#HyunBin #CrashLandingOnYou #MadameTussauds #waxfigure Yes, You read it right! You can finally meet Hyun Bin in person! Last May 27 the London-based museum, Madame Tussauds announced that the actor will officially have a wax figure of his own at their Hong Kong branch. The Hong Kong branch also houses the wax figures of famous Korean actor Kim Woo-Bin, Korean actress Bae Suzy, who is the first Korean female celebrity to be chosen by the museum, and music icons like Lady Gaga and Michael Jackson, and many more. According to Madame Tussauds, the wax figure of Hyun Bin will be toured around in three of their museums in Asia namely Hong Kong, Singapore, and Bangkok. The Crash Landing On You star expressed his excitement in seeing his wax figure in person and showing it to everyone. In case you don't know, Madame Tussauds Hong Kong has already enshrined many more Korean celebrities that are displayed at the attraction's K-wave Zone. Make sure to plan a visit to one of of Madame Tussauds Museum branches! Let us know which K-celebrity you are most excited to see in person!

#myliberationnotes #kdramareview #koreandrama May 29 marked the end of another amazing drama! Our favorite uninspiring siblings from ' My Liberation Notes ' reported stellar ratings according to Nielsen Korea with the final episode scoring a nationwide rating of 6.7 percent, a new record for the show! JTBC has been sharing numerous behind-the-scenes content on their YouTube channel of the fun out-of-character cast that is worth a watch! At the same time, tvN's ' Our Blues ' soared to the highest rating yet. The latest episode of the star-studded drama reached a nationwide rating of 11.8 percent, taking first place in its time slot. We're sad to see the end of another great drama! Check out our in-depth review here ! This is a highly recommended drama by us! Many of the themes shared in this drama such as loneliness, work relationships, personal relationships, and being excited about life is very serious in South Korea today! Many Koreans feel that they're stuck in a vicious cycle of the monotony of everyday life and don't really have time to travel and experience what life has to offer. We feel that this drama created an accurate portrayal of these social and cultural issues that are at the forefront of today's Korean society. What did you think? Are you sad to see it finish? Who were your favorite characters and why?

#neymar #brazilkorea #fifa Global phenom soccer star Neymar Jr. arrived in Seoul Thursday, May 26 with the FIFA number one ranked Brazilian National Team scheduled to play two friendly matches in the Asia Pacific region scheduled in June. The Brazilian National Team will train six days prior to the matchup against the South Korean National Team on June 2nd at Seoul World Cup Stadium. The Brazilian standout will be facing Son Heung Min , Korea's top soccer star and winner of the Premier League's Golden Boot with the Tottenham Hotspurs. The team will also have some leisure time as they travel to the local amusement park Everland. After their friendly match in Seoul, the team is scheduled for another friendly match against the Japanese National Team on Monday, June 6 at the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo. Neymar is seen having a great time in Seoul with his teammates as they get to experience some Korean culture and cuisine! They even got a team tour to see one of Korea's most romantic drama locations, Seoul Tower! The tickets to see Brazil vs. Korea have been sold out approximately four hours after tickets were available on May 25 at 5 pm. Seoul World Cup Stadium holds a maximum capacity of 64,000 seats. This is great for both Brazil and South Korea! Any chance to share culture and experiences is a positive one! We love our fans in Brazil! Let us know your thoughts! Who are you rooting for?

#bts #btswhitehouse #btsaanhpi Global wholesome international superstar boy band BTS will be traveling to the White House on Tuesday, May 31 Korean Standard Time (KST)! The group will be joining President Joe Biden to discuss anti-Asian hate crimes and to celebrate Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month. According to the White House on May 26, BTS is invited to discuss the recent incline in Asian discrimination and representation in the United States. "President Biden and BTS will also discuss the importance of diversity and inclusion and BTS' platform as youth ambassadors who spread a message of hope and positivity across the globe." - Official White House Press Release We feel that BTS is the perfect Asian global ambassador for this discussion! Their clean and kind image has spread a lot of positivity during a time of pessimism towards Asians during the pandemic. BTS was invited by the United Nations to give a speech about hope and power to those in their teens and 20's to shape a better future during an internet streamed event that drew over 1 million viewers on September 20, 2021. The group also performed "Permission To Dance" inside the United Nations General Assembly Hall during that time. What are your thoughts about this amazing opportunity? Do you think BTS is the best representative of K-pop as well as the global ambassador for Asians in their respective communities? We want to hear from you!

