In my post about the Playground reaching its one year anniversary back in June of this year, I professed a reluctant to celebrate milestones. I still feel that way, but with an impending job move looming, chances are soon I won’t be able to write nearly as much and as often as I have for the past year. I wanted … Continue reading →
It was a gorgeous night in Taipei on October 31st, capping off a perfect fairy tale wedding for Selina Jen (the S in SHE along with Hebe Tian and Ella Chen) to her lawyer bridegroom Richard Chang. Selina, who last October suffered 3rd to 2nd degree burns over 50% of her entire body during an onset explosion while filming a drama … Continue reading →
I can’t believe we’re barreling towards the end of 2011 already. Boggles the mind really. I realize the K-drama year is also wrapping to a close with only a handful of dramas remaining to premiere this year. At which time the Korean media will want to assess the hits and misses. Until then, I thought it fitting to dig up … Continue reading →
Party in the USA! Er, oops, wrong song. I mean Party in Taipei! Apple Daily held a star-studded party yesterday, not quite sure it was for any reason other than to get all the stars together for some fun times. The Golden Bell Awards is tomorrow, so maybe this was a pre-party of sorts? Either way, there were so many … Continue reading →
Next Magazine, you evil paparazzi trolls…..*goes to read*……*speechless*. More than six months after wrapping filming for Drunken to Love You (which finished airing two months ago), lead actors Joseph Chang and Rainie Yang have been busy with their many other projects. Rainie has been focusing on her music career with a hot album and concerts lined up, while Joseph has … Continue reading →
Looks like we have another bromance on our hands. Last week Lee Dong Wook and Lee Jin Wook outed themselves as traveling to Hong Kong together via postings on their Me2day accounts. I love how K-ent has the Kim Wons (Jae and Rae) and now the Lee Wooks (Dong and Jin). While these pictures are taken by their friends and … Continue reading →
If I nominate Park Shi Hoo for hardest working actor in Korean entertainment at this very moment, I don’t think anyone could possibly disagree. Just hours after wrapping up filming for his hit drama The Princess’s Man (I’m not done watching, so don’t tell me the ending or ask me what I think – I love it so far is … Continue reading →
These two together redefine the word breathtaking. Newlyweds Eugene and Ki Tae Young took a month long honeymoon to Europe, and while they were in Paris shot a pictorial for InStyle Weddings Korea. I almost forgot to breathe for a second when I scrolled through these pictures. The couple not only look gorgeous together, the love they have for each … Continue reading →
Leave it to LMHMG (see glossary for definition) to be the one to screw with my vacation schedule and drop a K-ent bombshell. Lee Min Ho and Park Min Young, having just starred in the well-received City Hunter, has just confirmed they are dating. On one hand, I am thrilled for them. Beyond thrilled actually, I am totally and completely … Continue reading →
The first item of business is that I’m sure everyone has already noticed the playground has a brand new look. I experimented between two formats, and this one has the best of the two most vital functions: broad reading width and wide comments section. Hate it or love it, it’s here to stay. My previous layout was always meant to … Continue reading →
I never want to make any changes to the site without letting folks know about it, so you can decide if you still want to play here or go elsewhere. Some of you may have noticed ads popping up this weekend, rather unobtrusively at the end of some posts. I’m beta-testing simple ads. Since the Playground became self-hosted at the end … Continue reading →
I write about Korean entertainment, and it’s almost always glossy and with excitement. Of course the reality is nowhere near the veneer of Hallyu fervor that is fed to us. I neither discount that the underbelly of entertainment in any country can be pretty seedy, nor do I have to devote my writings to exposing the dirt rather than celebrating … Continue reading →
A big Koala applause and well-wishes to Ki Tae Young and Kim Eugene on tying the knot. After dating for a year and a half, starting almost immediately after they finished filming Creating Destiny, Eugene and Ki Tae Young held a family and friends church wedding in Seoul on the afternoon of July 23rd. The guest list was surprisingly low … Continue reading →