Former member Bekah is back with After School

My bias is back with the girls! After School’s graduate member Bekah, who is also one of the original members, attended the wedding ceremony of Pledis Entertainment’s CEO, Han Sung Soo. The beautiful and talented lady flew all the way from Hawaii to celebrate the wonderful event with her friends and bosses.

On December 25th, Jooyeon shared a couple of selca with Bekah on Twitter. She wrote, “It’s Christmas, and it’s the wedding day of our agency president. Long time no see, Bekah. I missed you.”

In the photos, After School members along with Bekah, who attended the wedding of their agency president, are hanging out together and making bright smiles. Especially, Jooyeon and Bekah’s great looks are drawing many people’s attention.

dkpopnews

Merry Christmas!

SIMPLY (", ) wishes everyone a wonderful celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.

IU's Christmas message, first time to speak up since scandal

Singer IU, who had been involved in quite a scandalous scene last November, finally spoke up and sent a Christmas message to her fans on her official website.

The singer wrote, “How have you been, my fans? It was so frustrating trying to keep the doors closed. It's a white Christmas, but I haven't been able to go outside ㅜㅜ  Ah, I was so frustrated because I really wanted to write a post. I was able to learn that I could do a lot of other things during my free time other than leaving replies on everyone’s comments. Sorry to fans who have gotten a lot thinner because of worries. And I’m even more sorry for gaining weight even though I was the one who caused trouble. Since today is Christmas!! I thought the timing was right? I’m just going to say a quick hello before I leave! Everyone, seriously, be careful not to catch a cold! I’m going to open my doors soon so everyone please anticipate while drinking juice on the floor!"

dkpopnews

Li Yundi: I am not dating Lee Hom Wang

After close to two months of constant speculations, famous Chinese classical pianist Li Yundi has finally stepped forth to dismiss dating rumours between him and Taiwanese actor-singer Lee Hom Wang.

“We have a normal friendship. We are just bosom buddies who share the same passion for music," Yundi explained at his music concert recently. He even stressed that both of them are currently single and expressed his belief in fate when it comes to a relationship.

Lee Hom struck up a friendship with Yundi after they were invited to perform together at this year's CCTV Spring Festival Gala in January. The singer was fascinated by the latter's outstanding music talent and invited him to guest star at his concert in Beijing and Hong Kong. They were said to be romantically involved when photos of Lee Hom visiting Yundi's apartment surfaced in October. They even allegedly held hands when they were spotted posing for a group photo at Taiwanese songbird A-Mei's bar the following night.

Yundi was unfazed about such rumours and commented that he would still collaborate with Lee Hom in the future.

Asianbite

Song Hye Gyo stunningly poses for ELLE

Korean A-list actress Song Hye Gyo recently graced the cover of the January 2013 issue for Elle magazine. The actress collaborated with high-end luxury brand, Chanel, to display her beautiful elegance in the pictorial. Song Hye Gyo is seen exuding a soft, classic look while donning a lace dress and beaded jacket. Her new short, permed hairstyle also highlights her natural beauty.

Song Hye Gyo stated, “For this production, I met with visually impaired individuals and listened to their stories and observed their lifestyle, and studied for my new role in this way”, sharing how she prepared for her role in the upcoming drama That Winter, The Wind Blows, which she will be co-starring with actor Jo In Sung, to premiere this February.

Netizens commented “She's the definition of STUNNING”, “Be still, my heart, just hearing her name raises my blood pressure”, “You can place her beside a ton of girl groups and still her beauty will stand out”, “When it comes to natural beauty, I think she's the definition of it”, “Damn, she just took my breath away”, etc.

 

ALLKPOP

Sunggyu talks about his 'grandpa' image

Leader Kim Sunngyu of idol group INFINITE is cheerfully known to fans as ‘Grandpa Kyu’. The nickname is humorous although he explained several times on television broadcasts that he’s not sluggish in real life. During a recent interview for Newsen, the idol once again explained “I wish they’d understand now that I’m not like that”.