#allyoucaneat #seouleats #koreanfoodie Seoul -- This city is known for its technology and rapid lifestyle. It can also show a romantic side considering the number of dramas shot here. But what if I was to tell you that I found something even more authentic? Like all big cities, Seoulites tend to be running around focusing on themselves, so they may emit a cold demeanor when talked to, by a stranger. If you've ever been to South Korea, you'll know that if you just speak a little bit of Korean and embrace Korean culture, Korean people will greet you with open arms. Read on to see what I mean! Nestled in the Samjang underground arcade (food court) under the Samjang Plaza Building in the Mapo district of Seoul, my wife and I discovered this gem as a backup since the original restaurant we wanted to go to was closed. This wonderful place is called Seung Tonkatsu. Tonkatsu is a fried pork cutlet and Seung makes it only one way, Japanese style. In fact, there's only one thing on the menu! My wife called in advance to check if they were open. When we arrived at 1:45 pm, it looked like we just missed the lunch crowd. The place was empty with just a couple of other patrons sitting at another table. My wife just held up two fingers, to indicate two orders and we sat down. Running the restaurant is a cute halmonee 할머니 (grandmother) who went straight to frying up this deliciousness! While we were waiting, I looked around and saw that they had put tonkatsu and coffee on their outer windows! "This place is super Korean!" I told my wife. She laughed. For someone coming from the United States, this is quite an odd combination, but in Korean, you'll see this everywhere. I looked around the interior of the restaurant hoping to find a menu sign and taped on the side of an air conditioning unit, there it was: Tonkatsu 7,000 won. That is roughly $5.50 USD! I couldn't believe what I was seeing! Most of the tonkatsu restaurants I've been going to lately have been well over 7,000 won, usually around 10,000 won! I was really looking forward to what was next! The halmonee came out with our monstrous orders five minutes later and my mouth hit the ground. As you can see (from the pictures above) she gave us three different types of katsu: regular, garlic, and cheese. This was unexpected! When I took a bite I couldn't believe how crispy the exterior was. It came straight from the fryer and into my mouth! It wasn't greasy at all, that was the amazing part! The whole pieces of garlic were nudged in between the thinly battered pork and everything was piping hot! I dipped it in some tonkatsu sauce with a little bit of mustard, and I was in heaven! I was eating deliciously when the halmonee asked me if I wanted more. Of course, I couldn't resist so we ordered half a plate more with one more bowl of rice! In Korea, there's a term called 'service' that most people need to familiarize themselves with. It means the restaurant is willing to give out some free stuff! Of course, I stuffed myself silly again! This is the great thing about going to family-run restaurants. If you eat their food well in front of them, they'll usually give you seconds, on the house! I came out of there eating almost two adult portions. Overall, this was an amazing experience and I highly recommend it to everyone reading to check it out! Great service, cheap, and wonderful people, what more can you ask for! Let us know if you've had similar experiences eating in South Korea! Would you try this place out? Here's where you can find it! Seung 173, Dohwa-dong, Mapo-gu, Seoul 서울특별시 마포구 마포대로 63-8 삼창프라자 Phone: 02-701-0965 How to get there: By subway - About a five minute walk from Gongdok Station (Seoul Line 5) exit 1 or Mapo Station (Seoul Line 5) exit 2.

#sonheungmin #totenhampurs #goldenboot Incheon -- Tottenham Hotspur striker Son Heung Min returned to Korea on May 24 victorious seen holding the much-coveted Golden Boot trophy for the most goals in the English Premier League. Son did not stop for an interview but showed off his newest achievement. The Golden Boot award goes to the player who scores the most goals in a season. This year, Son shared the award with Mo Salah (Liverpool F.C.) as they both scored 23 goals apiece. He is the first Asian player to lead the Premier League in scoring. The 29-year-old Son will be taking some time off from a long season and will prepare to train with the Korean national team starting on May 30th. This is refreshing to see Korean athletes competing at the highest level and winning awards in their respective sport. Did Son Heung Min open the door to younger Koreans who want to follow his footsteps? Will Koreans take athletes more seriously? Or will they continue to criticize them if they don't live up to expectations? Let us know your thoughts!

