The old stars who created and founded K-pop gathered together to show that the masterpieces and emotions of those days remain the same even if the years change. Friends’ Lee Chi-hyun, Hwibus’ Lee Myung-hoon, Gun-ah’s Kwak Kyung-jae and Kim Hak-rae will hold a “Back to the Radio” concert at the Chiak Art Museum in Wonju, Gangwon-do, hosted by DJ Cho Jung-hyun.
The original 80s sentimental band, Lee Chihyun and his friends, Lee Chihyun
Lee Myung Hoon of Hwibus who made me cry
To the end of the world, “I” Kim Hak-rae, “I,” find Kwak Kyung of the “young smile” Guns who overcame everything with a smile
The emotions of the 1980s, presented by four bands with different personalities, will be filled with DJ Cho Jung-hyun’s hosting and guest Sunny Groove’s stage to showcase our brilliant 80s emotions. Singer Cho Jung-hyun, who was in charge of the concert, said, “It is regrettable that singers who made a big mark in the music industry in the 70s and 80s gradually disappear as the stage of their performance decreases, so we made a performance of talented singers who were active at the college song festival in the 80s.”"We also hope to offer a 7080 concert stage to all trot episodes to provide opportunities for senior citizens in their 60s and 70s to watch various music programs,” he said.Meanwhile, Lee Chi-hyun, the eldest member of the cast, said that with the full support of incumbent radio DJs who welcome the 7080 concert stage, they can receive invitations to perform on transportation broadcasts “Won Mi-yeon’s K-pop,” KBS 2 “Im Baek-cheon’s Back Music,” and SBS Love FM’s “Choi Baek-ho’s Romantic Era.”Tickets are on sale at Interpark and the travel app “Waffle Stay.”

TED PARK

ASIA JOURNAL

[photo: ATTRACT]

The four-member new girl group Fifty Fifty is showing rapid growth on the global stage. On the Billboard singles chart on April 1, Fifty’s “Cupid” entered the top 100. On April 8, it ranked 94th. Fifty Fifty’s debut date is November 18, 2022. It is a miracle that it has been only four months since its debut. Billboard’s “Hot 100″ is not a local chart. It took six months to break Newzins’ previous record and write a new history. In addition, it is predicted that it could continue to rise on the Billboard Hot 100. Not only that. In Spotify dated April 6, 2023, Fifty Fifty ranked 15th globally for daily top songs, featuring K-pop artists such as 14th place Jisoo and 16th place Jimin. It was also ranked 19th in the third week of the weekly top song. In addition, “Cupid” by Fifty Fifty also ranked 61st on the UK official chart. The fact that it rose to 61st place on the UK’s official single chart TOP100, which is famous for being conservative, can be said that the artist and song were connected worldwide. Idols going to the global stage in Korea are led by large planning and production companies such as SM, YG, JYP, and Hive. The production of Fifty Fifty is Attract (CEO Jeon Hong-joon), a very small company. Attract is a new corporation affiliated with only the girl group Fifty Fifty. However, Jeon Hong-joon, who has long experience in producing various music since World Music in the past, overcame the disadvantages of small and medium-sized agencies and focused only on good music. Four of the more than 300 songs were selected, including “Tell Me,” “Lovin’ Me,” “Higher,” and “Login,” and included in the debut album “The Fifty.” Among them, Swedish composer Adam von Mencher, who composed “Lovin’ me,” even composed “Cupid,” which resulted in a global response. He developed the music by discussing with the members such as Kina, Saena, Shio, and Aran for several hours every day. ‘Cupid’ has also begun to appear in videos of short-form platform TikTokers. As a result, Grammy was nominated as a notable K-pop girl group. The expectation that Fifty Fifty could run for a long time on Billboard in the future is based on that. Currently, Fifty Fifty continues to appear in New York Times Square and LA’s large outdoor advertisements as YouTube shorts content. Even with this achievement, I am proud as a new girl group. I don’t think they’re going to be stars. Sio and Aran’s main vocals are stable, but they save all four, including Saena and Kina and rap and vocals. When you listen to the song while watching the music video of “Cupid,” the fatigue escapes and adds freshness to the spot. Fifty Fifty is creating their own color with the variety of four people. They are studying not only Korean seniors and juniors, but also the music of Anglo-American pop artists such as Doja Cat, Sam Smith, and Troy Sivan.