He added “My variety image? Broadcasts are only broadcasts so I decided not to care about it but a lot of fans think that I’m tired and that it looks like my waist hurts. I have to look cool on stage so I can’t laugh. I’m preparing without any expression on my face but when I’m too quiet the fans think that I’m sick. Anywhere I go, 80% of the gifts are red ginseng. Because I receive so much of it, I send some home and share it as well. I’m happy and thankful but I’m healthy, I think it’s like that because other people ask me ‘You’re tired right? You’re sick right?’. They said I looked like I had no strength but it’s not like that.

“I’m very healthy and bright. I don’t think I’m an old man or someone like that. Old man’s image is too strong. I’m the hyung in the team so I think it’s like that because I have that image. But that’s not a bad thing so I don’t care about it.”

Sunggyu just promoted his first solo album’s title song 60 Seconds and is going to end promotions soon. He is planning to release the music video of I Need You afterwards.

dkpopnews

JeA reveals male idols run when they see Brown Eyed Girls

JeA revealed that male idol groups run the other way when they see the Brown Eyed Girls coming on a recent broadcast of Immortal Song 2. The BEG leader shared, “When male idol groups see us, they walk backwards,” causing laughter.

She continued, “The Brown Eyed Girls have a bit of a strong image. We wear strong makeup, and I think that kind of image has been imprinted in everyone. Maybe that’s why, but when we wear makeup and walk around the broadcast station, the male idol group members see us and start walking backwards the other way.”

JeA added, “I want to show a feminine side to myself through this performance.”

Netizens and fans commented “The cant handle BEG's strong sex appeal”, “This group is too badass for Korea's men”, “BEG is on hell of a fierce/sexy group with a lot of power and they are not like the other boring cute/pretty girl groups that all look alike”, “I wonder if Beast's Dongwoon walks backward if he sees Narsha. He's her fan”, “Maybe because they're older and younger guys are afraid to approach them”, etc.

ALLKPOP

Hyun Bin discharged from the military!

He is finally back! Although today may seem like an average day to many, it is a special day to fans across the world and actor Hyun Bin, for he has returned after finishing his military service. He was officially discharged on December 6th and held a simple, brief event to address the thousands of fans who had gathered to witness his return back to society.

The actor, who had been serving in the Marine Corps, greeted his fans with a booming voice and discussed some of his thoughts on returning to his life and career. “Thank you to all the media and fans who have made it here despite the snow and difficult conditions,” he started off.

“I promised to greet you again after 21 months as a hardened soldier, and I think I have been able to keep that promise while serving in the Marines. I think I am now able to greet you as a more solid and confident person. Having received so much encouragement and interest from everyone before enlisting, I started my life as a soldier with a happy heart, and due to the consistent support and energy that you have all sent me even after enlisting, I think I am able to now stand here alright and healthy.”

Tears then began to form in the actor’s eyes as he thought about returning to acting once more. “I wanted to act so badly,” he admitted before the silence that followed due to his tears. “Since I couldn’t act during my vacations, I’d go to places where hoobaes were acting and would watch them and think about it… But now, the time has come for me to be able to act again, and as much as everyone has waited for me, I want to work hard in preparing to show you the acting I’ve wanted to do. I have stored all the energy that I’ve received as a soldier, so I will return energy back to everyone,” he concluded.

Hyun Bin enlisted back on March 7th of 2011, and after 21 months of serving in the Marines rather than in the promotional division of the army like most celebrities, the actor has made his return and will be spending his time with his family for the time being.

ALLKPOP

Sunggyu makes a mistake on Inkigayo

INFINITE‘s Sunggyu quickly corrected his recent live performance mistake. The charismatic leader had his debut stage last week with his solo song 60 Seconds. But because all the artists are required to shorten their songs after their debut stage, he performed a shortened version of his song on Inkigayo.