#blackpink #rollingstone #kpopnews Take a deep break. Okay! Blinks , here we go! After years of asking for it, Blackpink is finally on the cover of the popular magazine Rolling Stone ! The June 2022 issue will feature four-member international pop sensation, notice they dropped K-pop, along with an in-depth more personal, and revealing interview! Blackpink on the cover of one of the most iconic pop culture magazines is not only groundbreaking in multiple ways but proves that Hallyu (Korean wave) is on the rise! Blackpink will be the first girl group featured on the magazine cover since Destiny's Child in 2001. Blackpink will also be the second all-Asian musical act to appear on the cover of the magazine, the first being BTS in May 2021. The photos were taken by Korean-born fashion photographer, Peter Ash Lee. The special edition box includes a copy of the June 2022 issue of Rolling Stone plus individual copies of the same issue with a solo cover of each member! The box set also includes four premium 5×7″ Blackpink photo prints shot by photographer Peter Ash Lee exclusively for Rolling Stone , and get a bonus Rolling Stone sticker sheet. The special set will be released in small quantities and is expect to sell out quickly! While the regular Blackpink group cover will be available on all newsstands, the individual covers will only be available in the box set. The special edition Rolling Stone box set is priced at $129 USD exclusively on the Rolling Stone shop. Pre-orders will begin the first week of August so hurry up! You can pre-order your box set here ! This is huge in the Korean entertainment industry, especially for K-pop! Even if you're not a fan of K-pop, you have to appreciate the soft power South Korea has had for the past decade. Will it be as powerful as the United States in a few years? Let us know your thoughts below and whether you will buy one of these exclusive box sets!

#got7 #igot7 #nanana K-pop boy band Got7 is back with their new self-titled EP! Their new single MV 'NANANA' dropped on May 23 at 7 pm instead of its original release time at 6 pm and has garnered over 4 million views in 13 hours! The seven-member group is newly signed to Warner Music Korea since their contract with JYP Entertainment ended in February 2021. The members went their separate ways for a year and three months but were determined to come back together for a second time. “We feel very lucky that we’re able to make a comeback as a complete group of seven,” said Jay B. “We’d like to thank each member’s agency for cooperating and making this possible. We always said all seven of us would be back, but it’s like a dream that it has actually become a reality.” Member BamBam stated, "We wanted to keep our promise to fans. Unlike a lot of people’s misunderstandings, GOT7 did not disband, and we wanted to prove it. So we took a break in our individual activities and will focus on the team for now." The group's determination to get back together is a testament to how close the members are to each other and their goals even after the contract with their agency end. Each member in the group belongs to different management but all agencies have agreed to make the comeback work. The members expressed excitement in working on their own music. The band's new single 'NANANA' music and lyrics were written by Jay B. “Overall, this album shows a much richer variety of sounds,” Jay B said. “We used to prefer a very powerful style of music, but now, we’re able to enjoy chill, fun songs [like ‘Nanana’] just as much.” In terms of maintaining the band's brand and identity, it has become quite a lengthy process. The group was determined to obtain the copyright for the group's name from JYP Entertainment. “Trademark rights are such a tricky matter,” he said. “But [JYP’s] CEO Jung Wook gladly agreed to hand over the GOT7 trademark to us. Then I contacted a lawyer, who told me that it’s extremely rare case for a trademark to be handed over this amicably. I’d like to thank CEO Jung and producer Park Jin-young again. I collected all the necessary documents and signatures from members, and I realized it’s not easy at all. It made me humble and grateful toward the agency and employees who usually do these things for us.” The new album consists of a total of six songs, including 'NANANA', all of which were self-produced. The group also has rebranded a new logo and tagline, 'GOT7 is our name', in most of their social media posts. What do you think of their comeback? Are you excited to hear the rest of the album? Check it out here !

#theroundup #donlee #koreanmovie SEOUL -- There aren't too many Korean movies that can attract moviegoers to theaters, especially during the pandemic. According to Yonghap News, it is the "first time in over two years a Korean film has attracted more than 2 million people on a weekend since the political drama "The Man Standing Next" (2019) with 2.01 million on the last weekend of 2020. 'The Roundup' is the sequel to the 2017 hit comedy "The Outlaws" starring Don Lee ( Eternals 2021 ) and Son Seok Koo ( My Liberation Notes 2022 ). It is a story about Detective Ma Seok Do (Don Lee) traveling to Vietnam to extradite a Korean suspect but only to learn that there is a killer committing crimes against tourists for many years. Marvel's "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" came in second with 328,000 people over the weekend with total movie attendance of 5.47 million and the American animated film "The Bad Guys" placed third with 35,000 moviegoers. Now that COVID restrictions have been lifted in many countries, which movies are you excited to go to next? Let us know!

