Charity Concert

K-Pop stars, known worldwide for their skilled performances and music that is pleasant to the ears, are putting together a charity concert this July. This charity concert embodies to significant elements; love and touching inspiration. First, the concert is to show genuine love for K-Pop fans, and secondly, the concert aims to repay the love they received from their fans by putting together a charity. This concert will be a music talkshow, tastefully mixing up music and talking. The concert is trying to build a warm and pleasant atmosphere for the show, and the proceedings for the concert will be donated to the International Vaccine Research Center, helping children all over the world fight diseases. The concert is expecting a lot of people to come, and hopes to continue the legacy of charity concerts.

JYJ First Korean Band to Perform Solo in Latin America

Boy band JYJ held a concert at Teatro Caupolicán in San Diego, Chile, on Friday (local time), becoming the first Korean group to perform solo in Latin America. The venue was packed some two hours before the concert got under way, with over 3,000 fans hunkering down to catch a glimpse of the Asian pin-ups.

In the days leading up to the concert, hundreds of fans from other parts of Latin America such as Brazil, Columbia, Mexico and Venezuela camped at a nearby parking lot to make sure they got a seat at the concert. The spectators went wild throughout the concert, cheering and waving their national flags. During the show, three people were reported to have fainted and were carried out of the premises.

The performance was part of the group's world tour, which started last April and ended on Sunday in Lima, Peru. Chilean reporters who were present at the latest concert said, "K-pop fans here currently number 20,000 to 30,000. But once Korean singers' music is released through official channels, their fan base will surely expand further."

Concert Demonstrates Solidarity with N.Korean Defectors

The 1,000-capacity hall at Yonsei University in Seoul had been already full hours before the concert for North Korean defectors was scheduled to start at 7 p.m. on Sunday. Titled "Cry With Us," it was held to urge the Chinese government not to repatriate North Korean refugees arrested there. For the hour, many in the audience and on stage did cry or struggled to hold back tears. It was the first concert hosted by a group with the same name formed by celebrities who are campaigning for North Korean defectors. Actor Cha In-pyo managed to solicit the participation of 49 celebrities. Cha said he tried to hold the concert as early as possible as he thought in that way it could save more people's lives. When the celebrities who attended Sunday's concert swore their support for the North Korean escapees, North Korean defectors in the crowd responded with cheers and tears. Only defectors were invited to the concert, and more than 1,000 came from all parts of the country to give their support to the cause.

101 Best Restaurants in America 2012

Have you ever been to New York-based Korean-fusion restaurant Momofuku Ssam Bar? This restaurant was ranked 8th by New York Magazine's "101 Best Restaurants in America for 2012." Momofuku Ssam Bar is a casual, loud restaurant with an inventive menu that is constantly changing. The restaurant bases its menu on 'Ssam.' Their most popular menus are Bossam based meals like the 'Steamed Pork Buns,' which uses Chinese bread, hoisin, cucumber pickle, scallions, unsaturated prok bacon, etc. as ingredients, and 'Cream Tofu' that uses tapioca and sea urchin eggs. For those of you who do not know what Bossam is, Bossam is a type of ssam in Korean cuisine in which steamed pork is wrapped in a leaf vegetable such as red lettuce or sesame leaf, often accompanied by a condiment known as ssamjang. It is usually topped with raw or cooked garlic, onion, pepper, or most commonly, sweet kimchi. Bossam is a popular dish in Korea. Anyways, as 'Momofuku Ssam' is gaining recognition, the number of people who enjoy the Korean cuisine of ssam is increasing. From what I hear, Momofuku is a must-go place. http://shine.yahoo.com/shine-food/20-best-restaurants-america-231000002.html http://www.thedailymeal.com/101-best-restaurants-america-2012-slideshow?utm_source=yahoo%2Bshine&utm_medium=partner&utm_campaign=101%2Bbest%2Brestaurants%2Bamerica%2B2012&RM_Exclude=Welcome

Super Junior proves their popularity in Taiwan; ranks #8 in “Taiwan Disc Records”

Super Junior has once again show off their Hallyu King status . In one of the biggest music net in Taiwan , Five-music , it has been calculated that Super Junior’s Chinese sub-unit , Super Junior M has achieved the 8th position on the Taiwan Disk Records with ‘Perfection’ This position does not mean the Kpop sales in Taiwan but the total sales and its very meaningful . On the top 20 of the chart , Super Junior is the only Korean singer on the chart while the rest were Taiwan singers . This also proves Super Junior’s popularity in Taiwan . Besides that , Super Junior is having their world tour , Super Show 4 now .