As a result, Sunggyu made a slight mistake, singing the original lyrics for the 2nd verse instead of skipping the section of the edited version. However, he also quickly corrected his mistake, smoothly transitioning into the correct part. His handled the situation masterfully, hiding his surprise at the change and instead handled the matter professionally. Many fans praised his quick handling of the situation, and many viewers confessed that they didn’t even realize he made a mistake.

Source: ALLKPOP

Wonder Girls' Sunye to wed in 2013

It has been announced that Wonder Girls‘ Sunye will be tying the knot with her Canadian-Korean boyfriend next year. As fans know, Sun has often expressed her sincere and deep affections for her significant other, so this announcement may not come as a complete surprise, but it is one that has come quite sooner than expected.

JYP Entertainment stated the following through an official email to allkpop:

Hello, this is JYP Entertainment. Wonder Girls’ leader Sun (Min Sunye), an artist under our agency, will be getting married on January 26th of next year. Sun, who debuted in 2007 and led the Wonder Girls as their leader for six years, recently informed the agency as well has the Wonder Girls’ members about her intentions, and understanding that her decision has come after much thought, we have decided to respect her decision. Sun will be focusing on her marriage and family life for the time being, and the other members of Wonder Girls will be concentrating on individual activities such as acting, producing, solo albums, and broadcast activities. We hope for many messages of congratulations and encouragement. Thank you.

Sunye herself also opened up about the announcement through a letter to her fans which she posted on Wonder Girls’ official fan cafe. The letter was titled, “A letter I am sending on November 27, 2012.” She genuinely thanks her fans for the last 6 years of support they've given to the Wonder Girls.

She stated, “I’m not the type to get nervous on stage.. But right at this moment.. Honestly I’m a little nervous. While there are times that I might post things for no special reason, today there is a rather special reason. Although I can’t always see you, as people who are close to me and I am truly thankful for, I would rather tell you myself than have you all hear this from other people. January 26, 2013 will be a very special day to me. I will be getting married, making two people one and beginning to walk the path of life together.”

Don’t be too sad! Like the way we've laughed and cried together throughout the years, I hope you can share my feelings from where you are on January 26th. And the Wonder Girls members who were there for me and believed in me throughout the decision-making process.. And the JYP employees and family. Thank you all so much!”

Best wishes to the couple!

ALLKPOP

Philippines welcomes Lee Minho

Korea’s gorgeous young bachelor Lee Minho recently made a trip to Manila, Philippines to do promotions and was treated like a foreign national guest. According to the actor’s management agency, the actor visited the Philippines from November 15th until 18th where he participated in various interviews with local media outlets before holding a large-scale event at the Araneta Coliseum in promotion for his endorsement of Bench.

Lee Minho also filmed the commercial and held a fan signing session at the ‘Bench’ store the next day. A great number of fans gathered to see him, proving his amazing popularity in the region. Local media outlets made detailed reports about Lee Minho’s visit under titles such as “Manila falls in love with Lee Min Ho” and “Korean super star brings a major storm”.

An overseas Korean-Philippines personnel expressed, “Out of all of the foreign celebrities visiting the Philippines, Lee Min Ho has received the greatest response. His dramas like Boys Over Flowers and City Hunter which were aired in the Philippines have helped to propel Lee Min Ho's popularity.”

DKPOPNEWS

Sandara Park turns 28!

2ne1's Sandara Park turned 29 on the 12th of November and without fail, she celebrated it with a bang. The lovely lady spent her special day with her group members, some YG dancers and of course, world famous designer Jeremy Scott.

Jeremy Scott upoaded and shared happy photos of the celebration on Twitter. It was later revealed that the designer gave the birthday girl a pair of pink Adidas shoes. Dara turned 28 but in Korean age, she turned 29. Nevertheless, fans are showing envy with her beautiful and youthful face.

dkpopnews

Kim Jong Kook on Moon Geun Young

Singer Kim Jong Kook participated on a recent episode of One Night’s TV Entertainment and shared his thoughts about talented actress Moon Geun Young. The young actress previously guested on his show Running Man and had made quite an impression on him.