Doug Hwang
Staff Writer

[photo: starship entertainment]

IVE(An Yujin, Gaeul, Rei, Jang Wonyoung, Liz and Leeseo ), the main character of the “4th generation girl group,” returned with his first full-length album “I’ve IVE.” The album is said to show IVE’s identity well. IVE, who made debut in the music industry in December 2021, won first place on TV music programs seven days after debut with “ELEVEN,” and has since become a leader in the fourth-generation girl group with four consecutive mega-hit songs, including “LOVE DIVE” and “After LIKE.” They also wrote a record of winning the grand prize at various year-end award ceremonies last year. With just three single albums, they sold more than 3 million copies in cumulative sales and won 37 gold medals in music programs. IVE’s leader Ahn Yujin said at a recent press conference for her new album in Seoul, “Based on the self-love and pride that comes to mind when she thinks of IVE, she has 11 new songs with the intention of not being afraid of rising and falling, and even enjoying this.”IVE’s first full-length album included a total of 11 songs, including songs that the members directly participated in writing lyrics and rap making. “In the case of the narcissistic worldview, if my previous album contained myself as a subject in love, this time I expressed my subjectivity in life, not love,” Gaeul said. The title song “IAM” is a song about the attitude of “subjective life” to be sure on my way. Jang Won-young said about the song, “It contains the content of discovering myself different from yesterday. You can meet unique and addictive melodies and IVE’s explosive singing skills,” she said. As it contains IVE’s “identity,” the lyrics cannot be left out. It is the work of famous lyricist Kim E-na. The music video captures the performance and appearance of the colorful IVE. Gaeul said, “I use the expression up and down a lot in my life, and I also included a message in the music video to enjoy my life proudly without losing to the ups and downs of my daily life.” There are especially many members participating in this album. Ahn Yu-jin and Jang Won-young worked on three solo songs, while Gaeul and Rei worked on four rap songs, including “Kichi.” The members’ names were listed on the credits of seven of the 11 songs from their first full-length album. Gaeul and Rei showed their musical abilities through “Kitche,” “Hypnosis,” “NOT YOUR GIRL,” and “Next Page.” Gaeul said, “We wrote the lyrics focusing on showing our own freedom and confidence.” “Heroine” is a song that harmonizes the harmony of the members and their unique tones. Ahn Yu-jin participated in the lyrics and said, “I worked as if I were writing a diary with the idea of containing what I really wanted to say,” adding, “Just as the main character in the movie overcomes the trials, it contains a message to overcome the trials and hardships he faces in his or her life.” Jang Won-young participated in writing the lyrics for “Mine.” Jang said, “I drew the etiquette of a confident and bold girl. Shine with me, which was posted on the last track, is also the first fan song of IVE written by Jang Won-young. It’s a song that the youngest Leeseo picks as her “favorite song.” Jang said, “It’s a song full of sincere affection for the dive. IVE’s full-length album also featured star lyricists. Led by Kim E-na, lyricist Seo Ji-eum, who built Ive’s narcissistic worldview, participated in “Blue Blood,” while Isran, who expressed confident “IVEness,” helped “Kitche” and “Cherish.” Seo Jung-ah, Hwang Hyun (MonoTree), and Exy of WJSN also started supporting fire.IVE’s appearance was more of a “syndrom” last year. IVE’s past moves are evidenced by various achievements. As for IVE’s strengths, IVE described it as “unique in familiarity.” “I think it’s the power of IVE music that showed a variety of genres that are not limited to one thing and a variety of voices in each song,” Liz said. It is a worldview born of thorough planning, but each member has a confident confidence that matches the worldview.

