[Events] Fans organise a Kpop convention in the Philippines

Kpop fans from the Philippines have been making news as they work together for their love of the Hallyu (Korean Wave). In celebration of the Republic of Korea-Philippines Friendship Year, fans in the Philippines come together to organise the country’s very first Kpop Convention!

The convention is a fundraising event that aims to bring together fans and enthusiasts of Korean popular culture. Fan clubs of various Kpop artists are coming together for the event, which will be held in mid to late October. There will be activities for visitors, song and dance performances and contests and games at the convention.

The convention also aims to get the attention of the South Korean embassy in The Philippines. Why? Because the embassy may be bringing in Kpop stars in November for the 60th anniversary of the Republic of Korea-Philippines Diplomatic Relations.

Kim Kie-joo, Counselor for the Korean Embassy in the Philippines stated, “I'm not in a position to guarantee who we can bring. We will try our very best to bring our well-renowned Korean stars so that we can really enjoy together with the Filipino people.”

All the proceeds from the event will be donated to Gawad Kalinga, a non-profit organization that provides homes to the less fortunate.

[News] Possibility of an Official Korean Music Chart?

Recently Billboard that runs the music charts in America is coming to Korea and has already signed a joint venture with two local companies. Billboard will teamed up with ViewLife and the Korean Entertainment Producer's Association to create a Korean music and a Korean language version of the Billboard magazine.

Will Billboard be able to put up an Korean music chart? There are already several TV Stations that have their own music charts (KBS K-Chart, SBS Take 7, M-Net M-Countdown) but there were so many controversy related to how they compiled their figures that most of the charts were disbanded for several years (MBC Music Core).With the increase of digital music sales, where media and portal websites have offered many online charts themselves, but all are disorganised that none really offers a genuine accurate overview of Koreans music taste.

For years, the Music Industry Association of Korea used to keep track of album sales. But with the greatly declining album sales in Korea, their participation in the industry seems fruitless now. Other associations such as the Korean Association of Phonogram Producers and Korean Music Content Industry Association both tried to measure the online and physical sales but failed to do so. I wonder if any of the associations will be able to create a working music chart before all the good names are gone.

I don't really know if Billboards involvement will solve this problem instantly. With the Internet and its digital downloads, from file sharing, background music, blogs, how will we be able to measure the top songs. Label companies seem to be losing power, so do music charts really matter now?

[News] "Haeundae" floods North Korea

Channel News Asia is reporting North Korea is cracking down on foreign films after a university student was caught watching recent South Korean movie "Haeundae" (해운대) on his computer.

It is reported the student downloaded the movie from their relatives house in Chong-Jin north-eastern of North Korea. He then took the downloaded film back to Pyongyang to watch it with his University friends.

North Korea has been awash from popular culture from South Korea for a couple of years now, something North Korean authorities have ignored, as it mostly ignored much of the many markets that has sprung up around the country. But recently, North Korean authorities have starting cracking down those markets, so it looks like popular culture from the South has to go as well.

Why is South Korean pop culture is seen as threat to the North? Some, like Andrei Lankov claim that witnessing South Korea's prosperity can make the North look bad. Bryan Myers, says that the danger is not seeing the material success of the South (which most people in the North probably already know), but seeing that South Koreans do not want a united Korea, one that is under the leader of the North (Kim Jong-Il). Whatever the reasons, the effects are pretty much the same.

On the other hand, South Korean popular culture has been losing its cache in the North for some time, so maybe the North Korean authorities cracking down on South's products is not a bad thing after all.

Anyway, I do find it quite interesting that an illegal download of the blockbuster "Haeundae" (now the fourth biggest film all time in Korea) was able to create trouble for the North Koreans.

[News] Wonder Girls photo misused in African newspaper

It was recently revealed that a newspaper in Swaziland southeast of Africa has published an inappropriate use of a photo of the Wonder Girls.

The newspaper company published an article on the 25th September about the reason why younger women date older men. And in the article had a picture of the Wonder Girls when Hyun-Ah (now currently member of 4minute) was still in the group.

The photo was used inappropriately as the article had no relation with any of the members in the popular girl band. Right under the photo states, "YOUNG AND BEAUTIFUL... Young girls prefer dating older for a number of reasons."

A spokesperson from JYP Entertainment stated that "After knowing the news, we are currently confirming the truth with the media company in Africa. After that ,we will take action." Meanwhile, the Wonder Girls are still in the United States and are preparing for their release of their 1st American album.