The legend of "Laughing Gor" is set to continue on the big screen! The death of the character Leung Siu Tong (played by singer-actor Michael Tse), more commonly known as Laughing Gor, in the hit Hong Kong TV drama E.U. has sparked tremendous reaction from netizens in recent weeks, who mourned him online and made him the talk of the town. In response to the passionate reception towards the undercover cop, TVB filmed an extra sequence for the drama's final episode, in which Laughing Gor is seen putting on his police uniform, hinting a possible return of the character in the next series.

But fans don't need to wait too long to see Laughing Gor back in action. In a surprising move, TVB honcho Stephen Chan announced plans for a movie after filming the latest episode of his talk show Be My Guest with Michael Tse, who is best known on the silver screen for his supporting role in the 90s gangster film series Young and Dangerous. The movie, a co-production with Shaw Brothers, will start shooting in May and targets to hit cinemas in August. It is going to be a prequel to the series, with Herman Yau directing and Michael Tse reprising his star-making role. It is unknown yet whether other cast members from the series, like Michael Miu Kiu Wai, Kathy Chow, Ron Ng, and Sammul Chan, will participate in the movie.

E.U. is the third series in the TVB police drama franchise The Academy. In E.U., Laughing Gor is originally portrayed as an arrogant triad leader, who is later revealed to be an undercover cop sent to infiltrate the triad gang, and a pivotal figure in bringing down the arch-villain. His heroic sacrifice turned him into an overnight sensation and arguably one of the most popular drama roles in TVB history.

Text / dian

After months of controversy and debate, the parental advisory rating on popular boy band Dong Bang Shin Ki's hit song Mirotic was removed on April 1. Last November, the Commission on Youth Protection, the government arm in charge of reviewing and rating media content according to the Youth Protection Law, sent waves through the Korean music industry by slapping "unsuitable for people under 19 years of age" ratings on many mainstream pop songs including Rain's Rainism and Dong Bang Shin Ki's Mirotic, both of which were deemed inappropriate for minors due to sexually suggestive language. In Korea, albums flagged as unsuitable for minors cannot be sold to people under 19 and must be affixed with advisory stickers; flagged songs cannot be aired before 10 p.m. on television or radio.

The "banning" of Dong Bang Shin Ki's Mirotic two months after its release caused an uproar among fans and record company officials. By the time the rating was made official in early December, the album had already sold close to 500,000 copies and won the Grand Award at the Golden Disk Awards. As Dong Bang Shin Ki's fanbase is composed mostly of young people, the group quickly released a "clean version" of Mirotic, modifying lyrics in questions like "I got you" and "under my skin" to "I chose you" and "under my sky". Their agency SM Entertainment, however, was adamant that the song's lyrics were not sexually explicit or unsuitable for minors.

In an unprecedented move, SM Entertainment filed a court appeal in mid-December to challenge the ban. On April 1, the Seoul Administrative Court finally reversed the Commission on Youth Protection's parental advisory rating after reviewing the case.

Text / Sanwei

Released on March 23, veteran Japanese pop group DREAMS COME TRUE's twentieth anniversary album Do You Dreams Come True? climbed to the top of the Oricon charts with first-week sales of 231,000 copies. The duo's victory is made even sweeter by the fact that their twelfth #1 album also sets a new record for them. Formed by female lead vocalist Yoshida Miwa and bassist Nakamura Masato, DREAMS COME TRUE now rank first among groups with female lead vocalists for most #1 albums. ZARD and Every Little Thing follow with 11 and 8 #1 albums, respectively.

DREAMS COME TRUE also lead in million-selling albums with a total of ten, followed by ZARD (9) and TRF (4). As for the overall number of sold albums, their lead is even more obvious at 27,663,000 sold copies, once again followed by ZARD (19,718,000) and Every Little Thing (13,364,000). The last time DREAMS COME TRUE occupied the top spot of the Oricon album charts was with their 2006 album The Love Rocks.

To celebrate their anniversary, DREAMS COME TRUE recently kicked off their 20th Anniversary DREAMS COME TRUE CONCERT TOUR 2009 on March 21 at the Osaka Jo-Hall. Their nationwide tour will cover 33 shows, ending with a final performance at the Okinawa Convention Center on July 5.

