Repost: Kim Sae Ron’s Husband Denies Assault, Blackmail, and Pregnancy Allegations

Image courtesy of www.koreaboo.com

Source: www.koreaboo.com

On March 25, 2025, Kim Sae Ron‘s husband released a statement through Garo Sero Research Institute about his late wife. He denied previous allegations of assault and blackmail from YouTuber Lee Jin Ho and Kim Sae Ron’s ex-boyfriend.

He revealed a photo of their marriage certificate as proof.

Image courtesy of www.koreaboo.com

"Hello. This is the late Kim Sae Ron’s husband. I wondered if it was right for me to step up because I am still in pain, and unable to get out of my own feelings. I wondered if I would be causing damage to Sae Ron and her bereaved. Although I carefully considered it a few times, there have been so many distorted facts that are being spread, thanks to a couple of forces. I made the judgement that severe slander of the deceased was happening, and have written this statement in order to set the facts straight.

I was just living life as I did, an ordinary person, when I met Kim Sae Ron around mid-to-late November 2024, thanks to an introduction from an acquaintance. Thanks to having strong attraction to each other despite the short time, we got married legally in America, where I live, on January 12, 2025, with only witnesses present. Later, we decided to void the marriage upon agreement from both parties, due to the fact that we got married too quickly without serious consideration out of having fallen in love, as well as due to practical problems of a long-distance relationship, and differences in personalities."  — Kim Sae Ron’s husband

Kim Sae Ron’s husband claimed that his house in America made assault rather impossible. Furthermore, Kim Sae Ron visited him 3 times in America. He reasoned that if he was abusive, she could simply cease to visit.

1. Regarding Assault

"The house I am currently residing in, in America, is a quiet apartment complex with very weak soundproofing. It is built such that if assault had taken place, the floor below would immediately make a report. In addition, assault in America results in strong legal responsibility. I am someone who has received a thorough upbringing in America. After I met Kim Sae Ron for the first time, from November 2024 to February 2025, we have met up a total of 4 times. Apart from the irst time I met her in November 2024, as I have to go to work, the last three times were when she came to visit me in America every month. If assault and incarceration had taken place, why would Kim Sae Ron voluntarily come to America each time? For myself, I also felt sorry that she had to sit through a long flight and go through the strict immigrations procedure at the airport, so I did my best financially and emotionally for her, so that she would be content whenever she visited America.

They said they had photos of the physical abuse, and I urge them to publicize the photos if they have them. If necessary, I will undergo police investigations." — Kim Sae Ron’s husband

Kim Sae Ron’s husband admitted that they openly shared information such as their social media accounts with each other. He claimed that these were mutually agreed upon due to their long-distance relationship.

2. Regarding my monitoring of her

"As we were in a long-distance relationship, we did not restrict access to each other’s handphones and social media accounts in terms of passwords. In actuality, Kim Sae Ron used my phone to contact people many times, and we freely shared our passwords with each other, and more, in order to build trust as a married couple. I can tell you that in actuality, we exchanged our passwords, etc, through DMs, as well as wrote promises to each other as a couple, and were also open with other information as agreed between us mutually.

Whenever she was in America, she was always with me, and we shared everything with each other, without secrets. I am in suspicion how they portrayed this as me “monitoring her moves,” but I think that this is a mutually-agreeable choice you can make as a couple. I can prove this with a written agreement we made as a couple." — Kim Sae Ron’s husband

He furthered that she had never been pregnant, and he had never blackmailed her into marriage as such.

"Kim Sae Ron’s Husband Claims She Was Never Pregnant"

Last but not least, he had faced threats recently by an anonymous source who claimed to be Kim Sae Ron’s cousin. Upon threat of legal action, they immediately ceased contact.

"Lastly, on March 18, 2025, someone contacted me anonymously, claiming to be Kim Sae Ron’s acquaintance. I will show you the message I received from them. I continued to talk to them, as I believed them to be someone I knew, but they lied and said that they were her older male cousin, and tried to provoke me multiple times, asking me about falsehoods such as why I assaulted her, blackmailed her, etc. When I said that I would be taking legal actions, they immediately stopped contacting me. If needed, I will request for a fair and just police inspection. Please immediately cease the spread of falsehoods about a deceased person’s personal life." — Kim Sae Ron’s husband

He ends off beseeching Lee Jin Ho and the others who have spoken up, to stop the spread of alleged falsehoods against the late star. You can read more about the initial allegations made about her personal life below.

South Korea's Sex Change Doctor: I Correct 'God's Mistakes'

Dr. Kim Seok-Kwun, 61, talks with an unidentified patient at Dong-A University Hospital in Busan, South Korea. Dr. Kim is a pioneer in slowly changing views on sexuality and gender in the country, where many have long considered even discussions of sexuality a taboo. As Dr. Kim begins what will be 11 hours of surgery meant to create a functioning penis for a Buddhist nun, he is well aware of the unease his work creates in this deeply conservative country. The devout Protestant known as the “father of South Korean transgender people” once wrestled with similar feelings. “I’ve decided to defy God’s will,” Kim said in an interview before the nun’s recent successful surgery to become a man.

Image courtesy of www.ph.news.yahoo.com

Source: www.ph.news.yahoo.com

In this March 11, 2014 photo, Harisu, South Korea’s most famous transsexual entertainer, poses for a photo during an interview in Seoul, South Korea. Harisu, Dr. Kim Seok-Kwun's best known patient, said in an interview that the pain she felt after her 1995 male-to-female surgery “was like a hammer hitting your genitals.” But days later, when she left the hospital, she felt reborn, comparing her transformation to the Disney film “The Little Mermaid,” where a mermaid gives up her fish tail in exchange for human legs and eventual happiness. Kim is a pioneer in slowly changing views on sexuality and gender in South Korea, where many have long considered even discussions of sexuality a taboo.

Images courtesy of www.ph.news.yahoo.com

BUSAN, South Korea (AP) — As Dr. Kim Seok-Kwun begins surgery to create a functioning penis for a Buddhist monk who was born female, he is well aware of the unease his work creates in this deeply conservative country. The devout Protestant known as the "father of South Korean transgender people" once wrestled with similar feelings.

"I've decided to defy God's will," Kim, 61, said in an interview before the monk's recent successful surgery to become a man. "At first, I agonized over whether I should do these operations because I wondered if I was defying God. I was overcome with a sense of shame. But my patients desperately wanted these surgeries. Without them, they'd kill themselves."

Kim is a pioneer in slowly changing views on sexuality and gender in South Korea, where many have long considered even discussions of sexuality a taboo. He has conducted about 320 sex change operations over the past 28 years, widely believed to be the most by any single doctor in the country.

Kim said the monk, who underwent 11 hours of surgery, did not want to be interviewed for fear of offending Buddhist believers at his temple. The doctor said the monk has been taking hormone therapy and has been living as a man for a long time.

When Kim first started doing the surgeries in the 1980s, his pastor objected. Friends and fellow doctors joked that he was going to hell if he didn't stop. He now feels a great sense of achievement for helping people who feel trapped in the wrong body. He believes he's correcting what he calls God's mistakes.

"Some people are born without genitals or with cleft lips or with no ears or with their fingers stuck together. Why does God create people like this? Aren't these God's mistakes?" Kim said. "And isn't a mismatched sexual identity a mistake, too?"

A strong bias against sexual minorities persists in South Korea, the result of lingering Confucian beliefs that children should never damage the bodies they received from their parents; a large, vocal conservative Christian community; and past military-backed dictatorships that ignored minority voices.

Sex change operations "are a blasphemy against God and make the world a more miserable place," said the Rev. Hong Jae Chul, president of the Seoul-based Christian Council of Korea. He called Kim's remarks "cursed and deplorable."

Kim, a plastic surgeon at Dong-A University Hospital in the southeastern port city of Busan, specializes in fixing facial deformities. He began doing sex change operations in 1986 after several men wearing women's clothing visited him separately and asked him to construct vaginas for them. The first visitor had already had his penis removed, Kim said.

Kim initially turned them away because he knew nothing about sex change surgery. But he kept thinking about their pleas, studied foreign publications and began performing the surgeries a year later.