Doug Hwang
Staff Writer

[photo: NAVER's V live]

K-pop, short for Korean pop music, has been a global phenomenon for the past decade, and its impact on South Korea’s economy has been significant. K-pop has become a major cultural export for the country, with its popularity driving tourism, merchandise sales, and increasing the demand for Korean language education. K-pop has been an important driver of South Korea’s soft power, which is the ability to influence other countries through culture and ideas, as well as economic and political means. The genre has helped to raise the profile of South Korea internationally, increasing awareness of its culture and unique attributes, and boosting its appeal as a tourist destination. One of the most visible economic effects of K-pop on South Korea has been on the tourism industry. Many K-pop fans from around the world visit the country to see their favorite artists perform live or visit the places where they filmed music videos. According to the Korean Tourism Organization, the number of foreign tourists visiting South Korea has increased steadily since 2010, and the growth is partially attributed to the popularity of K-pop. The influx of visitors has contributed significantly to the country’s economy, with the tourism industry accounting for about 7% of South Korea’s GDP. The popularity of K-pop has also had a significant impact on the country’s entertainment industry, which has grown rapidly in recent years. K-pop agencies, such as SM Entertainment, YG Entertainment, and JYP Entertainment, have become major players in the global music industry, earning millions of dollars in revenue each year from music sales, concerts, and merchandise. The industry has also created numerous jobs, from music producers and choreographers to marketing and promotion specialists. Another economic effect of K-pop on South Korea is the increased demand for Korean language education. Many K-pop fans around the world are interested in learning Korean so they can understand the lyrics of their favorite songs and communicate with other fans. This has led to a surge in demand for Korean language courses, both in South Korea and abroad. According to the Korean Language Education Center, the number of foreign students studying Korean in South Korea has increased from around 11,000 in 2007 to over 150,000 in 2019. K-pop has had a significant impact on South Korea’s economy, driving tourism, increasing the demand for Korean language education, and contributing to the growth of the country’s entertainment industry. With the global popularity of K-pop continuing to rise, it is likely that its economic effects will continue to be felt for years to come.

*This article was first produced by the Asia Journal by CHAT GPT.

(Source from Reuters/Alamy)Kakao Piccoma, a subsidiary of Kakao’s global cartoon and webtoon platform, reported on the 23rd that it is pushing to postpone its listing on the Japanese stock market to next year amid the recent sluggish IPO market. Citing multiple sources, Kakao Piccoma said it originally planned to make an IPO in December this year, but it is making such a move amid the recent decline in corporate valuation.
Kakao Piccoma is mindful that Nomura Holdings will participate as the main manager and hold an IPO in the first half of next year, but the schedule is flexible and may vary depending on market conditions, sources said. It is known that Kakao Piccoma’s target value (Valuation) is more than $6 billion (about KRW 8 trillion). When Kakao Piccoma raised investment funds last year, it wanted to maintain its valuation of 847 billion yen (about 8.2 trillion won).

(Source from Reuters/Alamy)However, this year, the IPO market is shrinking amid rising key interest rates and reducing liquidity in each country.In the case of Coupang, which was listed on the New York Stock Exchange, its corporate value once increased to more than $86 billion (about 115.3 trillion won) since its listing last year, but has since fallen more than 60% from its high point.Amid this atmosphere, British semiconductor design company Arm (ARM), which is preparing for IPO in the U.S., and Kakao Entertainment, another subsidiary of Kakao, have also not been able to set a specific listing schedule.

In the market, it is observed that Kakao Piccoma will also be difficult to receive the desired evaluation value.However, a source also said that Kakao Piccoma can push for an IPO with patience as it already makes profits.An official from Kakao Piccoma said, “We are planning to hold an IPO, but we are still reviewing specific matters such as the timing.” Kakao PickKoma is owned by Kakao and Kakao Entertainment with 72.9% and 18.2%, respectively. Kakao is a representative platform company in Korea and has diversified business (messenger, transportation, finance, etc.), and Kakao Entertainment has representative actors and singers in Korea (Lee Byung-hun, IU, Gong Yoo, Hyun Bin, and Monster X).He is also the second-largest shareholder of the BTS agency that we know well. In Korea, it is a platform giant as much as “Naver,” but it was regrettable that it could not enter Japan and the U.S. like Naver and was only growing in Korea, but it is aiming to be listed in Japan through a webtoon. Naver is also actively operating in Japan as a messenger called Line. Naver is developing a business by promoting a merger with Yahoo Japan, and has also started a service in the taxi sector. When communication such as mobile phones was difficult during a major disaster in Japan, Line Messenger became a big fire and began to establish itself in Japan.

