Male and Female Kpop Doppelgangers: They Really Do Look Alike!

minji daesung

xumin sohee

amjong

aramyunho

Have you ever stared at oppa really hard one time and just thought that he is so pretty, he could literally be a girl?

Though there are incomparable male beauties like Kim Heechul, and Lee Taemin, and a few others that sure don't pale in comparison (but are certainly less memorable for some reason), there are also the celebrities that I could have sworn were split from the same rock. Here are a few examples.

Daesung from Big Bang and Minzy from 2ne1

As they are YG brother and sister, it must say a lot about how YG likes to choose their trainees. Apart from their disarming smiles, Minzy and Daesung are also quite the singers, and have often been commented on looking alike by their own members. I'm just going to put it out there: they should be siblings in a drama. Or even at least a music video. I'd say on the twin scale with 10 being the highest, these guys get a solid 8.

Sohee from the Wonder Girls and Xiumin from EXO

Is it just me? Are my eyes deceiving me or does Xiumin look exactly like Sohee? If only we had a wig to test out the theory. But in all seriousness, I think it has to do a lot with the eyes, the button nose and the baozi cheeks. With the same scale, they can have a hearty 8.

Amber from F(x) and Jonghyun from SHINee

To be honest, sometimes it's hard to pinpoint who Amber looks like the most anymore since she resembles a number or Kpop males. But Jonghyun comes as a close older brother who used to lose at video games to her when they were little. The facial structure of both celebrities celebrate a lot of angles and that's probably where the resemblance pulls from. They have even admitted to looking a like as evidenced by their tweets and many shared pictures. We could always do with some more though. Amber and Jonghyun get a 6.

Aram from GI and Yunho from DBSK

One of the more recent claims being made is the similar features between Aram and Yunho. Although it would be nice to see them in one space, I can't say that they're total look a likes, but I can definitely see the resemblance. Can you? But I'm still giving them a 5. Good effort, though.

Who made your guys' lists of siblings from different families?

kpopstarz

K-pop Star Season 2 Runner-Up Bang Yedam Signs On To YG Entertainment

Recently, YG Entertainment gave an update about G-Dragon and Taeyang's solo album. At that same time, they also posted an announcement about K-Pop Star Season 2 talented artist Bang Yedam.

Bang Yedam is the newest member of YG Entertainment following his co-contestants and winner Akdong Musician who recently chose YG Entertainment to manage them and guide them to create more wonderful music. All negotiations are also complete with Bang Yedam and the agency.

YG Entertainment CEO, Yang Hyun Suk see the potential of Bang Yedam and genuinely compared him to a gem. He stated "Unlike gold, diamond is a stone which value depends solely on how it is carved or cut."  

Yang Hyun Suk also stated his opinion on how long does Bang Yedam to be carved or cut, it may take one to 10 years but he assures the fans that the agency will help Bang Yedam to shine like diamond. 

kpopstarz

Miss A's Suzy Clarifies Dating Rumors With Kim Soo Hyun

Rumors have been circulating regarding the love life of Miss A's favorite sweetheart, Suzy, and popular Korean actor Kim Soo Hyun.

Much like every celebrity couple rumor, many of these speculations have accumulated through photographs stolen of the two hanging out, just the two of them. Pictures have circulated containing the two kpop celebrities walking about and getting all chummy even after the filming of "Dream High" back in 2011.

She already stated how they were just very close friends in the Korea Times, but once again the rumor mill spins onward when Suzy joins the set of guests for "Gu Family Book". During the interview, her relationship with her former Dream High co-star Kim Soo Hyun was put into question, and she responded in a similar effect.

She added that the filming site for the show "Gu Family Book" was a place that Kim Soo Hyun was familiar with so they spoke about the place as well as talked for a bit while they were at it. Suzy goes on to say that since they are such great friends, of course they still keep in touch, so she understands the constant badgering about the true nature of their relationship. Although lately things have been hectic for both parties so they have not had a chance to communicate since.

What are your guys' thoughts on this possible pair?

kpopstarz

Editorial: Celebrity Military Scandals in Korea

Some natural beauty before the the ugliness of the rant

Okay, so this article will probably annoy a few people and while that’s not my intention, I just can’t keep quiet this time. I didn’t write a response to the last celebrity-in-the-military scandal and I should have. So I have to say something now because it’s just bursting out. I need to put my two cents in.

