coffeebeanie

The fans have waited long for this. Girl group KARA who have been garnering much love and attention due to <Pretty Girl> and <Honey> will have their friend finding project show MetaFriends which will air its first episode on May 26, 4pm on MTV. 5 lucky fans will be chosen by the end of the show, who will have the privilege of being called KARA's friends. The first episode entitled "I'm meeting friends.." will be aired on Tuesday, May 26, where the members will meet the fans who tried out for the program. 120 fans have gathered for this first episode where they will show off their individual talents to be able to win the hearts of the girls, who will then have to pick 15 people to move on. The talents ranged from lifting 30 kg weights to tarot card reading, showing the unique abilities of the fans. Who is an ideal friend for KARA? When asked about the qualities they look for in a friend, member Seungyeon answered "I may seem bright and cheerful, but actually, I'm really a quiet person so I'd like someone sincere and serious as a friend." while Nicole said "Someone who will be on my side even though I make mistakes". Hara and Gyuri added "Someone who has a happy face, like they're smiling all the time." Picnics, Stylings, MT, and also, KARA's first open concert The lucky 15 will spend 5 weeks with KARA, embarking on different missions together, until only 5 remain. They will go on a picnic in an amusement park, the fans get to style clothes for the girls, practice lines together for a CF, and also go on an overnight MT trip. On the last episode, KARA will hold their first ever open-concert, where the 5 winners will be introduced on stage as the members' friends. Binggrae, MTV and Metacone will be preparing for these events until the 24th. The producers behind the program says "Because of their busy schedule, the members of KARA do not have enough time to meet up with friends, so this is a great time for them to make friends and spend time with them. And the fans who are together with them will be able to see a different side to KARA which they won't usually be able to see on TV. Also, KARA will hold their first ever open concert, and so the members also invested a lot of time and effort in the program." KARA's MetaFriends will be shown every Tuesdays on music entertainment channel MTV at 4pm and will be composed of 6 episodes in total. source: ANIHAN NEWS LINK thanks to mae@KARAholic translated by coffeebeanie@KARAholic CREDIT PROPERLY IF TAKING OUT. DO NOT ADD IN OR REMOVE

KARA's Park Gyuri once again brought everyone to laughter at the latest recording of Star Golden Bell. The leader of KARA stated that "My fans usually start out as a younger brother types, but slowly, they just fall into my charm. I even received love confessions from them, and one fan even said that he wants to be able to eat the meal I cook." Also present that day, was label mate Tomo of DSP's Ast'1, who revealed that "Gyuri always asks me 'Oppa, even if I'm not wearing any make-up, I'm still pretty right?'", to which Gyuri quickly cleared - "I'm really much prettier without make-up", making everyone present in the studio fall over with laughter. Fortunately, Tomo came to her rescue, when in the end, he admitted that "But she really does look prettier without make-up." This episode of Gyuri and her princess illness will air this 16th on KBS2. source: NEWSEN LINK thanks to anne@KARAholic translated by: coffeebeanie@KARAholic.com CREDIT PROPERLY IF TAKING OUT. DO NOT ADD IN OR REMOVE

Girl group KARA will be releasing their next mini-album this summer, ready to take on the challenge of a third continuous hit. On the 13th, KARA's management company, DSP Entertainment revealed that the group, consisting of Park Gyuri, Han Seungyeon, Jung Nicole, Goo Hara and Kang Jiyoung, is in the midst of choosing songs for their upcoming album. They said "Kara is currently receiving a lot of songs from different composers and they are now selecting songs they want to include in their next mini-album. They are scheduled to release it this July." Debuting last 2007 as a 4-member group, they changed into a 5-member group and released their first mini-album, <Rock U>, where they were able to garner popularity as female idol stars. They released their second mini-album <Pretty Girl> and a special mini-album <Honey> which proved to be certified hits, strengthening their position as one of the big three girl groups in Korean music, together with Girls Generation and the Wonder Girls. With all their mini-albums being hits so far, fans are anticipating their next release this summer as they try to make another hit with their third mini-album. source: STAR NEWS LINK thanks to anne@KARAholic translated by coffeebeanie@KARAholic.com CREDIT PROPERLY IF TAKING OUT. DO NOT ADD IN OR REMOVE