Text / Snoopy

Many of Korea's biggest movie stars will be taking to the small screen this year. All eyes are on KBS's all-star espionage thriller IRIS which marks the return of Lee Byung Hun and Kim Tae Hee, who have been away from television since 2003's All In and 2004's Love Story in Harvard, respectively. Loosely based on the film Shiri, the drama revolves around globe-trotting rival agents and assassins, and co-stars big names like Jung Jun Ho, Kim Seung Woo, and Big Bang's T.O.P. Slated for broadcast in the fall, the highly anticipated big-budget production just started filming in March, and will feature location shooting in Japan, China, U.S., and Russia.

Cha Seung Won is returning to the small screen after a six-year absence for the SBS mini-series City Hall from director Shin Woo Chul and writer Kim Eun Sook, the team behind the Lovers series. Airing in late April, the drama follows the political journeys of an ambitious bureaucrat and a low-level civil servant played by My Lovely Sam-Soon heroine Kim Sun Ah.

After a year more notable for his marriage than his acting work, Kwon Sang Woo has two TV dramas lined up in 2009, both with MBC. First is the romance Cinderella Man co-starring Girls' Generation's Im Yoon Ah which airs in mid-April. He is also attached to the big-budget war drama Road No. 1, the highly anticipated television version of Taegukgi that has been in the talks since last summer. Incidentally, Kwon's wife Son Tae Young is also back to work in the spring for the SBS daily drama Two Wives.

Award-winning actor Hwang Jung Min takes on the first television role of his 15-year career in the upcoming KBS romantic comedy Six Months. This mini-series about the unlikely love story between a postman and a famous actress co-stars Kim Ah Joong in her first drama since breaking through with 200 Pounds Beauty in 2006. Six Months, Cinderella Man, and City Hall will be competing against each other for ratings come April as they're all airing in the competitive Wednesday-Thursday 9:55 p.m. timeslot.

Text / Sanwei

Korean entertainment giant YG Entertainment's new girl group, dubbed the "female Big Bang", made their debut on March 27 with a new song and a commercial. The four members appear with labelmates Big Bang in the rainbow-colored commercial for LG Cyon's new mobile phone. The girls also sing the title CM song Lollipop, which is the group's first digital single. The music video for Lollipop will be released in late March to early April.

Female Big Bang is formed by Park Bom, Kong Min Ji, CL, and Sandara Park, who was previously a big star in the Philippines. Born in Korea and raised in the Philippines, Sandara Park rose to stardom through a talent show program in 2004, and embarked on a successful television, music, and movie career from 2004 to 2006. After her popularity began to decline in the Philippines, she returned to Korea in August 2007 and signed with YG Entertainment. She attracted attention last year for her kissing scene with T.O.P in the music video for Gummy's "I'm Sorry", and has a supporting role in MBC TV drama The Return of Iljimae. Park Bom previously appeared in a mobile phone commercial with Lee Hyo Ri and Lee Jun Ki, and has featured in songs for Big Bang and Lexy. The rapper of the group, CL also featured in Big Bang's mini-album Hot Issue before.

The group will officially begin activities later this spring, and Big Bang leader G-Dragon is tapped to produce the group's first album.

Text / Sanwei

Comedian-turned-director Matsumoto Hitoshi revealed details about his new film Symbol during a press conference on March 20 at the Okinawa International Movie Festival. Better known locally as Matchan from manzai duo Downtown, Matsumoto landed a critical and commercial hit in 2007 with his directorial debut Dai Nipponjin, an oddball mockumentary about a loser superhero. The success of Dai Nipponjin has greatly increased anticipation for his second film, which began shooting last September and is now in post-production.

Matsumoto again pulls triple duties as director, writer, and leading man for Symbol, and this time, he is virtually the film's only cast member. Like during the lead-up to Dainipponjin's release, the multi-tasking director has been very vague about his film's plot, revealing only that his character is a man planning to escape and ends up in various predicaments. The film will be released by Shochiku in the fall. Matsumoto is also aiming to screen Symbol at the Cannes Film Festival where Dai Nipponjin premiered two years ago.

Text / Sanwei

No one film dominated the 3rd Asian Film Awards ceremony held on March 23 in Hong Kong, but perhaps it could be called the triumph of Japanese Cinema as its contingent took home the most major trophies. Kurosawa Kiyoshi's family drama Tokyo Sonata won Best Film and Best Screenwriter, while Kore-eda Hirokazu got Best Director for another family drama Still Walking. Best Actor went to Japanese actor Motoki Masahiro (Departures), who had recently been crowned at the prestigious Japan Academy Awards for his portrayal of a cellist-turned-mortician.