Jong Kook began by letting out the feelings about his close friend Haha‘s marriage. He  sharde, “When I heard that he was getting married, I couldn't eat for a while – this isn't a lie. It wasn't that I felt betrayed, but for the first time, I felt jealous about getting married.”

When being asked about his ideal woman, he answered honestly, “I’d like her to be about 165cm, not too thin and have a round face. She doesn’t need to be wealthy and since I have small eyes, I’d like her to have big eyes.”

A staff member curiously asked, “Isn’t that exactly Moon Geun Young?” He then answered with a smile, “Before, I thought that I would like to have a daughter like her. But when she guest starred on ‘Running Man’ not too long ago, she returned as a woman.”

Following Jong Gook’s answer, the reporter asked, “What if Moon Geun Young made a move on you?” Kim Jong Gook laughed and replied, “I’d like that”.

Block B in another controversy

What Block B recently said irritated the public. On November 9, the group attended an event for the 17th Farmer’s Day. The host of the event said, “We should eat a lot of rice for the farmers. There are bread and pizza made of rice". However, Block B answered, “We don’t like pizza made of rice.” Block B attended the event to celebrate the Farmer’s Day, but they rather ruined the event because of what they said.

That wasn't the first time what Block B said irritated many people. In February this year, Block B’s rude attitude during an interview with a media source in Thailand became a problem. They also caused controversy by saying something that insulted people in Thailand. After coming back to Korea, Block B apologized for what they said in the interview. Leader Zico shaved his head, regretting the members’ rude behavior.

Block B came out with a new material on October 17. They said, “We regretted a lot while we were doing volunteer work for the last eight months. Feeling sorry for what we’ve done, we worked harder on our new album.” However, what they recently said makes people wonder if they have really regretted their wrongdoings.

SM Entertainment comments on UI-Eunhyuk controversy

SM Entertainment has declined to comment on the recent scandal that erupted after IU posted a picture to her Twitter account, showing her in her pajamas with Super Junior‘s Eunhyuk. The picture was taken down minutes later.

“We don’t have anything particular to say,” the company said, in response to a call for a statement. Since the scandal erupted over IU’s mistake, and her company Loen Entertainment has already released a statement on the matter, SM Entertainment had decided to stay quiet on the subject, possibly wary of further repercussion.

Netizens commented “If this is what they exactly said doesn't it basically mean that they're admitting something was going on between them?”, “Translation: "is pretty obvious, so, whatever”, “SM knows that the story is crap but they can’t say anything now after what Loen said unless they want to throw Eunhyuk under the bus”, “I agree with SM's decision for once. At least they're not bullshitting us with some sorry excuse”, etc.

ALLKPOP

IU makes her first public appearance after controversy

IU made her first appearance on television after her selca happening with Super Junior‘s Eunhyuk as an MC for the 2012 Love Sharing Concert along with Lee Jong Suk and ZE:A‘s Kwanghee.

The singer looked calm throughout the show, introducing guests without any issues. She looked slightly less bubbly and cheerful than she normally does on television appearances, replacing it with a quieter calmness. Some even commented, “IU appears to have gone through a lot with the selca happening.”

On November 10th, IU had attracted much attention after accidentally uploading a picture of herself and Eunhyuk at home. Loen Entertainment released an official statement, explaining that Eunhyuk had visited IU over the summer when she had been sick.

Netizens commented “IU will be fine. The real impact of this 'scandal' is that agencies will forbid their stars to use social media, or their accounts will be handled by P.R employees. Wouldn't surprise me if we see idols closing their twitter account in the coming days”, “i think this is the best way to handle the haters... by not HIDING”, “She has to be SO careful with everything”, “Stay strong IU”, etc.

ALLKPOP

Hwang Minwoo dances Gangnam Style in the Philippines

Korean singer Psy already proved himself to be an A-list celebrity following the massive success of his track Gangnam Style. Moreover, he’s not the only Korean people would want to see. Child star Min Woo, who garnered much attention with his cameo appearance in Psy's Gangnam Style music video, performed on Philippine tv show It's Showtime and impressed everybody with his dance skills.

