130403 Kevin interviews 4Minute’s Hyuna on an all new “Danny from LA” in Episode 18

This week on Danny From L.A., Kevin gets his suit and tie on for an exclusive interview with the adorably sexy Hyuna. She talks about her latest campaign with Toyota and also shows off some of her signature dance moves from the music video.
If fans want to catch more “DFLA”, you can tune in to every Thursday night at 7pm EST/PST on Mnet America or check out the Mnet America’s YouTube channel every Friday for new episodes.

130402 4minute Kwon So Yeon’s Self-Camera Rouses Much Attention

4minute Kwon So Yeon caught the attention of many with her new photo.

On the 30th, Kwon So Yeon revealed a photo of herself in army prints on Twitter. She revealed the picture with the caption “Salute,” on her SNS.

Those who saw the photo commented “Soyeon is cute even in army print,” “She should star in the military drama,” “I love her sense of fashion,” and “It’s cute.”

130330 4minute Is Preparing for a New Album

On March 29, group 4minute’s agency “Cube Entertainment” announced, “4minute has recently started to prepare for recording a new album. This new album will include powerful sounds, similar to 4minute’s earlier works.”

In its early days, 4minute has been well loved for its addictive electronic sounds such as “Hot Issue” and “Muzik.”

An official from the agency stated, “The members are involved in every aspects of this album, including the songs, choreography, and styling. This new album will represent the musical personalities of the members. 4minute will go back to the improved and upgraded version of its original concept.”

It has also been announced that songs written by the members will also be included in this album, which will be released in May or June this year.

130327 Sungmin turns into HyunA for ‘Super Show 5′

Sungmin transformed into a near perfect HyunA for ‘Super Show 5‘!

The Super Junior boys have always cross-dressed for their solo concerts, and they didn’t disappoint this time around, either! When Kangin parodied Ga In, he’d apologized for the parody, but it doesn’t look like Sungmin will need any apology.

He looked perfectly fine even with the long wavy wig and the strong makeup. He’d even included the little star below his eye, which HyunA often does as a trademark.

Super Junior is planning on heading to China, Japan, Indonesia, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru and more for their world tour, so you may be able to see HyunA-Sungmin for yourself!

Tip: rei

130326 Gayoon sings the Korean National Anthem at the ’2014 Brazil World Cup’ qualification match

Gayoon had the honor of singing the Korean National Anthem at the preliminaries for the ‘2014 Brazil World Cup‘!

The Korea versus Qatar qualification soccer match was held at the Seoul World Cup Arena on the 26th. Gayoon appeared in a neat white shirt and a black jacket, and sang the National Anthem before the match.

Gayoon getting to sing at such a big event is a big deal not just for Gayoon, but also for 4minute. Korea went on to win the match against Qatar 2-1, putting them in the lead of Asia’s A-division. Congratulations to both Gayoon and the Korean soccer team!

130326 2YOON become the first female subunit to promote in Thailand

2YOON took over Thailand with their “24/7” promotions!

The girls are the first female subunit to actively hold promotions in Thailand, and they kicked it off on the 21st by holding a huge-scale press conference. They then attended music programs, award shows, and even took photoshoots with various Thai magazines. 170 media outlets attended the press conference in a Bangkok hotel. The conference was held outside, where it was decorated to match the country theme of “24/7″.

They also attended the the purple carpet for the ‘2012 Nine Entertain Awards‘, and then went on the ‘Channel 7 Live Music Show‘, performing “Why Not” and “24/7″ for 1000 fans.

After they return to Korea, they’ll be working on 4minute‘s upcoming comeback album.

 

130326 The Issue Makers, Trouble Maker

Not many teams in recent years have spurred this much controversy as this one. This two-member unit made issues with the two teaser videos it revealed before the actual release of its single on December 1, and its short performance at the 2011 Mnet Asian Music Awards made the eyes of audiences around the world widen in shock with a sexy onstage kiss.

This is Trouble Maker, with members Hyuna of 4Minute and Jang Hyun Seung of B2ST.

Everything from their couple airport styles, the touches they exchange onstage, their teasing kisses and their backup dancers’ dance moves, never fails to give people something to talk about. Soon they’ll be making issues just by breathing loudly onstage.

Of course, not all the feedback is favorable, but like showbiz officials always say, ‘It’s better to have bad press than none at all’, implying that these celebrities aren’t that gloomy about the attention no matter what kind of attention it is. It hasn’t yet been a month since the unit stepped in front of the public, but it’s managed to gather round itself numerous issues and controversies. We took a look at the talk of the town, Trouble Maker.

Setbacks that polished these gems

Hyuna was originally chosen as a member of Wonder Girls through an open audition for JYP Entertainment. She debuted in February 2007 with Wonder Girls’ first single album The Wonder Begins, but due to problems with her health, including her chronic enteritis, she dropped out of the group in July while the group was promoting its single Irony.