You might have noticed that I – or anyone on ATK Magazine – rarely talk about celebrity gossip. There are two reasons for that. First, if gossip is your thing, there are lots of places where you can get your fix. But more importantly, it’s just not my thing and since I’m the editor-in-chief, I get to decide what we publish and what we don’t.

That being said, I am going to touch on the recent Se7en & Sangchu scandal today. But not to attack them (seriously, why do people do that?) but rather because there are a couple of things I feel compelled to add to the online conversation about Korean celebrities acting badly while in the military. So this post really has less to do with Se7en & Sangshu, than the situation itself.

Disclaimer

First, I want to make a disclaimer. I have no idea what happened (and neither do you) so there will be no censure or blame thrown around in this editorial. Remember, it was simply reported on and an investigation has started but we don’t know the whole story. Sure, it’s distasteful but I refuse to jump on the bandwagon of hate simply because of a story. Yes, if it can be proven that they did something wrong, they should be punished. But it hasn’t yet. And this article is about the bigger picture which seems to be lost – at least on the more gossipy websites.

Can it be proven?

This is my first point. When I the scandal first broke online, at least in the English language K-pop websites, it seemed like everyone immediately believed they were guilty. I come from a country (Canada) that believes in innocent until proven guilty and I think this is all the more important when the accusation is by a media outlet. Wait until we know the whole story before judging them please. Because reading about something on Allkpop doesn’t make it true. Okay, I know it’s on other places but it is still under investigation.

ohkpop

Popping Cherries: A Newcomer's Take on Exo's "Wolf"

It’s been a few weeks since Exo dropped their comeback single, “Wolf.” And while K-Pop listeners either really love the song or really hate the song, sometimes our opinions are smothered in bias. So I got two of my good friends to watch the “Wolf” MV and give their honest opinions about it. 24 year-old Louisiana native Matthew, who’s already done a “Popping Cherries” with B.A.P’s “One Shot” and 28 year-old New Yorker Jen, who is totally new to the K-Pop world, join me in this howling edition of Popping Cherries.

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Salima: This is Exo’s comeback after an entire year. Exo is a group from the biggest entertainment company in Korea and they had fans before they even debuted. They came out with 23 teaser videos. It’s 12 boys.

Jen: Are they hot?

Salima: Yes.

Matthew: From what you’ve shown me about K-Pop, the guys usually look like girls.

Salima: *Ignores Matthew* After a year of their fans waiting for them to comeback, they came out with a song called “Wolf.” This is it.

Jen: So that’s a tree? It looks like a tree.

Salima: That’s a tree.

Jen: Woah. That was hot.

Matthew: Oh my goodness, that boy’s hair!

Jen: And his hair!

Matthew: This is interesting. The beat just switched up.

Jen & Matthew: *burst out laughing at howls*

Matthew: Are they seriously howling right now? Seriously?

Salima: Yes, dude.

Jen: Despite that… this beat is kind of awesome.

Salima: So these are the other 6 guys coming in. Earlier you only saw the first 6.

Matthew: Was that a wolf? That was so cool. It’s filmed very well and the special effects are on point.

Jen: Did he just say, “situation”? Because I think I understood that.

Salima: Haha yeah, he said “situation.”

ohkpop

Not nearly as easy as it looks: Some common K-pop rites of passages

Though it's a strange phenomenon, we often associate K-pop idols with glamour and easy fame. Breezy, young-and-rich living, if you will. Granted, we only see what labels choose to show us - some of which include the hoards of screaming fans waiting at airports to get a glimpse of their idols, or pictures of stars attending red carpet events looking all flawless, without so much as a strand of hair sticking out of place.

Given the circumstances, maybe it's not so strange after all. 

But if you're under the impression that these idols are born with silver spoons in their mouths from the moment they debut, you're clearly mistaken. 

The pattern fluctuates almost restlessly

Like anything else, stardom is a process that sends idols reeling in what seems to be a relentless cycle of up's and down's. The pattern fluctuates almost restlessly - groups enjoying fame can suddenly plummet from the good graces of the public with a scandal, or groups with widespread notoriety can cleanse their image with a fresh new concept. 

Though it appears to be a rat race to fame, with unprecedented high's and low's, we've noticed some of the more classic trends in regards to an idol's active period. We've put together a few of the common milestones or "rites of passage" that idols tend to reach during their careers at one point or another. 

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Being scouted - You can run, but you can't hide

Some, though not all, artists are scouted by agency representatives off the streets. Take Sehun's case, for instance. He disclosed in an interview that he was cast while eating tteokbokki (spicy rice cake; staple street food in Korea) with his friends. Taking into consideration that his mother had told him to run away from strangers, Sehun ran away from the SM representative, who took it upon herself to persevere and chase after him for 30 minutes. 