#moneyheistkorea #netflix #dramareviews Riding on the success of the original hit series La Casa De Papel (Money Heist), Netflix has given Korea a shot at telling its own version of the criminal mastermind crew led by the Professor ( Yoon Ji Tae Oldboy 2003 ). The first look of the action-packed thriller has been released and is scheduled to premiere on June 24. Many Money Heist fans are criticizing this series claiming that it is "just a remake of the original version", but Netflix has stated that this time will be a little different. In a plot twist, Korea is on the verge of reunification, and the Joint Security Area - the current Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) - is the basis of the location of the mint which is the focus of the story. The new mint represents a new unified currency and is the groundwork for a stable joint economy. The new Money Heist crew will need to overcome a joint task force led by a South Korean negotiation specialist and a North Korean agent. The 12-episode crime series is directed by Kim Hong Sun ( L.U.C.A.: The Beginning 2021 ) and brings together a star-studded cast including Kim Yun Jin ( Lost 2010 ) and Park Hae Soo ( Squid Game 2021 ). "I was intrigued by the premise of the remake because not only is it about the conflict between robbers and police, but also it adds new layers such as the tension, mistrust, and harmony between North and South Korea. [It is] a situation where thieves from North and South Korea join forces, and police from North and South join hands to stop their way, [adding] a Korean lens to the original IP." - Ryu Yong Jae (Writer for Money Heist Korea) The teaser highlights the iconic red jumpsuits and will switch to traditional Korean Hahoe (하회탈) masks were worn by Korean actors in the 12th century in rituals, ceremonies, and performances. Park Hae Soo, who plays Berlin in the upcoming drama, was sent an 'iconic' Dali mask from the original series by Spanish star, Pedro Alonso (the original Berlin). Here is a video of Park Hae Soo thanking Pedro Alonso. Korean fans are excited to see their rendition of the action-packed series. The original Money Heist was known for its superb storytelling and intricate details of each character. Korean drama has also rivaled the very best in storytelling and character development in the past several years. We can't wait to see what this series has to offer! Let us know your expectations and insights into this thrilling new series!

#EXO #Suho #Hallyu #StanfordUniversity #TaylorSwift #NYU For many of us who are fans of celebrities, it is an unforgettable experience to see our idols visit our schools or universities and give speeches on special occasions. Recently, singer-song writer Taylor Swift rendered a speech at graduation at New York University and received her honorary doctoral degree. How awesome is that! Just this 20th of May, Suho of the sensational South Korean-Chinese boy band, EXO was present at a Korean Studies conference at Stanford University, where he discussed the influence of "Hallyu" or Korean wave. Suho. Photo by nomnomkiyow. EXO. Photo by KpopStarz. Suho was one of the panelists at the 20th-anniversary program of Shorenstein APARC’s Korea program. With the experience of performing in 133 shows in 76 cities around the world, he spoke about the magnitude of influence of Hallyu. He finds it astonishing every time they see their fans sing along throughout the entire concert in Korean language in countries that are difficult to visit and far away from Korea such as Chile and Mexico. In his presentation, he also mentioned that he watches dance covers of their songs every day on YouTube and Tiktok. Fans not only copy the dance moves on point but as well as the styling and facial expression according to him. “On stage or even off stage, things I do or even words I say has an impact,” he said. A lot of their fans learn the Korean language and visit South Korea because they follow EXO, he then expounded. He described the K-culture as a global phenomenon that will continue to grow and evolve. The said conference was also attended by former United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon, and SM entertainment’s founder Lee Soo-man, Which celebrity do you dream to see in person?

#lesserafim #kimgaramscandal #koreaschoolbullying Source Music , the management company for up-and-coming girl group LE SSERAFIM , has made an official statement to fans via the group's official website on Weverse.com about the recent bullying scandal involving one of their members, Kim Garam . "Hello, this is Source Music. We would like to notify that LE SSERAFIM's scheduled appearance on KBS2 's ' Music Bank ' (on May 18 at 3 PM KST) and the group's scheduled video fan sign event (on May 18 at 8 PM KST) have been cancelled. We apologize to fans who waited for the events, and also ask those who were selected to attend the pre-recording for 'Music Bank' for their understanding. Additionally, the cancelled video fan sign event will be re-scheduled at a later date, and we will do our best to notify the fans who were selected for the event as soon as possible. Lastly, we assure you that the agency will release a formal position on the recent accusations against a member of LE SSERAFIM once all details are confirmed." Source Music also tweeted the update the group will not be participating in KBS2's 'Music Bank' and signing event on May 18, 2022, at the assigned times. On May 19, a legal representative of the alleged bullied victim released a lengthy statement claiming LE SSERAFIM member, Kim Garam, received formal penalization for the bullying of a classmate in 2018. According to a KoreanUpdates! tweet, Hybe, and Source Music are preparing a statement while compiling evidence. Many Koreans and overseas fans are debating how the management company is handling this scandal. Let us know how you feel and what you think should be done. Please also check out our other article about bullying in Korea here !