The entertainment industry’s ’85 line has gotten together for a night out.
A photo was posted recently on an online community thread with the title ‘The Superior ’85 Line’.
The photo features U-Know Yunho, Shin Ji Soo, Choi Daniel, Park Soo Jin, Wang Jihae and Kim Eun Jung, all born in 1985. They are all smiling at the camera and looking like they’re having a great time.
Netizens who saw the photo left comments such as, “What an awesome group,” “You guys look great,” “I didn’t know U-Know Yunho and Daniel Choi were the same age,” “It’s nice to see actors and singers mingling,” and “They look so happy together.”
Meanwhile, U-Know Yunho was recently chosen as the honorary ambassador of the Gwangju Design Biennale, which is set to open in September. Choi Daniel will be returning to the drama industry in September with the 2-episode KBS2 pilot drama ‘Wait for Romance’ with BoA. Park Soo Jin is currently appearing in the KBS2 drama ‘Sword and Flower’ as Moseol.
TVXQ’s Max Changmin is currently busy training for KBS 2TV’s ‘Our Neighborhood’s Master of Variety and Sports’. Although he has a packed overseas schedule as a singer, he always works hard to complete his missions for the show and is reaping in great success as an emcee. He has won over his viewers with his hard work and effort.
Max Changmin himself is very happy that he was able to join the ‘Our Neighborhood’s Master’ team. During an interview with Newsen, Max Changmin said, “My life has become more enjoyable. I actually found it hard to approach others first and I used to be quite an introvert, but I’ve become more of an extrovert thanks to this show. Exercising and participating in matches together has helped form a natural camaraderie with the others, and I find it easier to keep an eye on those around me.”
Anyone who watches the show can see just how much Max Changmin loves his fellow teammates, and how hard he works for every match and practice session. One of his bowling matches in early July had viewers reaching out for the singer when he cried over an unfortunate loss. Though it was not aired, Max Changmin was crying so hard that he was unable to say his closing comments. The staff came to the decision to cut that scene from the episode.
Regarding this, Max Changmin confessed, “I had become close friends with the other guys like Kang Ho Dong, Lee Soo Geun, Lee Byung Jin, Alex and Jo Dal Hwan and I felt even more disappointed at the loss because I had worked so hard to prepare for the match. I had practiced so hard, giving up my breaks in between our concerts in Japan, so I felt even more upset that I lost. I really wanted to end the match on a high… I felt sorry to the others and I felt disappointed at myself. There were so many emotions running through me.”
According to Max Changmin’s close acquaintances, he is the kind of person who always works hard at what he does. Not even the smallest things pass by him unattended to. Because of this, he has felt an immense sense of responsibility about appearing on the show. Staff members who saw the ripped skin on his hands from bowling too much even said, “Your primary job is being a singer. Focus on that. Take care of yourself so that you can focus on your concerts as well.”
However, Max Changmin refused to give up his Japanese concerts or his bowling matches. He had always laid low during his breaks, but since beginning the show, he began going to bowling alleys whenever he had a moment to spare and kept practicing as much as he could. Max Changmin said, “Practicing and getting used to the sports made me feel more at ease with myself. I think that’s why the tears came after I lost. I think those tears were proof that I’ve gotten more comfortable with the show.”
The singer has gained so much through the show. Not only has he become close friends with people such as Lee Soo Geun, Jo Dal Hwan and Kang Ho Dong, and has currently become closer with stars such as John Park and 2PM’s Chansung. He has been meeting with Chansung for dinner often and they have finally begun to feel more comfortable around each other for the first time in years.
Max Changmin smiled and said, “The kid who used to stay at home and sit around every day is now sweating it out and moving around. It’s helped a lot with my personality. In the past, I used to feel very bitter and depressed. But participating in sports activities through the show has helped me release my stress faster and it’s making me much happier. I’m grateful to myself for taking on this challenge. I’ve found a new sense of vitality in my life.”