Admittedly, not all idols are scouted; some find their way into agencies via auditions or connections. Nevertheless, wouldn't the experience of being scouted be synonymous to that of being told you're insanely attractive by a complete stranger who means every word? More or less, it would be something along the lines of, "Hey, we think you're really pretty. Please come train under our wing so we can (hopefully) make you the biggest star in Asia by the time you're 16-years-old... (hopefully)." 

Training 

 

For however long the training period may last, the artists sacrifice their personal lives for the chance to debut. In that respect, having relationships and going out with friends become ancillary. Artists spend hours upon hours in the studio - practicing the skills they most lack and honing their stamina to make sure they'll be able to keep their heads above water once they debut. 

Pre-debut pictures are spread around the cybersphere as if it's nobody else's business...        

...including baby pictures

And unless you're hit with plastic surgery accusations, you haven't quite lived the K-pop idol experience

                        It's like a welcoming party into the K-pop sphere. Cheers!

Dorm Life

Because frankly, who doesn't find unparalleled joy in sharing miniature apartment rooms and bathrooms with the rest of the group members?

Debut performances can go both ways

In one respect, the live performance can completely transcend the excitement of watching the group's MV for the first time. Personally, I was blown away by SHINee'sdebut track, "Replay." I thought the MV was brilliant, but watching their live performance was somehow even better. 

Alternatively, for some artists, while watching the MV could be pure gold, they just might not have been what we were expecting once we see their live performance for the first time. I won't mention any names...

 

Your well-kempt image breaks down entirely on variety programs

At one point, you look at your bias and see that there's simply no way this beautiful creature can do anything to humiliate him or herself. 

But he or she laters appears on a variety program and your fantasies rise up in flames...

What would idol life be without any embarrassing pictures captured for our viewing pleasure...?

...especially pictures where idols don't have any makeup on

At some point, idols will try their hand in acting                  ...and they can only hope to be half as dramatic as Daesung

Labels might push certain members of the group together to form a sub-unit; or, they might just push the artist as a temporary solo act altogether... 

...for which we're forever grateful for

And sometimes, after a L O N G wait, some of your favorite idols come back with distressing concepts that leave you miserable                         "I gave you everything, but you made me wait all this time for this train wreck?"

But in the end, it's okay, because the idols end up coming back with really hot bodies makeovers                          

And in the end, with enough single-minded persistence, the members finally win their first award...                    

...to which we react like so

allkpop

Super Junior's Siwon appears topless on 'Infinity Challenge'

Super Junior's Siwon made a surprise appearance on the latest 'Infinity Challenge'.

If that's not enough to get fans going, he did it topless. The June 29th episode was a 'Minority Report' special, and while the cast was looking for a hint for their mission, they came across the Super Junior members playing basketball. 

SEE ALSO: Super Junior soak up the Brazilian sun showing off their muscular arms and abs in the process

Luckily for viewers, it was a hot day and Siwon had his shirt off. When the other Super Junior members noticed the cameras, they hurriedly put their clothes back on. However, Siwon was definitely not embarrassed to show off his amazing body, taking his time to put his shirt back on.

The 'Infinity Challenge' cast members commented, "Siwon was the last one to put on his clothes. Usually, the people with the best bodies do it last."

allkpop

Girls’ Generation’s Seohyun Leaves a Special Birthday Message

Quite a number of people are celebrating their birthday today along with Girls’ Generation’s maknae.

On June 28, Seohyun went over to the group’s official homepage and left a special message to all Sones.

“Everyone. Thank you so much. For wishing Seohyun, Seo Joo Hyun, a happy birthday on June 28.. for filling up a special place in my life with unforgettable love… for sharing this time that can’t be returned, the time that can’t go back and the time that can’t be forgotten with me. Thank you.”

She followed with, “I think about this sometimes. Do I have the right to receive this amount of love? What would I do if I bring you guys disappointment? I constantly feel thankful and oppressed, but whenever I think that way, I think about the one fact that I’m receiving love and I realize that it’s worth it.”

She ended with, “I can’t please everyone, but if there are people who were able to give a small smile through my existence then I’m happy. I’ll work harder! Love you.”

 

soompi

Girls’ Generation’s Seohyun Seen Out Shopping

Girls’ Generation‘s Seohyun is “head over heels” over shopping, quite literally.

