He tourist boom fueled by the Korean Wave is nothing new. Nor is the impact of the hit television series "A Jewel in the Palace" on the popularity of Korean cuisine abroad.
Hallyu stars and their dramas have become an effective medium through which to attract tourists, primarily from Japan, China and Southeast Asia.
The continual influx of Hallyu fans into Korea has spurred the proliferation of Hallyu-related tourist attractions, including restaurants run by the stars and entertainment companies that stand at the epicenter of the Korean Wave.
The increase in such eateries has given Hallyu fans the opportunity to enjoy cuisine inspired by their favorite dramas or dine in restaurants run by their favorite stars during their trip here.
Here are three Hallyu-related establishments -- one a karaoke-meets-restaurant venue -- that fuse two major components of the Korean Wave: food and entertainment. S.M. goes gastronomic
S.M. Entertainment, the entertainment and media group that spawned K-pop icons TVXQ! and Girls' Generation, opened multi-entertainment space "e" last September.
A five story -- plus a basement floor -- complex where fans of S.M. Entertainment's stars can sing, dine and splurge on idol paraphernalia, e attracts visitors from all over Asia.
"20 to 30 percent of our customers are Hallyu fans," said an S.M. Entertainment representative, who said cites Taiwanese and Chinese tourists as a big part of the entertainment space's customer base.
Even though it is a weekday afternoon, quite a few Asian fans are checking out the wide range of star souvenirs on sale on the second floor.
Souvenirs run the gauntlet from SuperJunior mirrors to TVXQ! blotting paper for the face. Several of the items on display already sport sold-out signs, evidence of the overwhelming popularity of the paraphernalia and the K-pop icons who grace them.
In mid July, "I STAR SHOT" -- a sticker photo booth where fans can take pictures that feature their favorite stars -- opened. Up until Aug. 9, SuperJunior star shots were available. Starting this week, visitors can get glossy snaps that feature the boy band SHINee.
The snack bar, e-block is slated to open in mid August, says an S.M. Entertainment representative. According to S.M. Entertainment Food and Beverage Team Leader Kwon Yong-ki, e-block will serve up yogurt ice cream, noodles and tteokbokki made from two different kinds of chili powder.
Customers can drop by e.table for upscale Korean cuisine. Located on the fifth floor, the cozy yet chic joint dishes out elegant fare, but not before inducting customers into the world of Korean cuisine with a complementary glass of "makgeolli" (rice wine).
"Kimchi is brought in from Jeolla Province," Kwon attests to the high quality of the ingredients used at e.table. "No MSG or artificial food additives are used."
Excellent judgment is used in both the presentation and seasoning of each dish. Yuzu marmalade and two kinds of chili powder play up the sweet flesh of the butterfish, while imbuing it with a citrusy fragrance and a bit of kick.
While e.table alone merits a visit, S.M. Entertainment's "everysing" -- their karaoke space -- lives up to its name.
Three floors worth of colorful and clean karaoke rooms offer major perks to K-pop fans and aspiring singers.
Fans can request rooms that SuperJunior, Girls' Generation, SHINee and TVXQ! have filmed in, check out making-the-video montages of their favorite stars and sing songs where the choruses feature the voices of the K-pop singers.
Aspiring singers will be pleased to know that all the songs sound like they are straight off the album, meaning that guitar chords, real voices and pianos, etc. will be playing in the background.
"Our karaoke system uses real sound, so that our trainees can practice," an S.M. representative explained. "Our artists come with their friends frequently to sing and practice."
In regards to the current legal action taken by members of TVXQ! against S.M., the representative stated that it would not affect the sales of TVXQ! paraphernalia or the use of TVXQ! songs at e.
Mr. Tears hits Myeong-dong
In mid-May, Hallyu star Kwon Sang-woo opened a coffee shop in tourist hotspot Myeong-dong.
On a weekday afternoon Kwon's TEA'US is brimming with Japanese customers. While the storefront and stairs leading up to the cafe sport life-sized pictures of the "Stairway to Heaven" star, the spacious shop itself is surprisingly devoid of Kwon paraphernalia.
Photos of him are stealthily hung here and there and a secluded area to the right showcases montages of the star on an LCD screen.
Hardcore fans can still get their Kwon fix by nibbling on cookies and cupcakes that bear edible pictures of him.
"Fans tend to know when Kwon Sang-woo is here," said TEA'US director Kim Yoon-kwan.
When asked how, Kim divulged the secret to catching a glimpse of the star.
"Because he always comes when there are not many people," said Kim, who stated that Kwon visits his shop on a near daily basis.
"When he isn't busy he visits the shop once a day and supervises the employees, checks the menu -- and also develops and tastes new items," Kim elaborated.
Kwon's involvement in the menu resulted in the creation of three special teas, each bearing a reference to the star and "Mr. Tears" -- the nickname given to him by his Asian fans, after which the shop is also named.