His best known patient is South Korea's most famous transsexual entertainer, Harisu, who had Kim officiate at her 2007 wedding to a male singer.

Harisu, who only uses a single name, said in an interview at a Seoul coffee shop that the pain she felt after her 1995 male-to-female surgery "was like a hammer hitting your genitals." But days later, when she left the hospital, she felt reborn, comparing her transformation to the Disney film "The Little Mermaid," where a mermaid gives up her fish tail in exchange for human legs and eventual happiness.

Many of Kim's earliest patients were in their 40s and 50s. Sometimes parents showed up just before surgeries, furious and threatening to disown their children.

Today, most of his sex-change patients are in their early 20s, and sometimes their parents agree to pay for the surgery. Male-to-female procedures cost 11 million to 15 million won ($10,210 to $13,920), and the more difficult female-to-male procedures cost 31 million won ($28,760).

The changes in his clientele reflect changes in South Koreans' views of sexual minorities.

Several gay-themed movies and TV dramas have become hits. An actor once banned from show business because of his homosexuality is working again. A well-known male movie director symbolically tied the knot with his male partner last year in what was the first high-profile ceremony of its kind in South Korea, which still doesn't legally recognize same-sex marriage.

At the same time, activists say transsexuals remain likely to face harassment, abuse or insults, and many suffer from depression and have attempted suicide. The conservative government of President Park Geun-hye, which took office in early 2013, said it would create a broad anti-discrimination law, but there's been no major progress.

In 2012, vehement protests by conservative activists and Christian groups forced a TV channel to scrap a talk show program featuring transgender people after airing its first segment.

Transgender people who want to legally change their gender also face obstacles in South Korea. The Supreme Court suggests that judges allow such changes only for those who have undergone sex change operations, have lost reproductive capability, are not married and have no underage children.

The lack of any binding rules has led transsexuals to flock to judges rumored to be less strict about approving gender change requests, according to Hahn Chae Yoon, leader of the Korean Sexual-Minority Culture and Rights Center in Seoul.

Last year a Seoul court approved gender change requests for five people even though they hadn't yet completed their female-to-male procedures, something previously deemed necessary. Since then, about 30 other people in similar situations have been allowed by the court to legally change their sex, according to court officials.

Kim requires his candidates for surgery to get testimony from at least two psychiatrists showing a diagnosis of gender identity disorder. They're asked to live for more than one year in the other gender's clothing and hairstyle and to get parental approval. Of his 320 sex change operations, about 210 are male-to-female, the rest female to male.

Many patients see the operation as a matter of life or death. Before her surgery, Harisu, the transsexual entertainer, signed a document acknowledging that she knew she could die during surgery, though Kim said none of his sex-change operations have gone so horribly wrong.

"If I had lived as a man without undergoing a sex change operation, I might be dead already," Harisu said. "I was already a woman except for my genitals. I didn't want to live an awkward life with those genitals ... I'm a woman, so I wanted to live as a woman."

Kim Chiu Off to College

Image courtesy of www.mb.com.ph

Source: www.mb.com.ph

It’s such a breath of fresh air when you hear somebody busy and successful as Kim Chiu decide to continue school.

I was with the actress-singer recently in Bantay, Ilocos Sur for an event and she told me she has enrolled herself in UP Diliman’s online school. She is so excited about it, relating how the set-up allows her to both work and study at the same time. That is, as long as she can sacrifice at least one day a week to attend regular classes personally.

Kim is taking up business management, a four-year course. “I am so happy I got accepted in UP Diliman, I took the entrance exams last August and passed and I have already enrolled. I chose business management because I own several business franchises including Julie’s Bakeshop and Potato Corner. My sister Lakam has been managing these for some time now but I want to try and manage one myself someday, like a restaurant or something.”

While preparing for our spot, I noticed that Kim eats a lot and I was quite amazed given how svelte she is. There were rumors that she doesn’t eat to maintain her figure but the rumormongers were dead wrong.

I asked the teen idol if her dad William Chiu, who is a known businessman in Mindoro, inspired her to take up business management, and she said, “Yes. Marami ng business tinayo tatay ko. I cannot recall anymore which ones were successful and which ones failed, basta marami. Meron rice mill, piggery, sibuyasan, clothes, kambingan, talyer, manukan…’yung bakery niya, ’yun talaga ang nag-boom. All my relatives are into different kind of businesses, it’s in our blood, I guess.”

Kim’s mom, Louella Chiu passed away two years ago. I asked her if she thinks her mom is now like an angel watching over her, and she said, “I think so. When my mom died while I was filming ‘Bakit Hindi Ka Crush Ng Crush Mo,’ I was really devastated. But the movie earned 100 million in the box-office and the next one, ‘Bride For Rent’ earned 300 million. I also started winning awards. Early this month, my newly-released album topped the music charts. I think my mom had a hand on it. Maybe she told God to help me.”

Repost: Kim Jaejoong Pranks with Covid-19 Infection for April Fool's Day Joke

Image courtesy of www.soompi.com

Source: www.soompi.com

JYJ’s Kim Jaejoong has now posted an apology letter on his Instagram after falsely announcing that he had COVID-19 on April Fool’s Day.

His letter is as follows:

I am also personally aware that it was something that shouldn’t be done.

First, over the social media post I wrote, I want to express my sincere apologies to the people who have suffered because of COVID-19 and to the people who were disrupted in their administrative work.

Bad judgment. I knew that’s what this was.

Awareness of response methods and the dangerousness of the current virus outbreak.

I wanted to convey that message because I hoped that people would be more aware and therefore we could minimize the number of people who suffer because of COVID-19.

It’s so scary to think that things like people spending time outside in the warm weather as spring arrives, or coming in contact with others in an enclosed space while making use of leisurely time as the start of the semester is postponed, could cause a secondary or tertiary resurgence in COVID-19 cases.

My father also recently had lung cancer surgery and he went to the hospital often.

When I saw the medical staff and patients at the hospital, I felt a bit angry and I wished that people thought of the virus as not someone else’s problem, but their own problem.

Contrary to the people who actually are working hard to get us out of COVID-19, there are many people who enjoy their leisure time while dressing just as usual and not wearing a mask. When I heard that, I thought there needed to be more awareness.

In many different kinds of media and on the internet, there are both big and small requests for people to take caution, but there are people who do not listen to that, and I wanted to convey the dangerousness of the current situation to them one way or another. “Please, listen. Please. Don’t get sick.”

There are also confirmed cases among the people I know. This made me feel certain that this is not something that is happening far away, and it made me more scared.

Self-reflecting after losing someone is no help at all.

It’s frustrating and hard but I want to try a bit harder than now and get through this difficult time together. My post today… it went very far, but I thought that if people paid a large amount of interest to it, then they might listen. This method has hurt a lot of people and I am receiving criticism for it.

For causing distress, I sincerely apologize to the government agencies and medical professionals who are working hard because of COVID-19 and to the many people who are following instructions to give up on their lifestyles and are doing all they can to overcome this.

Original Article:

On April 1, JYJ’s Kim Jaejoong took to his personal Instagram account to write that he had tested positive for COVID-19 (novel coronavirus).

I have been infected with COVID-19. It is a result of my negligence, ignoring the cautionary words shared by the government and those around me.

A person’s individual actions can have such a big impact on society as a whole. I am so sorry to those who may have been infected because of me.

My foolish judgment to live as though it couldn’t happen to me is why I am like this today. I am currently hospitalized. I am reflecting on my past a lot and feeling both grateful and sorry.

There are many things I want to say. There are many people I want to see so much.

His agency CJeS Entertainment released a statement that they were currently trying to confirm the news as he is in Japan.

Soon after, Kim Jaejoong edited the caption on the same Instagram post to clarify that he did not have COVID-19. His statement reads as follows:

What if the people we love, someone precious to us, contracted the virus?

It’s such a heart-wrenching thing to think about.

Despite this, so many people walk the streets and live their lives without their guards up, ignoring it… and thinking it won’t happen to them, and it makes me so worried that my family and friends might get sick. Believing that we and the people around us will be safe will end up making us and everything around us sick.

