to a New Year.  This weekend marks the start of the Lunar New Year, known as Seollal in South Korea. Hopefully everyone will be able to visit their families, be able to greet their elders, and eat some ddukguk.  Among the big news of the week was the announcement that a certain popular boy band will finally make their next Korean comeback with a full album release on February 19th… SHINee‘s back. (SMTown)

 

 to a new song…

  • Comebacks this week in K-pop included: 10CM came back with their 2nd EP, Paul Baek Remembers You, Ra.D released “It’s Been So Long,” Seo In-guk released “I Can’t Live Because of You” featuring Verbal Jint, Huh Gak released the MV for “1440” off of his first album, LedApple released a digital single “I’ll Be There For You“which was featured in the 4th episode of Level 7 Civil Servant and an awesome remix of SHINee‘s “Sherlock,” Top Band Korea‘s season 1 winners Toxic hope to attract fans with “Pheromone,” Playa came back “Confidently,” and Clazziquai came back with their 5th album Blessed and their “Love Recipe.”

 

to a new chance:

  • Big Bang‘s Daesung released the short version PV of “Utautai no Ballad” (Singer’s Ballad) originally sung by Kazuyoshi Saito.  It’s one of the songs off of his upcoming album D’scover which will be released on February 27th.  It’s an album of remakes of popular Japanese songs and the Japanese versions of Daesung’s singles “Wings” and “Baby Don’t Cry.”  It’s not the solo album from Daesung most fans had been hoping for, but it’s better than nothing.

 

to a new love…

  • MBC finally announced who would be taking over the spot on We Got Married left vacant by the departure of the JoonSeo couple, 2AM‘s maknae Jinwoon and actress Go Joon-hee.  She’s an ’85er model turned actress, currently in the Queen of Ambition (Yawang) and he’s a ’91er—so older woman, younger man couple with a 6 year difference in ages.  Hmmm, that familiar are they trying to create another JoongBo? (Interview365)

 

to a new story…

  • More bad news for the KBS snubbed K-drama City Conquest, leading male actor Kim Hyun-joong has left the production.  A fair amount of the drama had already been filmed with Kim Hyun-joong so it would seem that this just might be the death blow to the show. (ArtsNews)

 

to a new life…

  •  It was announced that soon after his concerts in Japan, Se7en will be enlisting in the military to serve his mandatory two years service.  At his Japanese concert this week, Se7en was in tears as he said goodbye to his Japanese fans. There’s been no set time frame, but expect to be saying goodbye to Se7en soon. (xsportsnews)

 

to adulthood…

  • It was a big week for the ’94 line of idols as many of them graduated from high school. Among the graduates miss A’s Suzy, f(x)′s Sulli, Juniel, A Pink’s Son Na-eun and Hong Yoo-kyung, U-KISS’ Dong-ho, EXO-K‘s Sehun, JR from JJ Project, Girls’ Day’s Hyeri, KARA‘s Kang Ji-young and 4Minute’s Kwon So-hyun, to name a few.  Hanlim Multi Arts School had quite a few idol graduates including f(x)‘s Krystal, Dal Shabet’s Subin, T-ara’s Ah-reum, BTOB’s Jung Il-hoon, Speed’s Se-jun,  B.A.P’s Jong-up (who also turned 18 on the 6th). (Newsen, Newsen, Hanlim)
  • I do not know about you, but child actor Park Ji-bin looks a whole lotta grown up on his new drama Incarnation of Money.  Those chocolate abs just do not compute with his baby face although he will be turning 18 this year. (SSTV)