Sunggyu cheers on Inspirits

Rising idol group INFINITE’s leader Sunggyu is currently preparing for his solo album to be released this month. And while the serious leader is busy doing so, he also posted a message on their official website to cheer on fans who took the SATs and update on his state of affairs.

Everyone hello!
It’s me, Gyu. It feels like I’m writing a post after a really long time. Has everyone been well? You missed me, didn't you? I’ve been really busy lately, but yesterday was the SAT exams. Did Inspirits who took the SATs do well? You guys were probably tired from preparing for the exams. You guys worked really, really hard and I’m writing this post to tell you guys that you did well. My heart is as wide as the ocean like this. You guys really worked hard! And for Inspirits who aren’t in their 3rd year of high school yet, fighting!

To Inspirits who took the SATs this time around, Inspirits who still have yet to take SATs, and noona, hyung Inspirits who don’t really remember when they took the SATs like me. Everyone~ I hope you all are able to make the dreams in your heart come true^^

I’ll cheer you on. Also, I’m currently working hard towards another challeng. Since I’m in the process of doing final work on the album, I think you guys will probably be able to see a new side of me soon. Please look forward to it a lot, although something about it makes me feel embarrassed.

Anyways, stay healthy and well everyone!

We will definitely be looking forward to your solo project, grandpa Gyu.

IU and Eunhyuk in a scandal

Korean netizens sure do take photos seriously, and heartily. Both idol stars IU and Eunhyuk of Super Junior are currently facing quite a situation right after an intimate photo of them was uploaded on the internet.

The photo shows Eunhyuk clearly, but only shows a part of IU’s face. The most shocking part is that the two seem to be lying on a bed, and that Eunhyuk has no shirt on. Furthermore, fans have pointed out that the pajama is the same one that IU got from her fans, that she tweeted in the past. She tweeted it when she burnt her top after she tried to make ramen.

Rumors that the two are dating have been going around, with much ‘proof’ saying the two have couple items. On an episode of ‘Strong Heart‘, where IU was a guest, Leeteuk wrote, “Meeting Eunhyuk’s woman again.“, Eunhyuk wrote a simple heart on his board, and IU wrote, “Oppa, I’m here“.

Loen Entertainment is the first to break their silence as they have just released an official statement on the issue:

Hello. This is Loen Entertainment. This is an official statement regarding the picture that was revealed early this morning through IU’s Twitter. First, we bow our heads and sincerely apologize for causing concern to all the representatives and all the fans of IU and Super Junior.

The revealed photo was from this summer when IU was very sick and Eunhyuk had come to visit her at her home, and was taken then when they sat on the sofa together; it was revealed to the outside due to IU’s mistake through her related photo uploading service while IU was making a mention on Twitter.

IU is sincerely sorry for bringing harm to her sunbae Eunhyuk due to her error.

Lastly, IU and Eunhyuk are close sunbae-hoobae who have been close since IU’s debut, Eunhyuk is close to the point that he has even dined with IU’s mother. We ask that you do not exaggerate or make assumptions about IU and Eunhyuk’s relationship due to this incident.

We will return to greet you as a more matured agency after having learned from this incident. We apologize once again.

We are sorry.

Loen Entertainment

Netizens expressed mixed reactions regarding this statement so the scandal goes on and on. SM Entertainment has yet to say their side of the story regarding the matter so stay tuned and keep updated.

allkpop

Sungmin misses leader Leetuk

Super Junior member Sungmin sweetly expressed his feelings regarding group leader Leeteuk who just recently entered the military. On his blog, he shared their tiring flight to Chile and how much of a success their performance was. But netizens were moved when the young singer-actor mentioned that he misses Leeteuk.

He wrote, “…The Chile performance ended well. (It is our) first performance without Teukie hyung. I was nervous and worried, but it went out well. We’re indeed a bright stage.”

