Netizens React to Sooyoung's Facebook Pictures

Even though Girls' Generation has left Paris to return to their ongoing tour in Japan, Sooyoung's Paris selcas are still garnering much attention.

Sooyoung's photos from the official SMTown Facebook page, which show a mature yet beautiful side of her, has been catching the eyes of many people. Netizen comments about Sooyoung cover a wide range and include: "Too pretty", "It must have been live?", and "Eye-catching chin". Another reaction was that Sooyoung's jaw was missing, since her chin looked small from the photos.

To stay up to date with the goings on of Girls' Generation and other SM Entertainment artists, visit SM Entertainment's official Facebook page.

Kpop Overtakes Drama as Main Purveyor 0f the Korean Wave

(Clockwise from top left) Super Junior, Big Bang, JYJ, TVXQ and Girls Generation. (Photos courtesy of SM, YG and C-JeS Entertainment)

MANILA, Philippines — A decade ago, Korean dramas were the main driver of hallyu, or the Korean wave, with such hits “Winter Sonata,” “Jewel in the Palace,” “My Name is Kim Sam Soon” and “Coffee Prince.”

But with the explosion of the internet and social networking sites such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter in the past few years, Korean pop music, or K-pop, has overtaken Korean dramas to become the top purveyor of the Korean wave worldwide.

The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) has released the results of its survey in connection with the 10th anniversary of its website.

The survey, conducted in May, had 12,085 non-Korean respondents, 90 percent of whom were women, from 102 countries through the KTO’s website, email, Twitter and Facebook, according to Korea Herald.

The respondents were asked which hallyu aspect that interested them the most. Of the total participants, 53.3 percent, or 6,441 respondents, chose K-pop.

On the other hand, 33.2 percent, or 4,012, chose Korean TV dramas while Korean films interested 6.2 percent, or 749 respondents. The remaining 7.1 percent, or 858 respondents, chose others that include Korean TV shows, Korean food and shopping.

Asians comprised 77 percent of the survey respondents while the rest came from Europe, North America, Africa and Oceania.

Almost half, or 49 percent, of the respondents were in their 20′s while 18 percent were in their 30′s. Teenagers comprised 17 percent while 8 percent were in their 40s and 6 percent in their 50′s.

The respondents were also asked to pick hallyu stars they dream to be their travel buddies in Korea and nine of the top 10 picks were K-pop stars.

Boy band Super Junior came as top choice by 13 percent of the respondents.Big Bang came at second with 9 percent and JYJ at No. 3 with 7 percent.

TVXQ was at No. 4 with 5 percent and Girls Generation at No. 5 with 4 percent.

Completing the top 10 were Jang Geun Suk at No. 6 followed by Kim Hyun Joong, SHINee, Hyun Bin and 2PM. Hyun Bin, who starred in “My Name is Kim Sam Soon” and “Secret Garden,” is the only actor that landed in the top 10.

By language spoken by the respondents, English speakers chose Super Juniorwhile the Japanese respondents picked Bae Yong Joon, who has a massive following in Japan.

Another SM Town in Tokyo Special Edition

Hello, Bigeasts!

The new concert date for SMTOWN LIVE in TOKYO SPECIAL EDITION】has been announced. Moreover, in response to your passionate supports, we have decided upon an additional performance as:

＜Summary of the Concert＞
■Title
"SMTOWN LIVE in TOKYO SPECIAL EDITION"

■Artists
KANGTA/BoA/Tohoshinki/SUPER JUNIOR/SNSD/SHINee/f(x)/J-Min and more

■Date
Sept 2 (Fri), 2011 Doors open 15：30　Start 17：30

■Venue
Tokyo Dome

■Tickets
http://tickebo.jp/1106-smt02/

■Period
June 20 (Mon), 2011, 18：00 ～ July 4 (Mon) 12:00

■Price
12,800yen (including tax)
※Stick lights will be included 　※1 applicaton／up to 2 tickets

■System charge
450yen / ticket (including tax)

AKB48 Blog Posts About Girls' Generation

After members of Japanese girl group AKB48 went to see Girls' Generation in concert in Tokyo on June 18th, AKB48 member Matsubara Natsumi blogged about how good the girls were. Other AKB48 members who were with Matsubara at the concert have also posted their thoughts about Girls' Generation on their individual blogs, and you can read the translations below.

Komori Mika

Good evening ・ω・

Today, I was allowed

to go watch Girls' Generation's

concert!!!!!

It was amazing(*´∀｀*)!!!

I'm addicted!

Everyone is way too cute!

Plus their style is good,

their figures are tall and slender,

they also sing well too;

it was so exciting♪

Moreover

Mi-chan and Cole (TL note: She's referencing to herself in third person, and mentions someone else as well.)

we did our best ・ω・♪ww

It was a lot of funーー！

I was able to

study a lot of things!