Kakao Piccoma seems to be following the Naver Line. Kakao founder Beom-soo Kim, who also worked for Naver, suffered the launch of Apple’s iPhone while living in the U.S. after leaving Naver, and returned to Korea due to the expansion of the mobile phone market to reflect his belief that “gathering people makes money.”

MIKE CHOI

ASIA JOURNAL

SK Telecom (Korea’s largest telecommunications company), which marks the first anniversary of its launch, is planning to enter the global market within this year by installing new technologies such as sponsorship functions.
SK Telecom announced on the 13th that it has completed development of English version of Efriend. Based on this, SK Telecom is planning to release E-Land sequentially from the second half of this year in partnership with major global telecommunication companies such as Asia, Europe, North America, and the Middle East.SK Telecom has already had a huge number of subscribers through its platforms (Cyworld), which has gained sensational popularity in Korea and was introduced before YouTube and Instagram, which are now in the spotlight for communication and photo-video. However, it was active only in Korea, and has a weak history of global promotion.SK Telecom is currently discussing ways to discover metaverse contents and conduct joint marketing with representative telecommunication companies in each region.

Efriend, which was released on July 14 last year, recorded a cumulative download of about 2.9 million in December, six months later. In June of this year, it surpassed 8.7 million downloads. Based on the strength of the live video relay function and support for simultaneous access of up to 131 people in Korea, more than 2,000 partner love calls were received from various companies and organizations.
Even after the lifting of the distance, the average monthly stay in the land for efriend users increased by about 10% from 55 minutes as of March to 61 minutes as of last month after social distancing was lifted.SK Telecom cited partnership with original content and external sources as major growth factors for Efland. According to SK Telecom, the volume metric concert “Metabus Music Festival,” which was introduced by Efriend last month, attracted more than 20,000 visitors during the event.SK Telecom is expanding its partnership with the outside world by hosting the metaverse audition “Tintin Audition” in cooperation with Dong-A University of Broadcasting and Arts this month.New functions such as point payment and sponsorship will be added during the third quarter of this year. If users participate in continuous activities such as attendance and mission performance, points that can be used like cash will be paid in the future.
It plans to introduce internal economic systems sequentially, such as adding a function to send sponsorships to hosts hosting metaverse meetings. It will also introduce an open 3D content platform that can make profits by selling costumes and items designed and produced by users themselves.
Through this, when the participation compensation system in the metaverse is activated, various economic activities in the metaverse are expected to open in earnest.

In addition, SK Telecom’s phone platform “T Phone” has changed its service name and function significantly to target the global market starting with North America in the first half of this year.

According to industries on the 10th, it is confirmed that SK Telecom plans to make a new name for T-phone’s global brand and enter global markets such as North American markets in the first half of this year.As of January, T Phone, which has 11 million subscribers in Korea, was launched in February 2014 as an app-type phone call platform that informs smartphone users of risk numbers such as spam and smishing and provides various functions such as group calls.SK Telecom has set a basic policy to independently expand T-phone into North America and Southeast Asia, and is working on establishing databases (DBs) for each country. It plans to establish an “open ecosystem” that can be connected to any domestic and foreign businesses, even if it proceeds independently to enter the market itself.It also plans to increase the possibility of success by adding new functions that accommodate global needs (demand) rather than simply expanding the number of users through local marketing.In particular, SK Telecom is considering changing the service name of T-phone in order to successfully enter the global market. An official from SK Telecom explained, “We are considering the name of a new service and are aiming for a global integrated brand,” adding, “We are also considering applying a separate brand in certain countries considering that it may not be able to consider the situation of each country.”