According to Ilgan Sports, on June 25, Seohyun was seen at the Seoul Gangnam Keum Kwang shoe store in a cute outfit.

She wore a cool, yellow toned sleeveless blouse perfect for the summer. She paired the shirt with a pair of lace, white colored shorts. To complete the look, she wore a pair of reddish pink heels. Seohyun’s slim figure and fashion style made her stand out immediately among the crowds.

She looked at multiple pairs of shoes, such as wedges and strapped sandals. She tried them on, one by one, and looked in the mirror after putting each pair on. Seohyun looked very carefree as she shopped and took some time for herself.

An employee at the shop said, “Seohyun’s sense of fashion is quite impressive. Every pair of shoes that she picked was a hit this season with our other customers. The favorite that she picked out, a pair of high black wedges, is so sophisticated, trendy, and yet also comfortable. She will certainly turn heads.”

soompi

Kim Yu-na with a touch of makeup

Kim Yu-na looks Into The Mirror as lipstick is applied.

Figure skater Kim Yu-na released photos of herself wearing makeup made by Christian Dior prior to her show over the weekend at Olympic Park in southern Seoul.

By Lee Sun-min

Figure skater Kim Yu-na smiles at a mirror.

Figure skater Kim Yu-na gets some eye makeup before she appears on the ice rink in southern Seoul.

ohkpop

June K-Pop Led By Girl Groups and Audition Stars

The month of June in K-pop has been largely dominated by girl groups and audition stars.

As of June 27, on the largest K-pop music chart Melon, audition stars Roy Kim, Kim Ye-rim, Ulala Session and Huh Gak are ranked at 4,5,6 and 9. Sistar is at 1, 8 and 14 while Girl's Day is at 12, After School 15, 4minute 16 and Dal Shabet 22.

Roy Kim's "Love Love Love" is in contention with Sistar at the number one spot despite not having had a single TV appearance since the release of the song on June 25. Ulala Session's song that was released on June 26, the first since the death of team leader Im Yoon Taek, made an immediate impact. "I'll Be There" alludes to the deceased member in its lyrics. Kim Ye-rim's "All Right" features her unique vocals and has made a splash in the rankings.

Sistar's "Give It To Me" has been steady at the number one spot since the release of their second album on June 11.

The current domination of K-pop by girl groups and audition stars looks to continue through July. John Park and Kang Seung Yoon are set to come back in July, as well as A-Pink, 4minute and Jewelry.

kpopstarz

'More 2NE1-Big-Bang on TV?' YG Artists to Go On More Shows

For 4 years, YG Entertainment maintained a once-a-week TV appearance policy for all artists under contract. Now, they are going to move away from it and increase the frequency of their TV appearances, including both music shows and variety shows.

On June 28, YG CEO Yang Hyun Suk announced that "Starting from 2NE1 in July, we will increase TV appearances."

"The previous once-a-week policy was devised to enable our artists to work internationally and domestically at the same time. For expanding K-pop and its overseas market, it was definitely a move in the right direction. But, unfortunately, many fans in Korea were not able to see their favorite artists as often as they would have liked. That is one thing I am sorry for toward the fans, the constant international tours by Big Bang and 2NE1," said Yang.

He added, "We are going to increase the number of appearances on music shows, starting from 2NE1's comeback song 'Falling in Love' in July. We will also have serious discussions about giving a green light on variety shows."

kpopstarz

BTOB and their Sasaengs

BtoB and the Big Bad Sasaengs

If you’re confused about the controversy involving BtoB last week, you aren’t the only one. Although then situation had been evolving for some time in Korea, its introduction to the international fans was somewhat sudden. Out of the blue apologetic posts from BtoB members started appearing on their fancafe and, unfortunately, the posts were vague enough that they only added to the confusion in the international fan community. What finally ended up being explained through translation and deduction was an issue that had been developing between the BtoB and their fans for a while.

The first hint of trouble was the post by the Cube Entertainment staff asking fans to reign in their behavior while patronizing the Cube Café. This is a reasonable request, just because it is a public space doesn’t mean patron’s behavior should be unruly. They also asked for fans to send gifts for BtoB to the staff instead of trying to gift them at the café in person, also perfectly reasonable. Unfortunately, what this message seems to have been alluding to was an increase in the saesang-like behavior of some of BtoB’s fans.

There were other clues that would have led fans in the Korean community to suspect that something was amiss but the hints involved the inner workings of the fan-run fancafes and the politics of music show attendance, so there wasn’t a clear way for the issues to come to light in the larger fan community. Two big events that culminated in Cube and BtoB finally taking action were the creation of a fake Twitterunder Changsub’s name and the sudden closing of multiple BtoB fancafes.