I want to go watch it again (*´∀｀*)♪

I reeally admire Girls' Generation ´ー｀*shine*

Everyone was really cuteーー！

Yoona-san

Sooyoung-san

Jessica-san

Seohyun-san

amazing~ ＼(^o^)／

Nonaka Misato



This evening, Team O g i,
these 8 people
were allowed to go to Girls' Generation's LIVE♪

There performance was really wonderful (:_!

Everyone's style was perfect, they were cute, good at singing, and their skilled at dancing too (>_<)

There were a lot of parts that I was attracted to(´Д`)

I was able to learn a lot!!!!!!

Watching their performance and how they transferred their feelings while on stage, was a ton of fun for me too.

LIVEs are good
I want to do a LIVE

Singing is wonderful p(^^)q
I've become really hyper o(＞＜)o

Everyone from Girls' Generation
Thank you for your hard work (´Ｖ`)

You were all really cool (>_<)

I want to go to a lot of your LIVE ★

Kikuchi Ayaka

I went to Girls' Generation's live!

Wwoooowwww

I seriously learned a WHOLE lot of things.

Though, as expected before all else, they were especially skilled at dancing.

I recieved a shock at how amazingly beautiful their style is. (´;ω;`)

And,

I was overwhelmed (laughing)(crying)

Abababababaaaaa (TL note: This is a sound indicating she's halfway in between crying and laughing.)

I've gotten a bit fatter~

I've got to slim down more~

I've want to become prettier

I've got to improve myself more

I've got to try harder

I really felt a lot of different emotions~ <3<3

The shock was really huge.

It was also really pretty when they danced together.
I was so so so moved.

I was happy to go to Girls' Generation's live, whom I really really love.

I want to go again.

*****

Ota Aika



SNSD-tan

Good evening.★

This is Rabu-tan. (Love)

Today I went to see Girls' Generation's concert～w(°O°)w

They were super cute (。・ω・。)

I was moved

It was fun

I love Girls' Generation-san

When all 9 members performed together I was moved. +。(*′∇｀)。+゜

I thought that Watarirouka also has to work hard (>_<)

Because I learned a lot, I will make use of it next time (^・ェ・)

Next time I'll go to more concerts of artists and idols to learn from them and get myself motivated. (-ω-)

I want to have slender legs (。・ω・。)

Tomorrow we'll have a handshake event at Makuhari Messe.

I'm wondering about what I should wear.

Bye bye bye (*)ノ

*****

Nakagawa Haruka



I'll keep working hard too! Haru-gon blog (^ε^)-☆Chu!!

Good evening ヾ(=^▽^ノ

Today we all went to watch Girls' Generation's live performance!!!

I learned a lot!

About dancing, singing and the way of displaying yourself...

In order to be able to have a lovely performance like Girls' Generation I'll keep working hard!

I really thought of going again!!!

I also want to go again!

I need to improve in a lot of areas for people to say that to me. (＞＜)

Everyone was really cute (o^∀^o)

And their faces were small
and they have great style!

I'll also do my best dieting ↑↑

So everyone tomorrow is the handshake event

Please don't be late and come (^_-)

I'll be waiting

*****

Hirajima Natsumi

I got shivers!! ∩(^∀^*) Nacchan

Today I went to Girls' Generation's Japan first tour.

From the opening already their aura was amazing, and I got goosebumps

They really shined.

In a flash the 3 hours were over!

After the performance when they greeted us they said they knew AKB and it made me happy.

We also want to have such a lovely performance like Girls' Generation.

Ｎatsu(・A・)ノ

The Kpop Craze Has Korean Entertainment Agencies Stock Prices Rising

With a Korean idol concert setting alight a craze in Europe, the prices of domestic entertainment agencies’ stocks have risen.

In the KOSDAQ market, SM Entertainment, with singers such as Girls’ Generation, TVXQ and Super Junior, ended on the 13th with a 3.24% increase at 19,100 Won. As the agency’s Paris performance attracted 14,000 European Hallyu fans, many believe that this ‘second Hallyu Wave’ in Europe will continue to cause stock prices to rise.

JYP Entertainment, with singers such as 2PM, 2AM and the Wondergirls, ended the day with a 14.95% increase at 3,230 Won. YG Entertainment, with singers such as Big Bang and 2NE1, will soon be entering the KOSDAQ market, possibly meaning that an ‘idol triumvirate’ will emerge in the stock market.

The profitability and growth possibility of domestic entertainment agencies are currently being revised.

Daewoo Securities researcher Moon Ji Hyun stated, “Even before the Paris concert, K-pop’s popularity was recognized in Asia and in the US. It is currently expanding through social network services(SNS) such as Youtube and Facebook,” and “In the past, growth was limited in the domestic music industry because of its small size, but now with the possibility of income from the European market that was opened through the recent Paris performance, there is a positive chance of growth for the entertainment industry.“

According to the Korean Contents Security Agency, the biggest music industries of the world in 2009 belonged to Europe(33.9%), Norther America(27.1%) and Japan(21.7%).