Currently, a growing number of my acquaintances and industry representatives are being tested positive. It is not something that is far away.

When negligence turns a sad premonition into reality, it’s not something that we can simply end by wiping our tears away.

Staying on alert right now.. That is what I say to myself again and again.

Although this did go quite far for April Fool’s Day, so many people worried about me in a short span of time.

Oh… and I don’t think of this as an April Fool’s joke. My family and my friends are getting sick.. and dying.. It’s never!! just someone else’s problem. I wanted to tell you that protecting myself is protecting the precious people around us.

I will accept all punishment I receive from this post. I hope all of you are healthy.

Repost: Kim Young-sam, Former President of South Korea, Dies at 87

Source: www.nytimes.com
By Choe Sang-Hun

SEOUL, South Korea — Kim Young-sam, the former president of South Korea who replaced the last of the country’s military leaders, purged politicized generals and introduced a landmark reform aimed at transparency in financial transactions, died on Sunday. He was 87.

Mr. Kim, who was president from 1993 to 1998, died of sepsis and heart failure, said Oh Byung-hee, the chief of Seoul National University Hospital, where Mr. Kim was admitted with a fever on Friday. He had been treated for a series of strokes and pneumonia in recent years.

Mr. Kim, an outspoken critic of military dictators from the 1960s through the 1980s, was one of the “three Kims” — the others were former President Kim Dae-jung and former Prime Minister Kim Jong-pil — who played major roles, often relying on regional support from their home provinces, during South Korea’s turbulent transition from dictatorship to democracy.

Mr. Kim was born in 1927, a son of a rich anchovy fisherman on Geoje Island, off the southeast coast of South Korea, during a time when all of the Korean Peninsula was a Japanese colony. He was elected to Parliament at age 26 and developed a following as an opposition leader famed for his daring criticism of Park Chung-hee, who seized power in a coup in 1961 and tortured and imprisoned dissidents before his assassination in 1979.

Mr. Park had Mr. Kim expelled from Parliament for criticizing his dictatorship during an interview with The New York Times in 1979. Mr. Kim’s colleagues resigned from Parliament in protest, and huge antigovernment demonstrations broke out in Mr. Kim’s political home ground in the southeast. Mr. Park was assassinated by his spy chief later that year.

Mr. Kim’s travails continued when Mr. Park was replaced by Chun Doo-hwan, an army major general who engineered a coup to fill the power vacuum left by his patron’s death. Mr. Kim was barred from politics and put under house arrest. He once staged a 23-day hunger strike.

“Dawn will come even if the rooster is strangled,” he once said, a saying that became a catchphrase for Koreans’ yearning for democracy.

Mr. Kim was as well known for a lifetime rivalry with Kim Dae-jung, a fellow opposition leader from the southwest Jeolla region. They both ran for president in 1987 in South Korea’s first democratic election and split the opposition vote, allowing Mr. Chun’s handpicked successor, Roh Tae-woo, another former army general, to win.

In 1990, Mr. Kim merged his party with Mr. Roh’s military-backed governing party in a move widely condemned as a betrayal of pro-democracy forces. The merger was a political marriage of convenience: Mr. Roh wanted a parliamentary majority, and Mr. Kim, who distrusted Kim Dae-jung as much as he detested the military dictators, believed that he would never win the presidency as long as the other Mr. Kim competed with him for the opposition vote.

Once in the governing party, whose top hierarchy included many former generals, Mr. Kim and his followers, vastly outnumbered by rival factions but all seasoned veterans in party politics, quickly expanded their ranks and dominated the party.

Mr. Kim beat Kim Dae-jung in the 1992 election to become the first civilian leader in South Korea in more than three decades.

Although he won the election with the support of the military-backed party, Mr. Kim did not forget his roots. He purged a clique of politically ambitious army officers who went by the name Hanahoe, which roughly meant “an association of one-for-all, all-for-one.” Bound by their regional prejudices and sponsored by the military dictators, the members of the group were so powerful they blackmailed — and even beat up — members of Parliament. The officers were forced to retire.

Mr. Kim’s military purge culminated in the arrest and conviction of Mr. Chun and Mr. Roh on mutiny and corruption charges for their roles in the 1979 coup and a bloody crackdown on a pro-democracy uprising in the following year, as well as for collecting hundreds of millions of dollars each in bribes from businessmen. (Mr. Kim later pardoned them and released them from prison.)

Mr. Kim also barred South Koreans from owning bank accounts under pseudonyms. That change is considered one of the most important landmarks in South Korea’s long-running campaign against corruption; bank accounts under borrowed names had been widely used by politicians and businessmen to hide slush funds.

But Mr. Kim’s time in office was also marked by missed opportunities.

In his memoir, Mr. Kim said he persuaded President Bill Clinton to cancel the United States’ plan to bomb North Korea’s nuclear facilities in 1994 for fear of war.

“Looking back,” Mr. Kim said in an interview in 2009, “I think the North Koreans think they can say whatever they want because no matter what they do, the Americans will never attack them.”

The 1994 nuclear crisis was defused when former President Jimmy Carter met with the North Korean leader at the time, Kim Il-sung, in Pyongyang, the North’s capital, and brokered what would have been the first summit meeting between the leaders of the two Koreas. But Kim Il-sung died of heart failure in July 1994, two weeks before the meeting was scheduled to take place. ”Fate played a trick on me,” Mr. Kim said. “If I had met Kim Il-sung, I would have changed the nation’s history.”

The achievement that had eluded him — becoming the first South Korean leader to hold a summit meeting with the North — went to his rival and successor, Kim Dae-jung. In 2000, Kim Dae-jung flew to Pyongyang and met with Kim Jong-il, Kim Il-sung’s son and successor. That year, Kim Dae-jung was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

By the time Kim Young-sam ended his five-year term in early 1998, he was a sad, disgraced lame duck.

In 1997, South Korea’s proud economy swallowed the humiliation of a $58 billion bailout from the International Monetary Fund during the Asian financial crisis. Mr. Kim was criticized for failing to prevent the crisis by overhauling the country’s powerful family-run conglomerates, which had expanded on reckless borrowing and with cozy ties to the government.

With thousands of people losing their jobs, Mr. Kim stopped jogging in the early morning, a daily routine that he had never missed until then.

Mr. Kim’s reputation was further tarnished with the arrest of a son on corruption charges. His governing party was so unpopular that South Koreans were ready to hand over power to the opposition for the first time, as they did with the election of Kim Dae-jung in late 1997.

Mr. Kim is survived by his wife, two sons and three daughters.

Repost: YouTuber Claims Kim Sae Ron Was Married and Got Pregnant Prior to Death

Images courtesy of Instagram: ron_sae

Source: www.allkpop.com

On March 19th, YouTuber Lee Jin Ho released a shocking video titled "The Truth Hidden by late Kim Sae Ron’s Family." In the video, Lee addressed the recent lawsuit filed against him by late Kim Sae Ron’s family, stating that he is willing to take responsibility and apologize if he is found at fault.

Recently, the YouTube channel Garo Sero Research Institute claimed that Lee Jin Ho created content about the late actress Kim Sae Ron under the direction of her former agency, Golden Medalist. However, Lee firmly denied these allegations, stating that he did not act under any instructions from Golden Medalist. Lee also addressed allegations that “over 100 media outlets were contacted about Kim Sae Ron’s situation, but none of them published an article.” He stated that this claim is false and misleading.

The most startling revelation in Lee’s video was the claim that Kim Sae Ron had been secretly married. He presented Kim’s January 8th Instagram post captioned “Marry” as evidence of this alleged marriage. At the time, Kim explained that the post was just a snapshot taken with a friend and denied being married. However, Lee claimed this was not true and proceeded to share an alleged recorded conversation between Kim Sae Ron and her agency representative.

Image courtesy of www.allkpop.com

In the recording, Kim was asked, “What’s with that picture?” to which she reportedly replied, “My boyfriend posted it, not me.” The agency representative allegedly responded, “Is he crazy? I’ve been denying this, so you need to give me a straight answer. He’s going to post it again, right? You’re coming back to Korea on the 10th, aren’t you?” Kim then answered, “I’m coming back to Korea on the 13th, so I’ll arrive on the 14th.”

