys high. Wong did not even know that it was water beneath her.

But “I didn’t think it was going to be that bad,” Wong told me. If anything, she thought it’ll be a programme like Running Man (2010-present), where participants embark on an amazing race to clear challenges.

Amidst the bloodbath and gruesome battles, things are amicable outside the battlefield.

There is no bad blood, only great sportsmanship. “I became friends with [the other contestants too],” she told HallyuSG in the phone call.

Contests of Physical: 100 cheering for fellow participants. Photo: Netflix

My conversation with Wong lasted slightly over an hour. She spoke in fluent English throughout our interview, occasionally using Mandarin and Korean when she couldn’t find the right words to express herself.

Her Korean is exceptionally fluent for a foreigner. What’s more impressive is that it’s all self-taught.

It didn’t come easy though. “I had problems even ordering food in the first year and it became a struggle. I ate ramyeon (instant noodles) and kimbap for a year,” she now says with a laugh. But I reckon it was a painful affair then.

As a foreigner there, feeling homesick is inevitable. And being alone makes the experience much worse.

There’s no doubt that Wong made a name for herself there, but there are times where she faced rejections, got betrayed and even got no one to turn to when she’s sick.

This year marks her 12th year in South Korea, but our hour-long interview tells me that she still has got that sense of patriotism buried deep inside.

“I wanted to make Singapore proud. That’s why I introduced myself as a Singaporean actress in the first episode,” she said.

Categories
K-Drama

Disney+’s newest melodrama Call It Love wants to convey a deeper message

The case of Call It Love posing for a photo call at the press conference. Photo: Disney+

Disney+’s own romantic melodrama Call It Love is finally ready to meet fans.

Starring Lee Sung-kyung and Kim Young-kwang, it was initially teased at the Disney+ APAC Content Showcase held in Singapore last December.

The 16-part series is centred around main leads Lee Sung-kyung, who plays Shim Woo-joo and Kim Young-kwang who portrays Han Dong-jin.

Main leads Kim Young-kwang and Lee Sung-kyung pose for a photo call. Photo: Disney+

After Shim’s father committed an act of infidelity and thereafter passed away, her life hit rock bottom. To add fire to the fuel, his mistress later chased her out of the house.

But here’s the catch, she later falls in love with Han, who’s the son of the mistress of her late father.

Ahead of the release of the melodrama, a closed-door press conference was held yesterday at JW Marriott Dongdaemun Square, Seoul.

The two main leads were in attendance, alongside Sung Joon, Ahn Hee-yeon, better known as Hani, Kim Ye-won and director Lee Kwang-young.

“I felt a sense of trust from the director,” Lee Sung-kyung told the press at the session.

Director Lee’s assurance allowed her to bring her character to life with her personal interpretations.

But male lead Kim Young-kwang has a separate concern.

Cast of Call It Love in a promotional still. Photo: Disney+

As the duo are close friends in reality, having to shoot a drama together alongside each other as the female and male lead proves to be a challenge.

To immerse themselves in the role, they refrained from joking around with each other on set.

And it paid off. Director Lee praised the chemistry between the actors and their considerate natures on set even though they have very differing personalities.

Despite the rather absurd and unlikely romance plot, the drama does hope to convey a deeper message.

The point is that these characters are no more than ordinary people who are still living their lives despite experiencing these negative emotions.

And the drama aims to show viewers that they are not alone in their struggle.

The heartwarming melodrama premieres on Disney+ on 22 Feb (Wed).

Categories
K-Pop

BTS’ Suga brings Agust D tour to Singapore Indoor Stadium in June

Agust D in a promotional shot for Daechwita (2020).

This article was updated on 30 Mar to reflect ticketing details.

SINGAPORE – BTS’ lead rapper Suga, real name Min Yoon-gi, will be bringing his Suga | Agust D tour to Singapore come June.

According to an Instagram post shared by concert promoter Live Nation Singapore at noon today, the show will span across two days from 17 Jun (Sat) to 18 Jun (Sun).

It will take place at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, which has an approximate capacity of 12,000.