"Kwon Sang-woo tried each tea," said Kim. "He selected three teas that truly reflected his tastes, him and that suited his image and made them into special teas."
Titled Natural Tears, Mr. Tears and August Five (in reference to the day he was born), the three blends top the menu hanging above the counter.
The August Five blend incorporates the tang of yogurt into the brew, which suits the slightly bitter green tea base of the drink.
Natural Tears fuses apple, hibiscus, peach and apricot for a fruity brew, while Mr. Tears blends rooibos and orange peel.
The gelato, which is made at TEA'US, is respectable. The Bon Bon, in particular -- a luscious chocolate-based Italian ice cream with a nutty flavor -- is good.
According to Kim, their gelato and waffle dessert is one of their most popular dishes.
A mug bearing the slogan, "Taste coffee, tea and him," is on sale for those who want to take home a souvenir.
'Sikgaek' restaurant open
The set where scenes of the restaurant Unamjeong were filmed for the hit SBS drama, "Sikgaek," was transformed into an upscale restaurant and opened its doors on July 10.
Located in High1 Resort in Gangwon Province, the restaurant features elaborate courses that start at 35,000 won, including a multi-course meal based on dishes featured in the original comic book series that inspired the drama.
"I believe the 'Gourmets Set Meal' is the most popular," said a High1 Resort representative.
According to the representative, 90 customers a day visit Unamjeong, sampling delicacies like red sulfur duck and badger.
Dishes are served up on artisanal pottery, which, according to the representative, is collectively worth 370 million won ($302,50).
Guests can also experience the art of ceremonial tea-making and take a stroll through the scenic grounds.
Korea Herald
Note : I dont know whether this is the new or the older post.
[창민 - Changmin]Aloha! This is SM Town from Korea (유천 - Yoochun:Hello) Amigo! [윤호,동해 - Yunho, Donghae] Bring it on now, put ‘em shades on, put ‘em in your pocket don’t you wanna go girl, Gacha gacha yeah, Shaka shaka hey!
[창민 - Changmin] 쏟아지는 햇살 그 사이로 핑크 비키니 아가씨 [유천 - Yoochun] 아직 떠나지 말아요 [준수 - Junsu] 나의 맘을 가져요
차들은 씽씽 달려 달려 (샤랄랄랄랄라) 라디온 붐붐 come on come on
[온유 - Eunhyuk]너무 지루해 Sea-side 휴게소
차들은 씽씽 달려 달려 (샤랄랄랄랄라) 라디온 붐붐 come on come on
[한경 - Hankyung]내게서 멀어져 가네
[재중 - Jaejoong]Baby! Baby! 후회는 날려 버려 [규현 - Kyuhyun]Take me, take me 태양을 즐겨 [종현 - Jonghyun]Baby! Baby! 망설일 필요 없어 [려욱 - Ryeowook]지금이 즐거운 인생
[성민 - Sungmin]부서지는 파도 그 너머로 빨간 석양이 내리고 [시원 - Siwon]Part-time 알바가 끝나면 [신동 - Shindong]드디어 나의 무대지 차들은 씽씽 달려 달려 (샤랄랄랄랄라) 라디온 붐붐 come on come on
[윤호 - Yunho]너무 지루해 Sea-side 휴게소 차들은 씽씽 달려 달려 (샤랄랄랄랄라) 라디온 붐붐 come on come on
[태민 - Taemin]내게서 멀어져 가네 [준수 - Junsu]Baby! Baby! 후회는 날려 버려 [려욱 - Ryeowork]Take me, take me 오늘을 즐겨 [예성 - Yesung]Baby! Baby! 망설일 필요 없어 [온유 - Onew]지금이 즐거운 인생
Rap: [은혁 - Eunhyuk]미치도록 숨이 막히도록 끝없이 달려 부릉 부릉 이끌어줄 테니까 어머나 어쩌나 걱정들은 버려라 [유천 - Yoochun]Seaside, that’s right,people love each other,take a ride Hot girl, please don’t take off,bring your make up, move your hot butt, yeah [Key]You feel the breeze, 지금 이순간을 느껴봐 뜨거운 태양 아래 Go! Go! Go!
[종현 - Jonghyun]새까맣게 태운 얼굴 위로 [태민 - Taemin]파도가 빙빙 머리 위로 태양이 빙빙 [온유 - Eunhyuk]여름을 안은 아가씨 [민호 - Minho]나의 맘을 받아요
차들은 씽씽 달려 달려 (샤랄랄랄랄라) 라디온 붐붐 come on come on 내게서 멀어져 가네
출처 - 파플즈닷넷 박믹키쵸님
문제시 쪽지주세영~
cr: shakizi@soompi
ROMANIZATION [Changmin] Aloha! This is SM Town from Korea [Yoochun: Hello) Amigo! [Yunho+Donghae] Bring it on now, put em shades on, put em in your pocket dont you wanna go girl, Gacha gacha yeah, Shaka shaka hey!