New UFC Champ to Visit Ancestral Home with Korean Mom

Benson Henderson is the new lightweight champion in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He beat defending champion Frankie Edgar at UFC 144 on Sunday with a unanimous decision at the Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. This caps a heady climb to the top of the sport for Henderson, who only made his debut nine months ago. With the champion's belt around his waist, Henderson ran to the audience and hugged his Korean mother Kim Sung-hwa to share the joyous moment. Henderson wore a T-shirt emblazoned with the Korean national flag on its right shoulder, and the U.S. star spangled banner on its left shoulder. A tattoo on his left arm showed his name written in Korean characters, which he said shows his family background. Henderson was born in the U.S. but had a Korean-style upbringing, which included learning Korean language and etiquette, eating Korean dishes and learning the country's national martial art, taekwondo.

Henderson's family history resembles that of NFL star Hines Ward in many respects. His mother was working on the bus commuting to and from the Demilitarized Zone in Korea when she met and later married an African-American soldier stationed in the country in 1980. The couple had their first son, Julius, and spent the early years of their marriage in Yongsan. While pregnant with Benson, Kim left for the U.S. with her husband. But the marriage proved to be short-lived as Henderson's father turned to drink and drugs, and eventually found himself in jail. Kim got divorced in 1992, and worked 16 to 17 hours a day to raise her two boys. With the title, Henderson will get a hefty bonus in addition to an undisclosed match fee that is estimated to be worth more than US$100,000. As the match was named "fight of the night," he made an additional $65,000 as well as a champion’s bonus based on broadcasting profits. Henderson was ecstatic, saying the victory brought him one step closer to his dream of buying a new home for his mother. Henderson and Kim will visit Korea for two days from Tuesday.

K-Pop Star Rain to Serve as "Entertainment Soldier"

Pop singer and actor Rain will serve as what the military has dubbed an “entertainment soldier” during the remainder of his two years of mandatory military service. The Defense Media Agency on Friday said that Rain, whose real name is Jung Ji-hoon, has been reassigned as an entertainment soldier along with three others. The four soldiers will now appear in the Korean Forces Networks' television and radio programs and will take part in concert tours for military units across the country. Currently, a total of 12 entertainers are serving as soldiers in the agency. http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/news_Cu_detail.htm?No=88457&id=Cu

Fun wedding in Korea

'Naked Chef' Jamie Oliver to Mix Business and Pleasure on Korea Trip

World-famous British chef Jamie Oliver seems to be eyeing venturing into the Korean food business. With his first visit to Korea at the end of this month, Oliver will discuss a business plan with CJ Group, a CJ spokesman said on Wednesday. The 37-year-old chef has built his reputation by introducing simple recipes and adding natural flavors to dishes on his TV cooking program. His show is now being aired in about 40 countries as his popularity continues to grow. Female viewers find his cute image and easygoing, unpretentious personality endearing, as he tends to cook with his hair disheveled and shirt half open. In 2003, Oliver was honored as a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his contribution to spreading British culinary culture. He is also known to be a fan of Korean cuisine. In his magazine, called simply "Jamie Magazine," he introduced a Korean bulgogi sandwich -- a baguette stuffed with marinated barbecued beef -- last October. He has also posted stories about Korean food and London's Myungga restaurant in his personal blog. Oliver first told CJ Group that he wanted to visit the country to learn more about Korean food. The company said that he was very interested in this subject and excited to learn that his cooking program was aired in Korea. Industry insiders say CJ and Oliver will likely launch an international restaurant business using the "Jamie Oliver" brand. There is also speculation that he will open a branch of his restaurant Fifteen, in Seoul. "We haven't discussed anything in detail yet, but we will sound him out about the possibility of a collaboration when he visits," said CJ. Oliver became noticed after he appeared in a BBC documentary about a famous British restaurant while working there. In 1998, he rose to stardom with his show, "The Naked Chef," while he was still in his mid-20s. His cookbooks remain best sellers in the U.K. http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2012/02/23/2012022300987.html