His first tour will be named after, well, himself. Agust D is his other alter ego besides Suga, one he’s already widely known for and it is commonly associated with K-pop supergroup BTS.

When Agust D is spelled backwards, it gives DT Suga. And DT is a sentimental nod to his hometown – Daegu Town.

So Agust D represents a more raw and unfiltered side of the 29 year-old rapper. One that he hasn’t been able to show much during his stint in BTS, according to an interview with Time Magazine.

A list of tour dates was released last week on BigHit Music’s Twitter handle. The tour will head to the U.S. before dropping by Asia, with stops in Jakarta, Bangkok and Singapore. To date, there are only three stops in Asia and all are two-day shows.

His solo show is a timely move as his bandmate Jin, or Kim Seok-jin, recently conscripted in the army as part of mandatory military duties.

However, ticket prices and ticket release dates have not been publicly announced.

To date, he only dropped two mixtapes. The first was an eponymous one titled Agust D (2016). Later in 2020, he released another named D-2 with title track Daechiwta (2020), with themes of traditional Korean storytelling and music.

While it will be Min’s first visit to Singapore for a solo show, BTS has held numerous shows here.

BTS playing at their Love Yourself tour at the Singapore National Stadium in 2019.

In 2019, the septet staged their Love Yourself show, as part of their world tour at the iconic National Stadium. They also performed alongside other K-pop acts at the Singapore edition of Music Bank in 2017.

Tickets to the show go from $168 to $348 for VIP tickets. VIP ticket holders, whether sitting or in standing pens, are entitled to the soundcheck session. They will also receive a commemorative laminate and landyard, with two exclusive photocards.

The Army membership presale commences on 3 Apr (Mon), from 11AM – 11:59PM. The Live Nation presale starts on the next day, on 4 Apr (Tue) from 11AM – 11:59PM here. General ticket sales start on 5 Apr (Wed) via Ticketmaster at all SingPost outlets or via the +65 3158 8588 hotline.

Live: SUGA | Agust D Tour in Singapore
Date: 17 June (Sat) – 18 June 2023 (Fri)
Time: 7PM
Venue: Singapore Indoor Stadium

Categories
K-Pop

K-pop girl group IVE to stage first solo show in Singapore in June

IVE in a promotional still for their third single album After Like (2022).

SINGAPORE – K-pop girl group IVE just dropped dates for their very first fan concert titled The Prom Queens. The Singapore leg of the tour will be held on 30 June (Fri), 7:30PM at The Star Theatre.

The six-piece group kicked off their tour with the two-day Seoul show earlier this month at the Olympic Hall. And its Tokyo leg was held last weekend at Pia Arena MM, with a seating capacity of 10,000.

They also performed two unreleased tracks at the shows – Not Your Girl and Blue Blood.

Their tour will drop by Kobe this coming weekend before taking a three-month break. It will resume in June in Southeast Asia cities like Manila and Taipei before coming to Singapore.

An official show poster has been shared by concert promoter CK Star Entertainment on its official Instagram handle.

However, ticket prices and ticket release dates have not been publicly announced.

Though IVE only made their debut during the pandemic in 2021, they are no newbies.

Members Wonyoung and Yujin took part in reality competition series Produce 48 (2018). They later promoted with the now-defunct IZ*ONE until its disbandment in 2021.

IZ*ONE performing at their first concert “Eyes On Me” in Seoul.

Later that year, they joined IVE and released their debut track Eleven (2021) which was a commercial success. It debuted at number 68 on the Billboard Global 200.

Their subsequent tracks like Love Dive (2022) and After Like (2022) also swept the world by storm, with fans attempting dance cover challenges on social media platforms like Tiktok.

The latter gained global traction as it sampled a classic – Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive (1997).

Separately, the sextet is slated to make a spring comeback with a full-length studio album in April, as reported by Korean media outlet XSportsNews.

It will be a timely move ahead of their show here in June.

