Orintal Whirl: Kara’s Pandora

K-POP fans are eagerly awaiting the return of girl group Kara to the K-music scene after a 12-month hiatus, reports soompi.com.

The quintet, who have been making waves in Japan, will be releasing its fifth mini album StoryTeller and the MV of its title track Pandora, which is a synthpop dance number, on Aug 22.

According to their agency, DSP Media, the mini album is produced by Sweetune, comprising Han Jaeho and Kim Seung Soo, who were also responsible for some of the group‘s previous hits such as Rock You, Honey, Mister, Lupin and Step.

To commemorate the release of the five-track album, the quintet will perform all their new songs in a comeback showcase at Seoul‘s Walker Hill Hotel on Aug 22, at 7pm (6pm Malaysian time).

It is said that the event will be streamed live on YouTube. At Press time, there‘s still no official word of the said website but it‘s most likely to be over its official YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/user/DSPKara).

Library group declares war

JUNICHI Okada, a member of J-Pop group V6, will headline director Shinuske’s new sci-fi movie Toshokan Sensou (Library War), reports tokyohive.com.

An adaptation of Hiro Arikawa’s bestseller of the same name which has sold 2.8 million copies to date, this movie is set in the year 2019.

Atsushi Doujou (Okada) heads the group Tosho Tokushu Butai (Library Task Force) which stands up to a government that exercises strict control over the media, be it books, news, movies or TV programmes. War is declared as Tosho

Tokushu Butai aims to defend the citizens’ right to knowledge and uncensored information.

Actress Nana Eikura will play his love interest, Iku Kasahara, a new recruit to the task force.

Love tension

FIVE-MEMBER K-Pop girl group 4Minute, which debuted in Japan in 2010, will release its seventh Japanese single Love Tension on Aug 22, reports dkpopnews.net.

The B-side of the forthcoming single will include the Japanese remake of Volume Up, the title track of its seven-track Korean mini album of the same name that was released in April.

The quintet’s previous Japanese release was the single Ready Go eight months ago, on Dec 7, 2011.

Check out the MV for Love Tension, which premiered on MTV Japan on Aug 4, at www.youtube.com/user/4minuteofficial.

Loen’s summer story

K-RECORD label Loen Tree has jumped onto the bandwagon and released a special mini album for the summer, featuring artistes under its management, reports allkpop.com.

Produced by Lee Min Soo, G.Gorilla (a former member of the rock band Eve), and Ra.D, the five-track album Summer Story features collaborations between the artistes, including solo singers IU, Ga-In (of Brown Eyed Girls), Zia, yet-to-debut girl group Fiestar and underrated group Sunny Hill.

Check out the MV for IU’s Sea Of Moonlight, featuring Fiestar at www.youtube.com/user/LOENENT, (Just type in IU, Fiestar in the search panel).

To protect a killer

J-ACTOR Tatsuya Fujiwara will play a villain in director Takashi Miike’s new movie Wara No Tate (Shield Of Straw), reports tokyohive.com.

An adaptation of Kazuhiro Kiuchi’s novel of the same name, this thriller revolves around five detectives assigned to protect murderer Kunihide Kiyomaru (Fujiwara), who has a bounty on his head.

Newly released from prison for killing a girl, Kiyomaru kills again. But this time, his victim is the grand-daughter of Ninagawa, a powerful politician cum businessman. When the police fail to catch Kiyomaru, Ninagawa announces that he will pay a reward of one billion yen to whoever kills Kiyomaru, Kiyomaru panicked and surrenders to the police in Fukuoka. Five officers are sent to escort and protect him from Fukuoka to Tokyo, a 1,200km journey that is fraught with danger, as everyone is intent on claiming the bounty.

Park in rom-com

K-ACTRESS Park Ha-sun will play the female lead in director Kim Jin-Young’s new movie Tone Deaf Clinic, reports dramabeans.com.

This rom-com is about Dong-joo, who’s tone deaf and believes that the guy she has a crush on will only be interested in her if she can sing. As fate has it, she gets into an argument with a guy who turns out to be vocal coach Shin-hong (Yoon Sang-hyun). He agreed to help but gradually finds himself falling for her.

Zhao Wei’s new project

CHINESE artiste Zhao Wei a.k.a. Vicki Zhao will join the cast of Hong Kong director Stanley Kwan’s new movie Fang Lang Ji, reports  CRIENGLISH.com.

This movie, which also stars Joan Chen, Japanese star Eita and Korean actor Ju Jin-mo, revolves around the rivalry between two actresses, resulting in their lives turning more dramatic than the roles they played.

Kwan was said to have delayed shooting the film in order to wait for Zhao, who’s preoccupied with the post-production work of her directorial debut film, To Our Youth That Is Fading Away.

An adaptation of the novel of the same name, the film depicts a woman and her emotional turmoil after she meets again, years later, two men she was involved in an on-campus love triangle.

Herz Analog’s prelude

K-INDIE singer-songwriter Herz Analog, a former composer of JYP Entertainment recently released his debut mini album, Prelude, reports koreaboo.com.

This eight-track album, which also includes the jazzy, instrumental number Emily, features soft melodies accompanied by soothing vocals.

This effort also features collaboration with Epitone Project (the stage name of K-indie pop singer-musician-producer Cha Se Jung), Kang Hyunjoon, Seo Sobin and Be Sweet.
 

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