There was a time when critics were not so generous in apprasing idol stars who took to acting on the big or small screen. While that prejudice is still alive, many of them have successfully overcome criticism to grow into full-fledged actors.1. Park Yu-chunNot many people had high expectations for Park Yu-chun in 2010 when the singer said he would start acting. Park made his first appearance on the small screen with “Sungkyunkwan Scandal” and excelled at portraying Lee Sun-joon in the fusion his

Street hip-hop meets classical ballet in “Ballerina Who Loved a B-Boy,” the dynamic live break dancing musical that has managed to keep the beat going for nearly eight years running since its premiere on Dec. 9, 2005. “The original plan was to create a show that would have no language, cultural, age or gender barriers,” said playwright and director Choi Yun-yeop. “The show is a nonverbal musical and I consider the story a 21st-century telling of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ that can be enjoyed by anyone f

Actor and entertainer Marcos (Marcos Benjamin Lee), who was booked for allegedly hitting his wife Ahn Si-hyeon, will not be indicted after Ahn said she did not wish to press charges against him.According to the police, Marcos pulled Ahn’s hair and slapped her several times while they were quarreling over child care on Sunday morning. His wife called the police and Marcos was arrested on the spot. He returned home after being questioned for over five hours. However, on Monday, Ahn told the police

Korean-American singer Ailee has finished filming “Fun Girl, Ailee’s Two Nights and Three Days in the Philippines,” according to the Philippine Department of Tourism in Korea on Monday. “We expect to introduce the diverse attractions of the Philippines through Ailee, who has an exotic appearance and a very unique voice,” said Maricon Basco-Ebron, director of the organization. The video was shot in Manila, showcasing various tourist spots of the Philippines’ capital. It also shows each destinatio

Shim Eun-jin, the former member of 1990s girl group Babyvox, is making her debut as a professional photographer. Shim is holding her first solo photo exhibition June 13-30 at Jeong-am Art Gallery in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, according to her agency Ulala Entertainment. More than 60 of her works including photographs, croquis and writings will be on display.During the exhibition period, there will be a special program, “Art talk,” where the visitors can talk with the artist. According to Imagination

A growing number of South Korean celebrities have been meeting their soul mates within the entertainment industry, heralding a boom of star couples. Against this backdrop, The Korea Herald has summed up the top 10 celebrity couples that draw keen attention from fans in Korea and elsewhere.1. Lee Byung-hun & Lee Min-jung Actors Lee Byung-hun and Lee Min-jung are tying the knot in August. Breaking up after a brief relationship in 2006, they reunited and have been together since last year. Lee Byun

Korean rapper Psy continues to ride his invisible horse in the fast lane, setting a new Guinness World Record for the largest mass horse-riding dance.Psy’s large-scale outdoor concert at Seoul City Hall last year was given the title “Largest Gangnam Style Dance” by the London-based organization on May 24, the Korea Record Institute announced on Tuesday.The free concert that celebrated the singer’s shot to international stardom attracted some 100,000 enthusiastic fans who joined in a mass perform

Actor Lee Byung-hun is to tie the knot with his girlfriend Lee Min-jung, one of Korea’s most sought-after actresses, in August. The two have been together for seven years since 2006, during which time they broke up once but got back together last year. The wedding will take place at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Seoul on Aug. 10, the two celebrities’ agencies confirmed in separate statements on Wednesday. “In love and trust, the two have decided to become lifetime companions to each other. Thanks for

Comedian and presenter Kim Gu-ra is finally returning to MBC’s “Golden Fishery-Radio Star” after a 14-month absence, Kim’s agency Line Entertainment revealed Monday. Kim will be replacing Yoo Sae-yoon, who stepped down due to a drunk driving incident last week. “It is a very precious chance. He is ready to do his best in every episode,” his agency stated. Kim also spoke through his agency saying, “I am very thankful that I was given a chance. I can only think to do my best.”  Kim, who is well kn

Big Bang is hitting the road in November for a concert tour in Japan, the members revealed during the Nagoya leg of G-Dragon’s world tour last Saturday.Big Bang is slated to hold a total of 15 concerts in six cities starting with two sets at the Seibu Dome on Nov. 16 and 17.The idols will continue their shows at the Kyocera Dome Osaka from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1, Fukuoka Yahoo! JAPAN Dome on Dec. 7 and 8, Nagoya Dome on Dec. 14 and 15, Tokyo Dome on Dec. 19 and 21, and Sapporo Dome on Jan. 4 next yea

 JYJ’s Park Yoo-chun has made it to the top of Twitter’s trending topics -- thanks to his birthday that fell on Tuesday. Twitter’s “trending topics” refers to the hottest keywords dominating the social network’s timelines worldwide. An outpouring of tweets celebrating Park’s 26th birthday filled Twitter under the hashtag “28thYuchunDay.” Park’s agency put out a press release on Tuesday, highlighting how his birthday was being celebrated across the world, especially with the help of fans in Korea

South Korean singer and actor Jang Geun-suk and his project team “Team H” confirmed their concerts to be held in the United States in June. Team H, including Jang and his music partner Big Brother, will perform in Los Angeles Sports Arena and HP Pavilion at San Jose near San Francisco on June 22 and 28, respectively.Ticket are available at www.ticketmaster.com, which opened sales on Monday.Last year, the team held concerts in four major cities in Japan, and then toured Shanghai, Taiwan and Thail

Using existing K-drama fan bases, actors turn to singing to further exploit foreign markets

Cube Entertainment CEO Hong Seung-seong announced on Tuesday that singer, actor and producer Rain has agreed to sign an exclusive contract with the agency after the star is discharged from his mandatory military service in July. Hong previously served as the president of JYP Entertainment during the early stages of Rain’s career and was one of the first who cast and trained the young star in the making. “You’ll be able to witness the beginning of Rain’s second wave now, who knows no limits and w

Singer Kim Jang-hoon donated $60,000 to various U.S. organizations after wrapping up his New York concert at Manhattan Center on Saturday.Kim, a well-known philanthropist, gave $20,000 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the world’s largest breast cancer organization, $30,000 to the NYU Student Senators Council, and $10,000 to the FIT Student Association. Some 3,000 people attended the concert.Prior to the New York concert, Kim had already made donations of $50,000 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure and