Toma Ikuta, Miki Fujimoto in "Grease"

The hit Broadway musical "Grease" is being performed in Tokyo later this year, and it was announced on Friday that rising actor Toma Ikuta is playing the lead part of Danny Zuko. His supporting cast includes Sayaka Kanda as his girlfriend Sandy, former Morning Musume member Miki Fujimoto as the Pink Ladies leader Rizzo, and Musical Academy member Tomoyuki Yara as Kenickie.

The production opens at the Aoyama Theatre on October 20 and will finish up in Osaka during November.

source: tokyograph + meoinkie2 @ ASIANFAN + Lanz@IASCOOP

A Comeback from a Month-long HIATUS

Yes guys I'm back!
That month-long hiatus was a one of a kind experience.
I'm sorry guys i kept you hanging with the latest buzz.
But don't you worry anymore. INSIDE ASIAN SCOOP is officially back at kickin!
Expect for more UPDATED news to arrive. Expect for new changes.
And also SUPER JUNIOR FANS... please do visit in the FIRST PHILIPPINE BASED SUPER JUNIOR COMMUNITY..

Super Junior M Members Revealed

The members are finally revealed by SM through a series of teasers just uploaded on the web less than 3 hours ago.

The members are:
Han Geng
Dong Hae
Si Won
Kyu Hyun
Ryeo Wook
Henry
Zhou Mi aka Junyuk (sp)



Individuals :
Kyuhyun and Henry
RyeoWook and Henry
Donghae and Si won
Hangeng


credit: mizzqtpnai + sunrainsong @YT. Com

A’ST1 Makes up with Super Junior

A’ST1 (A Style), whose debut is today on Mnet, tried to end the Super Junior "Take Down" chaos.

On an Mnet show which aired on the 4th, A'ST1 and Super Junior finally met up and spoke about the controversial commercial.

A'ST1 stated "We actually respect Super Junior and want to be just like them."

Super Junior accepted their explanation by stating, "it's great to have a new rookie group look up to us, we would love to buy them dinner sometime."

source: ALLKPOP

SHINHWA-Kangta, 2 days concert, tourism income raises 5 billion

Hanryu start 2 days concertin Korean had helped the tourism increases over a 5 billion income.

Male group SHINHWA & Kangta on March 29th & 30th hold a 2 day cocnert, they had attracted more than 3100 Asian fans to Korea.

The organizer of SHINHWA concert, Openworld enter related staff express "From the tourism company we know that there is 1500 japanese fans & 1200 china fans who came for the SHINHWA 10th anniversary concert. In these 2 days included the concert expenses and the whole trip expenses, everyone had spent approximately of 1,200,000 to 1,500,000 Korean won. The total of expenses reached up to 3.9 billion won.

SHINHWA & Kangta's 2 days concert had help the country's tourism income increases 5billion korean won. SHINHWA concert related staff express "This is just the calculation on the concert, air tic, and hostel fee only. If we added up all the other expenses, it will be over 5billion korean won."

Source：hankooki&oceans
Cn Trans:jojoyu7@shinhwachina
Eng Trans: amane86@myshinhwa, shinhwa.biz
Shinhwa.biz

Ariel Addicted to Study Travels ~ Wants Another 2 Years

Ariel Lin is too stubborn (Gingㄍㄧㄥ), with the way of having a relationship, even going to a famous night club to play in New York, arriving not longer than 1/2 an hour she wanted to escape. Yesterday during her new book "Ariel's NY Bagel Diary" publishing conference, the director Qu You Ning and "hubby" Joe Cheng both advised her: "If this continues on, you won't have any luck in romance!"

Ariel's mother once helped her seek fortune teller, the teller said, Ariel's life will be distracted by "ethics feelings". Ariel had a crush with person that worked in the arts, she said: right now the two of them usually contact through texting, the future is hard to tell.

And during the time she went to NY to study travel, Ariel's friend took her to a club to play, that club had many celebrities visiting, the friend pointed at Ariel telling the black bouncer: "She's a really famous star in Taiwan!" At the time there was a line up of about 100 people trying to get in. But after Ariel entered, after smelling the smoke and allergies began, arriving in less than 1/2 an hour she want to leave, causing her friends to pop their eyes.

This study travel trip has given her a strong interest, so she has talked with her manager expressing thought of "wanting to leave the country again for 2 years". Her manager shocked, is planning to talk with Lin Ma Ma, to try to pursuade her not have that thought.

Ariel yesterday also went to CtiTV "University Students Born Yet?" to promote the new book, as for the study and travel life in NY, she described herself like a lit candel: "The whole body is awakened". She said the one thing that was blood sucking was the 12 New York YANKEES shirts, she said: "this is because I have to give presents to friends and families elder and younger brothers."

At that time she and a producer's friend rented a small place near Time Square, 2 rooms 1 living room, each month as high as $4,500 US. This amazing cost of rent, causing the university students a shock, the talk show host Matilda Tao said: "Early when I brought my mother to NY about 10 days, it was about $150,000." Causing Ken to yell, oh so these two women does actually spend money.

Source: UDN
Translated by Cmiley (Please credit or link if this will be posted elsewhere)

BoA's Hit Song Created into TV Drama in Japan

Singer BoA's ninth single "Shine We Are" which nabbed the number one spot on the Japanese Oricon Chart in May, 2003, will be created into a TV drama.

