The 45th Houston International Film Festival

The 45th WorldFest Houston International Independent Film Festival took place from April 13 – 22, 2012. At the 45th Houston International Film Festival, three Korea's KBS dramas won awards. This time, KBS's 'Baby-faced Beauty,' 'Thank you for making me laugh,' and 'White Christmas.' Of the three, the latter two won grand prizes, which gained attention world-wide.

[Baby-faced Beauty] Title: 동안미녀 / Dongan Minyeo Also known as: Youthful Beauty / Pretty Young Woman Genre: Romance, comedy Episodes: 20 Broadcast network: KBS2 Broadcast period: 2011-May-02 to 2011-Jul-05 Synopsis The story of Lee So Young, a 34-year-old woman who's saddled with family debt and only has a high school qualifications, but dreams of becoming a fashion designer. Her youthful appearance is her only advantage; she is mistaken for a 25-year-old university graduate and subsequently lands her dream job when she's hired by a fashion design company, where she meets Choi Jin Wook, a man who looks more mature than his young age.

[Thank You for Making Me Smile] The drama is about a physically challenged girl who dreams to become a singer!

[White Christmas] Title: 화이트 크리스마즈 / White Christmas Chinese Title : 白色圣诞 Also known as: 몬스터 / Monster Genre: Mystery, thriller Series : Drama Special Series (Season 1) Episodes: 8 Broadcast network: KBS2 Broadcast date: 2011-Jan-30 to 2011-Mar-20 Air time: Sunday 23:15 Synopsis “Drama Special – White Christmas” is a 8 episode drama and is based on a murder. Being a physiatrist, Kim Yo Han will play a game of mysteries with students Park Moo Yul, Jo Young Jae, Lee Jae Kyu, Yoon Su and more, on the murder that happens at a private school. Cast Kim Sang Kyung as Kim Yo Han Baek Sung Hyun as Park Moo Yul Kim Young Kwang as Jo Young Jae Lee Soo Hyuk as Yoon Su Kwak Jung Wook as Yang Kang Mo Hong Jong Hyun as Lee Jae Kyu Esom as Yoon Eun Sung Kim Woo Bin as Kang Mi Reu Sung Joon as Choi Chi Hoon Jung Suk Won as Yoon Jong Il Lee El as Oh Jung Hye

Lady Gaga (LIVE in Seoul, Korea 2012)

Lady Gaga is in South Korea right now preparing for a concert that has caused quite a lot of controversy, but her fans are having none of it. It’s fair to say they are standing by their Queen and showing their support by dressing up, well, like her.

Double vision - what a pair

That must get terribly scratchy after a while

A man dressed as Lady Gaga, naturally

Religious groups in the country have called for her show in the capital Seoul to be banned claiming it is “sexually perverted” and “vulgar”, but the Little Monsters disagree. To prove it they’ve gathered outside Seoul’s Olympic Stadium in an array of weird outfits inspired by her, although we’ve failed to spot any meat dresses yet.

Does everything come in two's in South Korea?

Grrrr: It took them hours to perfect this pose

After all the protests about the show, Gaga locked herself up in her hotel room, writing new material: “I've composing in quarantine for 18'hrs,” she Tweeted. Seems like she’s still a bit anxious about the whole thing though and also Tweeted: “Nervous for tonight. Hope I make little monsters happy and proud. / I can you hear you Korea. I'm shaking.” As is anyone taking a stroll past the stadium right now.

Nope, we don't understand any of this either

The Bamboo forest(Juknokwon)

Juknokwon (죽녹원) in Damyang is a bamboo forest cultivated by the town of Damyang. Seonginsan Mountain behind Damyang Hyanggyo (Confucian school) was transformed into Juknokwon Bamboo Garden featuring a beautiful artificial waterfall, pavilion, walking paths and an eco-exhibition center, a popular destination for visitors. It takes about 1 hour to tour around the entire garden. Crossing Hyanggyo Bridge from Juknokwon, a forest for preventing floods can be seen. Lights are turned on in the evenings in the bamboo forest for night walk. If you seek true relaxation,, visit this bamboo forest(Juknokwon).. Then you'll feel better...

What type of women do other women dislike most on White Day?

About 42.7 percent of women dislike other women who ask their boyfriends to give them a luxury bag in return for a lot of folded-paper cranes to mark White Day, a survey said Monday. White Day is a day that is marked in Japan and South Korea on March 14, one month after Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day is observed here by females who present chocolate gifts (either store-bought or handmade), usually to a boyfriend, as an expression of love, courtesy or social obligation. White Day is observed with the men paying back women who have given them chocolate on Valentine's Day with usually candy instead of chocolate, with an additional later Black Day (April 14) observed for those sharing singleness. Some 36.4 percent of women surveyed said they dislike women who boast of their boyfriends, according to a survey of 421 women employees and jobseekers. The survey was conducted by mediadong.com, a job portal. Other women said they dislike women who ask their boyfriends to hold an “event” for them on White Day; who complain that the gift they receive from their boyfriends was too small; and who receive gifts from several men, though they have a boyfriend.

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