Actor Park Jun Gyu revealed on Quiz! Sixth Sense broadcasted last May 10 that KARA's Jung Nicole is actually the daughter of his close friend. In the part of the program where they had to guess which team didn't know the correct answe, Park Jun Gyu commented "I want to save Nicole", which aroused the curiousity of many as to why he felt that way. He explained "Nicole is the daughter of a girlfriend". He quickly added "Not like a girlfriend, but a close friend who's a girl. (Nicole's Mother) was my childhood friend and we're really close. I've had the chance to see Nicole ever since she was a small girl, and she was really cute even back then. It amazes me that she has come this far and is in this position right now." But although he wanted to save Nicole, who was on the show for the first time, from being eliminated, her and her partner, comediene Yoo Se Yoon was the first team gone. source: NEWSEN LINK thanks to mae@KARAholic.com translated by: coffeebeanie@KARAholic.com CREDIT PROPERLY IF TAKING OUT. DO NOT ADD IN OR REMOVE

i like this reasoning.. that kara is hard working.. not just pretty, but really dedicated as well. thanks for the news anne & peter!

^is it confirmed already? haven't seen the latest episode yet.. looks fun though. loved the hara and jo kwon pairing from the preview. hara is so calm, while jo kwon is so hyper. perfect.

^ I know, it sucks right? I'm totally bummed right now. One by one they're leaving.. I totally love her as an MC too, she's cute with Soo Hyun.. From what I understood, its only going to be Shin Dong Ho who's going to host the program..

After 10 months as an MC in Mnet's Sonyun Sonyeo Gayo Baekseo (SSGB), KARA's Han Seungyeon will be taking off her hat as a host of this show. She will be having her last episodes in the last week of April. KARA, a group which Han Seungyeon is a member of, is currently on a short hiatus, and along with this, she will be leaving this program, which will then undergo a reorganization. Han Seungyeon, follows the footsteps of former MC, Girls' Generations Tiffany, whose MC position she took over last June. Together with her co-mc Kim Hye Sung, then Kim Soo Hyun, they have gathered much love and popularity amongst the music loving teens with their cute and colorful concept. This show, which counts down the top 100 songs popular amongst teens, will be taken over by Shin Dong Ho, and will have its first episode on May. source: NEWSEN LINK translated by: coffeebeanie@KARAholic CREDIT PROPERLY IF TAKING OUT. DO NOT ADD IN OR REMOVE

To be able to become closer to their fans, girl group KARA started their Voice Magazine Service. Through Voice Magazine, the KARA members can leave voice messages during their free time or when they're on-the-go. This will then be directly sent to their fans through a phone call, which gives off the feeling that they have just received a call from the members. This phone call will be able to tell the fans how the members are feeling at that moment, or what had happened to them that day and also alert the fans of their schedule. Because everything is done in real-time, the fans will feel like they are actually together with KARA. On April 18, this service was made available and more than 5000 fans subscribed to their Voice Magazine, and the messages that they left during their schedules was well-received by everyone. The fans who received the phone calls said "I feel like I was actually talking to KARA", "Because it is real-time, we don't know when we'll receive the call so I feel nervous and excited for their messages", "I feel like KARA has become my close friend because they call, just like how friends call up each other", showing the enjoyment the fans felt when they received the calls. On top of everything else, there were also fans who tearfully said that "I was so shocked when I received the call that I actually hung up on them." This service which enables stars to leave messages to their fans is fastly becoming a distinct community where the celebrities and their fans can feel closer to one another. The application is free, however, the subsribers will have to pay for the calls made as these are collect calls. For more information, visit Send Voice (www.sendvoice.co.kr) or KARA's homepage (http://kara.dspenter.com) source: NEWSEN LINK thanks to mae@KARAholic translated by coffeebeanie@KARAholic CREDIT PROPERLY IF TAKING OUT. DO NOT ADD IN OR REMOVE

i think i could imagine her as a stylist. she carries off her different looks so well, especially with her hats.

i can't believe its been less that 10 months since hara and jjings debut. i feel like its been longer? lol. maybe because of the nonstop promotions. i hope we do something special for their anniv too here at KH. i'm glad they have varieties during the break. and i know they're coming back with something awesome, so i'll just wait patiently for that. thanks tinggg & mae!