Hello~ This is Max Changmin. I’ve been meaning to write more frequently, but I’ve only just gotten around to greeting you all again… I believe that we were able to enjoy our LA-Chile-Shanghai performances because of the support of our fans~ As always, we will always do our best and try to repay the profound love that you, our fans both in Korea and overseas, have given us, though what we can give back is really never enough.
Oh no, it looks like I’ve gotten a little too serious… hahaha Actually, we’ve secretly flown overseas to prepare a surprise gift for all our fans!!!^^ We’ve been working hard, so please anticipate what we’re preparing~ You’ll be able to check it out later… hahahahaha ^^
To our Cassiopeia friends! Please take care of yourselves in the blistering heat, and I hope you reenergize yourselves during the Summer holidays.^^ From now on, I’ll try my best to write things here more often~ hahaha
Hello~ This is U-Know Yunho.
Cassiopeia, I hope you are all doing well~?^^
I was out on a break today and decided to go to Gangwon Province to see a friend off as he returns to his unit in the army~
But I heard that you guys were all so worried about me, so I decided to write a post to assure you of my condition and thank all the fans who came to our Shanghai concert..
Because I wanted to create a better performance for all of our loving fans at the concert, I put all my efforts into preparing, rehearsing and exercising before the event. My muscles cramped up and I ended up making you all worry, which makes my heart ache so much when I think about it..
But thanks to the passionate shouts and cheers that you sent us when we got on stage, and thanks to all the love you have for us, I was able to stay strong and keep going till the very end. I’ve gotten better now, and it’s not that the wire had snapped, so please don’t worry too much about it~^^
Though we and our fans were exhausted because of the hot weather, each and every heart at that venue became one to create a performance that we all enjoyed!!!! Thank you!!!!!
To our Cassiopeia, who have always loved and cared for us, I will continue to work hard to repay your love with performances that only get better and better!!!
Please be careful to avoid getting hurt or sick from the heat, overexposure to air conditioning and damages from the rain in this hot weather~~
And please continue to shower us with your support. ^_^v
On their world tour, TVXQ have performed in LA, USA, Santiago, Chile, and now Shanghai, China.
TVXQ held their ‘TVXQ! LIVE WORLD TOUR ‘CATCH ME’ in SHANGHAI’ concert at 7:30pm at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai, China. They captivated 10,000 fans with an amazing performance and great stage sets.
On this day, TVXQ performed a total of 25 songs, including hits like ‘Catch Me’, ‘Humanoids’, ‘Rising’, Why? Keep Your Head Down’, and ‘Mirotic’, as well as solo performances by U-Know Yunho and Max Changmin of ‘Honey Funny Bunny’ and the Chinese ballad ‘Ting Hai (聽海)’ respectively.
Fans in the audience held pearl-red fanlights and sang along in Korean, enjoying the performance to the fullest and even prepared a paper slogan event that said ‘TVXQ! Let’s Fly’, touching TVXQ and making the atmosphere of the concert better than ever.
There was fierce competition at the arena to grab last-minute tickets on the day of the concerts, and countless fans flocked to the area to take their chance. As they rushed towards the entry gate, the door at the gate broke, requiring the presence of public safety officials to sort things out.
Meanwhile, TVXQ have now successfully completed their Shanghai performance and are set to become the first non-Japanese singers to perform at Japan’s Nissan Stadium on the 17th and 18th of August. These two performances will conclude their large-scale Japanese tour that is expected to attract a total of 850,000 people.
There are many successful businessmen, politicians, athletes and celebrities who are part of the Myongji University alumni community. Making their mark, not only in Korea, but throughout the whole world, the alumni of Myongji University take their Myongji outgoing spirit and passion to dream bigger dreams, and they never stop in their efforts to make their dreams a reality. We met with U-Know Yunho (Jung Yunho) of TVXQ, the founders of the Hallyu Boom, KBS camera director Hong Sung Joon who won the Best Korean Broadcast Award, Baek Hui Sung, the first Asian to win France’s ‘Paul Maymont Award’, and Lee Jung Woon, the creator of Anipang. See how these young and talented Myongji alumni have created an amazing future for themselves.
Hallyu Boom Boom! ‘Five Dome Tour concert in Japan’ Alumni Jung Yunho (TVXQ’s U-Know Yunho, Movie-Musical Major, Class of ’11)
“If you have a positive mind and work hard in your preparation and actions, you will be met with good results.”
Q. Please introduce yourself to our future and current Myongji University students and tell us what you’ve been up to.
A. Hello. This is TVXQ’s U-Know Yunho. Our Five Dome Tour in Japan began at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama on the 27th of April. Our last concerts in Japan were held from the 15th till the 17th of May at Tokyo Dome. Many Japanese fans came to our concert, so I was able to pour all of my passion into my performances. I believe that I was able to end the tour in success because of the attention and support given to us from Myongji University alumni and our fans.
Q. Please tell us about your future plans.
A. In July, we’ll be continuing our world tour in North and South America, and China. In August, we’ll be the first non-Japanese artistes to perform in Japan’s Nissan Stadium, the stage of dreams. This is something I feel every time I stand on stage for a concert, but the fact that our concerts give hope to so many people makes me feel so emotional. I believe that the success we’ve experienced till now is all thanks to the support of my fellow Myongji University alumni and the love of our fans. I hope to see you all soon as a great performer and a great actor.
Q. Do you have any advice for future and current Myongji University students?
A. I believe that the things we see and learn in school help us greatly in our transition to society. I think that you need to have the determination to see things through till the very end, no matter what you start, if you want good results. No matter what happens, if you have a positive mind and work hard in your preparation and actions, you will be met with good results. Most of all, you have to believe in yourself. To my future and current Myongji University juniors, always believe in yourselves and be willing to take on new challenges.
A photo of TVXQ (U-Know Yunho, Max Changmin) rehearsing for their Shanghai concert has been released to fans.
On the 19th, TVXQ’s agency uploaded a photo of TVXQ rehearsing for their Shanghai concert, which will take place on the 20th of this month, on SM Town’s official Weibo (China’s Twitter) account.
The two members of TVXQ can be seen singing into microphones on a stage that looks like a two-tiered cake. below them, their dancers can be seen practicing getting their audience pumped up. Though the seats are all empty as it is a rehearsal, TVXQ and their dancers give it their all under the bright lights of the stage.
When the rehearsal photo was released, Chinese fans couldn’t hold back their excitement for the concert. Anticipated fans left comments such as, “Good luck!”, “TVXQ in Shanghai and Girls’ Generation in Taiwan!”, “I’m so excited for tomorrow’s concert,” and “I’m suddenly feeling so excited. I can’t sit still.”
Having already performed in LA, USA and Santiago, Chile for their World tour, TVXQ will be holding their ‘TVXQ! LIVE WORLD TOUR ‘CATCH ME’ in SHANGHAI’ concert at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai on the 20th.
Concept art from the ‘My Favorite Gwangju’ exhibition, a collaboration with U-Know Yunho’
There are fifty days left till the 2013 Gwangju Design Biennale and it’s already become the talk of the town.
With a two-top strategy of inviting ‘Hallyu stars’ BoA and U-Know Yunho to participate in promotional activities, it was revealed on the 17th that requests about the convention are flooding in from China and Japan.
This year’s event is expected to write a new page in ‘Gwangju Tourism’ history as a map of tourism in Gwangju is set to be created on the heels of the biennale’s expected success.
When it was reported that U-Know Yunho would be attending his honorary ambassador commencement ceremony on the 5th of September, fans both in Korea and overseas began calling the foundation to secure seats for the event.
Ticket reservation sites in Asia are experiencing a ‘Gwangju Boom’ from Japanese and Chinese fans, and travel agencies are working on holiday packages that include the commencement ceremony at the Gwangju Design Biennale for U-Know Yunho’s overseas fans.
After attending the commencement ceremony, Asian fans are planning to visit U-Know Yunho’s ‘My Favorite Gwangju’ exhibition, as well as his old school.