Live: IVE The First Fan Concert “The Prom Queens” in Singapore
Date: 30 June 2023 (Fri)
Time: 7:30PM
Venue: The Star Theatre

Categories
K-Pop

[Review] j-hope IN THE BOX relays the global star’s inspiring story of dedication and passion

j-hope IN THE BOX is a highly anticipated documentary that provides an in-depth look into the life of j-hope, a member of the world-famous K-Pop group, BTS. The documentary was recently released on Disney+, and it has already created a buzz among fans of the group.

j-hope whose real name is Jung Ho-seok, is one of the most beloved members of BTS, known for his energetic and charismatic personality, as well as his musical talent. He is a rapper, dancer, and producer, and has played a significant role in the group’s success.

The episode opens with the star sitting in a small, enclosed space, reflecting on his past and his childhood dreams. He talks about his passion for music and dance, and how he always knew that he wanted to pursue a career in the entertainment industry. Despite facing many challenges along the way, j-hope never gave up on his dreams and worked tirelessly to improve himself and reach his goals.

The special documentary focuses on j-hope’s studio album “Jack In The Box” which was released in 2022, providing behind-the-scenes footage of the global star as he prepares for the release of the album and gives fans a glimpse into his creative process.

Throughout the episode, fans are treated to exclusive behind-the-scenes footage of j-hope’s life, including his preparation for concerts and performances, his interactions with the other members of BTS, and his personal interests and hobbies.

Another highlight of the documentary is j-hope’s performance of his solo debut on the stage of Lollapalooza. The performance is a testament to j-hope’s incredible talent and the hard work that he has put into his music. Fans are sure to be blown away by his energetic performance and the powerful message behind the song.

One of the most touching moments of the episode is when j-hope visits his childhood home and reflects on his life so far. He talks about how far he has come and how grateful he is for the love and support of his fans.

Another important aspect of the episode is the star-studded party to promote his first solo album “Jack In The Box”. Celebrities such as all members of BTS, BIGBANG’s Tae-yang, ASTRO’s Cha Eun-woo, Sunmi, Jessi, as well as other popular musicians and actors, were in attendance and participated in the celebrations. The atmosphere was electric as celebrities alike gathered to celebrate j-hope’s musical talent and support his new album.

The party was a visual feast, with colorful lights, stunning performances, and lively music filling the room. Throughout the night, j-hope was in high spirits, interacting with all guests and performing some of his most popular tracks. The crowd was in awe as he took the stage, displaying his undeniable charisma and talent.

In conclusion, the documentary is a testament to j-hope’s unwavering spirit and his commitment to his art, and it provides a glimpse into the personal and professional journey of one of the most talented musicians of our time. Now streaming on Disney+, j-hope IN THE BOX is a must-watch for all BTS fans and anyone interested in the world of K-pop.

(Photos: Disney+)

Categories
K-Drama

Kim Min-gue and Go Bo-gyeol share their experience working on ‘The Heavenly Idol’

K-drama The Heavenly Idol has been receiving a lot of attention from viewers and critics alike. With a unique storyline that mixes fantasy with music and romance, the series has captured the hearts of many.

The story revolves around the life of a high priest named Pontifex Lembrary, played by Kim Min-gue, who is sent to the current world to fulfill a mission. In the current world, Lembrary becomes an idol star and meets Kim Dal, played by Go Bo-gyeol.

Recently, the two main leads, Kim Min-gue and Go Bo-gyeol, sat down for a press conference to discuss their experience working on the show.

Kim Min-gue plays the role of a high priest and an idol in the drama, which required him to sing and dance on stage. To prepare for the roles, he practiced singing and dancing, and even went for recordings just like an idol star’s routine.

“I indirectly experienced a lot of the things that idol stars do, and I realised that not anyone can be an idol star.” – Kim Min-gue

The actor also revealed that he received a lot of help from senior singer Tak Jae-hoon, who plays a senior top singer and mentor in the drama.

When it comes to his character, Kim Min-gue focused on showing the contrast between his character’s priestly background and his life as an idol. He shared that he paid attention to his character’s appearance, trying to make him look more like a priest while still being a successful idol star.

When asked if there were any similarities between himself and his characters, Kim Min-gue replied that there were aspects of himself that he tried to bring out in both roles.

Go Bo-gyeol, on the other hand, plays the role of Kim Dal, a young woman who is a huge fan of Lembrary and eventually falls in love with him.