^ i think the pink cap says 'Pretty as a Flower" lol. matches our goddess really well, dontcha think?

i was like o.o when i saw that clip. haha with her pretty looks, i always thought she'd be the timid kind, you know, those prim and proper girls.. but idol show gave us a glimpse of how hilariously dorky she can be. she's not afraid to look weird and funny and ugly to make people laugh. that's just golden. makes her even more beautiful~

MTV, in collaboration with Binggrae and Metacone brings you the search for KARA's ultimate friend. MTV's newest project <KARA's Meta Friends> will be about the search for the KARA members ultimate friend. The concept of the show is to search for people who would want to be friends with celebrities, and will provide a place for them to strike up a genuine friendship. The first round of applications will be online through (www.metacone.co.kr) or (www.mtv.co.kr). Those interested just have to send in the reasons why they want to be KARA's friend to the Metacone or MTV website. The online applications are only till Wednesday, April 22, and the 15 people to take part in the program will be announced on Saturday, April 25. The 15 contestants chosen will meet KARA in a fan-meeting, after which, they be put in a survival type of program together with the KARA members. For this, they will go on a trip with the girls, where they will have to fulfill different missions until only 5 remain. This program will give the contestants a chance to see how KARA's schedule works. In addition to this, they will be able to bond with the members on the 2 day, 1 night trip with KARA. Lastly, the lucky 5 will be given a once in a lifetime opportunity as they will be stand on stage together with KARA, and in the opening of the public outdoor concert, they will be introduced as their best friends. This will take place in KARA's first ever mini-concert. The show, which will be an avenue for young people to be able to do things together with their idols, will air this May with 6 episodes on MTV. source: ASIAE NEWS LINK thanks to mae@KARAholic translated by coffeebeanie@KARAholic.com CREDIT PROPERLY IF TAKING OUT. DO NOT ADD IN OR REMOVE

Kyaaaaa~ Soooo cute. Can I say just how happy I am that the girls are active everywhere? I'm glad they have the Idol show so that we can have our KARA doses during their break.. Gone are the days where we have absolutely no idea what they were up to during their hiatus. Thanks mae! and ofcourse sookyeong.

We'll miss the girls, but I think they do deserve a break. It was an awesome promotional season for the, filled with different activities.. Hope they come back with something amazing too. Thanks tinggg & mae!

source: Gyuri's cyworld & mae@KARAholic translated by: coffeebeanie@KARAholic CREDIT PROPERLY IF TAKING OUT. DO NOT ADD IN OR REMOVE

lol @ seungyeon. but she did acknowledge it before that she has a lot of hunger for work, hence the lines. haha and nicole~ clumsy yet cute!

KARA's Han Seungyeon revealed fellow member Jung Nicole's special (?) love for Jumper. Jumper was the guest last March 19 on SSGB. As MC, Han Seungyeon mentioned in the interview that "Since their debut was around the same time as when we were active, we were able to see them often on stage. Especially Nicole, she really likes Jumper." She added "Nicole likes Jumper so much that every morning, we hear <Yes!> playing in our dorm to the point that its almost like the official song that sets KARA's mood for the day. Han Seungyeon even got the choreography of <Yes!> right, showing that they really are interested in Jumper. To this, Jumper replied "We also like KARA sunbaenim's <Honey>", showing off their knowledge of the Honey dance, which showed a nice sunbae-hoobae relationship between the two groups. On this show, they revealed the behind-the-story of their debut stage, how they were cast, and showed off their individual talents. They also answered the questions sent in by their fans with honesty, a side that we don't see on stage. Jumper, is the group produced by Andy. The group is his first attempt in producing after debuting solo. He was invited for hold his first fan-meeting in Taiwan, and is set to go overseas this 28th for his first over-seas performance. source: NEWSEN LINK thanks to anne@KARAholic translated by coffeebeanie@KARAholic.com CREDIT PROPERLY IF TAKING OUT. DO NOT ADD IN OR REMOVE