The conversation allegedly continued with the agency representative asking, “Where are you?” and Kim replying, “My boyfriend lives in New York.” When pressed about whether she was in a relationship or married, Kim reportedly confirmed, “Yes, we already got married overseas.”

Kim also allegedly revealed that she had a previous relationship with an ex-boyfriend referred to as 'B,' which ended due to company issues. According to the recording, Kim said that she had become pregnant with her current boyfriend but later had an abortion, which ultimately led to their marriage. Her current boyfriend is said to be a corporate employee in New York, whom she met through a mutual acquaintance. Kim also allegedly stated that her boyfriend was managing her social media accounts, including Instagram, and had posted the “Marry” post without her full consent before deleting it.

Lee also claimed that Kim’s hospitalization following a suicide attempt resulted in medical expenses exceeding 20 million KRW (approximately $15,000), which were not covered by her family but instead by her agency. He urged late Kim’s family to clarify the facts surrounding this matter.

Lee Jin Ho concluded by revealing that Kim’s family had also raised issues about her past relationship with actor Kim Soo Hyun. However, he emphasized that Kim had married her current boyfriend in the United States and suggested that more transparency was needed from late Kim’s family regarding the situation.

The allegations and revelations made by Lee Jin Ho have sparked significant public interest and controversy. Late Kim Sae Ron’s family and her former agency have yet to respond to Lee’s claims.

Video courtesy of YouTube: 연예 뒤통령이진호

Lifestyles of the Rich and Stingy

Image courtesy of www.tarnzierulez.edublogs.org

Source: www.inquirer.net

Celebs lead such charmed lives, you may be surprised to know that most of them have a kuripot streak. Just like lesser mortals, their gross spending doesn’t always match their net income.

Take, for instance, this young TV host/actress who demands to split the bill every time she dines out with friends—as in, she makes sure everyone pays the exact same amount. Or, the wife of a seasoned actor who buys fake branded shirts for her hubby’s TV appearances. There’s also this former matinee idol who relies on ex-deals for almost everything—from hotel accommodations to groceries.

There’s nothing wrong with being frugal. After all, it’s not how much you earn but how much you save. This is especially true in the unpredictable world of show biz, where you can be a millionaire today and a pauper tomorrow. The trappings of success can indeed be a trap. It reminds me of a poster which says: “Money talks! All mine says is goodbye!”

Work hard, spend moderately, live easy!

Read on and see how some celebs scrimp. Why not do the same—so you can stop asking yourself after each payday, “Where did my money go?”

Pops Fernandez

I must say that I always avoid splurging unnecessarily. I don’t think the term for me is kuripot. I’d rather say I’m practical. It’s hard-earned money; I want to spend it wisely.

Ogie Alcasid

I am kuripot only with myself. I like showering my loved ones with gifts that they will enjoy. My wife spoils me with nice things. Spending beyond our means would not be wise because our families need financial security. In the end, we realize that our money isn’t really ours but was lent to us as a blessing for us to be a blessing to others.

Amy Perez

I don’t go for brand names when it comes to the toys/gadgets and clothes of my kids. They don’t mind wearing local brands as long as they’re comfortable. The important thing about spending wisely is you get to save for your children’s future. As a mother, my priorities have changed. Before I buy something, I ask myself if I really need it. Anak muna bago sarili.

Christine Bersola-Babao

I scrimp when it comes to things I personally desire. Good thing I have a sweet hubby, who buys those things for me on special occasions. If it’s a pressing need, then I buy. Or, if it marks an important milestone, I buy something special with a special price tag. Most of the time, I wait until the item goes on sale. Spending wisely is very important because many people don’t have jobs. Also, I prioritize my scholars, and family members who need help for their medical needs. They are more important to me than material wealth. That’s not spending; that’s saving—saving lives.

Rita Avila

I always buy what I really need. Occasionally, I buy what I want. I compare prices when I go to the grocery. I buy what I think is reasonably priced, quality-wise. In restaurants, I don’t mind paying more if the food is great. I eat well and exercise to avoid getting sick so I don’t have to spend on medication. As for expensive bags, I think a hundred times until my husband buys it for me.

Kim Atienza

I get to scrimp on hair care because I always wear a hat. I don’t need fancy gels and waxes. I don’t even need a brush. Mas magulo ang buhok ko, mas gusto ko. But I never scrimp where my family is concerned. I want my wife Felicia and our kids to have the best that life has to offer. Spending wisely means the biggest allocations are for important things, such as a beautiful home and quality education. After money is set aside for these, then you can spend on luxury.

Newest 'Pantasya ng Bayan' is Ginebra San Miguel's 2017 Calendar Girl

Nelson Elises of GSM, Kim Domingo, Calendar Girl 2017, Bernie Marquez of GSM, Allan Mercado of GSM 

Newest “Pantasya ng Bayan” Kim Domingo was introduced as the 2017 Calendar Girl of Ginebra San Miguel Inc. (GSMI) in a grand reveal held at the Sequoia Hotel in Quezon City recently.

The up-and-coming French-Pinay sexy actress joins the ranks of popular models and actresses who have graced the Ginebra San Miguel calendars through the years, including Ellen Adarna (2015), two-time calendar girl Marian Rivera (2009 and 2014), Georgina Wilson (2013), Solenn Heusaff (2012), Anne Curtis (2011), and her predecessor Arci Munoz (2016).

Kim shared that it has always been her dream to be an actress, and now that she is part of Ginebra San Miguel’s prestigious roster of brand ambassadors, she hopes that this will open up more opportunities to let her talent shine.

“Kim definitely personifies our marketing campaign, ‘Ganado Sa Buhay’. She worked her way up to become one of the most recognizable faces in the entertainment industry today. Her story is an inspiration to every hardworking Filipino,” Ginebra San Miguel Brand manager Paolo Tupaz said.

“Even when I was younger, I already had specific goals in life; I knew what I wanted to be and what I wanted to accomplish. Being an only child, I also learned to be strong and independent early on. I’m very grateful that my hard work and perseverance are starting to bear fruit now. So for our ka-barangays, I just want to send a message that if we remain strong, focused and ‘Ganado sa Buhay’, we will be able to achieve our goals and dreams,” Kim said.

Kim started her showbiz journey when she joined Eat Bulaga’s “Little Miss Philippines”. Since then, she has joined several other talent reality competitions and landed modeling gigs. She rose to fame with her viral videos on YouTube, lip-syncing “Twerk It Like Miley” and dancing to the “Trumpets” challenge, which got almost two million views.

More than just a pretty face, the fast-rising star is also a girl of many talents. Aside from hosting, dancing, and throwing punch lines in the top-rating gag show “Bubble Gang”, Kim is also a recording artist, having just released her debut single, “Know Me”, under GMA Records.

GSMI has released five layouts for its 2017 calendar with a “Cheeky and Geeky” theme, showing Kim’s fun and quirky side.

GSMI flagship brand Ginebra San Miguel has been enjoyed by many for over 180 years and remains the no. 1 selling gin in the world, according to leading global drinks journal Drinks International. Other GSMI products are GSM Blue, GSM Blue Flavors, Ginebra San Miguel Premium Gin, Don Enrique Mixkila, Antonov Vodka, Vino Kulafu and Primera Light Brandy.

For more details, like the Ginebra San Miguel official Facebook page www.facebook.com/BarangayGinebra or log on to www.ginebrasanmiguel.com.

GSMI is a subsidiary of San Miguel Corporation.

Repost: Cassie Ventura's Explosive Revelations on Diddy's Case

Image courtesy of www.people.com

Source: www.people.com

Casandra "Cassie" Ventura began testifying against her ex Sean "Diddy" Combs in his sex trafficking trial on May 13 in New York City.

On the first day of her testimony, Ventura got emotional while going into detail over her decade-long relationship with Combs and the abuse she allegedly suffered. Ventura, who is considered the prosecution's star witness, also spoke about the alleged "freak offs" Combs hosted, which were sex parties where he allegedly forced her and others to have sexual encounters with male sex workers while he watched.