In fact, SK Telecom has started developing T-phone’s global brand with external companies since December last year, according to a business watch report. It is a task to newly configure service logos and app designs suitable for global brands.

SK Telecom expects that if the T-phone platform succeeds in entering the global market this year, it can be used as a bridgehead for various global services in the future. It is judged that the profit model can also be built in various ways according to the local situation.

SK Telecom’s new president Chung Ho-bak also stressed in his New Year’s address this year, “Let’s become Korea’s leading ICT company and create a global top-class platform through cooperation and investment with various operators,” raising the possibility of a stronger drive than ever.

However, competition with global market operators as well as providing services suitable for foreign users’ smartphone usage environments is expected to be the key to success.

An official from the company said, “There are competitive services of T-phone, such as phone apps installed in smartphones and services for various phone-related functions, but platforms that provide integrated services like T-phone are not identified.”

In addition, it is said that SK Telecom’s biggest concern is to create services suitable for the communication environment and customer needs of foreign markets such as North America. An official from SK Telecom said, “The plan may change depending on the DB construction work for each region, but we plan to advance in the order of North America and Southeast Asia,” adding, “We plan to develop the platform while testing existing and new functions.”

SOPHIA KIM

ASIA JOURNAL

SM, YG, JYP, and Big Hit Entertainment are large entertainment agencies that lead the Korean pop culture world and infuse the Korean Wave around the world. These four places are often referred to as the “Big Four” in the entertainment industry. Big Hit Entertainment has been smaller than FNC Entertainment, which includes “FT Island” and “AOA,” but has now become the most lucrative entertainment agency as “BTS” has become a global hit.For about 10 years, it has been leading the popularity of Korean culture in Southeast Asia, China, Japan, and now North America, Central and South America, and Europe.There are Wonder Girls, TWICE (JYP) and BTS (BIG HIT),Big Bang, BLACKPINK (YG), and Super Junior, EXO (SM)

The main business structure of entertainment agencies is to manage singers and actors, produce and distribute new content, hold concerts, and make and sell related goods. For this reason, entertainment agencies have no choice but to focus on their entertainers. However, many ordinary people dream of joining entertainment agencies while dreaming of “coincidence.”As of the third quarter of last year, SM, JYP, and Big Hit saw significant improvements in sales and operating profit. SM Entertainment’s sales in the third quarter of last year were 403.7 billion won (consolidated) and operating profit was 30 million dollars. Operating profit increased 4.5 times from the same period last year. JYP also did well last year. As of the third quarter of last year, sales were $80 million and operating profit was $18 million. Operating profit increased 59% from the same period last year.

Big Hit Entertainment’s sales are expected to reach $20 million last year as BTS became a global hit. On the other hand, YG was directly hit by sales as its main artists, Big Bang members, joined the army. Sales in the third quarter of last year fell 20% year-on-year to only $20 million. Operating profit also fell by a third. The operating profit of the four major entertainment agencies is expected to improve significantly this year and next year. Stock industry sources estimate the operating profit of the four major entertainment agencies this year in the same order as last year’s Big Hit >SM >JYP >YG. Big Hit succeeded in extending its seven-year contract with BTS last year, and its performance is expected to improve further as it will introduce a new boy group this year. Eugene Investment & Securities estimated Big Hit Entertainment’s sales of $25 million and operating profit of $10 million this year. This is nine times the operating profit of three years ago.

Stock industry sources estimate that SM Entertainment’s sales this year are $70 million and operating profit. The figure is about 100 billion won more in sales and 15 billion won in operating profit than last year. This is because artists such as EXO, SHINee, and Red Velvet still form large fandom, and sales of overseas music and video platforms are increasing significantly. The same goes for JYP. Girl group TWICE has become a popular female group in Japan, and the five-member new girl group is expected to debut in February this year, which is expected to increase profits.