Winning Best Actress was China's top actress Zhou Xun for her turn as a cab driver tracking her missing boyfriend in The Equation of Love and Death. Korean western The Good, the Bad, the Weird's Jung Woo Sung emerged as Best Supporting Actor. Best Supporting Actress was Filipino actress Gina Pareno of Service. 26-year-old Yu Shaoqun was named Best Newcomer for his role as the young Mei Lanfang in Forever Enthralled. Also honored was another newcomer Wei Te Sheng, director of Taiwan blockbuster Cape No. 7, who accepted the Edward Yang New Talent Award in happy tears.

For the technical categories, five films shared the spoils. Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea's Hisaishi Joe won Best Composer; The Chaser's Kim Sun Min won Best Editor; Tulpan's Jola Dylewska won Best Cinematographer; Three Kingdoms: Resurrection of the Dragon's Daniel Lee won Best Production Designer; and Red Cliff's Craig Hayes won Best Visual Effects. A special prize for "Outstanding Contribution to Asian Cinema" was given to veteran filmmakers Tsui Hark and Shi Nansun's production company Film Workshop, which has produced many film classics in the last 25 years.

Text / dian

J-pop diva Amuro Namie is once again on top of the Oricon charts with her latest double A-sided single Wild/Dr.. The first week sales for her 35th single released on March 18 recorded 75,000 sold copies. Amuro's singles have consistently charted in the Oricon top ten since her 1995 solo debut, and she holds a record as the only female J-pop artist to have a top 10 hit each year for fifteen consecutive years. Last year's 60s 70s 80s and the new Wild/Dr. also mark the first consecutive No. 1 hit singles for the singer since her Can You Celebrate maxi single and I Have Never Seen single released in December 1997 and January 1998, respectively.

Amuro Namie is also holding four additional Best Fiction concerts in Asia this year according to a recent announcement by her record label avex trax. The tour dates and locations are June 20 and 21 at the Taipei Arena and July 11 and 12 at Shanghai's Grand Stage. Kicking off in November 2008, the singer's earlier nationwide Best Fiction tour was greeted with great enthusiasm in Japan, leading to sold-out shows and additional gigs. She attracted a total of 450,000 concertgoers, setting a new record for Japanese solo female artists. With the addition of these overseas gigs, she is set to break her own record, reaching a total audience of 500,000 people for her Best Fiction tour.

Text / Snoopy

Released on March 11, the debut single Himawari ("Sunflower") of Kamiji Yusuke, popular Japanese actor and member of the trio Shuuchishin, holds an impressive record. In its first week on the Oricon charts, Kamiji's single, released under the name "Yusuke", took the No. 2 spot, following closely behind KAT-TUN's No. 1 hit Rescue. Himawari has thus far sold 219,000 copies, the highest first-week sales for a solo artist single since Utada Hikaru's Flavor of Life sold 271,000 copies in February 2007. It also the first single from a male solo artist to break the 200,000 benchmark in first-week sales since Domoto Koichi's debut single Deep in your heart/+Million but-Love, which sold 221,000 copies in July 2006.

The theme song for the singer's upcoming Fuji TV biopic drama Kamiji Yusuke Monogatari, Himawari also topped the first-week sales of Hamasaki Ayumi's most recent No. 1 hit Rule/Sparkle (95,000 copies), making it 2009's best-selling solo artist single in first-week sales.

Text / Snoopy

China's first major music award ceremony of 2009, the 16th edition of the ERS Chinese Top Ten Awards ceremony was held in Shanghai Grand Stage on March 14. In the main categories, "Super Girl" Jane Zhang won Best Female Singer and one of the Top Ten Golden Songs with her hit number Heroes. Best Male Singer went to veteran singer Sun Nan, who performed the Sichuan Earthquake relief theme song Sheng Si Bu Li which was named the Best Public Interests Song. Shanghai native Anson Hu also took one of the Top Ten Golden Songs with his "Eiffel Tower", and he was the Mainland winner of the Chinese Top Five awards honoring the most distinguished singers from five Chinese-speaking regions. This year, the other four winners of this special award were Joey Yung for Hong Kong, Show Luo for Taiwan, JJ Lin for Singapore, and Gary Chaw for Malaysia. Yu Quan and Thin Man won Best Group and Best Band respectively.