Later she settled down with Cube Entertainment in September 2008, and returned to K-Pop as a member of the group 4Minute in 2009. The five-member group soon rose to the tops of music show charts with hits such as Hot Issue and Muzik.

As soon as the group wrapped promotion for Muzik, Hyuna started off on her solo ventures. From October 2009 to June 2010, she appeared in the KBS2 variety program Invincible Youth to step closer to the public, and also became the representative face of her group along with others such as Brown Eyed Girls’ Gain, Kara’s Han Seung Yeon and After School’s Uee in the Samsung project group 4Tomorrow.

She released her first solo single Change in January 2010 and made it big with her popping hips, and in July 2011 continued her success with her first mini albumBubble Pop.

Jang Hyun Seung was to be a member of Big Bang, but in the final member selection process, he was the only one eliminated. Soon after, he became a trainee in Cube Entertainment, and joined the six-member group B2ST with members Yoon Du Jun, Yong Jun Hyung, Yang Yo Seop, Lee Gi Kwang and Son Dong Woon. The group made its debut in October 2009 with its first mini album Beast is the B2ST.

The following three mini albums released in 2010 set the group on a steady course toward fame, and in December of that year its popularity exploded in the group’s first exclusive concert. B2ST made its Japan debut in March 2011 with the single Shock, and in May released its first studio album Fiction and Fact. 2011 was a great year for the group, as its second single and first studio album became hits in Japan.

In December 2011 4Minute’s Hyuna and B2ST’s Jang Hyun Seung came together as the performance unit Trouble Maker, and in just three weeks managed to become a huge success not only in Korea, but also on a global stage with theUnited Cube Concerts held in Britain and Brazil.

The sexy icon and newfound charisma

The appearance of Hyuna meant the appearance of a rare sexy female singer that could follow in Lee Hyori’s footsteps. This 20 year old girl’s mature expressions and sexy hip dances shook up the public, and were enough to put any type of stage both inside and outside of the country at her feet.

She started being called the ‘next Lee Hyori’ after her solo success with Bubble Pop, but she herself said on the reactions, “[Lee Hyori’s] a senior I really look up to. It’s an honor even to be compared to her, but on the other hand it pressures me. Lee Hyori is like a wall I can’t break through.”

Lee Hyori, however, shows her affection for Hyuna by monitoring her Bubble Popperformances and telling her to ‘stop being too stiff and try to be natural’.

For Hyuna, Trouble Maker reaffirmed her potential with a new type of unit after her two solo albums, and also revealed more of her star quality and issue-making abilities.

For Jang Hyun Seung, Trouble Maker was a stepping stone for him as a ‘new find’. While his fellow members strayed from their main careers to take on other areas such as acting, he was the only one to stay with dance, and in Trouble Maker, he was able to unleash the charms that remained hidden when he was just a part of B2ST.

Even while he performed with B2ST, he tried his hand at differentiating himself with his hand movements, expressions and his detailed dance moves, but the attempts were buried underneath the group’s synced choreographies. He had a unique sense of fashion that could’ve stood out, but he yielded that also for a more consistent fashion concept for the group.

In Trouble Maker, however, he threw out all the stops and showed off his unique dance moves with his personal props. With his unique voice color, he’s also adding more to the song in the parts given him.

The peculiar synergy effect that occurred between the unique Hyuna and Jang Hyun Seung was said to have exceeded its description as an “enjoyable accident happening onstage” the members describe themselves to be. Their first singleTrouble Maker is good, but their ballad The Words I Don’t Want to Hear also opened new possibilities for future solo feats from both members.

Controversy that won’t shadow its music

Trouble Maker does have its flaws. The biggest flaw is the one that everyone points at, the issues on sexually suggestive performances that always seem to follow Hyuna around.

The choreography itself or its level of suggestiveness isn’t that serious when compared to performances by other foreign artists. The main thing that gets on everyone’s nerves is that Hyuna has just turned 20 years old, and the members of Trouble Maker are idol stars that appeal greatly to the younger generation. Many argue that their actions may have unwanted effects on teenagers.

That their great music is overshadowed by such debates is also an issue this unit needs to address. Trouble Maker, a song written by Sinsadong Tiger and Rado, showcases a fairly high quality with the unique harmony between its funky rhythm, electronic sounds and the whistling intro.

The unit succeeded in grabbing second place (first place for two weeks on Monkey 3) in the midst of the recent IU storm, but controversies the likes of those mentioned above blurred the reason behind the song’s success, making it uncertain whether the song was popular because of such issues, or purely thanks to the song’s quality.

As Hyuna has previously been embroiled in many similar controversies, withChange, Bubble Pop and 4Minute’s Mirror Mirror, she must also take care she’s not hurt too much by the sway of public opinion, and must guard against having her image fixed to one extreme.

If the unit’s agency, Cube Entertainment, and the unit’s members put their heads together to come up with a great solution to these issues, Trouble Maker may become not just a one-time unit, but a new type of unit that can stand the test of time.

