SPEED, arguably the most popular Japanese all-girls pop group in late 90s, is officially back with their 16th single, “S.P.D” on May 27 after years of hiatus. Some promotional images below… [MV was deleted from Youtube unfortunately]
Entertainment snippets from other sources…
Intro2009, China’s 1st electronic music-fest [Cfensi]
Korea – 15 models you might want to know [RCA]
Korea – Rain and Lee Hyori performed at Kyung Hee University (pic) [K-popped]
Korea – Veteran actress Yeo Woon-kye dies at 69. RIP. [Stareastasia]
Korea – Seo In-young in Paris Hilton-like reality show [K-popped]
Trailer – Zhang Ziyi tries comedy with “Sophie’s Revenge” [Youtube]
UK – Diversity’s winning dance performance at “British Got Talent” [Youtube]
US – Wayne Allwine, voice of Mickey Mouse, dies at 62. RIP. [BBC]
Korean actress Shin Ae, 27, got married to her non-celeb husband, 29, on Thursday (May 28) at Seoul’s Walkerhill Hotel. Sharing a few of the bride’s photos, released via Kama Studio [Kr]… [hat tip to Jazzholic]
It’s summer time… Korean pop star Lee Hyori posed for InStyle [Kr] magazine (June 2009 issue) in sizzling fashion; photographed by Ryoo Hyung-won…
Korean music video of “L.O.V.E” from Brown Eyed Girls, a hit song from their “With L.O.V.E” mini album which was released in January 2008…
Didn’t pay much attention to the song when it was released, but somehow liking it a lot recently [video credits to bluejaymiesky@youtube]
Winners of the 62nd Cannes Film Festival. Not a bad outing for Asian films… Filipino director Brillante Mendoza won best director, Chinese director Lou Ye won best screenplay, while Korean director Park Chan-wook won a jury prize.
Feature films
Golden Palm – “The White Ribbon”, directed by Michael Haneke
Grand Prix – “A Prophet”, directed by Jacques Audiard
Best director – Brillante Mendoza, “Kinatay”
Best screenplay – Lou Ye, “Spring Fever”
Best actress – Charlotte Gainsbourg, “Antichrist”
Best actor – Christoph Waltz, “Inglorious Basterds”
Jury prize – “Fish Tank”, by Andrea Arnold / “Thirst”, by Park Chan-wook
Lifetime achievement award – “Wild Grass”, directed by Alain Resnais
Short films
Golden Palm – “Arena”, directed by João Salaviza
Special distinction – “The Six Dollar Fifty Man”, by Louis Sutherland, Mark Albiston
Other Cannes Film Festival 2009 articles: Photos [1] ~ Photos [2]
Meet Sorrawee Nattee, 20, a university student who was crowned the 12th Miss Tiffany’s Universe in Pattaya, Thailand, on May 16.
The Miss Tiffany’s Universe is an annual beauty contest for Thai transvestites which is broadcast live on National Thai television with an average of 15 million viewers.
The event aims to promote Pattaya as a major tourist destination as well as promoting a positive transvestite image to the local and international public.
Thailand is probably the most social tolerable nation towards transvestites (albeit not legally). I don’t think there’s any other country that came close to being as acceptance as the Thais in this matter.
Japanese horror story writer Koji Suzuki has teamed up with Hayashi Paper to publish his latest work, “Drop”, on toilet papers.
Suzuki is famed for horror stories like “Ring” and “Dark Water” which were adapted into Japanese and Hollywood films.
Drop is set in a public restroom; the story uses up about three feet of a roll and can be read in just a few minutes. The paper roll sells for 210 yen ($2.20 USD) apiece [via Brb]
Printing on toilet papers is nothing new in Japan, but it’s probably a first for horror story. It could prove an unexpected hit with constipation a common issue among Japanese; it might just scare the shit out of the folks.