Text / dian

With winter drawing to an end, a new season of Japanese dramas will be arriving in April. Taking over Fuji TV's Mei-chan no Shitsuji timeslot is Atashinchi no Danshi, another comical drama about a poor but spirited girl who finds herself suddenly surrounded by wealth and handsome guys. Horikita Maki stars as a homeless young woman who marries into a wealthy family to clear her debts, thus becoming the mother to five grown sons played by Kaname Jun, Okada Yoshinori, Yamamoto Yusuke, Mukai Osamu, and Seto Koji.

Movie star Odagiri Joe returns to television for TBS's Boku no Imoto, playing a renowned surgeon who shares a strong bond with his less academically inclined younger sister portrayed by starlet Nagasawa Masami. Abe Hiroshi becomes a father who tries to repair relations with his daughter after ten years of incarceration in Fuji TV's Shiroi Haru. Takenouchi Yutaka and Amami Yuki solve crimes along with rising stars Toda Erika and Mizobata Junpei in the Fuji TV police drama BOSS. For more crime-solving genre staples, there's also TBS police drama Hancho starring Sasaki Kuranosuke, Matsuda Shota and Kashii Yu's TV Asahi detective comedy Meitantei no Okite, Fujiki Naohito's NTV detective comedy Ikemen Sobaya Tantei, and Koike Teppei's Shibatora drama special.

Arashi continues to take over the Japanese entertainment world with three dramas this season. Airing on March 29, drama special Door to Door starring Ninomiya Kazunari is the third and final chapter in TBS's series about young men achieving success despite debilitating illnesses. Ninomiya also starred in the previous installments, 2006's Sukoshi wa, Ongaeshi ga Dekitakana and 2007's Marathon. Matsumoto Jun portrays a Filipino-Japanese man who smiles through life's many challenges in the TBS drama Smile, which is penned by the screenwriter of Hana Yori Dango; Aragaki Yui co-stars as a young mute woman. NTV's 2008 late-night program The Quiz Show goes idol and primetime for its second season with Sakurai Sho in the leading role as a mysterious TV host. Co-starring Yokoyama You of Kanjani8 and Hello! Project idol Matsuura Aya, the drama is about a game show that promises big money to its contestants, who must answer increasingly probing questions about their pasts.

Other Johnny's dramas coming soon are the Fuji TV duo of Konkatsu! and Majo Saiban. SMAP's Nakai Masahiro plays a salaryman looking for marriage opposite Ueto Aya in Konkatsu!, which also co-stars Rookies' Sato Ryuta and KAT-TUN's Ueda Tatsuya in his drama debut. Inspired by Japan's decision to adopt a jury-trial court system in 2009, Majo Saiban revolves around the jurors of a murder case, with Ikuta Toma playing a freeter who gets called for jury duty. Drama specials for Domoto Tsuyoshi's 33pun Tantei and Gokusen 3 will also be aired in late March.

Text / Sanwei

An epic historical film on the founding of modern China is in the works to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic of China. Budgeted at 30 million yuan (US$4.4 million), the China Film Group production has assembled a strong cast and crew featuring some of the best talents of Chinese Cinema. Han Sanping, the producer and flagbearer of China Film Group, heads the crew with Huang Jianxin (Back to Back, Face to Face) as executive director and Wang Xingdong (The One Man Olympics) penning the script, which chronicles the contest for power between the Nationalists and the Communists between 1945 and 1949.

Portraying the historical figures in The Great Cause of China's Foundation (a.k.a. Jian Guo Da Ye) is a star-studded cast that has been the focus of media and public attention since the camera rolled in February. The two main roles of Mao Zedong and Chiang Kai Shek go to Tang Guoqiang and Zhang Guoli, respectively. Other pivotal roles include Aloys Chen Kun as Chiang Ching Kuo, Liu Jin as Zhou Enlai, Wang Wufu as Zhu De, Vivian Wu as Soong Mei Ling, Xu Qing as Soong Ching Ling, Wang Xueqi as Li Tsung Jen, and Shi Xin as Deng Xiaoping. It was reported that many top actors and filmmakers offered to play bit parts in this film, and now the confirmed star cameos include big-name directors Chen Kaige, Jiang Wen, and Feng Xiaogang, plus popular actors Andy Lau, Leon Lai, Chen Hao, Eva Huang, Ge You, and Chen Daoming. Shot in Beijing, Nanjing, and Shanghai, the film is expected to screen in September.