The Twitter was confirmed to be fake quickly because the account was harassing other fans and BtoB members on the website, and posting personal information about the boys that shouldn’t be public. This was clearly the work of a saesang fan with inside information, which is nothing new, but it was the harassment of fellow Melodies (BtoB’s fans) that became the real issue.

It was eventually revealed that most of the BtoB fancafes that had closed down had done so because of bullying and pressure from other large fancafes supposedly run by a specific group of sasaeng fans. In other words, it was an in-fandom fighting situation. This isn’t anything new either – I’m sure you can think of several fandoms famous for their internal conflicts — but it was BtoB’s involvement with these particular fans that came into question because of it.

In sum, the charge being brought against BtoB is that they were too friendly to sasaeng fans — earning them the title “sasaeng-dol” – and that their behavior has led to the harm of their own fans. This relationship was brought up because it just so happens that many of the individuals being accused of harassment and bullying of other Melodies are “fans” that are well known by BtoB, to the point of being on a first name basis. The same group of people is in the front row of all the music shows and is regularly present at BtoB’s events.

This is where the line gets blurry and the real issue, in my opinion, appears. How much intimacy with your fans is too much? This is essentially the question BtoB has had to ask themselves since this issue blew up. If a fan happens to get lucky and meets BtoB multiple times at fan signings and special events it would only be natural that they may be remembered by the idols. Being a regular attendant of music shows is also understandable, there isn’t anything about watching your favorite group perform – even if it is on a regular basis — that makes you a sasaeng.

However, the line between dedicated fan and sasaeng is crossed when a person puts their personal desires above the well-being of other people and knowingly begins to cause harm. BtoB is facing blame because they didn’t seem to realize that they were interacting with sasaengs. Perhaps it is because the naiveté of their rookie status, but they claim that they were just being nice to people they saw as dedicated fans, and there isn’t anything inherently wrong with that.

Although sasaengs and idols conduct will always be an issue, more important should be the focus on fan relationships with each other. As BtoB ended stating in their posts on their official fancafe, the focus of this situation should be the harm caused by one fan to another, not whether or not sasaengs were involved. If the members feel that way, why did the focus end up on the group and their relationship with fans instead of on fans relationships within a fan group?

Cube’s decision to make all of the members delete their Twitters – the ones that had them anyway – certainly implied that they don’t trust the members of BtoB to control their interactions with their fans appropriately. There is a feeling among the international fandom, at least, that Cube is placing too much blame on BtoB when the company and managers should have had better control over the situation themselves.

Another aspect is that these issues were largely brought to light by fans being affected by the bullying and likewise they contacted BtoB directly through their fancafe to voice their concerns. Many of the fan’s messages blamed BtoB for what was happening, hence the “sasaeng-dol” term appearing. Honestly, to many fans it probably looked like BtoB really was to blame because of how much privilege and information the sasaeng fans had managed to gain. Since no one had all of the information they needed to assess the situation fairly BtoB ended up taking a lot of blame for harm they never intended to have a hand in causing.

This entire situation could have been solved in a very similar manner without involving so much blame in the first place. Fans could have just as easily let BtoB know about the inner-fandom conflicts without saying “this is your fault for being nicer to some fans than others.” BtoB, if they truly mean what they said, would have acted just as quickly and efficiently to protect their fans from harm without the groups own reputation being on the line. This is a good lesson in how much responsibility fans place on idols. As Heechul of Super Junior has said, it isn’t his place to be responsible for his fans lives, so don’t blame him when something goes wrong.

BtoB has handled this situation as well as they possibly could have and it is all blowing over quickly. Within a week the worst of the situation seems to be over as BtoB has firmly stated that they will no longer acknowledge the group of supposed sasaengs that caused all the trouble in the first place and that any staff member caught interacting with these “fans” or in any other way aiding some fans more than others will be fired.

This should be a wake-up call for all K-pop fans. Attacking other people that share a common interest with you makes absolutely no sense. By putting their selfish desires to be the closest people to BtoB before their human decency a group of individuals that were probably originally fans just like you and me has managed to hurt multiple people, including the group they claimed to love. BtoB did nothing wrong by being friendly and it is a shame that they will have to distance themselves from their fans now because of their company’s reaction to this situation.

What did you think of this situation, readers? Where do you think the blame lies?

(Cube Entertainment)

ohkpop