Yang Hyun Suk announces 2 new boy groups in the making + their survival competition program 'WIN'

If you were awaiting news on YGE's new boy group, you're in luck as there's not only one, but actually two in preparation! However, they'll be pitted against each other to be crowned the 'WINNER', which will also be their group name.

The two groups are currently referred to as 'A' and 'B' with different average ages, and to determine who will get to debut first, they'll face off in the survival competition program 'WIN' airing in July (in addition to all the other releases happening this same month).

It turns out Kang Seung Yoon, who has been confirmed for a solo debut in July, is actually a member of one of the boy groups as well, and Yang Hyun Suk firmly believes this talented ex-'Superstar K2' contestant is 'born to be a celebrity'.

Check out details through Yang Hyun Suk's latest letter to fans!

-

Briefly introduce us the new YG boy group.

There are two boy groups in preparation at YG Entertainment, and because we do not yet have official group names for them, I will go with Groups A and B.

Group A consists of 5 members whose average age is 20 years old. Two of the members in this group are KANG SEUNG YOON, whose solo debut date has just been confirmed, and an ex-contestant of K-Pop Star, Lee Seung-hoon.

Group B, on the other hand, is a younger group with 6 members whose average age is 17 years old. The then 13-year-old little boy rapper, B.I., who featured in MC Mong's "Indian Boy" in 2009 has been appointed as the leader of this group since he was 14. This year he celebrated his 17th birthday.

Between A and B, who will be the first to debut?

As you can see from Big Bang who took 7 years to actually make a debut, it is impossible to debut two boy groups at in a similar time frame.

After much consideration, we are planning to reveal one of the groups this year. I will leave the rest to the audience completely to see how the plan goes.

For this, we have been shooting something called Real Survival Program every day and night. It will show the scene of a fierce battlefield between groups A and B.

The official name of this survival program is WIN, which stands for YG's previous promotional phrase, "WHO IS NEXT"

The structure goes like this: the group that wins the most votes from the watchers can make a debut as soon as the program finishes. The loser group may be broken up or face member replacement. Nothing will be predictable.

The winner of WIN will be given with an official name WINNER. This WIN Program will be aired one episode a week for 10 weeks from the second week of July. WINNER will be making a debut the day after the 10th episode finishes.

The program may sound harsh, but this is a competition no professional artists can avoid in this field. This will be a program that portrays the reality in the most transparent manner.

How will WIN be run and how can the watchers participate?

YG is fully in charge of WIN Program, and the structure of the show will house many different forms.

WIN Program is a much-invested content with many experienced TV show experts involved. The show is produced by subcontracting and we are expecting to air it on national television. We will be cooperating with renowned foreign portal sites for our international fans.Foreign language subtitle service that includes English, Japanese, and Chinese will be provided as well.

In order to include the expanding market – i.e.themobile market – we are in negotiation with Kakao Talk to encourage watchers to participate not only through portal sites but also through mobile devices.

How will KANG SEUNG YOON, who already has a debut date, be affected by this WIN Program?

I have been watching KANG SEUNG YOON prepare his debut intensely for the last 3 years. And to cut to the chase, I simply think he is "born to be a celebrity." He's just got that much talent.

So it was my ambitious plan to make him a multiplayer, who can handle both solo and group activities at the same time. KANG SEUNG YOON has been preparing with group A members for the past 3 years. While his solo album aims to show an analogue sentiment he possesses, his participation in the group will aim for a wider variety of genres.

Have you ever imagined KANG SEUNG YOON dance?

Have you ever imagined him sing with other group members who are dancing to a strong hip-hop beat?

If you haven't, you will be seeing it on WIN Program from July. I personally believe that Kang Seung-yoonis now ready to fly further and higher after 3 years of hard preparation at YG Entertainment since the young age of 17.

If group A wins the WIN survival, he will be carrying out both solo and group activities simultaneously as planned. And if group B wins, he will only be working on his solo album.

When specifically will Big Bang members release their solo albums?

I will be back next Monday with more details!

2013.06.21  FROM YG 

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What were they thinking? Some of the Worst K-pop group names

If you've been a die-hard follower of K-pop through the years, or if you've just hauled yourself up on the bandwagon recently, you might've noticed that some of the group names in the industry are certainly... out there.

Think about it: though names are but a collection of a few letters from the alphabet, they command your attention anywhere and in any situation. It's no question that the K-pop industry has been getting a bit crowded recently. New idol groups are emerging left and right and fighting for our attention. And albeit harsh, sometimes it gets difficult trying to keep tabs on freshly debuted groups. 

But like all matters of our subconscious workings, whenever we feel overwhelmed by the smaller units, we tend to look for the overarching trends. 

Rest assured, though, because we think we may have found one - group names. 

The idol era that we so eagerly consume today traces its roots back to old school K-pop - a magical time when pants like these made ladies lose their senses:

But more so than the pants, we tend to associate the time with some of the group names that we can't seem to erase from our memories. 