With requests coming in for Japanese and Chinese leaflets for the 2013 Gwangu Design Biennale, the foundation in charge of the event is set to print more leaflets soon.
The ‘Gwangju Map Project’, which will study the history of Hallyu stars and famous designers from Gwangju, is expected to be popular with fans.
The project will feature a collaboration of 40 famous designers in Korea and will be printed as a book and map detailing the various tourist spots and eateries in Gwangju.
The 40 designers recently spread out throughout Gwangju and the Jeolla Northern Province to find hidden eateries and tourist spots. The project will highlight such places in the province from the perspective of the designers, bring a new angle and approach to such areas.
CEO Lee Yong Woo of the Gwangju Design Biennale stated, “The Gwangju Design Biennale, which is the frontrunner of promoting Korea’s designs as a part of the Hallyu Wave, is focus on tourism in Gwangju this year to help the local economy flourish.”
Meanwhile, this year’s Gwangju Design Biennale will be held for a total of 59 days (September 6th~November 3rd) and the list of participants will be revealed this month. BoA’s logo song will be released online around mid-July.
– Max Changmin, the mascot of hard work, what was his first badminton match like… – Changmin + Jong Soo “There isn’t a single badminton court in Seoul we haven’t gone to!” How much have they practiced? – Which badminton duo is the best in the celebrity team? – Max Changmin, his legs are shockingly covered in tape! What happened?
Max Changmin and Lee Jong Soo’s taped-up legs have become a hot topic. The episode of KBS2′s ‘Our Neighborhood’s Master of Variety and Sports’ that airs on the 16th will show the team’s first badminton match. Having practiced hard for the past week, the celebrity team will surprise everyone in their match against the Joonggok-dong badminton team.
Max Changmin and Lee Jong Soo, who were deemed the ‘bumbling couple’ in last week’s first badminton practice session, completely turned it around and surprised everyone. It was easy to guess just how much they had practiced from the various bruises and scrapes littering their legs that had been taped up.
Regarding this duo, Lee Soo Geun said, “There isn’t a single badminton court in Seoul that they haven’t been to in the last week. That’s the most anyone has practiced in his team.” To this, Lee Jong Soo said, “We could only meet in the early hours of the morning because our schedules didn’t match up. We met almost every day in the early hours of the morning to practice,” and increased the anticipation for the ‘bumbling couple’.
The reason why viewers can’t help but be excited for this duo is because of Max Changmin. Although he was called ‘the fool of table tennis’ and ‘the fool of bowling’ at first, he surprised everyone with his rapid development. However, no matter how much he practiced, he was unable to score a win. During his last bowling match, he was neck and neck with the Gwangju Ssangchon-dong team till the 9th frame but lost in the 10th frame. This caused him to spill tears of disappointment and earned him the nicknames ‘Sincere Changmin’ and ‘Does his best Changmin’.
Seeing him, the bowling ace Lee Byung Jin showed his affection for the team’s youngest member as he said, “Although you weren’t the best, you did your best, and that is so much better! I love you~’ This is why his fellow teammates who have been with him from the start, not just the viewers, are hoping for Max Changmin’s first win.
Having practiced so hard that he had to tape his legs up, the body part that is pivotal for idol stars, Max Changmin’s results in his first badminton match are at the center of attention.
When Max Changmin and Lee Jong Soo’s taped-up legs were revealed, netizens left comments such as, “What about TVXQ’s overseas performances.. I can’t believe how much he seems to have practiced.. It warms my heart”, “Oh my god! Poor Changmin and his legs”, “Hopefully, Changmin will win his first match?”, “Changmin and Jong Soo must be a match made in Heaven. Lasers seem to beam out of their eyes in the preview,” and “I’m expected an uprising from the bumblers. I will definitely watch this episode!”
The badminton match between the celebrity team and the Joonggok-dong team, which completely overturned the expectations of both the audience and staff, is set to air tonight at 11:20.