We met the hottest girl group of today - KARA. When they arrived for the interview, their faces were bright and all were still ecstatic about their first win since debuting 2 years ago. The members usually get just about 3-4 hours of sleep, and yet, on stage, they perform with much energy and bright smiles on their faces. You cheer up just by listening to them, and so they are often considered as 'endorphin' as these 5 girls with 5 different personalities give the much needed boost to everyone. >Because of the hardships that they have gone through, their outlook is different and special. (Gyuri) We went on a long hiatus and also there was a change in members. When we came back with <Rock U>, the response was still not that very good, and so the original members had a hard time about it. But with <Pretty Girl>, we received much love from the fans, as well as for <Honey>. So we'd like to thank everyone who supported us, and I'd also say how thankful I am to the other members. We've always talked about wanting to be number 1, but when it actually happened, we really couldn't believe it - we couldn't think of anything to say, and it felt like we were in a dream. (KARA) We'd like to say thank you to the members for staying strong all this time. 'We want to be number 1, we want to be number 1' - we'd always say it, but upon receiving the award, we couldn't think of anything, and it was just like a dream. On the Sunday of that week, we had celebrated and had dinner with the DSP family. (Seungyeon) Before debuting, I was already having a hard time because the time of our debut and the college entrance exams were around the same period, so I had a tough time preparing for both. During our long hiatus, we also experienced a lot of hardships. Maybe because Gyuri and I are of the same age, so our timing was similar, and we have gone through similar things. The day we won for the first time, we hugged each other and cried in the dorm. After the poor progress of their album and member change, the group had gone through a long hiatus without any activities, and thus, the members suffered a lot more than the average idol groups. When <Honey> won for the first time, it was visible that Seungyeon was the most affected. >We heard that Seungyeon cried the most? (Seungyeon) During our hiatus, I remember watching the year-end festivals and award shows while eating noodles and crying by myself. The shows were until the late into the night, but at that time, I didn't have any schedules except for one weekly show. Seeing the other singers perform grandly on stage while I was at home alone, I just cooked 2 noodles and ate it while crying all by myself. >We thing that there is something unique about KARA's music. It makes one feel lighter. (Gyuri) During <Rock U>, we had so much energy on stage, jumping around, and also with <Pretty Girl>, it was just a song that made people happy. I think that when it is combined together with KARA's bright and lively image, it gives off strength to others. >Do the members get energized from hearing their own songs? (Seungyeon) We sing it everyday so the effectivity is kind of low, but it gets new everyday (Laughter) >You guys recently held a fan meeting, and we heard that it left quiet a memory (Gyuri) I think that 2009 has been full of first time experiences for us. We had a first major fan meeting. For the first time, we won the number 1 spot. I couldn't believe that that many people would come just to see only us. Because of that, I was really nervous at first, but slowly, I began to relax and had fun with the fans. >You have 'Uncle fans' and 'Army fans' - do you feel burdened by this? (Gyuri) Quite a bit. (Laughter) We have older fans and I think we have a lot of uncle fans. Since the army fans can't see us perform outside, we only get to see them online. For the uncle fans, we don't think there are those over 50 - usually its just 30-40 years old. Instead of feeling burdened, we actually feel well taken care of by them so we are very grateful. >Girl groups usually have more male fans, but we heard that you guys have many female fans? (Gyuri) Yes. Actually, before, we had an equal amount of male and female fans. But with the new track, we gathered more male fans. The female fans that we have were with us ever since our debut. They are the ones that go around cheering for us in different programs and performances. To some extent, they're like management. They are the ones that disciplines the other fans when they get rowdy while waiting in the performance halls. (Laughter) KARA successfully entered into the fierce and oftentimes scary competition amongst the girl groups and is now rightly considered as one of the 'Big 3'. And because of this, they oftentimes get compared to the Wonder Girls and Girl's Generation. But being active at around the same time, they are fans of each other, and KARA has their own unique appeal that is incomparable to that of the others. >KARA's charm that is different from that of Wonder Girls and Girls Generation is? "Nowadays, the girl groups are all cute and bright, but the charm that is uniquely KARA is our being very physically active, liveliness and the comfortable feeling that we give off. But of course we're not saying that the other groups don't also have these attributes" (Laughter) >I'm sure you hear a lot of comparing (Gyuri) We do get conscious because of the constant comparing, given that they see our groups as in competition with one another. But we are all good friends.. Of course, amongst the fans, there may be rivalry and competition, but we are fans of each other and we consider each other as good colleagues. We enjoy their music and we even sing along to it. I know that there's a lot to learn from these friends. >What do you think is the strength of Girls Generation? And the Wonder Girls? (Gyuri) There are too many. (Laughter) For Girls Generation, how do I say it.. They just look very clean and crisp. Of course, it goes without saying that they're cute and bright. For the Wonder Girls, they are cute, and at the same time, they are able to give off a sexy vibe. I think all of us have charms that are a bit different from one another. Once there were Finkl, Sechskies and Click B. Now there's SS501. Being in a company that made all these groups famous, they say that you guys also carry the pride of DSP. >Was there any burden our anticipation from DSP? (Seungyeon) Even before entering the company, I already had a lot of respect for DSP. There are responsible not only for Finkl, but also SS501, Sechskies and Click B, who are all great performers. Eventhough we didn't do as well as we expected to do upon debuting, we did not lose hope that (popularity) will come one day, and the company helped us along the way - talking to us, consulting with us, working hard with us. And so, I can't say that they were inadequate or that I every felt they lacked in supporting us. >There were of course comparison between you and Finkl (Seungyeon) Rather than comparing us, I think we became more of an interesting topic that people talk about. >Although you are active now as a group, what are your future plans? (Gyuri) I'm afraid I don't have any answer for that. Before, singers were just singers, and if one member is not able to attend a program, then the whole group won't go. But times have changed. Individual members can go on programs alone, showing off their solo talents. Its not just abour being a singer, but its about being a multi-talented artist. Although I'm concentrating on singing now, I want to give acting a try. But in the end, I want to be remembered as a singer. For example Finkl - just because they went on solo activities doesn't mean that the group does not exist anymore. >Girl groups start out as cute and bright, but changes to a sexy concept as time goes by.. When we debuted, we actually had the powerful and boyish concept. So our concept now is new for the original members. But the sexy concept.. I don't know, I can't say for sure. Like now, we are wearing girly dresses to match with the song, so at one point, we have to abandon our old concepts and adapt a new one as we move on to a new song. source: MK NEWS LINK thanks to mae@KARAholic translated by: coffeebeanie@KARAholic CREDIT PROPERLY IF TAKING OUT. DO NOT ADD IN OR REMOVE -- that was one long article. wheew. oh SY. i got all teary eyed at the whole noodles bit.. -- ** SCROLL DOWN TO READ"Kara Interview