Why we can't erase the names from our memories is completely open to interpretation. Perhaps you were an overly hormonal teenager who looked up to these groups at this time, or maybe you vaguely remember their names from watching the TV when you were a toddler. 

Whatever the case may be, let's look at some of the leading groups that became household names back in the day. 

M.I.L.K. 

Not the kind you drink with cookies. M.I.L.K. actually stands for "Made in Lovely Kin."   For anyone out there who knows what that means, please enlighten me. 

Baby V.O.X. 

"Baby Voices of Xpression." Notice they drop the "e" in expression, ladies and gentlemen. 

g.o.d.

If you thought their group name was any indication of their spiritual beliefs, you're so wrong. g.o.d. actually stands for "Groove Overdose." Why? I'm not sure. 

H.O.T.

And no, their group name has nothing to do with their attraction levels or magnetic charm. H.O.T. actually stands for "High-five of Teenager." I desperately wish I can say "SIKE," but I can't. 

Fin.K.L

Though Fin.K.L is actually an abbreviated form of "Fin Killing Liberty," I can't help but wonder whether the creative genius behind that name accidentally misread the "u" in Fun for an "i." Not that "Fun Killing Liberty" would've made any more sense than "Fin Killing Liberty" regardless.  

Young Turks Club 

I kid you not. This mixed group actually called themselves the Young Turks Club. After a little research I found out that the Young Turks were a secularist Turkish nationalist reform party in the early 20th century. How that relates to K-pop, I have no idea.
 

Back then, it could have very well been possible that the producers behind the names didn't have an extensive knowledge of English to know which choice words to string together for their groups. 

Here are some of the more recent names you might be more familiar with:

TRAX 

Typhoon of the Rose Attack on X-Mas. They claim that the name is based on the member's stage names, but omg - it truly is an unfortunate name. 

C-REAL

It's cute that they made a relatively harmless group name using the first initials of all the members' names. But honestly, this is all I see: 

MBLAQ

This could go both ways: Either the producers loved the way the initials "MBLAQ" looked together, so they desperately conjured up "Music Boys Live in Absolute Quality" to correspond to the letters. Or, the producers thought they were so clever coming up with "Music Boys Live in Absolute Quality" that they decided to use the first initials of their English concoction. 

CHI CHI 

"Creative electronic House Idols." Coming from a group that doesn't really scream electronic genre, their name is quite bold. 

YMGA

"Young Men Gangsta's Assocation." You know you're truly living the thug lyfe when you spell gangster "gangsta." 

H.A.M.

I mean... 

Here are the ladies of "Heart and Mind." 

TOUCH

"The Original Undeniable Charismatic Homme." 

... the what? 
 

BTS

This recently debuted boy group is known as "Bulletproof Boy Scouts" or "Bangtan Boys." Quick food for thought, though - why would boy scouts need to be bulletproof? What type of survival techniques are scoutmasters teaching kids these days? Anyways, of the two names, you decide which is better. Not to mention two of their members call themselves Rap Monster and SUGA. Sounds like they'll be serving up a serious dose of awesomeness in the near future with names that fierce. 

What are some of your worst K-pop group names?

allkpop

“Secretly and Greatly” Reveals New Posters of Kim Soo Hyun, Lee Hyun Woo, and Park Ki Woong

The movie “Secretly and Greatly” has unveiled special posters featuring the main actors Kim Soo Hyun, Lee Hyun Woo, and Park Ki Woong. 

The special posters were revealed through the portal site “The Magazine.” The posters show Kim Soo Hyun, Lee Hyun Woo, and Park Ki Woong as their character in “Dark Spy” mode, in contrast to their alter ego posters. In his poster, Kim Soo Hyun wears a suit and a conflicted expression. His caption reads, “I want to go back to when I didn’t know anything.” Kim Soo Hyun plays the lead character, Won Ryu Han, who is a North Korean spy under cover as the village idiot. 

Below him is Lee Hyun Woo who plays Ri Hae Jin, a fellow North Korean in disguise as a student. In his poster, he looks less like a student but more like an actual spy with his dark gear. His caption reads, “I just wanted to be next to the leader.” 

At the end is Park Ki Woong, another North Korean who joins the two as a rocker. In his poster, he has a mysterious and serious expression. “If I’m going to live just once, shouldn’t I live it out greatly?”

“Secretly and Greatly” opened on June 5 and broke box office records for highest number of views on opening day. Kim Soo Hyun also had an intimate fan meeting for the movie. 

soompi

EXO Ranks Number 1 for 2 Weeks in a Row on Hong Kong's HMV Chart

Idol group EXO's popularity has reached Hong Kong.

On June 3, EXO released their first album, XOXO, and has been number 1 on the Hong Kong HMV Weekly chart for 2 weeks.

EXO showed off their album power as the HMV chart is based on album sales. Being on the chart for 2 weeks in a row showed just how popular they were as a group in Hong Kong.

Their new album also ranked number 1 for 2 weeks on the Hanteo and Hot Tracks Charts in Korea as well. 