He continued, “Teukie hyung, are you watching? I miss you. We should tell them about Korea together. What a pity. We’re still not perfect yet. Come back quickly!”

Leeteuk in the army

When Super Junior leader Leeteuk bid farewell to the Kpop stage to officially enter the military just recently, fans were in tears. However, it seems as though this grown man has been adjusting well to his new endeavor, and we got a proof.

The eternal leader, as ELFs call him, and singer Sangchu snapped a photo with their fellow soldiers. On November 2nd, a photo of the two celebrities with their fellow army recruits was posted onto the 306th Army Reserve Internet Cafe. The two of them are smiling brightly at the camera, dressed in their army uniform. Leeteuk and the few other recruits even have their arms stretched out to the camera, imitating Super Junior‘s famous greeting pose.

Both Leeteuk and Sangchu will be serving 21 months of service after basic training.

Sunggyu confirmed for a solo debut

A member of idol group INFINITE will be making his first solo debut this month. A few months ago, Woollim Entertainment had teased fans with a video on their YouTube channel featuring all of the artists housed under them, completing with What is the NEXT BIG THING? 2012 November.

It was revealed today in the group's official Korean homepage that leader Sunggyu will be the one going solo, releasing his first single this month. The website was revamped with a new photo that used shape and text to write Solo Invasion and Sunggyu: Another Me.

After participating in Immortal Song 2 earlier this year, Sunggyu impressed viewers with his emotional vocals and skills as a performer. Confirming their popularity as an idol band following the success of their hit tracks Be Mine, Paradise and The Chaser, Infinite members have begun to pursue individual activities.

Hyoyeon hints about an ex

Hyoyeon from popular idol group SNSD hinted about her past boyfriend. On a recent episode of Invincible Youth, she talked about a boyfriend who would often say something while they were under the influence of alcohol and not remember any of it afterwards. She revealed, “He told me, “Are you suffering? I’ll pay for your contract fee so you can do whatever you want from now on”.

She kept talking about her boyfriend, and accidentally blurted, “But he’s doing worse than me-". When she realized she was giving too many hints about who her past boyfriend could be, she suddenly stopped and grinned, expressing frustration at herself for going too far. She also confessed, “I trusted him because I liked him. I trust people too easily.“

Meanwhile, host Lee Young Ja asked, “How many people have you dated, Hyoyeon?” After a short pause, she answered, “I’ve dated 2 and a half men.”

After hearing her strange response, special guest Bronwyn remarked, “If it’s two people, then it’s two people, and if it’s three, it’s three. How can you have a half?” Hyoyeon replied shyly, “One of the guys didn’t ask me to date him.”

Netizens reacted “Hilarious how Hyoyeon is the only one in SNSD comfortable talking about boyfriends/relationships”, “Seems like he's in a idol group”, “First person that came to my mind was Nichkhun”, “I can't help but think that it could be Hangeng”, “At first i thought it would be Eunhyuk”, “I think he’s not from SM”, “After 5 years this is the first time one of the members actually admitted of having a past relationship”, etc.

Kim Jong Kook on marriage rumors

Kim Jong Kook, who has recently returned to the music scene with his 7th album, addressed rumors regarding marriage.

During the interview held with the release of his album, the singer remarked, “I saw a story about me getting married, but it’s not true at all. To be honest, I was quite shocked seeing that.” He further revealed that he would not keep a relationship secret, as he added, “I want to live like an ordinary person. If there is a girl that I’m going to marry, I’m going to come clean and tell you all about it.”

“I think that maybe if I were to announce my relationship, it’d be through Running Man, rather than having it be revealed through the news,” he said, showing his affections for the variety show and further emphasizing that the marriage rumors are not true.

Netizens commented “Whoever marries the guy is gonna be a lucky girl”, “Can't wait for SPARTAAA to find his lioness”, “Sweet tiger”, “I've been waiting for an announcement since the X-Man days” etc.

Hara shares hardships of Jiyoung

KARA‘s Hara recently talked about the hardships of being a celebrity and also shared her appreciation for Jiyoung, the group’s youngest member, who joined KARA when she was only 15.