ultimate KARA gif.. group hug!!

KARA and Suju's Kangin - instead of charisma, they are warm and comfortable, and their appeal is that they are able to evoke a feeling of sympathy, a feeling of familiarity, just like our next door neighbors. When you become an idol star, does everything just fall into place? Of course not. For the second place idol group members, the 'next-door' image is their strength. Instead of fierce charisma that is usually associated with idol groups, they push the more comfortable and cuter image, and sometimes, even a bit pitiful side, that enables them to grab the sympathy of others, increasing the people who favors them over other groups. Before, idol stars were all about perfection and the aim for the number 1 spot but nowadays, they are more lenient and relaxed. 'Working class/Livelihood' and 'Idol' - these two words that seems to be contradictory are pertaining not to the best idol groups, but those groups who failed but persevered and whose hard work is very much evident. Female idol group is one of those groups and the term is a term of endearment for them. Nowadays, they are behind Wonder Girls and Girls Generation, and is considered one of the 'Big 3' in girl groups. However, their popularity does not even come close to that of the two groups. They make up for this by making their our trademark with their cute and bright image, and eagerly working hard in all the programs that they participate in. Even during breaks, they eat eagerly and heartily, winning the hearts of many in the industry. In 2007, they debuted earlier than Girl's Generation, and about the same time as the Wonder Girls. The past 3 years where they had to witness how the other groups flourished must have been hard for them. They had to acknowledge the success of others, and in the middle of it all, they had to work hard and improve on their witnesses - in all of these, they did not give up. This was their choice after not becoming popular after their debut. In a new year special program, Goo Hara showed off her fighting skills, which was a surprise for many given her fragile and doll-like features. Her determination and perseverance paid off as the viewers, who weren't aware of who she was, praised her for working hard and giving it her best. In KBS2's Star Golden Bell, Nicole showed off her 4-dimensional personality gaining the love from all its viewers. Nicole came to Korea about 3 years ago, learning Korean along the way. On stage, she shows off her incredible jump, which is ridiculously high for a girl, and a capture of her eating on a cable program spread like wild fire in the internet, once again showing off their 'livelihood idol' image. Han Seungyeon also showed off this 'livelihood idol' image on the real variety show "Family Needed" where she tried to get one more apple while shopping at the market, or shouting 'I am KARA' at the sauna, or singing in the outdoors to raise funds. And as an MC for Mnet's SSGB, pictures of her eating non-stop while on breaks instead of looking impolite gives off a cute feeling which invokes a feeling of sympathy from the viewers. Recently, as their dorms were revealed, their comfortable image was once again confirmed. KARA had always explained that 'We give off a comfortable feeling, just like a girlfriend sitting next to you. Even though they haven't reached the top yet, they already have been through a lot, and with their comfortable and warm image, they are able to receive a lot of love from their fans. source: HERALDBIZ LINK DO NOT TAKE OUT OF THREAD thanks to mae, anne and joel. translated by coffeebeanie@KARAholic DO NOT TAKE OUT OF THREAD T/N: translated only KARA related parts. --- I did not like this article. I translated it as accurately and as diplomatic as I possibly could although at times, I just wanted to smack the writer .