YG artists to clarify the “three misconceptions about YG Entertainment” on Strong Heart YG Special

 

As we reported a few days ago, SBS‘s upcoming episode of ‘Strong Heart‘ will be a ‘YG Family Special‘ episode consisting of artists such as Big Bang, 2NE1, Gummy, Psy, Tablo, Sean, and Se7en. The artists have come together to reveal some fun stories that occur at the agency and to show their hidden “variety talking skills”.

One of the few talks during the ‘YG Family Special’ were about the “three misconceptions about YG Entertainment“, to which the artists clarified.

The first misunderstanding was about YG not having some focus on their artist appearance / looks to which Daesung suddenly exclaimed, “Why are you guys looking at me?!” He then explained, “YG definitely does look at appearance. However, my rating would be at around 3.5 points..”

The second misunderstanding was people thought YG artists play and party hard. The YG artists then pointed at Psy saying that particular misunderstanding spread because of him. Seungri explained, “Ever since Psy came in, the atmosphere when drinking [alcohol] has changed.” He then re-enacted how Psy behaves, causing the audience to burst into laughter.

Lastly, in response to the misunderstanding about Yang Hyun Suk being an angel, the YG artists stealthily shook their heads.

This can’t miss two-episode ‘YG Family Special’ is scheduled to air on March 27th and April 3rd.

Source & Image: Osen ; allkpop

Big Bang to release a new album in March 2012!

 

Big Bang has announced that they’ll be releasing a new album in March!

On December 16th, representatives of YG Entertainment confirmed, “Big Bang has decided to hold their ‘Big Show‘ concert in March of 2012. Ahead of the concert, they’ll be releasing a new album. They had halted their activities this year because of unpredicted accidents, but they’ll be returning to their official activities for the first time in nearly a year through their ‘Big Show’ next year.”

Big Bang will also be performing at the YG Family concerts next month in Osaka and Saitama.

According to representatives, G-Dragon is currently concentrating on the production of the songs for the new album. Without rest, he is at the company recording studio every day to ensure it’s prompt release.

Source + Photos: Donga via Naver ; allkpop

G-Dragon and Daesung Apologize to Fans at YG Family Concert

 

At the YG Family Concert, G-Dragon and Daesung spoke for the first time about the unfortunate incidents that happened over the past year. All five Big Bang members performed together for the first time since their “Love Song” promotions earlier this year.

After singing “Tonight,” T.O.P first opened up by saying, “It’s overwhelming to have all five Big Bang members back together on the same stage,” bringing tears to thousands of fans in attendance. “I’m happy to be on stage to celebrate YG Entertainment’s 15th year anniversary. This past year was a busy and eventful year for YGE, yet you all stood by us and supported us and we’d like to thank you for that.”

Daesung added, “It’s really been a long time since I performed on stage. I’m just happy to be here. The hardship I went through gave me a chance to realize how precious music and the stage are to me. I’ll always be thankful to go on stage.”

G-Dragon also said, “I’m so sorry for causing so much trouble because of my mistake. I’ll make sure not to have the same thing happen again. I think the only way to show my appreciation is to come up with better music and performance. I’ll do my best to give a big present to the fans.”

Daesung stopped all Big Bang activities after the car accident in May and G-Dragon has been involved in a marijuana scandal last October, stalling all promotions as a group.

Today’s concert was part of the annual YG Family Concert that began since 1997. This year marks the 15 year anniversary and featured all of the top YG artists, including 2NE1, Gummy, Se7en, JinuSean, Psy, and Tablo. The next YG Family concert will be held in Osaka on January 7 and 8, followed by two concerts in Tokyo on January 21 and 22.

Source : Soompi

2012 rumored to debut boy groups from SM, YG, JYP, TS, Cube, Pledis & mor

According to a press release from TS Entertainment, an online post titled, ‘Boy Idol Groups Planned for Debut in 2012′ has been drawing widespread attention lately, revealing members of various boy groups that are scheduled to debut next year.

The post, though unconfirmed, gathered all the trainees who are currently in the midst of preparing for debut in well-known agencies. Read it below.

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SM Entertainment‘s latest project, currently dubbed M1 and M2, is anticipated to follow the trend of sub-units in K-pop. M1 and M2 are being planned as a 7-member and 5-member male idol group, and a couple of the members are already being noticed for their good looks. It was previously reported that M1 and M2 will be promoting the same song in Korea and China.

TS Entertainment, the agency behind SECRET, has already revealed that they’re planning on releasing a boy group with Bang Yong Guk as a member. Bang Yong Guk will be debuting with the team’s youngest member Jello on December 2nd, and the entire group will debut next January. It was recently announced that Bang Yong Guk and fellow trainee Zelo would be debuting a sub-unit titled Bang & Zelo with “Never Give Up” this week.

Pledis will be releasing official news on Pledis Boys on the 1st of December. They’ll be making their official debut with their label mates After School and Son Dambi in the ‘2012 Happy Pledis – Love Letter‘ special album.

YG Entertainment will be releasing a boy group with Kang Seung Yoon, who currently stars in ‘High Kick 3‘ and was previously one of the top contestants on ‘Superstar K2‘.