Ventura, who is married to personal trainer Alex Fine and eight months pregnant with her third child, also shed insight into her personal relationship with Combs and recalled some of the moments Combs allegedly took advantage of their 17-year age gap. Ventura continued testifying against her ex on May 14.

The hip hop mogul was arrested and indicted on charges of sex trafficking, racketeering and transportation to engage in prostitution in September 2024. He pleaded not guilty and has vehemently denied all the charges.

Here's everything to know about what Cassie Ventura has said about her ex Sean "Diddy" Combs in his sex trafficking trial.

Ventura went into detail over Diddy’s alleged "Freak Offs"

During her first day of testimony on May 13, Ventura spoke at length about Combs' alleged "Freak Offs" — sex parties Combs allegedly orchestrated involving women having sexual encounters with male escorts.

“The [Freak Offs] performance involved watching Sean watch me with another person and direct us on what we were doing sexually," she said in court.

Ventura recalled feeling "confused and nervous" when Combs asked her to participate in a "Freak Off" for the first time after she had recently turned 22.

"I knew it was something he wanted to do. I just remember my stomach falling to my butt. I had just turned 22 — didn’t have a concept the Freak Offs would be a turn-on," she remembered thinking. "I was confused, nervous, but I loved him so much.”

At the time, Ventura felt like she didn't have an option on whether or not she could participate, because she "didn’t know what ‘no’ could be, or what ‘no’ could turn into,” she said in court.

Ventura further claimed that the "Freak Offs" could last days at a time, and told the courtroom, "The longest was four days or even more with breaks. Then I was recovering from the drugs, dehydration — just trying to stay awake all the time. The Freak Offs became a job."

In addition to "performing" in the alleged "Freak Offs," Ventura also said that she was taking drugs to disassociate from the sexual activities that Combs allegedly coerced her to do.

“During Freak Offs, I would take [pills] all the time. If we ran out, we would call friends, drug dealers," Ventura said, while later adding, "For me it was dissociative and numbing. I can’t imagine doing any of it without a buffer — it was emotionless. I didn’t want to have sex with a stranger.”

Ventura claimed that she got sick from the drugs during some of the "Freak Offs," but Combs allegedly continued to force her to perform even after she threw up from the drugs. The drugs varied, but Ventura listed cocaine, ketamine, GHB, MDMA, ecstasy and mushrooms as substances she took during the "Freak Offs."

After the "Freak Offs" had ended, Ventura claimed she was often in charge of cleaning up the hotel rooms, which were usually filled with blood and urine.

Ventura alleged that Diddy would urinate in her mouth during "Freak Offs"

In addition to discussing what allegedly took place during Combs' "Freak Offs," Ventura also shared some of the things she had to personally endure.

Ventura testified that Combs or one of the male escorts he hired for the "Freak Offs" — or sometimes both parties at the same time — "would urinate on me."

When Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily Johnson asked if Cassie wanted Combs or the escort to urinate on her, she replied, "No. But there was no conversation. It was a turn-on for (Combs), so it happened."

Ventura claimed that she found herself "choking" at certain points because there was "too much urine in my mouth."

"I don’t want anyone to urinate on me," she said. "Sean would urinate in my mouth — not super often but often enough.”

Even though she didn't want to participate in the act, Ventura was "high and in the moment." She added, "There is not a whole lot of control you have with two men standing over you peeing. I thought it was obvious I didn’t want to do it."

In addition to having to ingest urine, Ventura also alleged that Combs forced her to have sex with male escorts while she was on her period.

“I was expected to have freak offs on my period," she said. "Sean would expect it. I don’t think anyone wants to do that.”

She claimed Diddy "controlled a lot of my life"

Ventura and Combs were in an on-again, off-again relationship until 2018, and Ventura recalled feeling "controlled" for most of their relationship.

“He controlled a lot of my life,” she testified, while adding that she was "naive" and a "total people-pleaser" when they began dating.

As the relationship developed, Ventura claimed that he would control her appearance and connection to the outside world. When he was displeased with something Ventura did, she claimed that he would "punish" her by taking away her phone, computer or other electronics for "however long I was being punished for."

“Sean is a really polarizing person; he was charming,” Ventura said on the stand. “It’s hard to really be able to determine what you need when he’s telling you what he wants. I just didn’t know. I didn’t know what would happen.”

Ventura also claimed that Combs enforced a strict exercise regimen and wanted her to dress a certain way.

“Some days he would want me to be really sexy," she said, "and be his woman other days." 

She got emotional while recalling how Diddy "taught" her about oral sex

During her testimony, Ventura looked back on the start of their relationship and got emotional while speaking about one of their first encounters at the Trump International Hotel and Tower in Manhattan just after her 21st birthday.

“I wanted to be around Sean for the same reasons as everyone else at the time — this exciting, entertaining, fun guy who also happened to have my career in his hands," Ventura said while starting to get emotional.

Ventura, who signed a 10-album deal with Combs' Bad Boy Records in 2006, claimed that during the meetup, Combs introduced her to oral sex.

"Sean taught me how. He gave me oral sex, I did not reciprocate — I just went home," Ventura said. "I heard about it from him. He made me feel crazy for not reciprocating but I didn’t understand and I was in a relationship with someone else."

She continued saying, "I was so young and I didn’t have the vocabulary and was just trying to understand it. I was sexually inexperienced. Leaving him was always confusing. I felt special and not a lot of people got that time."

She claimed that she was not sober when she had sex with Diddy for the first time

While speaking about her personal relationship with the defendant, Ventura discussed the first time they had sex after Combs gave her ecstasy.

"I was drinking wine, then started to take drugs, a blue dolphin ecstasy pill," she said about the encounter in Miami. "Sean gave it to me, I had never taken it before. I was just out of it, laughing, didn't know what it was until a little bit later."

Ventura recalled feeling "euphoric” and “really high, sensitive to touch and all of your senses.”

When their relationship began, Ventura claimed that Combs was still in a relationship with Kim Porter and that Combs was careful not to make it "look bad."

Ventura claimed Diddy recorded her sexual encounters for "blackmail materials"

While Combs was allegedly forcing Ventura to participate in sex acts during "Freak Offs," he was also allegedly filming her and using them as "blackmail materials," Ventura testified.

Ventura said she lived in fear that he would release the footage in retaliation, as "he had many resources to do that."

During her second day of testimony on May 14, prosecutors further questioned Ventura over what the specific blackmail materials were. She explained that they were "Freak Off" videos that showed her doing things that made her look "not great," according to CBS News.

She testified that it was "common" for Combs to threaten to leak the tapes when he was "upset" or if she was dating someone new.

"When he was upset about something. It was just a pretty common thing," Ventura said of the threats to release the videos. "Would say he was going to release them and embarrass me and put my career in jeopardy."

Ventura alleged that Diddy asked her to get into a pool filled with baby oil

Ventura was speaking about her involvement in Combs' "Freak Offs" when she claimed that during one of the parties, Combs asked her to get into an inflatable pool filled with baby oil inside a hotel room.

During her testimony, Ventura said that she was fully clothed at the time and did not want to get into the pool. However, she also acknowledged that she was more scared of the possible repercussions she'd face if she didn't follow Combs' wishes.

“Something that Sean wanted to happen, that’s what was going to happen,” Ventura said.

After Combs was indicted in September 2024, authorities said that they found 1,000 bottles of baby oil in his Miami and Los Angeles homes. However, Combs' attorneys disputed the number and his lawyer, Tony Geragos, later told the jury during opening statements, "You may know of his love of baby oil. Is that a federal crime? No.”

She addressed the now-infamous footage of Combs assaulting her at a hotel in 2016

On the second day of testimony on May 14, Ventura discussed the now-infamous surveillance footage of Combs hitting and kicking her outside a hotel room in Los Angeles in March 2016.

Ventura told the court that she didn't fight back, because it "just made him more violent, made him stronger." She explained that in the past, she had tried to fight back, but it "surprised" him.