When asked about her character, the actress shared that she tried to bring out the elements of Kim Dal from within herself, imagining how she would react in certain situations and how she would feel. She also tried to emulate Kim Dal’s bravery, which helped her immerse herself in the character.

The actors also spoke about their experience working together on set. Kim Min-gue praised Go Bo-gyeol’s acting skills, particularly her strong gaze, which he found to be especially effective in emotional scenes.

“That has been a great help for me, as it helps me focus really quickly and get into the right emotions.”

He also noted that his co-star made the atmosphere on set really fun and that he enjoyed working with her.

On the other hand, Go Bo-gyeol shared that she admired Kim Min-gue’s past works and found him to be a cheerful person who made the atmosphere on set really fun.

Overall, the press conference gave fans a glimpse into the hard work and dedication that goes into bringing a character to life on screen. From practicing singing and dancing to embodying the personality of a character, the actors of The Heavenly Idol show that there is a lot more to acting than just memorizing lines. It’s about becoming the character and bringing their story to life.

The Heavenly Idol premieres Thursday, 16 Feb, 9.15pm on tvN Asia (Singtel TV CH 518, StarHub TV CH 824). Subsequent episodes will air at the same time slot every Thursday and Friday.

(Photos: tvN Asia)

Categories
K-Drama

Actor Lee Je-hoon to stage first fan meet in Singapore next month

Korean actor Lee Je-hoon is slated to hold his first fan meet, titled Vacation, in Singapore come March. His 2023 Asia tour will only drop by two cities — Singapore and Manila.

Presented by Viu, his local fan meet will be held at the Stephen Riady Auditorium, NTUC on 25 Mar (Sat).

Viu has previously organised a local fan meet for Extraordinary Attorney Woo’s Park Eun-bin last November. The regional video streaming service also presented Song Joong-ki’s press conference in Singapore last December.

Unlike previous fan meets held by Korean actors, Lee will be holding two sessions — at 2PM and 6PM.

Lee is slated to star in Viu Original Taxi Driver 2 (2023). It will be available on the streaming platform from 17 Feb (Fri).

He plays Kim Do-gi, an ex-special forces turned taxi driver who exacts revenge on criminals who escaped punishment by law.

The first season of the action thriller premiered in 2021 and scored strong viewership ratings within South Korea. It also won big at year-end awards, where Lee won the Top Excellence Award.

Boasting an illustrious career spanning over a decade, Lee is now one of South Korea’s top actors.

He started out in the industry with Bleak Night (2011) and moved on to organisational roles. In 2020, co-founded his own production company Hard Cut and now sits as chairman of Company On, a management agency for actors.

Tickets will go on sale on 17 Feb (Fri) at 12PM via Sistic. They are priced at $158 and $188 (excluding booking fee) per show.

Fan benefits for ticket holders include access to the hi-bye session, group photo, an official poster and other exclusive collectible items.

You can catch the first season of Taxi Driver (2021) on Viu.

LIVE: Lee Je-hoon Vacation Fan Meet in Singapore
Date: 25 March, 2023 (Sat)
Time: 2PM & 6PM
Venue: Stephen Riady Auditorium, NTUC

Categories
K-Drama

Interview: Cast of ‘Poong, The Joseon Psychiatrist’ Share Tips for Mental Wellness

In the much anticipated second season of Poong, The Joseon Psychiatrist, viewers are seeing a deeper exploration of the characters and their journey.

Poong: The Joseon Psychiatrist is a South Korean historical drama television series that was released in 2022. It is set in the Joseon dynasty and tells the story of a royal physician named Poong (played by Kim Min-jae), who is the kingdom’s first psychiatrist. Poong uses his medical knowledge and innovative techniques to treat patients with mental illness and cure the root cause of their psychological problems. Throughout the series, Poong faces challenges as he tries to change the traditional views on mental health and provide proper treatment for his patients.

In an interview with the cast, we had the opportunity to learn more about this season’s filming. The cast members Kim Min-jae and Kim Hyang-gi discuss their experiences working on the drama.