On Star Interview, Hara shared, “It’s a time when you shouldn't know much and just laugh and hang out with friends, but Jiyoung started her career as a celebrity at that age.”

She continued, “Even when you’re having a hard time, you can’t express it and have to force yourself to like it. And I also debuted when I was 18 years old and went through a lot of hate comments. But Jiyoung had to experience that at an even earlier age. So whenever I see her, I just feel sorry for her and I’m also thankful that she came this far.”

In addition, Hara thought for a bit after being asked of her thoughts about the group's five year exixtence. Then she answered,“Entertainment shows are hard. I think I have no choice but to stick it out, with a hard-core spirit.”

Leeteuk finally cuts his hair short

Super Junior‘s Leeteuk had hinted that he had cut his hair on the 27th with his tweet, and he has finally been spotted with his newly cut hair. He recently tweeted, “My look wasn’t just based on my hair… It wasn’t.. kekekekekekekekekeke", and fans guessed that he was either satisfied with his new cut or was telling himself to be satisfied with it.

Photos of his hair hadn't been seen, leaving fans curious of how he looked with his new army cut. The leader of Super Junior was finally seen with his new hair, and fans were relieved to see that his short hair wasn't nearly as bad as they might have expected.

In fact, Leeteuk seemed to have left the top of his hair a little longer than the traditional buzz cut, leaving fans to wonder if he was taking the transformation in steps.

ALLKPOP

Show and Rainie's dating rumors resurface

They were once said to be lovers when they filmed Taiwanese idol series Hi My Sweetheart in 2010. Dating rumours between Show Luo and Rainie Yang made headlines once again after the two Taiwanese artists shot a commercial together.

Said to be in a four-month-long relationship, rumour sparks flew between the two again when they played a couple for the commercial shoot. According to reports, the couple displayed no sign of awkwardness and readily hammed it up for the cameras when the director requested for them to be affectionate. Sources revealed the two singers-actors decided to keep their relationship under wraps and away from the media eye due to their "idol" status.

After Show and Rainie's turn as an adorable couple in Hi My Sweetheart, they were suspected to be a real-life couple due to their good onscreen and off-camera chemistry. Seen as a publicity stunt by some fans, reps from both artistes denied the claims and emphasized that they are very close friends. Rainie and Show were romantically linked with different partners a couple of months later.

Netizens commented “I ship them so much”, “It is just a beautiful rumor”, “Perhaps they are really just good friends”, etc.

Asian Fanatics

Sandara misses Philippines

2ne1's dorky member Sandara Park recently updated her me2day account and shared, "I remember three years ago when we were filming 2ne1 tv in the Philippines. It's already been that long? We went jet skiing in Subic. I can remember those moments, I was cautious but now I’m ready to exercise.”

The eldest beauty also attached the photos below, showing her usual dork self dancing to their hit songs Fire and I am Best.

Richard Gutierrez and Sarah Lahbati are in a relationship

Richard Gutierrez has reportedly said it: he and Sarah Lahbati are in a relationship. The admission came via his recent interview with PEP, though the heartthrob idol begged off from divulging how long they've been officially together. He did relate that their romance bloomed on the set of the defunct drama series Makapiling Kang Muli, as rumors had it.

Some may find Richard's openness on his relationship with Sarah quite refreshing, as he had preferred to keep his love life in the past private. The 28-year-old TV host-actor shared “It's good to be open. Now I can be fully happy."

He has apparently met a good match in Sarah, whom he finds kind and very sweet. Her outgoing personality as well as their similarities have also endeared the 19-year-old Filipino-Moroccan actress to him. "It feels so comfortable with her. We enjoy. We can travel, we can walk. We can do whatever together," he said.

Speaking of travel, Richard said his 12-day European vacation became all the more memorable because he was with Sarah. One of the places they toured was Geneva, Switzerland, where the latter was born. Prior to his confirmation, he and Sarah let their respective Instagram posts express their affection for each other. Their movie project, The Affair, will apparently allow for more bonding moments for the lovebirds.