"He was surprised I was actually fighting back— it made him have more anger, more frustration," she claimed, while later adding, “I did [fight back] more on the early side [of their relationship] and make it worse for myself."

Ventura testified that the 2016 assault left her with a black eye, bruised and cut lip and several bruises on her arm and legs.

The video was initially released in May 2024 and showed Combs grabbing, shoving and kicking Ventura near the elevator banks outside their hotel room. Combs was seen chasing after Ventura and violently assaulting her while she lay on the ground.

Repost: Winners of The 59th Baeksang Arts Awards, 'Extraordinary Attorney Woo,' 'The Glory' Win Big in TV Category

Image courtesy of www.soompi.com

Source: www.soompi.com

The 59th Baeksang Arts Awards celebrated some of the best in television, film, and theater from the past year!

The annual ceremony took place on April 28 at Paradise City in Incheon and was hosted by Shin Dong Yup, Suzy, and Park Bo Gum.

The Grand Prize in film went to director Park Chan Wook for “Decision to Leave,” with lead star Tang Wei winning Best Actress. As Park Chan Wook was not present to personally receive the award, it was accepted on his behalf by art director Ryu Seong Hee, who worked on “Decision To Leave” and won Best Art Direction this evening for tvN’s “Little Women.” She shared, “As of this year, it’s been 30 years since director Park Chan Wook began [making] movies, and 20 years ago, he received love from all around the world with ‘Old Boy.’ I think he will feel very rewarded to receive an award in this kind of year.”

In the television category, the Grand Prize was given to Park Eun Bin for her role in ENA’s “Extraordinary Attorney Woo.” The actress shared through tears, “I am receiving this on behalf of our team. Thank you.”

Park Eun Bin explained that the love and attention the drama received had exceeded everyone’s expectations. She then added, “I did think that it would be nice to become an adult who receives a Grand Prize if I did not give up on my dream to be an actress, so thank you for making that dream come true today. I hope that my attempt to understand Young Woo was a good experience [for others] to learn at least a bit about the autism spectrum, and I hope it was as helpful as all the kind words and attention I received.”

She continued, “Although I did not have the ambitious goal of playing a role in changing the world, I acted with the hopes that through this drama, we would be able to have kinder hearts than before and recognize the unique characteristics each person has as variety rather than differences. Thank you for taking interest in and carrying out those footsteps.”

Yoo In Shik of “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” was awarded Best Director and shared, “I applaud the amazing acting of actress Park Eun Bin, who made Woo Young Woo an unforgettable character in viewers’ hearts all around the world last summer.” He expressed his gratitude for the cast and crew of “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” and added, “I hope that the hearts with which this drama was created are conveyed to all the Young Woo’s of the world who are standing in front of revolving doors.”

Also scoring three awards in the television category was Netflix’s “The Glory,” which took home Best Drama, in addition to Song Hye Kyo and Lim Ji Yeon winning Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress respectively. Two films additionally won three trophies each, including “The Night Owl” taking home Best New Director, Best Actor, and Best Film, and “Next Sohee” winning Best New Actress, Best Screenplay, and the Gucci Impact Award.

See the full list of winners below!

Television

Grand Prize: Park Eun Bin (“Extraordinary Attorney Woo”)
Best Drama: Netflix’s “The Glory”
Best Director: Yoo In Shik (“Extraordinary Attorney Woo”)
Best Actor: Lee Sung Min (“Reborn Rich”)
Best Actress: Song Hye Kyo (“The Glory”)
Best Supporting Actor: Jo Woo Jin (“Narco-Saints”)
Best Supporting Actress: Lim Ji Yeon (“The Glory”)
Best New Actor: Moon Sang Min (“Under the Queen’s Umbrella”)
Best New Actress: Noh Yoon Seo (“Crash Course in Romance”)
Best Variety Show: Psick University “Psick Show”
Best Educational Show: MBC Gyeongnam “Adult Kim Jang Ha” (literal title)
Best Male Entertainer: Kim Jong Kook
Best Female Entertainer: Lee Eun Ji
Best Screenplay: Park Hae Young (“My Liberation Notes”)
Technical Award (Art Direction): Ryu Seong Hee (“Little Women”)

TikTok Popularity Award: Jinyoung, IU

Film

Grand Prize: “Decision to Leave”
Best Film: “The Night Owl”
Best Director: Park Chan Wook (“Decision to Leave”)
Best New Director: Ahn Tae Jin (“The Night Owl”)
Best Actor: Ryu Jun Yeol (“The Night Owl”)
Best Actress: Tang Wei (“Decision to Leave”)
Best Supporting Actor: Byun Yo Han (“Hansan: Rising Dragon”)
Best Supporting Actress: Park Se Wan (“6/45”)
Best New Actor: Jinyoung (“Christmas Carol”)
Best New Actress: Kim Si Eun (“Next Sohee”)
Best Screenplay: Jung Ju Ri (“Next Sohee”)
Technical Award (Cinematography): Lee Mo Gae (“Hunt”)
Gucci Impact Award: “Next Sohee”

Theater

Baeksang Play Award: “None Elected”
Best Short Play: “A Little Lonely Monologue and Always Friendly Songs”
Acting Award: Ha Ji Seong (“Teenage Dick”)

Congratulations to all the winners!

Baeksang Arts Awards Releases Nominees, 'When Life Gives You Tangerines' Leads in Nominations

Image courtesy of Netflix

TV Drama
Best Drama

tvN “Lovely Runner”
JTBC “The Tale of Lady Ok”
MBC “Doubt”
Netflix “The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call”
Netflix “When Life Gives You Tangerines”

Best Variety Show

tvN “Iron Girls”
Mnet “Stage Fighter”
Choo Sung Hoon “Ajossi’s Life” (literal title)
DdeunDdeun “Punghyanggo”
Netflix “Culinary Class Wars”

Best Educational Show

EBS “Docuprime-Where Is My Final Home” (literal title)
Wavve “Just Family”
Wonju MBC “Saddle the Wind with You 2”
SBS “Special-Hakjeon” (literal title)
TVING “Shaman: Whispers from the dead”

Best Director

Kim Won Seok (“When Life Gives You Tangerines”)
Kim Hee Won (“Light Shop”)
Song Yeon Hwa (“Doubt”)
Lee Do Yoon (“The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call”)
Jung Ji In (“Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born”)

Best Screenplay

Kim Jung Min (“Family Matters”)
Park Ji Sook (“The Tale of Lady Ok”)
Lee Si Eun (“Lovely Runner”)
Im Sang Choon (“When Life Gives You Tangerines”)
Choi Yu Na (“Good Partner”)

Best Technical Direction

Lee Young Joo (“Culinary Class Wars” – art)
Lee Jin Suk, Lee Deok Hoon (“Doubt” – camera)
Jang Yeong Gyu (“Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born” – music)
Jo Dong Hyuk (“Study Group” – stunt coordination)
Hong Jung Ho, Lee Seung Je, Kim Dae Joon, Kim Jung Min (“Hellbound 2” – VFX)

Best Actor

Park Bo Gum (“When Life Gives You Tangerines”)
Byeon Woo Seok (“Lovely Runner”)
Lee Jun Hyuk (“Dongjae, the Good or the Bastard”)
Ju Ji Hoon (“The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call”)
Han Suk Kyu (“Doubt”)

Best Actress

Go Min Si (“The Frog”)
Kim Tae Ri (“Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born”)
Kim Hye Yoon (“Lovely Runner”)
IU (“When Life Gives You Tangerines”)
Jang Nara (“Good Partner”)

Best Supporting Actor

Kim Jun Han (“Good Partner”)
Roh Jae Won (“Squid Game 2”)
Yoon Kyung Ho (“The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call”)
Choi Dae Hoon (“When Life Gives You Tangerines”)
Hyeon Bong Sik (“Dongjae, the Good or the Bastard”)

Best Supporting Actress

Kim Guk Hee (“Family Matters”)
Kim Jae Hwa (“The Tale of Lady Ok”)
Yeom Hye Ran (“When Life Gives You Tangerines”)
Oh Kyung Hwa (“Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born”)
Jung Eun Chae (“Jeongnyeon: The Star Is Born”)