[News] 130712 TVXQ! Rocks L.A. Feeling ‘Brand New’ at World Tour Stop: Live Review
TVXQ! — aka 27-year-old Yunho and 25-year-old Changmin — pose for a photo backstage at the July 5 L.A. date to their TVXQ! LIVE WORLD TOUR ‘CATCH ME.’ SM Entertainment
“We are nervous, but extremely excited. Everything feels brand new, as if we just debuted” – Yunho
TVXQ! — aka 27-year-old Yunho and 25-year-old Changmin, undoubtedly two of the biggest names in K-pop history — proved their supremacy as a pair of “K-pop Kings,” by amassing a total of 700,000 fans to their five-stop, Japan Dome tour, “TVXQ! Live Tour 2013 Time.” Continuing the success, the duo embarked on their first world tour titled, “TVXQ! LIVE WORLD TOUR ‘CATCH ME,’” on Nov. 17, 2012, in Seoul, Korea. They dazzled thousands in Hong Kong (Jan. 19), China (March 30) and Malaysia (May 18), and they finally brought the much-anticipated leg of the tour to America for a Los Angeles date on July 5.
The excitement caused by TVXQ’s first L.A. concert was felt at Nokia Theatre on Friday night. TVXQ’s fans, known as Cassiopeia, arrived hours before the show was to begin. Most fans, dressed in red t-shirts (a signature color for TVXQ!) showed support by holding flash mob events as well as handmade signs.
Backstage, TVXQ appeared energized and high-spirited, despite jet lag and exhaustion from hours of rehearsal. The duo spent the last hour before the show relaxing their vocals (Changmin singing Kim Gun Mo’s “Moon Of Seoul”), taking pictures with lucky fans, joking around with staff members and talking to Billboard for an exclusive video interview.
“We are happy that we get to finally meet with our fans in the States,” says leader Yunho. “The show here [compared to ones in other countries] is more intimate. We are nervous, but extremely excited. Everything feels brand new, as if we just debuted. We want to share our good vibes with our fans that have waited so long.”
At 8:30 p.m. the extravaganza began slightly delayed (due to concertgoers’ unwillingness to leave merchandise booths). Ear-splitting screams erupted, red glow sticks illuminated, and some fans even cried as the packed venue watched the duo appear via hanging on wires.
TVXQ!’s electrifying show kicked off with hardcore, back-to-back performances of “Rising Sun,” “Getaway” and “Why (Keep Your Head Down).”
Taking a moment, Changmin expressed his gratitude to the thousands of fans by saying, in English, “We are so thankful to each and every one of you that came to see us tonight.” With an interpreter, he continued in Korean, “I know our U.S. fans have waited ten, long years for this concert to happen and we will promise to make up for it.”
Throughout the two-hour and a half event, the K-pop kings delivered a pitch-perfect live show with masterfully choreographed dance moves, assisted by six male backup dancers, plus special solo performances. For the solo stages, Changmin mesmerized with a cover of Maxwell’s “Whenever, Wherever, Whatever,” in a casual, striped shirt in front of a backdrop of a cityscape visual. Then, Yunho spiced it up by crooning and hip-swerving his way through his solo track, “Honey Funny Bunny,” in a sequined jacket.
‘You Guys Are So Amazing!’
The duo went through their extensive catalog of Korean and Japanese hits, including “Wrong Number” (showcasing perfectly in-sync dance moves down to their feet) “Purple Line,” “Humanoids” (their most-recent K-pop single) “Destiny,” “Dream,” “Catch Me” (wearing LED light jeweled jackets, highlighting the technical “Hulk dance”) “Before You Go” and “Mirotic.” In between performances, various TVXQ! videos were shown on the screen to preview each song.
Before bringing the show to a close, the crowd united as one for a touching moment. At one point, fans held up a placard that read, “We will always be here.” Yunho responded to the crowd in English, “You guys are so amazing! I am touched.”
The highlight of the night came when TVXQ! daringly stormed into the crowd — the first they’ve ever done so in their 10-year career, they told Billboard afterwards. The boys went off in separate directions, running through the aisles, leaving fans (and presumably security guards and ushers) in awe.