Photo credit: Cube Entertainment

130325 4minute Unit 2Yoon Returns to Korea after Successful Promotions in Thailand

4minute members Jeon Ji Yoon and Heo Ga Yoon traveled to Thailand as 2Yoon and became the first girl group unit to promote in the country.

The unit attended music and variety show shoots, awards ceremonies and photo shoots for local magazines during its stay in Thailand since March 21.

The press conference held for the unit in Bangkok on March 21 especially drew over 170 media outlets and officials, and took place in an outdoor setting decorated in the country style specific to 2Yoon.

Local outlets showed great interest in 2Yoon′s music, and spilled over with questions on its future promotions as both 2Yoon and 4minute.

The two girls then appeared at the 2013 Nine Entertain Awards on the same day and walked its Purple Carpet. They sported couple dresses with flashy print on a classic design.

Two days later, on March 23, 2Yoon appeared before fans on the Channel 7 Live Music Show, a show that has been running for 25 years. The show previously played host to such giant figures as Ricky Martin and the Scorpions, and the episode was designed as a special for 2Yoon.

The unit also attended a live show held downtown, and sang Why Not and 24/7 in the show′s grand finale before 1,000 fans.

Local stylists also collaborated with the group for 2Yoon′s recent promotions, holding a variety of photo shoots and concept meetings which proved they had acknowledged 2Yoon′s concepts and visuals.

Thailand has shown interest in 4minute ever since the group′s debut single Hot Issue dominated charts in the country with its release.

According to the unit′s agency Cube Entertainment, 2Yoon′s promotions prove that it′s been steamrolling a unique road in the overseas market.

2Yoon returned to Korea on March 24 and entered preparations for 4minute′s upcoming album.

Photo credit: Cube Entertainment

130324 2YOON treats fans to a no-makeup selca adding ‘natural beauty’ to their many charms

2YOON‘s Jiyoon and Gayoon left fans in awe at their natural beauty through a no-makeup selca.

The selca was taken backstage at their ‘Live Music Show‘ in Thailand. The girls’ excitement to meet their Thai fans during their overseas promotions could not be contained.

Fans commented, “Their bright expressions are adorable”, “Finish your overseas promotions well and comeback soon”, and “Their natural beauty shines through the no-makeup selca.”

2YOON kicked off their promotions in Asia on the 2oth and will meet their fans in Thailand, Singapore, and more countries across Asia.

130322 4minute Gwon Sohyun, Lipstick Mark On Collarbone ‘Cute + Sexy’

4minute gwon sohyun lipstick mark on collarbone

Girl group 4minute’s Kwon Sohyun revealed a picture from her photo shoot filming.

Today, Kwon Sohyun posted on her Twitter, “When I was filming for a photo shoot~ Everyone good night” along with a picture.

In the revealed picture, Kwon Sohyun is in a casual outfit, showing off her clear skin. There is a lipstick mark on her right collarbone and she is making a cute facial expression at the camera, catching much attention.

Internet users who saw this commented, “They must have drawn it in for the photo shoot,” “She looks like a baby, she’s so cute, and “I feel like she will never age.”

Photo Credit: Kwon Sohyun Twitter

130321 Idols Pick HyunA as #1 “World-Idol”

4minute’s HyunA has been crowned with the title “World Idol” by fellow idols.

On March 20, MBC Every1’s “Weekly Idol Ranking” aired a segment of the ranking “Best 7 World-Dols Who Would Become the 2nd PSY.” Like every week prior, the production staff handed out ballots to current generation idols where they had to cast their votes.

Some of the other candidates who entered the top seven were Super Junior’sEunhyuk (loved by many as Anchovy), SHINee’s Key (known for his outstanding language skills) and Big Bang’s G-Dragon (acknowledged by famous foreign celebrities).

However, the results show that HyunA came out on top. Many idols reason that since she appeared in PSY’s mega-hit music video “Gangnam Style,” a lot of people have seen her face and she’ll have the best opportunity to make it on the grand scale.

After HyunA heard the results, she said, “I think it’s more important that foreign fans love Korean music than what my ranking is. I’m thankful, but am embarrassed.”

Soompiers, which idol do you think has the best chance in following PSY and become successful as a world icon?

130320 HyunA ranks 4minute according to their looks on ‘Weekly Idol’

‘Weekly Idol‘ wouldn’t be what it is without its rankings that fans look forward to each week. On the show, HyunA honestly ranked her 4minute members according to their looks.

HyunA shared, “The visual ranking among 4minute changed a lot these days. My visuals belong in the middle of the ranking. When I’m having a good makeup day, I’m #2. But when I’m not, I’m #3.” She also chose Jihyun as the prettiest member, stating, “You don’t need any other words to explain. She’s just pretty.”

Although she wasn’t 1st in that ranking, HyunA was able to grab #1 as one of the best 7 ‘World Idols to Become the Next Psy’.

Do you agree with the rankings?