YG, which was hit by the absence of Big Bang last year, is expected to see its sales and operating profit improve as BLACKPINK gained popularityYou can see the number of people and the resignation rate of the four major agencies in detail. SM is the largest of the four major agencies. SM has a total of 431 employees. Considering that the average number of people in the same industry is 37, it is huge. The second largest is YG (360 employees). JYP is the third with 215 employees, and Big Hit is the smallest with 138 employees. YG has the highest resignation rate last year. 138 people (38% of the total) of YG Entertainment resigned within a year. It is analyzed that the sharp ‘drop in sales over the past year has also affected the resignation rate.

SM had the second highest resignation rate. During the year, 126 employees, or 29% of the total, left the company, and 166 employees (39% of the total) newly joined the company. A netizen who said he was an employee of SM said on a credit magazine bulletin board, “You have to work hard enough to put your soul into it to enter the company only by looking at it.” Thirty-eight people, or 18 percent of the total, left JYP for one year, while Big Hit had a 17 percent (24 employees) for one year. A netizen, a JYP employee, wrote on the credit magazine board, “Take a look at yourself first, those who have placed their positions in time to emphasize personality to trainees and artists.”The welfare of the four major entertainment agencies is far better than that of other entertainment agencies. YG will scout four famous hotel chefs to provide various home-cooked meals such as Korean food, Western food, and snacks for free. YG also creates a “pop-up day” every quarter to support cultural life such as bowling and watching movies among employees. It also provides telecommunication and self-development costs and supports housing lease and monthly rent loans.

JYP also cares a lot about welfare. In September last year, JYP’s head Park Jin-young wrote on his social media, “If we have achieved plans to secure an eco-friendly office where no toxins come out, organic food-oriented organic restaurants, and space for employees to rest and eat, we will do our best to improve welfare.”SM supports all employees to receive medical checkups worth 300,000 won at 11 hospitals, and provides long-term employees with vacation fees and resort accommodation rights. On the company’s important anniversary, all employees, including celebrities, go to workshops abroad. Big Hit is also creating a free company atmosphere by implementing an autonomous commuting system and all employees calling each other “nim” without positions. There is a 100% paid maternity leave for up to 180 days, and Culture Day is held every month to enjoy cultural life. We also set up a game zone with a game PC and a playstation in-house

EJ Song

ASIA JOURNAL

From May 18 to May 20, “2022 K-Format Showcase at LA Screening” and “Business Counseling” were held to enter the U.S. market for Korean broadcasting formats.

Currently, director Bong Joon-ho’s various works have recently been increasingly interested in Korean cultural contents from around the world due to Parasite and actress Yoon Yeo-jung’s Minari In the past, however, there were no various ways to approach it.

There were only ways to watch simple making videos or introductory videos on YouTube.

People were interested, but there were problems such as poor accessibility. American dramas were very accessible to people from various countries because there were many famous and various companies that started in the United States. Therefore, there were cases where people who were not interested were also exposed in various ways. However, interest in Korean cultural contents is increasing. One of them is a drama called pachinko which is served in the United States. OTT company made it and distributed it. Although it was made in the U.S., most of the actors are Korean, and Yoon Yeo-jung is also in the drama.

People have been covered by China and Japan as a country in Asia, attracting attention with content in countries where people were not familiar with.

All the more important is the actions and policies at this time. That’s why the Korea Creative Content Agency prepared this showcase.

This is not the first time this year. This year, offline events will be held three years after the pandemic.

There are already many successful contents after the Korea Creative Content Agency introduced them to the U.S. or overseas markets in the past and remade them in each country, especially MBC’s “King of Mask Singer.” It has already been a huge success in the United States, and very famous pop stars, actors, and athletes have come out to show various pleasures to viewers.

Also, the entertainment show “I can see your voice” of Mnet broadcasting station was very popular in Korea introduced abroad as a springboard for it

It has achieved great results in sales remakes in 18 countries, including the United States, Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Russia, Belgium, Spain, Canada and Thailand, especially in Europe. The remake of “I Can See Your Voice” in the UK recorded a maximum viewing share of 28.1%.

Korea Creative Content Agency effectively introduced Korean broadcasting contents through online and offline support, such as collaborating with the U.S. Business Center located in LA to conduct an “online showcase” in advance and operating an “offline counseling booth” during the event.

