Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
“We wanted to convey a message of hope to girls all around the world that they are capable of achieving anything they want,” said EVERGLOW group leader SIHYEON. Her bandmate E:U added, “With [our single] ‘SLAY,’ we wanted to send an encouraging message for all girls who are stuck in their own boundaries to step forward with confidence.”
“I was actually orphaned at a very young age, just like most of the characters in both the source material of ‘Great Expectations’ and also our cheeky comedic companion piece of a film, ‘Expectations,’” said filmmaker Chris Robert Riegel. “Going through adolescence [and] knowing you don’t have a conventional background can have an effect on a sense of self, or identity. But I’ve found with my own circumstances, the start of the journey is something none of us can control.”
Based on the novel by former psychiatric nurse Lee Ra-ha and helmed by “All of Us Are Dead” director Lee Jae-gyu, “Daily Dose of Sunshine” tackles the very real world problems of how unkind society can be to people suffering from mental health issues.
Born in New York, Jessica Ho was 14 years old when she moved to South Korea by herself to jump-start her music career. Because of her young age, Jessi – as she’s known professionally – lived with her grandmother, attended school and signed with a Korean music company. “My father hadn’t wanted me to go, because I was so young,” said the singer, rapper and on-air personality
If you’re looking for a light K-drama where the plot is not really the point, “CEO-dol Mart” is the show to watch. The premise of this series is that after the death of a member, the idol group the Thunder Boys broke up and went their separate ways before they had a chance at getting recognition.
Playing undercover police officer Jun-mo — who hopes that his gig will lead to a promotion — Ji Chang-wook is in his element as an eager cop who infiltrates a drug cartel with ties to China and Japan.
Growing up in Cardiff, Wales, Jamie Miller dreamt about becoming a musician, but it’s not something he felt was possible. “You don’t really talk about things like that in Wales,” Miller, 26, said. “So when things started to happen, it felt almost unreal.”
There is a recurring dream sequence in “Doona!” A young woman is submerged in water. From below, she can see the glitz and glamour of her life as a top star. But when our protagonist startles herself awake, we see her living a mundane life, waking up sweaty in a small apartment and taking long drags of cigarettes in the courtyard. This is how we meet Lee Doo-na, a famous K-pop idol who is hiding away in a shared house for college students.
Less than seven months after xikers debuted, the 10-man Korean pop group has already released two EPs and is currently on their first headlining world tour – which includes a Chicago concert at the Patio Theater on October 24.
“When I was younger, touring sometimes resembled a party that you never had to clean up after,” Tom Heyman said from his San Francisco home. “The first time I went to Europe, we had a driver/road manager, and it was a revelation to be rolling down the road and drinking before and after the gig, not having to worry about who was sober enough to drive. When I got older and stopped drinking, touring became much more about trying to get enough sleep, eat right and to really try and connect with the audience in a meaningful way.”