Kim Min-jae, who portrays the lead character Poong, said that he is excited to continue his journey as the character. “Poong is a complex and multi-faceted character, and I am eager to dive deeper into his world in season 2.” He was drawn to the role due to his strong moral values and dedication to helping others.

Kim Min-jae mentions that he enjoys playing characters who have a positive impact on people. He describes his experience of working with the cast as enjoyable and full of great chemistry, which was built through outdoor shooting and bonding activities.

When asked about advice for people facing mental health issues, he says to not blame oneself and to find a way to be happy. He also shares that he has become good at self-healing and has various hobbies that bring him happiness. These days, he enjoys going for walks whenever he has time.

Kim Hyang-gi, who plays Seo Eun-woo, describes her character as warm-hearted and curious. She notes that in the second season, Eun-woo’s confidence and skills as a female physician have improved. She is impressed by Yeon Bo-Ra’s portrayal of Namhae Daek in Season 1 and the new characters Kang-Il and Ahn Hak-soo in Season 2.

As a former child actress, Kim Hyang-gi reflects on her journey as an actress and her transformation to an adult actress. She emphasizes the importance of learning from each work and leaving a lasting impression on her fans.

Kim Hyang-gi also shares tips on how to deal with negativity and comfort oneself when feeling down, such as creating a hobby, basking in the sun, taking deep breaths, looking at adorable things, and taking nutritional supplements. She expresses her desire to explore different genres of acting in her next role, including noir, black comedy, and fantasy.

For those who haven’t caught up till season 2, the production team also shared that the current season will bring new challenges and twists to the storyline, with a focus on exploring the complexities of mental health and the impact it has on individuals and society as a whole.

The finale of Poong, The Joseon Psychiatrist 2 will be aired this Thursday and Friday (9 & 10 Feb) at 9.15pm (GMT+8) on tvN Asia (Singtel TV CH 518, StarHub TV CH 824). Don’t miss it!

(Photos: tvN Asia)

Categories
Features

Creator of K-pop Groups SKarf and OhBliss, iGet Entertainment Launches Asia Auditions To Scout New Talents

By the creator of the now-defunct K-pop girl groups SKarf and OhBliss, iGet Entertainment has announced their plans to host global auditions around the region in search of new talents to be trained as artistes in various categories. The first stop of the audition will be held in Singapore on March 11th, and it will continue its rounds in Malaysia and the Philippines, with more cities in the pipeline.

What Can You Audition For?

From singing and dancing to hosting, modelling or even cosplaying, if you have an artistic talent to flaunt, you are welcome to apply in any of these categories. There will be no limitation of age, gender and nationality. Selected candidates from the audition will be offered a trainee contract to receive training by iGet Entertainment, with no other costs involved.

Audition Categories
No restriction in genre:

  • Vocal (K-pop, Pop, etc)
  • Acting/Hosting/Martial Arts (TV, stage or film acting, etc)
  • Dance (Self-choreographed dance, cover dance, etc)
  • Composing/Musical Instruments
  • Model/Cosplay (Walking and posing, etc)

What To Expect?

iGet Entertainment is planning to launch at least two boy groups and two girl groups a year, as well as produce at least one movie and one drama besides expanding their artiste repertoire that would consist of actors, actresses, singers, dancers, models, DJs, and hosts.

The judging panel for the audition will include their senior management Alan Chan (formerly Alpha Entertainment’s Chief Executive Officer; creator of SKarf), Professor Ken Chang (who groomed numerous Mandopop artistes such as JJ Lin, Eric Moo, A-Do, etc), Lee Jintack (formerly SM’s Artiste Marketing Director & Artiste Management Director, who created the unique casting system in SM), and one from their respective local partners.

How To Submit Application?

Interested applicants can now apply for the audition via this link and wait for a notification from iGet Entertainment. There’ll be a one-time registration fee of S$20 during the application.

The Singapore audition will take place on March 11th, 2023 at Orchard Central, 181 Orchard Road #10-01, Auditorium. For more information, visit iGet Entertainment’s website and follow them on their socials.

HallyuSG is proud to be an Official Online Media partner for the iGet Asia Auditions 2023.