In addition, the five companies that participated in the event achieved $2.5 million worth of consultation results related to entering North America and Latin America through more than 100 business consultations.

At the event, SBS drama “Stairway to Heaven” received particular attention from South American buyers, who signed a Spanish version remake contract with NBC Universal’s Telemundo, one of the largest Spanish channels in the United States, and will be broadcast throughout the United States and distributed worldwide.

MBC’s “King of Mask Singer,” which has already proven the power of K-Format around the world, has still received keen attention at the event. MBC said that it is currently planning a Bolivian version of the broadcast, and that it is also planning a global version in which Craig Plestis, the producer of the American version of The Masked Singer, and performers from various countries gather together to compete.

Furthermore, the KBS drama “People,” which was introduced to the U.S. market through the 2019 “K-Format Screening in US,” signed a remake contract with 20th Century Studios under the title “The Company You Keep,” drawing keen attention from industry officials. The film is highly anticipated, with director Jon M. Chu of “Crazy Rich Asian” and producer Lindsay Goffman participating in the production, while Milo Ventimiglia, the main character of the popular drama “This Is Us,” cast as the male lead.

Currently, Korea Creative Content Agency is not just helping exports to dramas, but also introducing them to foreign countries for various entertainment shows.

Korea Creative Content Agency One, who hosted this year’s event, said, “We were able to feel the great interest in Korean broadcasting formats again by hosting the LA screening event,” adding, “We hope that K-broadcasting formats will actively enter South America beyond the U.S. market, and follow-up support will be closely continued through the U.S. business center.”

SOPHIA KIM

Asia Journal 

For the first time in the duty-free industry, Shilla Duty Free (Samsung’s hotel distributor) will showcase a special space for ARMY (the official fan club name of BTS).

Shilla Duty Free was the venue for the Korean president’s hobby dinner and is also famous as a hotel for distinguished guests at home and abroad.It was announced on the 9th that it opened BTS’s official product store “SPACE OF BTS” at the Seoul branch located in Jangchung-dong, Seoul on the 8th. This store is a permanent store, not a temporary store, and will be opened for the first time in the duty-free industry and alone.

At SPACE OF BTS, you can see a total of 330 kinds of official BTS-related products, including clothes, bags, and stationery. There are products under the theme of “Basic” consisting of fashion products such as sweatshirts, T-shirts, and cardigans, as well as products under the theme of BTS’s flagship songs “DNA,” “Boy With Luv,” and “ON.” In addition to fashion products, stationery such as pens and stickers, and household goods such as indoor shoes, desk mirrors, and mugs can be purchased. In addition to this, more products will be stocked in the future.

In commemoration of the opening of the SPACE OF BTS store, an event will be held to present ‘ON Bandana’ to customers who purchase it. Shilla Duty Free will randomly present one of the three types of ON bandanas to customers who purchase products at SPACE OF BTS stores on a first-come, first-served basis. It will proceed until the inventory is exhausted with a limited quantity of 3,000 pieces.

“If overseas travel is activated, we expect to receive great attention from BTS fans around the world,” he said. The popularity of BTS, a popular star all over the world, is well known.

KilSung.CHOI

ASIA JOURNAL

MC Song Hae, who traveled all over the country and shared the joys and sorrows of the people, went to sleep on the 10th. At 4:30 a.m. that day, the funeral ceremony of the late Song Hae was strictly observed at the funeral hall of Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno-gu, Seoul. The bereaved family, acquaintances, Eom Young-soo, president of the Korea Broadcasting Comedy Association, Kim Hak-rae, Lee Yong-sik, Choi Yang-rak, Yoo Jae-seok, Kang Ho-dong, Cho Se-ho, Lee Soo-geun, Lim Ha-ryong, Lee Sang-byeok, Seol Un-do Moon Hee-ok, Lee Ja-yeon, and Kim Hye-yeon saw off the last path.

