APopular male vocal group SG WannaBe’s debut album in Japan entitled ‘I Love SG WannaBe’ has kicked off to a favorable start by landing on the 10th spot on the Japanese Oricon Chart’s daily album chart.On March 20, the group held a special event in Odaiba, Tokyo to celebrate the release of its first album in Japan. Some one thousand fans flocked to meet the members of the group, who held a handshaking event as well as a talk show.Member Chae Dong-ha shocked many fans by officially announcing that he will be leaving SG WannaBe to begin a solo career. He asked his fans to continue to support his future career. The group members went on to announce the top five songs chosen by Japanese fans and gave a live performance of the song which took the number one spot–’Partner for Life,’ included in the group’s third studio album. The event came to a close when the members took photos with the fans. On March 20th, SG WannaBe’s official Japanese website announced that Chae Dong-ha will be leaving the group to pursue his dream to become an actor. The original members of SG WannaBe will hold another fan meeting on May 7 and perform together for the final time at two concerts to be held at the Tokyo International Forum’s A Hall on May 8.

Source from KBS Entertainment news

**** Oh! I just find out about this. SG Wannabe, we’ll miss you; especially Chae Dong-ha. Haiting SG Wannabe! ****

SM Entertainment Agency announced that there was an online survey done by Coca-Cola China, a public sponsor of the Beijing Olympics (http://www.icoke.cn), and Han Kyung of Super Junior was voted first place as carrier of the 2008 Olympics torch. After deliberations, the Olympics organizational committee sealed the deal.

“The [Olympics] committee chose Han Kyung because they recognized his part in the cultural exchange of China through his activities in Korea and the rest of Asia,” the agency stated. “Han Kyung will be participating in the carrying of the Olympic torch in Beijing from August 6th to the 8th.”

Han Kyung will be taking his solemn oath at the “Coca-Cola National Olympic Torch-Bearer Ceremony” as a representative of the Olympic flame on the 24th in China. The ceremony will be broadcast on CCTV-5 and Guangdong TV, the official Chinese channels for the 2008 Olympics.

Han Kyung stated, “I’m extremely pleased and honored to be a torch-bearer for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.”

Source @ KBS Global – Entertainment news

****Congratulation to you Han Kyung! Hwaiting!******

The group Shinhwa recently filmed a music video for their 9th studio album. The music video was filmed in a field of reeds near a dinosaur fossil site in Songsan-myeon in Hwaseong City, Gyeonggi Province.

The scene involved five members rescuing Eric, who is held as a hostage by enemy gangsters.

March 24 marks the 10th anniversary of Shinhwa’s debut. The music video shoot was a special event as members Eric and Kim Dong-wan are preparing to begin their military services.

The members said the past decade felt more like a brief thunderstorm and thanked each other for staying the same over 10 years.

Jun Jin said he feels sad to watch his “brothers” go off to the miliary before him while Andy remarked that when he is hanging out with the group members, it feels as same as it did ten years ago.

After the release of their album, Shinhwa will hold a 10th anniversary concert after which the members will go their separate ways.

The group joked around by saying that in ten years all of the members will probably be married. They added, however, that even after ten years, they will be together, and if they had an opportunity to travel back ten years, they would choose to be a part of Shinhwa all over again.

Source @ KBS Global – Entertainment news

Yoo Young-jin, singer-turned-songwriter for SM Entertainment’s singers, was full of praise for BoA and TVXQ.

In a recent interview with Yonhap News Agency, Yoo was asked which pop artist had displayed remarkable growth and potential. He answered, “I believed BoA to be unique even as I gave her “ID: Peace B,” her debut song…When I brought her the demo tape, the song was still rough and a bit unclear but at the recording three days later, she sang it with such clarity. It turned out better than I had originally imagined.”

He went on to explain that BoA had a “keen sense” when interpreting a musical piece. “She knows when to add rhythm and where the song needs to be sped up in tempo. Even now, BoA continues to grow,” he added.

During recording sessions with TVXQ, Yoo Young-jin said that he could “sense how much contemplation the boys put into their music.”

He commented, “[They] only have a week-long break during the year as they work in Korea and Japan. It’s exhausting but their vocal skills have grown exponentially in relation to their age.”

Source: KBS Entertainment news