Big Hit is rumored to be planning a group. A clip of a rap noted for its use of a non-standard Korean dialect has been released, and is gathering attention for its uniqueness.

Though previously reported to not have any official plans to debut any groups anytime soon, JYP Entertainment is allegedly in the midst of planning a 6-member group called 2THE.O. Apparently, they were last seen at a Wonder Girls showcase according to the poster.

The press release continued to report that Cube, Kaist, and Sidus HQ are all planning to release boy groups as well. With all these new debuts in the works, it looks like 2012 will be a battleground for boy groups. Who are you looking forward to the most?

Source + Photo: TS Entertainment ;allkpop

Chief prosecutor speaks up about G-Dragon’s marijuana case

After G-Dragon‘s marijuana investigation came to light, many netizens immediately commented on how the idol must’ve shaved off his hair to avoid getting caught. The investigation required both a urine and hair sample.

To refute these accusations, a chief prosecutor of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office named Kim Hwe Jong stepped forward to say, “G-Dragon and the shaving of his head during the marijuana investigation have no relation to one another“.

On October 5th, prosecutor Kim had a phone interview with a reporter and said,

“The truth is that Kwon Ji Yong‘s [G-Dragon's] marijuana examination took place in the middle of June, not in July. We didn’t even know that Kwon Ji Yong shaved his head in August; by then, it was a closed case. Therefore, you can’t say that he shaved his head in order to avoid further testing. Since it is a closed case, there are no plans to hand out a probation or to hold further investigations.“

The reporter then asked about G-Dragon’s behavior and confession during the investigation. (G-Dragon had confessed to smoking marijuana in a club while he was visiting Japan for a performance in mid-May.)

Chief Prosecutor Kim said,  ”Kwon Ji Yong appeared to be regretful. There were no difficulties when we were trying to hear his confession. He told the truth, as the positive results had already been released. He also expressed his will to never smoke marijuana.”

G-Dragon did not receive a suspension or indictment for his charges. Many netizens expressed whether this was too light a judgment, considering his offense.

Chief prosecutor Kim explained,

“It’s not like that in any way. This type of case is one that would normally not carry a suspension. He is a college student, and it’s his first offense. Also, the investigation’s results only detected a very small amount. The fact that he was a college student weighed most heavily. College students and grown adults are [judged] differently, because it may have a larger impact on their future.“

And why was this revealed so late?

Kim replied, ”Since Kwon Ji Yong is a public figure, the case could not be easily stated. The case was revealed, it seems, because rumors were going around about it.”

At this time, all activities for G-Dragon have been temporarily suspended. YG Entertainment has issued an official apology, and the national broadcasting networks of KBS, SBS, and MBC have all declared that G-Dragon will not be blacklisted from any appearances.

Source: Sports Donga via Naver ; allkpop

Official statement from YGE regarding G-Dragon’s marijuana case

 

YG Entertainment has just released an official statement about their position regarding the issues surrounding G-Dragon‘s marijuana case.

In the documents released to the press, YG Entertainment stated,

We would like to sincerely offer our deepest apologies to all the fans and to everyone who appreciates Big Bang’s music.

G-Dragon underwent an investigation for smoking marijuana last July. Because G-Dragon had never smoked marijuana, we cooperated with the investigation confidently and proceeded as usual with scheduled events. However, according to the hair strand test, G-Dragon tested positive for minuscule amounts of marijuana, which shocked us.

While we were contemplating what the reason could be, we thought of the event that occurred in May during their Japan tour. There was a drinking event to celebrate a successful concert with various Japanese associates who visited us at the concert location. When G-Dragon went to use the restroom, a young person who seemed to be a Japanese fan recognized G-Dragon and offered him a cigarette as he greeted him. Out of courtesy, G-Dragon took two or three puffs, but upon feeling that it was different from normal cigarettes, he flushed it down the toilet right away.

We thought it to be a trivial event, and soon we were unable to remember that it ever happened. However, when we began to ponder over the reason for this positive test, that night’s event returned as the likely cause.  We contacted the prosecution right away and related the event exactly as it happened.

Although there was no legal penalty issued, the guilty conscience and responsibility for causing everyone pain is a weight that G-Dragon and the company must now carry upon our shoulders, and it is heavier than any penalty.

As celebrities who have received a lot of interest from the public, and as a company who is supposed to thoroughly manage them, we sincerely regret the emergence of this situation, and have been self-reflecting on our carelessness. We deeply bow our heads as we apologize for causing you to worry once again, and we will try our best to make sure this type of event does not occur again.

Source + Photo: Chosun, No Cut News ; allkpop

Ludacris names Teddy as the Korean musician he wants to meet the most

 

American hip hop artist Ludacris will be meeting up with YG Entertainment on September 20th to sign a collaboration agreement.

He’s already caused some considerable excitement in the Korean music industry, and that got amplified even further after he named the label’s in-house producer, Teddy, as the Korean musician he’d like to meet the most.

Ludacris chose Teddy once he was told that the majority of YG Entertainment’s hip hop music was produced by him. The rapper had previously stated that YG “had the best songs that had more than enough competitive edge for the worldwide market.”