Famous MCs are dominated by comedians and comedians rather than announcers in Korean culture and arts broadcasting. Among them, the late Song Hae is the host of the program “National Singing Contest,” a Korean weekend TV show. So he was one of the respected characters of the cognitive singer, comedian, and actors.Kim Hak-rae, who hosted the funeral ceremony, said, “Even if you are sad, let’s have fun today.”

The late Song Hae, who shared the joys and sorrows of the people…The last national singing contest

Chairman Eom Young-soo said, “The teacher was a magician who made grandfathers and grandmothers into youth and stars,” adding, “The teacher ran away from home, went to Busan, made his debut, and made his debut as a musical actor. We believe in this, and we will wait until the teacher wakes up again.”He said, “I’ve never said, ‘It’s time to put down the broadcast, I can’t cheer up. I’ve never said anything negative or given up.’ He woke up this winter, overcame difficulties, and even when he was struggling, he was hospitalized for two to three days. He shaved his hair at a 2,000 won barber shop. We have a long way to go. I can’t believe you left so early Sir, please sleep comfortably and freely there in heaven. I respect and love you.”The late Song Hae, who shared the joys and sorrows of the people…The last national singing contest

Lee Yong-sik said, “I shouted the National Singing Contest with many people here, but now please shout ‘Heaven Singing Contest’ in front of countless stars,” adding, “The rice soup restaurant where the teacher used to go, the chair that always sat down, is now a chair for all of us.” Good-bye,” he said in his eulogy. He then said, “How nice would it have been if you wore that medal on your neck when you were alive?” and regretted receiving the Geumgwan Order of Culture after death, but added, “I met my mother and son happily and now don’t get sick and rest comfortably.” Lee Ja-yeon, president of the Korea Singer Association, said, “Mr. Song Hae. The teacher has been a teacher to everyone for the past 70 years, a father, a brother and a brother,” he said. “The teacher who has always treated us with love, and the teacher of all who has given us hope and courage through endless transformation. We cannot let the teacher go. I will remain in my heart forever,” he said, expressing his sorrow.

When the documentary “Songhae 1927” appeared at the funeral hall, the family and juniors shed tears. When Songhae’s trademark “National” came out, which had been shouted for 34 years, participants shouted “Song Contest ” in one voice.

The late Song Hae, who shared the joys and sorrows of the people…The last national singing contest

Seven singers, including Seol Un-do, Moon Hee-ok, Lee Ja-yeon, and Kim Hye-yeon, sang “The Fallen Flower Life” as their condolences. Six comedian juniors, Lim Ha-ryong, Jeon Yoo-sung, Choi Yang-rak, Kang Ho-dong, Yoo Jae-seok and Yang Sang-guk, greeted the deceased on their last path.After finishing the funeral, the Ungu car, which left the mortuary, stopped by “Songhae-gil” in Nakwon-dong, Jongno-gu, where Songhae frequently used rice soup restaurants, barbershops, and saunas, and headed to the KBS main building in Yeouido. Here, the “National Singing Contest” band played Jinhong under the direction of Shin Jae-dong, the head of the orchestra. KBS President Kim Eui-chul and others paid silent tribute to the deceased after the offering.

The late Song Hae, who shared the joys and sorrows of the people…The last national singing contest

The deceased died at his home on the 8th at the age of 95. The deceased was recently hospitalized for frequent health problems, such as repeated hospital admission and discharge.

Song Hae, born in 1927, is a living witness to the history of broadcasting in Korea. In 1948, he entered Haeju Art School in Hwanghae-do and studied vocal music, and in 1951, he joined the evacuation squad and came down to Busan. The deceased, who made his debut in the entertainment industry in 1955 through the Changgong Theater Company, appeared in comedy programs such as “Laughing is Blessing,” “Humor No. 1,” and “The Classical Nanny Theater.” Since May 1988, the deceased has been the MC of KBS 1TV’s “National Singing Contest” for 34 years, and in April, he was listed on the Guinness World Record as the “oldest TV music contest host” as a 95-year-old active MC.The remains of the deceased are enshrined next to his wife Seok-ok Lee, who is buried in Songhae Park in Dalseong-gun, Daegu.

EJ SONG

ASIA JOURNAL