Best New Actor

Kim Jung Jin (“Doubt”)
Song Geon Hee (“Lovely Runner”)
Cha Woo Min (“Study Group”)
Choo Young Woo (“The Tale of Lady Ok”)
Heo Nam Jun (“Your Honor”)

Best New Actress

Kim Tae Yeon (“When Life Gives You Tangerines”)
Roh Jeong Eui (“The Witch”)
Jo Yoon Soo (“The Tyrant”)
Chae Won Bin (“Doubt”)
Ha Young (“The Trauma Code: Heroes on Call”)

Best Male Entertainer

Kim Won Hoon
Dex
Sung Si Kyung
Shin Dong Yup
Yoo Jae Suk

Best Female Entertainer

Lee Soo Ji
Jang Do Yeon
Ji Ye Eun
Haewon
Hong Jin Kyung

Film
Best Film

“Love in the Big City”
“Revolver”
“House of the Seasons”
“Uprising”
“Harbin”

Best Director

Park Yi Woong (“The Land of Morning Calm”)
Oh Seung Wook (“Revolver”)
Woo Min Ho (“Harbin”)
Lee Eon Hee (“Love in the Big City”)
Lee Jong Pil (“Escape”)

Best New Director

Kim Se Hwee (“Following”)
Nam Dong Hyeop (“Handsome Guys”)
Oh Jung Min (“House of the Seasons”)
Lee Mi Rang (“Concerning My Daughter”)
Jung Ji Hye (“Jeong-Sun”)

Best Actor

Yoon Joo Sang (“The Land of Morning Calm”)
Lee Byung Hun (“The Match”)
Lee Hee Joon (“Handsome Guys”)
Jo Jung Suk (“Pilot”)
Hyun Bin (“Harbin”)

Best Actress

Kim Go Eun (“Love in the Big City”)
Kim Geum Soon (“Jeong-Sun”)
Song Hye Kyo (“Dark Nuns”)
Jeon Do Yeon (“Revolver”)
Cho Yeo Jeong (“Hidden Face”)

Best Supporting Actor

Koo Kyo Hwan (“Escape”)
Park Jung Min (“Uprising”)
Yoo Jae Myung (“Land of Happiness”)
Jung Hae In (“I, the Executioner”)
Jo Woo Jin (“Harbin”)

Best Supporting Actress

Gong Seung Yeon (“Handsome Guys”)
Claudia Kim (“A Normal Family”)
Lim Ji Yeon (“Revolver”)
Jeon Yeo Been (“Dark Nuns”)
Han Sun Hwa (“Pilot”)

Best New Actor

Kang Seung Ho (“House of the Seasons”)
Noh Sang Hyun (“Love in the Big City”)
Moon Woo Jin (“Dark Nuns”)
Jang Sung Bum (“Work To Do”)
Jung Sung Il (“Uprising”)

Best New Actress

Roh Yoon Seo (“Hear Me: Our Summer”)
Park Ji Hyun (“Hidden Face”)
Lee Myung Ha (“Mimang”)
Hyeri (“Victory”)
Ha Seo Yoon (“Streaming”)

Best Scenario

Kim Hyung Joo, Yoon Jong Bin (“The Match”)
Park Yi Woong (“The Land of Morning Calm”)
Shin Chul, Park Chan Wook (“Uprising”)
Oh Seung Wook, Joo Byul (“Revolver”)
Oh Jung Min (“House of the Seasons”)

Best Technical Direction

Park Byung Joo (“Wonderland” – VFX)
Yoo Sang Seop, Jang Han Seung (“I, the Executioner” – action)
Lee Seo Jin (“Pilot” – makeup)
Jo Young Wook (“Uprising” – music)
Hong Kyung Pyo (“Harbin” – camera)

Gucci Impact Award

“Blesser”
“Love in the Big City”
“The Voices of The Silenced”
“The Land of Morning Calm”
“Jeong-Sun”

Korean Actor Kim Won-Shik to Grace Universal Records PH’s First-Ever Mini-Series!

You can actually call him ‘Sam’ and he’s ready to shine brighter in ‘Pag-ibig’ Na Kaya!

Universal Records, one of the biggest and most-known record labels here in the Philippines just produced its first-ever online mini-series and it’s set to launch this February 2023!

Of course, for a long-time and reputable organization that helped in bringing countless OPM hits for decades, this said show is aptly named after a famous song. This year, everyone is bound to witness a very sweet love story in “Pag-ibig Na Kaya”, led by the now real-life couple Julie Anne San Jose and Rayver Cruz. It is written by JP Lopez and directed by Niq Ablao.

The entire cast will be announced very soon but to spice things up, this show will be graced by a talented Korean actor, Kim Won-Shik, billed to be the second male lead for this show, that is all about love… and its many forms.

According to the celebrity, you can actually call him Sam as well aside from his Korean name. In terms of acting for TV drama, he already has a handful of experience under his belt. He’s notable for his roles in hit K-Drama series True Beauty (2020) plus the famous Netflix fantasy-romance Netflix series, Alchemy Of Souls (Season 1 2022). This project with UR is his absolute first time to work with a Filipino production and of course, his first-ever experience to act with our talented Filipino stars. Being casted in this mini-series also paved the way for Sam for yet another break in his acting career. Won-Shik is now the latest addition to the growing Universal Records Philippines’ managed artists, made possible by Managing Director Kathleen Dy-Go.

One fun fact about Kim Won-Shik; he can really understand and even speak the Filipino language, since he was able to study here in the country for six and a half years.

According to Sam, he became easily invested in his role in “Pag-ibig Na Kaya” after reading the script and quickly felt that its overall treatment is truly inspired by K-Dramas. Although he admitted that he feels pressured since he needs to speak English and Filipino in most of his scenes, Sam considers filming this entire show a fantastic experience on his part and it greatly contributed to his growth as an actor.

He’s very professional, warm, and kind all throughout the filming process of the mini-series. He’s always enthusiastic to shoot his scenes, very energetic in being in character, and always ready to bring good vibes on the set. The actor also said that he quickly agreed to take part in this project after finding out that Direk Niq is handling it since he shared that he already saw numerous works from the talented director.

He shares, “It’s a good experience for me. It’s my first time working with Filipino actors. When I first read the script, I felt like it’s like a Korean drama because you know, there are so many similarities. I even asked the writer if he is inspired by some K-Dramas while making this. It was good! And I really wanted this role here in Pag-ibig Na Kaya”

“During our filming, they’re so kind to me, especially our director. I watched the music video that she made which is ‘Paubaya’ (Moira Dela Torre). Yeah, the color she uses and the storylines, it was really good! I really believe in Direk Niq that’s why I’m excited to join this series,” he adds.

Moreover, Since the Hallyu wave is really strong and alive here in the Philippines, Sam is very excited for everyone to see Pag-ibig Na Kaya and it’s coming out sooner than you think!

Make sure that you’re already subscribed to the Universal Records Philippines’ official YouTube channel and always be updated.

FOLLOW KIM WON-SHIK
Instagram: @shigishigi93

FOLLOW UNIVERSAL RECORDS PH!
Facebook: facebook.com/universalrecordsph
Twitter: @universalrec_ph
Instagram: @universalrecordsph
TikTok: @universalrecph

Heartbreaking Texts from Students on Sinking Korean Ferry

A family member of a missing passenger who was on the South Korean ferry "Sewol" which sank at sea cries as she waits for news from a rescue team at a gym in Jindo.

Photo by: Kim Hong-ji, Reuters

Source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Heart-wrenching messages of fear, love and despair, sent by high school students from a sinking South Korean ferry, added extra emotional weight Thursday to a tragedy that has stunned the nation.

Nearly 300 people -- most of them students on a high school trip to a holiday island -- are still missing after the ferry capsized and sank on Wednesday morning.

"Sending this in case I may not be able to say this again. Mom, I love you," student Shin Young-Jin said in a text to his mother that was widely circulated in the South Korean media.

"Oh, I love you too son," texted back his mother -- unaware at the time that her boy was caught in a life and death struggle to escape the rapidly sinking vessel.