After successfully wrapping the concert Yunho reflects, “I was really taken aback to see such diversity in ages. We even saw a lady [who seemed to be in her 60s] singing along to our lyrics. This was a special night for all of us. The amount of response we got was tremendous. We won’t forget this night and we hope that our U.S. fans. will remember this night as well.”
Looking forward, TVXQ! will become the first foreign artist to perform at Japan’s Nissan Stadium on August 17 and 18. The two-day event is projected to bring in a total of 150,000 fans.
Want more TVXQ!? Check back to Billboard’s K-Town for an exclusive video interview with Yunho and Changmin coming soon!
[Trans] 130712 Max Changmin – Park Hyung Shik, ‘Handsome Bumblers’ Have Viewers Cooing In Delight
Viewers have motherly smiles on their faces whenever they see these members on variety shows?
KBS 2TV’s ‘Our Neighborhood’s Master of Variety and Sports’ and MBC’s ‘Real Men’, the two upcoming variety shows of 2013, have one thing in common. A youngest member who brings out the protective streak in viewers as they bumble their way through sports and the military.
The youngest member in ‘Our Neighborhood’s Master of Variety and Sports’ is Max Changmin and the baby soldier of ‘Real Men’ is Park Hyung Shik. They’ve captured the hearts of viewers with their good looks and surprisingly bumbling behavior. Viewers call them the ‘handsome bumblers’. Let’s fall into the charm of these handsome bumblers~
The bumbling young one, Max Changmin
Max Changmin is currently working with Kang Ho Dong, Lee Soo Geun and Jo Dal Hwan on ‘Our Neighborhood’s Master of Variety and Sports’. They have battled against ordinary folks in table tennis, bowling and now, badminton. Former sumo wrestler Kang Ho Dong, condiment-like Lee Soo Geun and master of sports Jo Dal Hwan have each formed their own characters, and Max Changmin has solidified his status as the sincere ‘maknae’ (youngest in the group).
Max Changmin has a monopoly over the love of his older team members as the youngest member with a faint heart. When he appears on ‘Our Neighborhood’s Master of Variety and Sports’, he is no longer the charismatic member of TVXQ on stage; he is a part of the KBS team. Sometimes he’s like the boy next door, and sometimes he’s like a cute younger brother.
Unfortunately, Max Changmin hasn’t won a single match in any of the sports events he’s played in. Though Max Changmin’s athletic skills aren’t outstanding, as said by his table tennis and bowling coaches, he’s more diligent and practices more than anyone else.
He is also growing and maturing with the program. Because he has not appeared on many variety shows in the past, there are still so many talents and surprises that he has yet to show.
In a phone conversation with StarNews on the 12th, a representative of the show stated, “Max Changmin tries really hard. He doesn’t fade into the background between such strong personalities as his older team members, and he plays his part as the youngest member of the team,” and “But when he loses a match, he tends to shed tears out of disappointment and sorrow. Everyone knows just how sincere Max Changmin is about this show, so even those tears make us feel so proud of him.”
TRANS] 130708 TVXQ Cancel Their Peru Solo Concert Due To Technical Problems
TVXQ have cancelled their concert in Peru.
TVXQ were initially scheduled to hold their ‘TVXQ LIVE WORLD TOUR – Catch Me’ concert in Lima, Peru on the 14th of July. However, the concert was cancelled due to technical problems.
The Peruvian production agency that was in charge of the concert stated, “TVXQ’s concert has been cancelled. The decision to cancel the concert came from an agreement with SM Entertainment’s representatives due to technical issues pertaining to the concert such as problems with the band and equipment.” They also added, “Unfortunately, we will not be able to complete the concert given the current situation.”
Meanwhile, TVXQ successfully held the US leg of their world tour at the Nokia Theater in LA recently, and are set to be the first non-Japanese singers to hold a concert at the Nissan Stadium, which can hold up to 75,000 people.