Rap [Eunhyuk] Michidorok sumi makidorok kkeut eobsi dallyeo boorung boorung ikkeureojool tenika Omona ohjona kokjung deuleun boryeola [Yoochun] Seaside, thats right! People love each other, take a ride. Hot girl, please dont take off. Bring your make up, move your hot butt. Yeah~ [Key] You feel the breeze. Jigeum isoonkaneul neukyeobwa Ddeuguwoon taeyang arae Go! Go! Go!
The list of SM Entertainment artists who will participate in new album Summer SMTOWN ‘09 is released.
On August 11th, representative from SM Entertainment said, “On December August 14th, Summer SMTOWN ‘09 will be released.”
“Two years later, in 2007 we also released the album for whole Asia. The participating groups for upcoming new album are TVXQ, Super Junior, and SHINee. There will be 4 songs in the album which features the powerful summer atmosphere, including the title song “Seaside” where you can feel the warm friendship between these young men.”
In addition, for song “12: 34″ which features TVXQ, Choikang Changmin is in charge for the lyrics, while Super Junior will sing a song from their 2nd Asia Tour “Carnival” that is highly anticipated by the fans, and SHINee is coming up with a dance song titled “SCAR”. Meanwhile the title song “Seaside” is planned to be released for the first time through on line site.
SHINee is in the March Issue of ELLE Magazine and again they were representing the Korean brand, CLRIDE.n. The SHINee boys look pretty much the same as their previous photo shoots except for Taemin. The youngster sports a new hairstyle and looks a bit different in the photos. Check them out below.
These are photos from March Issue
And these photos are from the past.. I think it was August 08 Issue
You can see from this picture and the latest picture, they all are the same.. Except for Taemin.. there's a little bit different.. * hair * ^^
It's looks like all TVXQ members have made it!! GO GO CHAIYOK OPPA!! ^^
Top 25 Male Voices
01. Kim Junsu (TVXQ) 02. Kim Jae Joong (TVXQ) 03. Se7en 04. Kim Ryeowook (Super Junior) 05. Andy Lee 06. Kim Hyun Joong (SS501) 07. Jung Ji Hoon/Rain 08. Lee Min Woo 09. Park Yoo Chun (TVXQ) 10. Kang Ta 11. Cho Kyu Hyun (Super Junior) 12. Lee Hong Ki (F.T. Island) 13. Jun Jin 14. Shim Changmin (TVXQ) 15. Kim Jong Kook 16. Kim Ye Sung (Super Junior) 17. Shin Hye Sung 18. Son Ho Young 19. Kang Daesung (Big Bang) 20. Oh Jung Hyuk 21. Lee Seung Gi 22. Kim Jong Hyun (SHINee) 23. Tae Yang (Big Bang) 24. Ryan (PARAN) 25. Lee Dong Hae (Super Junior)
Top 25 Female Voices
01. BoA 02. Ivy 03. Dana (CSJH) 04. Jang Ri In 05. Jang Nara 06.Park Ye Eun (Wonder Girls) 07. Lee Hyori 08. Park Jung Ah (Jewelery) 09. Solbi 10. Stephanie (CSJH) 11. Kim Tae Yeon (SNSD) 12. Lee Jung Min 13. Sun Mi (Wonder Girls) 14. Jessica (SNSD) 15. Bae Seul Gi 16. Nam Gyu Ri 17. Park Bom 18. Bada 19. Min Sun Ye (Wonder Girls) 20. Han Seung Yeon (Kara) 21. Lina (CSJH) 22. JOO 23. Seo Hyun (SNSD) 24. Isak 25. Heebon
cr : siamzone, shineeTH, shineee.net, rukkidenmeh in K-pop
According to TVXQfever and TVXQbaidu, Thailand's selection of the Top 20 Cutest Korean Male Celebrities are: 1. Kim Hyun Joong (SS501) 2. Jo In Sung 3. Lee Min Ho 4. Jang Geun Suk 5. Jeong Il Woo 6. Jang Dong Geun 7. Kim Bum 8. Kang Dong Won 9. Nich Khun 10. Kim Won Jun 11. Kim Hye Sung 12. Kim Hee Chul (SUPER JUNIOR) 13. Lee Jun Ki (MY GIRL) 14. Kim Jae Joong (TVXQ) 15. Won Bin 16. Kim Jae Wook 17. Lee Hong Ki (FT ISLAND) 18. Park Shi Woo 19. Lee Tae Min (SHINee) 20. Lee Seung Gi
I agree with this list of the most cutest 20 korean celebrities... but i wonder why u-know (our handsome gentleman) , micky (our smilling angel), max (the tallest plus our mangne) and xiah (our angel) are not included?? it's breaking our heart.. huhu...
*Jay (D-NA)
You can see from this picture and the latest picture, they all are the same.. Except for Taemin.. there's a little bit different.. * hair * ^^
[DBSK] KARAM D-NA LOOK ALIKE HERO JAEJOONG?
7:15 PM | 