Girls' Generation(SNSD) Cover Dance collection

Don't Cry for me Sudan - Impressive Story

Though Father John Lee has passed away, his legacy remains. Lee’s lifelong wish was that “what is done for the most unworthy be the same as what is done for me.” His wish will now be carried out through a hospital named after him. John Lee is the baptismal name of Father Lee Tae-seok (1962-2010). He died of colon cancer at the age of 48 in January 2010. In life he was renowned for his humanitarian work in Sudan. The Ministry of Strategy and Finance said on Monday it will build the John Lee Memorial Hospital and Medical School in Juba, South Sudan. It will be the first modern general hospital and medical school in the country. The construction will be financed by the Economic Development Cooperation Fund through a low-interest loan established to support economic and industrial development in underdeveloped nations. The loan was founded in 1987 and managed by the Export-Import Bank of Korea. Construction of the hospital will start at the end of the year. The Ministry of Health and Welfare will provide education and hospital management programs. The Finance Ministry will collect donations and use the money to build a school and a state-run health center in a village for leprosy patients near Tonj, where Lee used to live. The ministry will also send volunteers to the village. Donations will be collected under the name of the “Lee Tae-seok Love Sharing Fund” and details on how it is used will be made public on the Web (www.smiletonj.org). More article : http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2947913

Kim Yu-na Featured in U.S. Math Textbook

Figure queen, Yuna Kim's performance scene appeared at a US math textbook. A photo of Yuna Kim's performance was included in the 5th chapter. Angle measurement part of a high school math textbook, "Application of Trigonometry, and graphics." The textbook, published by a US textbook publishing company used Yuna Kim's photo to explain jump angle measurement in figure skating. Sports athlete and math may seen unrelated. However, US mathematicians applied Yuna Kim's jump to basic trigonometry conceptual problems to increase interests and concentration. In fact, Yuna Kim did not only appear in US textbooks. Yuna Kim's photos, caricatures, and name is used world wide. In a French textbook used in Japan, Yuna Kim is identified as the reresentative of the country, along with John Lennon, Madonna, Angelina Jolie, etc. Due to Yuna Kim's appearance in textbooks, we are afraid students world-wide may become more enthusiastic towards learning.

Two pictures as the clues... the truth shall prevail

A while ago, a mysterious article about Dokdo appeared on an online community. 'You don't know the whole truth if you only have half the page,' it said. The article featured two maps, one by Korea, the other by Japan. The Korean one read "East is sea Sea", but the Japan one read "Sea of Japan." If you put the two maps together, "East sea is sea of Korea not Japan", revealing the whole truth. Japan keeps their nonsensical rambling about Dokdo, as well as distorting history by stating that Dokdo belongs to Japan in their textbooks, causing much criticism by the Korean government and citizens. No matter how much Japan tries to haggle, Dokdo belongs to Korea. They'll only waste more energy by arguing that it belongs to Japan.

Kim Yu-na Fetes Special Olympics on 100-Day Countdown

Figure skating star Kim Yu-na led the celebrations at an event marking the one-year countdown to the 2013 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Pyeongchang at Seoul Plaza on Sunday, with over 2,000 citizens, volunteers and a few celebrities turning up. "As an athlete, I am very much looking forward to the Special Olympics in Pyeongchang next year. I ask for your continued support for the athletes taking part," said Kim, who is an honorary promotional ambassador for the sporting event. The games will take place from Jan. 26 to Feb. 6 next year in Gangneung and Pyeongchang in Gangwon Province, with some 2,300 athletes from over 100 countries and 10,000 volunteers set to participate. The Special Olympics was established in 1968 in the United States at the suggestion of the late Eunice Kennedy Shriver, a philanthropist and younger sister of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy. It is different from the Paralympics as it focuses on athletes with purely intellectual disabilities.

Posters point to plight of 'comfort women'

Singer Kim Jang-hoon and Professor Seo Kyung-duk have joined forces again in a project to raise awareness about the plight of so-called "comfort women". "Comfort women" is a euphemism for women who were forced into sexual slavery during World War II by the Japanese military. Seo, a visiting professor at Sungshin Women's University, said Jan. 5 that some 1,500 posters were distributed around Tokyo with the help of a group of Korean students studying in Japan. The posters were placed around locations in Shinjuku, Shibuya and Harajuku, among other urban areas. Seo said that Kim paid for all the expenses for the posters, just as he did when he paid for a similar ad in the Asian edition of The Wall Street Journal last December. Like the ad, the poster is titled "Do You Hear?" and shows the women and their supporters at their 1,000th protest rally held outside the Japanese Embassy in Seoul on Dec. 14. It also details information about the injustice the women have suffered over the years because the Japanese government has yet to make an official apology. "The poster aims to appeal to Japanese youth who are not aware of the situation, because they were never taught what really happened", Seo said. The professor said that next week there are plans to place another 1,500 posters in Osaka, Kyoto and Kansai.