Ludacris then elaborated on why he chose Teddy, saying, “Teddy is a talented producer that knows how to bring in the club tunes and electronic hip hop elements that are so popular all over the world right now to fit Korean culture. I highly praise his composing skills because he’s able to bring in different elements like electronic and rock into traditional hip hop.”

Stay tuned for their press conference on September 20th.

Source + Photos: Segye Journal via Naver ; allkpop

YG Entertainment surpasses SM Entertainment’s mid-year profits for 2011

 

YG Entertainment stunned the industry when it was revealed that they’ve surpassed SM Entertainment in terms of sales for the first half of 2011! YG Entertainment is home to artists like 2NE1, Big Bang, and Psy, while SM Entertainment hosts artists likes SNSD, Super Junior, and TVXQ.

YG Entertainment has made 44,744,823,563 won (approximately $41,756,037 USD) from January 1st to June 30th. Meanwhile, SM Entertainment has made 40,592,465,358 won, which is approximately $37,867,691 USD, for that same period. It’s speculated that the profit leap for YG Entertainment came from GD&TOP‘s album, Seungri‘s solo activities, Big Bang‘s new album, and 2NE1‘s latest mini-album and concerts.

YG Entertainment maintained their sales numbers from last year; however, SM Entertainment made 6.9 million won less, since they recorded 47,527,869,269 won in the first half of 2010. YG Entertainment’s net profit is said to be around $6,718,774 USD, while SM Entertainment’s net profit is reported to be around $3,659,605 USD.

Source: EDaily via Naver ; allkpop

Yang Hyun Suk opens up about why he’s participating as a judge on ‘KPOP STAR’

 

YG Entertainment’s Yang Hyun Suk revealed some background information behind his decision to participate as a judge on SBS’s upcoming talent show, ‘KPOP STAR‘.

On August 28th, Yang Hyun Suk met with reporters after 2NE1’s concert and said, “The public’s interest in audition programs is huge. However, once stars leave the program, they aren’t able to make a noteworthy impact. I felt regretful that they couldn’t easily appear on music programs or expand their talents. That is why I decided to participate as a judge“.

Yang Hyun Suk, who established YG Entertainment and raised the power of his company, has agreed to pour out his experiences and know-hows on discovering a musician’s talent on ‘KPOP STAR’.

Yang stated “I want to help in getting ‘KPOP STAR’ to the best position possible. I do not want there to be any problems in their activities; I plan to consult with the production team to ensure that we can help show their talents and their star quality to their full capacity.” He added, “Even if they can’t sing or dance, it’s okay. More than someone who is good, I want to find someone with potential and help in strengthening in their talents. For decades, we have discovered kids with potential talent, so I feel confident in being able to find their hidden artistry“.

Yang Hyun Suk also revealed his plans for the contestants, saying, “Later, I intend on helping the picked contestants of ‘KPOP STAR’ get into the company of their choice. I will have the contestants decide their three preferred agencies, and have the agencies draft up a list of their three preferred contestants. If their preferences coincide, I plan to prepare a meeting for the two to consult and converse. The most important aspect of all this is that the picked contestants of ‘KPOP STAR’ will be making all the decisions.”

It’s been quite a while since the CEO of YG Entertainment made a broadcast appearance, and according to him, it’s been weighing heavily on his mind.

He stated, “I realized that it’s been too long since I’ve been on broadcast television. Because I was so busy advancing my company and training musicians, I’ve been blind to everything else. I am delighted to be contributing as a judge on ‘KPOP STAR‘”. He also laughed, “I’ve never cared about my skin before, but lately I’ve been receiving skin treatments, so I think that I’m slightly nervous about my appearance“.

A press conference will be held on September 2nd at Seoul Nonhyun Imperial Palace, where Yang Hyun Suk and JYP Entertainment’s J.Y. Park plan on divulging details about their upcoming program.

Source + Photo: TV Report via Naver ; allkpop

YG Entertainment confirms that Daesung will not promote this year

 

Big Bang’s Daesung has received a ‘not guity’ verdict for his involvement in the vehicle accident that killed motorcyclist Hyun. With all eyes on Daesung, many fans began vocalizing their wish to see Daesung reunite with his groupmates for promotions. However, YG Entertainment has firmly stated that Daesung will not be returning to the fold for the rest of the year.

On August 29th, YG Entertainment stated, “Regardless of his ‘not guilty’ verdict, Daesung does not have any activities planned for the rest of this year. Instead, Daesung will continue to focus on going to church.” Daesung has been attending church regularly to focus on his religious life due to the severe distress and heartache he felt from the situation.

The verdict ends a case that’s been dominating headlines since late May. After careful review, prosecutors decided that there wasn’t enough hard evidence to determine whether or not the motorcyclist had been alive or deceased before Daesung ran him over with his Audi vehicle.

Prior to Daesung’s accident, the motorcyclist had already sustained severe spinal injuries from a collision with a streetlamp, and was intoxicated with a blood alcohol level of 0.186%. Therefore, the nine members of the citizens’ prosecution committee all voted to drop the prosecution against Daesung altogether.

Source + Photo: Star News ; allkpop