Unlike many others, the exchange had a happy ending as Shin was one of only 179 survivors rescued before the ferry capsized and went under the water.

Others were not so fortunate.

Another student, 16-year-old Kim Woong-Ki, sent a desperate text for help to his elder brother as the ship listed violently over to one side.

"My room is tilting about 45 degrees. My mobile is not working very well," Kim messaged.

Seeking to reassure him, his brother said he was sure help was on the way.

"So don't panic and just do whatever you're told to do. Then you'll be fine," he messaged back.

There was no further communication and Kim was listed among the 287 people on board still unaccounted for.

Sadly his brother's advice was similar to that of the crew, who controversially ordered passengers to stay put when the ship first foundered.

Angry relatives said this resulted in the passengers getting trapped when the ferry keeled over, cutting off routes of escape.

That grim scenario was encapsulated in the texts of an 18-year-old student, identified in the local media by her surname Shin.

"Dad, don't worry. I'm wearing a life vest and am with other girls. We're inside the ship, still in the hallway," the girl messaged to her father.

Her distraught father wrote back urging her to try and get out, but it was already too late.

"Dad, I can't. The ship is too tilted. The hallway is crowded with so many people," she responded in a final message.

Some parents managed a last, traumatic phone call with their children as they tried to escape.

"He told me the ship was tilted over and he couldn't see anything," one mother recalled of a panicked conversation with her student son.

"He said 'I haven't put on the life jacket yet', and then the phone went dead," the mother told the Dong-A Ilbo newspaper.

The JoongAng Ilbo published excerpts from a chatroom conversation between several students on the ferry.

"Hey guys, let's make sure we meet up alive," messaged one.

"I love you all," responded another.

It was not clear if the students were among those rescued.

Poll: Was Bea Alonzo the Aggrieved Party During Her Relationship with Gerald Anderson?

Source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

MANILA, Philippines -- Bea Alonzo recalled her short-lived romance with Gerald Anderson as a "roller-coaster ride," having experienced extreme emotions as they tackled together public criticism and the disapproval of someone closer to home.

"Whirlwind. Whirlwind ba tawag doon? Hindi? Fling? Ano? Summer romance. One season lang, e. Summer romance! It was fun. It was fun, parang 'yong ano, roller-coaster ride," she said.

The 25-year-old actress, who is now in a long-term relationship with actor Zanjoe Marudo, related to YES! magazine in its July 2013 issue how the "open secret" that was her relationship with Anderson started back in 2010.

According to Alonzo, Anderson had just broken up with Kim Chiu, his fellow "Pinoy Big Brother" housemate and erstwhile "love team," when the actor expressed his intentions to court her.

"'Yong nanligaw siya, sabi ko, 'Let's not talk for three months. Make sure, okay?' Kasi kaka-break niya lang talaga literally, kaka-break niya lang with Kim. Tapos sabi ko, 'After three months, titingnan ko, ha, kung gusto mo pa rin ako. Kasi ayokong maging rebound,'" she said.

Despite her request, Alonzo, who was 23 at the time, said Anderson had been persistent in showing his admiration for her. But the actress said she wouldn't have it, recalling that she reminded her suitor, who was 21 at the time, of their agreement.

"Kasi at that time ayoko talaga. Iniisip ko magkatrabaho pa sila noon eh. Parang they were doing a soap together, sila ni Kim," Alonzo said, referring to the Kapamilya series "Kung Tayo'y Magkakalayo," which ran from January to July 2010.

She added: "Baka mamaya ako 'yong talo, 'di ba? Baka mamaya mukha akong... 'yun pala, nagkabalikan sila doon or something. Pareho pa kami ng management, 'di ba?"

Alonzo, Anderson and Chiu are all artists of ABS-CBN's talent management firm, Star Magic.

"So sabi ko sa kanya," Alonzo continued, "'After three months, same date, kung serious ka, 'di text me or call me.' Ganyan. In fairness, naman, 12 midnight sakto, nag-text siya nang mahabang-mahaba."

Public criticism

The text message would mark the start of the pair's courtship stage, which Alonzo recalls to have been full of "pasabog" and "galante" gestures from her suitor.

"Si Ge (the actor's nickname), ay grabe. Papa-cater niya talaga 'yong house ko, ganyan, just because meron lang siyang hindi nagawa na promise niya. 'Yong ganon.

"Para ngang roller-coaster 'yon. As in, sobra akong depressed, tapos maya-maya lang, talagang pak! Na sa cloud nine na naman ako kasi sobra siyang magaling magpakilig, tapos bababa na naman ako," she said.

Among the reasons for Alonzo's "depression" then were the apparent disapproval of Anderson's mom of their relationship, as well as the mounting criticism from the avid supporters of "Kimerald," the actor's well-loved tandem with Chiu.

"As far as I was concerned, I wasn't doing anything wrong. Hindi ko siya (Anderson) inagaw. In fact, I gave it three months bago naging kami," Alonzo said.

"May respeto kasi ako kay Kim. At alam ni Kim 'yon. Tapos never akong nagpa-interview. I could have defended myself. Tapos may death threats pa ako... Ang hirap, sobrang hirap. Para kang kontrabida. And it's all public perception.

"And all of that, feeling ko, kaya ko. Hindi ko lang kaya 'yong pati 'yung family niya ayaw sa akin, tapos magpapa-interview. And I felt na disente naman ako," she said.

Mom's disapproval

Alonzo was referring to the mother of Anderson, who she said had expressed her disapproval of the relationship during a media interview.

The actress clarified that she bore no ill feelings toward her boyfriend's mom, but admitted she was angry that Anderson could not seem to defend their relationship to his family.

"Nagalit ako kay Ge noon. Kasi naisip ko 'yung nanay ko, may anak ding lalaki 'yan. Si mama, meron siyang girlfriends ng kapatid ko na ayaw niya din. But she wouldn't say na ayaw niya kasi alam niyang masasaktan nga si James, 'yong kapatid ko, at hindi 'yong girl.

"So parang sabi ko kay Ge, 'Ba't ganoon, baka hindi naman alam ng mom mo? Baka hindi niya nakikita kung gaano mo ko kamahal? Or baka hindi mo talaga ako ganoon...' 'Di ba, 'yung gano'n?" Alonzo said.

Asked what she recalls to be the reason of Anderson's mom for being against their relationship, Alonzo told YES!, "Sabi niya, parang ginagamit ko daw. Sabi ko, 'Teka lang, ha. Narating ko naman 'yong narating ko, dati na.' Actually nasisira nga dahil jinowa ko siya."

"So, I mean, nanay siya. Tapos ang feeling ko it wasn't fair, kasi never ko pa siyang nakilala. 'Di ba, parang ang sakit no'n? Kahit na nasisira 'yung pangalan ko, okay lang, basta 'yung pangalan niya, hindi masira, 'yong gano'n. Sobrang unfair. Kaya sabi ko, hindi ko na kaya," she said.

Moving forward

It was in November 2010, before they both went to London for an ABS-CBN concert tour, when Anderson and Alonzo decided to part ways as a couple.

"Parang there was an agreement between us na we were going to act as a couple in London. But after, wala nang talk... [Ginawa namin 'yon] para masaya 'yong last moment namin together. Kasi hindi pa pwede talaga. You and me against the world ang drama. Hindi ko kaya. Hindi ko kaya talaga," she said.

Looking back, Alonzo mused that their relationship may have had a negative impact on their careers. "Sobrang ikli lang naman no'ng sa amin ni Ge. Hindi naman 'yon malalim, pero lesson learned sa akin... Kaya din kami naghiwalay, hindi ko din naman kakayanin siguro na makita siyang nawawalan ng career nang dahil sa akin," she said.

Now happily in relationships of their own, with Anderson and actress Maja Salvador recently confirming their being a couple amid criticisms, Alonzo said her "summer romance" with the actor may have taught him a thing or two about standing by certain decisions.

"Baka noong time na 'yon hindi niya pa yata kayang panindigan. At least ngayon, napapanindigan niya na. Baka transition ako. Baka ako 'yong kinailangan niyang maranasan bago siya manindigan," she said.