Manila Bulletin

Pangako Sa ‘Yo to be localized in Cambodia; Lobo to air in Thailand

The Philippines’ most successfully distributed canned TV series worldwide, Pangako Sa ’Yo (The Promise), will soon be localized in Cambodia after Cambodian Television Network (CTN) bought its format from ABS-CBN, the Philippines’ leading and largest multimedia conglomerate.

Pangako sa’Yo, produced by ABS-CBN in 2000, is one of the network’s top-raters of all time, headlined by premiere Filipino actors Jericho Rosales and Kristine Hermosa. The main characters will soon have their Cambodian counterparts as CTN targets to start production by the first quarter of 2013. This adaptation in Cambodia marks a milestone in Philippine broadcasting history, particularly for ABS-CBN that is known as the Philippine leader in producing world-class TV drama series. ABS-CBN now joins the ranks of the world’s most competitive content suppliers with this format buy.

The landmark deal between ABS-CBN and CTN was made possible by ABS-CBN’s International Distribution Division, which to date has sold over 30,000 hours of content, making it available to over 50 territories worldwide. ABS-CBN’s canned programs have successfully penetrated territories in Asia, Europe, and Africa. Its most recent addition is Thailand where one of its top-rating drama series, Lobo (She Wolf: the Last Sentinel) will soon debut as the first Philippine TV program to air on Thai television.

ABS-CBN International Distribution head Leng Raymundo said Philippine TV series, particularly ABS-CBN’s drama series, have been widely received and distinctively known for their cast’s international appeal, series length that adapts well to programmers’ needs, and content with a universal appeal that people can relate to. “The global viewers recognize and demand for ABS-CBN programs as they remain true to local cultural sensitivities. It has a definite global appeal, heart warming relatable stories that have high production values, and good-looking actors that cross borders,” she said.

ABS-CBN programs, mostly in drama formats, have been dubbed in English, Khmer, Mandarin, Bahasa Melayu, Vietnamese, Turkish, Russian, and French. They have also been subtitled in Bahasa Melayu and Romanian. Tayong Dalawa (The Two of Us) also made history as the first Filipino program in Singapore’s telenovela belt while Sana’y Wala ng Wakas (Timeless), which is also topbilled by Rosales and Hermosa, was so well received by viewers in Malaysia. Among French-speaking territories, ABS-CBN’s Magkaribal (Rivals) dubbed in French is steadily gaining viewers. ABS-CBN International Distribution was also the first to distribute content in Myanmar.

With its growing recognition in the global media distributionlandscape, ABS-CBN International Distribution further expands its line-up of high-caliber programs and movies and offers them to more territories in the world.

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Baifern Pimchanok joins Mario Maurer as Penshoppe endorser

Baifern Pimchanok, popularly known as Nam in the hit Thai romantic movie Crazy Little Thing Called Love, is now the latest Penshoppe muse. Penshoppe announced on its official twitter account @PENSHOPPE that their campaigns this month of October will feature Asia’s most popular love team – Mario & Baifern.

If you’ve been living under a rock, Baifern is Mario Maurer‘s leading lady in monster hit Thai movie Crazy Little Thing Called Love which took a number of Asian countries by storm. In the Philippines, the tagalized version of the movie was aired by ABS-CBN on a Sunday morning block and it garnered an unusually high rating that it was shown several times. And since Baifern is also Maurer’s friend, and since the former has been a member of Penshoppe All Stars since 2011, the local apparel brand has announced on Twitter that they will feature the couple in their newest campaigns.

Baifern, by the way, had a guest role in Mario Maurer‘s first Filipino movie Suddenly It’s Magic which is produced by Star Cinema. The movie which pairs Maurer with our very own Erich Gonzales is set to open in theaters on October 31. So we can expect Baifern to visit Manila later this month to help promote her kababayan’s movie and of course, to honor her Penshoppe endorsement deal.

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