They also ranked number 1 on the U.S. Billboard World Albums chart and showed off their global popularity.

They are currently promoting their new song, "Wolf" and has won first place on all 3 music programs on KBS, MBC and SBS.

Most recently on June 19 they also won first place on MBC Music "Show Champion" as well.

These continuous wins and number 1 rankings have proved that EXO has been successful with their new album.

kpopstarz

B1A4 Is Ready for Summer in "Cosmopolitan" and "CeCi" Magazines

The handsome members of B1A4 have been busy lately especially with posing for various photo shoots.

B1A4 recently posed for “Cosmopolitan” and “CeCi” magazines for its July editions.

For their “Cosmopolitan” photo shoot, B1A4 also shared their thoughts on winning the #1 title for MBC’s “Music Core,” beating their senior artist Lee Hyori.

They said, “When we won the #1 title against Lee Hyori, we couldn’t believe it and thought the MCs said the wrong name,” and “We were so embarrassed when we gave our encore performance.”

During both photo shoots, Baro especially showed great professionalism since he worked hard even with an injured leg. The “CeCi” photo shoot required great energy and it is reported that Baro didn’t let his injury get in the way of his work.

B1A4 is currently preparing for their concert, which will be held in August.

Click through the gallery for B1A4′s fresh, energetic and fun photos!

ohkpop

Taecyeon, So Yi Hyun, Kim Jae Wook, and more come together for the script reading of their ghostly drama 'Who Are You?'

2PM's Taecyeon, So Yi Hyun, Kim Jae Wook, and more gathered together for the exciting script reading session for the upcoming tvN drama 'Who Are You?'

Other stars in attendance included Kim Chang Wan, Park Young Ji, Jang Hyun Sung, Kim Ye Won, and more as well as directors Jang Hang Joonand Jo Hyun Tak, and writer Moon Ji Young. 

So Yi Hyun shared, "I think it will be a good production. Please look forward to it," Taecyeon stated, "I think only I need to do well. I will do my best," and Kim Jae Wook commented, "It has only been two months since I was discharged from the army. As much as this is my first production since being discharged, I have ambition."

The drama about ghosts is the first of its kind and portrays the story of Yang Si Ohn (So Yi Hyun) who wakes up from a coma after six years and discovers her paranormal ability to see ghosts. Unlike So Yi Hyun's character, Taecyeon will take on the role of Cha Gun Woo, who is a realist, believing in things that he can observe with his five senses. 

'Who Are You?' will premiere following 'Dating Agency: Cyrano' this July!

allkpop

Wonder Girls Yoobin, Compliments Herself? Likes Her Own Pictures From Trip To Busan

Girl group Wonder Girls' member Yoobin complimented her own beauty in her Busan pictures.

Today, Yoobin posted on her Twitter, "Saw this picture on my phone from trip to Busan while looking through my photo gallery. This one's pretty good. It doesn't look like me" along with a picture.

In the picture, Yoobin is sitting down on sand, deep in thought. She is wearing sunglasses and is looking far away.

Internet users who saw this commented, "Complimenting herself?," "It came out cute," etc.

allkpop

Junsu (XIA) releases teaser image for 2nd full-length album!

JYJ's Junsu (XIA) has released the teaser image for his upcoming album!

This will be Junsu's 2nd full-length album after 'Tarantallegra' in May of last year, which received a lot of praise from fans and critics.

C-JeS Entertainment revealed that he's currently filming a music video in the US. They also said that while he went with a more androgynous look for 'Tarantallegra', Junsu will have a masculine, charismatic concept for his 2nd album. The agency also detailed that the MV has a vintage, fantasy theme.

Junsu's album is slated for a July 15th release, so stay tuned to allkpop for updates on his comeback!

allkpop

2PM release making film of "Call My Name" from 'Grand Edition - GROWN' album

2PM had another treat in store for HOTTESTs with the making film of the title track, "Call My Name", from the 'Grand Edition' of their 3rd album, 'GROWN'!

"Call My Name" is composed by Taecyeon, but the lyrics are the work of Ahn Jung Yeon, who won first place out of 1300 contestants in 2PM's lyric writing contest.

2PM commented, "Taecyeon's song is a song written with the fans in mind, so it's really meaningful to 2PM. We were happy while we recorded this track. We hope a lot of people understand the warmth behind it while they listen.'

Check out 2PM's adorable ways of getting through the long recording session in the making-of film below!

allkpop

SHINee's Minho welcomes entering students as the spokesmodel of Konkuk University

SHINee's Minho called out to students as the spokesmodel for Konkuk University!

Minho, who is a film major at the school as well as the representative model, made sure to welcome entering students with his charming face. 

A representative commented, "As the representative face of Kunkuk University, we requested for Minho to be our cover model. Even though he has a busy schedule, he still readily accepted the offer."

Judging by the brochure photos, it seems like Konkuk University definitely made the right choice by choosing the handsome idol! 

Check out other photos in the previous post here.

allkpop