AVEX, one of the largest recording companies in Japan, said it has decided to create 100 short dramas--based on the songs of the artists it manages--to celebrate its 20th founding anniversary. The dramas will be aired starting April 7 on Asahi TV.

"Otome" is a two-minute drama that will be broadcast from Monday to Thursday. The dramas will bring together some of AVEX's biggest hit songs with various scenarios.

"I Can't Always be a Dreaming Girl," a hit song by Aiga and Nanase, will be broadcast on April 7 as the first part of the drama series, followed by "Tomorrow Again" by ELT, "Love2000" by Hitomi and "Shine We Are" by BoA.

AVEX, which celebrates its 20th founding anniversary on April 11, will also release a complilation album entitled "20 Years 200 Songs" as part of its celebration projects. AVEX has released a total of 200 million albums including single albums over the past two decades

source: KBS

Super Junior China becomes SJ-M

It is April 3rd in China and as promised Super Junior China is slowly being revealed, the first confirmed members to appear publicly: DongHae, Si Won and Henry attended SM’s visit to MIT.

Their first official album will be titled 迷(Me).

However one more change is being added to the subgroup. They are changing from the name SJC to SJM, with M standing for Mandarin. The official Blog for SJM can be found HERE

A rough translation on the site is basically just introducing why "M" and LSM's wishes for SJM to succeed and spread their music in china.

Changes in Korean Music Festival

The official broadcasting partner for this year’s concert has been changed from MBC to SBS, another major network in Korea. It was a friendly move for everyone, and I strongly believe that the change will only bring us positive one.

Due to the change in broadcasting partner, however, we had to make a minor adjustment in terms of the artist lineup, and feel awfully sorry and regretful to inform you that two artists, Lee Hyo Ri and Wonder Girls, who we initially announced will not make it for the show this year.

Lee Hyo Ri was scheduled to take a MC role this year (and possibly perform). Her role is being replaced by Ock Joo Hyun, and she will be MC’ing the show along with Brian from Fly To The Sky. Wonder Girls were excited to come and perform at the Bowl, but, because of their live show schedule with MBC, they had to retreat from the inital commitment. Please accept our sincere apology for this.

Regardless of their abscence, our effort to build the best possible show will continue. We are pleased to announce that another idol star, Sohn Ho Young from the g.o.d. and So Nyo Shi Dae (SNSD) will join and perform at the Bowl. It was supposed to be the last addition, but, due to the recent change, we plan to add 1~2 more artist(s) and announce it within the next several days.

As the host of the largest Korean concert outside of Korea, we are proud to present the artist lineup for the 2008 Korean Music Festival at Hollywood Bowl.

Performing for OLD: Shin Joong Hyun, Tae Jin Ah, Yoon Hyung Joo, Kim Se Hwan, Choi Baek Ho, Jung Hoon Hee
Performing for YOUNG: Dong Bang Shin Gi(TVXQ), Super Juior-T, Sohn Ho Young, So Nyo Shi Dae(SNSD), Fly To The Sky, SG Wannabe, Ock Joo Hyun, Eru (1~2 artist TBD)
MC: Brian & Ock Joo Hyun

Finally, our LA and OC office are going to open for the public between 9:00am and noon on every Saturday until the event date. Purchasing and pickup service is available at the LA office while OC office only opens for the pickup service. Thank you for your support.

credits to khype and koreantimes

Andy, image model of Nivea

Shinhwa member Andy was appointed as Nivea’s image model for “Nivea Deodorant Pearl&Beauty.” As its image model, Andy will be participating in its launching event and convey a woman’s beauty and tenderness as how a man sees them.

“Andy ranked 1st place in a survey on an entertainer who has a soft charisma. He was made as the image model because he was deemed fit to convey a man’s opinion of a woman’s beauty,” an official from Nivea Seoul explained why Andy was picked as Nivea’s new image model.

In today’s launching event for Nivea’s new product, the MBC “We’re Married” hypothetical couple Andy and Solbi are to talk candidly about women’s beauty.

Source: Newsen
translations: krnloop.wordpress

Girls’ Generation’s audition experiences

Girls’ Generation members Yoona, Sooyoung, Tiffany and Yuri guested in the MBC dramanet show “Three-Color Women Talk Show” and shared their audition experiences.

Yoona shared that she had auditioned “200 times” before finally getting in the trainee program of SM Entertainment.

Tiffany, on the other hand, revealed that she had an unusual casting experience because she was discovered in a restroom in the US. This revelation brought laughter in the studio.

Source: Osen
translations: krnloop.wordpress

Epik High in Lee Hyo Ri’s music video

“Before our debut, we participated and appeared for a second in Lee Hyo Ri’s music video as hip hop boys,” Epik High revealed in the Mnet show “Bopper’s,” which is being hosted by Dynamic Duo. The music video Epik High was talking about is Lee Hyo Ri’s “10 Minutes.”

“Before debut, it’s important to let people know that you’re releasing an album. So we were told that appearing in Lee Hyo Ri’s music video will be useful in announcing our album. We did manage to appear in Lee Hyo Ri’s music video. However, not even one of our posters was seen anywhere,” Epik High laughed as it shared this story.

Funnily, the group’s music video exposure only amounted to a second, which was not really a big help in getting them in the limelight.

This interview is to be broadcast today, April 3, at 7 pm in Mnet.

Source: Yonhap