Text / dian

Japan's most iconic samurai takes his last bow in the upcoming Zatoichi: The Last, which is reportedly the final Zatoichi feature. SMAP's Katori Shingo, who last starred in 2007's Monkey Magic, steps into the hallowed shoes of the lethal swordsman in the Zatoichi swan song from Children of the Dark director Sakamoto Junji. In the film, Zatoichi has hung up his sword and retired to a quiet life with his wife, but gets pulled back into action. Shooting for Zatoichi: The Last began on March 15, and the film is expected to hit theaters in 2009.

Blind masseur and samurai Zatoichi was first made famous by late actor Katsu Shintaro in 26 films and a long-running television series that lasted from the 1960s to 1980s. The fictional samurai was later portrayed by Kitano Takeshi in his eponymous 2003 blockbuster and Aikawa Sho in a 2007 stage play directed by Miike Takashi. In 2008, the Zatoichi franchise was further reinvented with Sori Fumihiko's Ichi starring actress Ayase Haruka as the female version of Zatoichi. Producer Nakazawa Toshiaki has stated that Zatoichi: The Last will be the final production in the franchise.

Text / Sanwei

Many anticipated Korean films are being released this spring. Just April alone will see no less than seven Korean films hitting theaters including the latest feature from Old Boy director Park Chan Wook.

Opening on April 2, director Park Dae Min's greatly hyped period crime thriller Private Eye revolves around a serial murder case in early 20th-century Korea. Award-winning actor Hwang Jung Min (A Man Who Was Superman) plays a private detective chasing after the killer along with popular actress Uhm Ji Won (Epitaph) and up-and-coming actor Ryu Deok Hwan, last seen playing a serial murderer in Our Town.

Award-winning actress Kang Hye Jung (Welcome to Dongmakgol) takes another quirky turn in first-time director Hwang Soo Ah's Why Did You Come to My House, which opens April 9. Kang stars as an awkward woman who takes over the home of a suicidal man in order to spy on her crush, played by Seung Ri from popular group Big Bang in his film debut. The Divine Weapon's Jung Jae Young also attempts suicide in his new film Wandering Mr. Kim, the second feature from Like a Virgin director Lee Hae Joon which opens April 23. After failing to drown, Jung's character ends up living on a deserted island on Han River, and attracting the curiosity of an apartment recluse played by singer-actress Jeong Ryeo Won.

Teaming up again after their TV drama 90 Days, Time For Love, popular stars Kim Ha Neul and Kang Ji Hwan ham and glam it up as special agents in the action comedy My Girlfriend is an Agent, which opens April 23. Fellow Korean Wave star Kim Rae Won and diva Uhm Jung Hwa face off for fine arts in Park Hee Kon's Insadong Scandal, a glossy mystery surrounding a Joseon Dynasty painting that opens April 30.

Also hitting theaters the last day of April is director Park Chan Wook's highly anticipated vampire film Thirst. Everyone's favorite actor Song Kang Ho plays a respected priest who turns into a vampire after a medical experiment gone wrong. His newfound thirst for blood and deadly attraction for his best friend's wife, played by Kim Ok Bin (Dasepo Naughty Girls), drives him down a road of lust and depravity.

Other Korean movies expected to release soon include Hong Sang Soo's You Don't Even Know starring Kim Tae Woo and Uhm Ji Won; With a Girl of Black Soil director Jeon Soo Il's With a Girl of Himalaya starring Choi Min Sik; Yang Ik June's acclaimed indie Breathless; The Host director Bong Joon Ho's Mother starring Kim Hae Suk and Won Bin in his first film in five years; and Sex is Zero director Yoon Je Kyun's all-star tsunami disaster movie Haeundae starring Sol Kyung Gu, Ha Ji Won, Park Joong Hoon, Uhm Jung Hwa, and Lee Min Ki.

Text / Sanwei

Japanese actor Ito Takahiro, the younger brother of Ito Atsushi from Train Man, committed suicide on March 8. Only 21 years of age, he was found dead in his car in a parking lot close to Lake Sagami, where the police also found letters addressed to his family. Takahiro is perhaps best known for his TV series roles Segawa Yuto in Nodame Cantabile and Mori Eita in Galileo. Prior to his death, Takahiro was reportedly preparing for his latest role in a TV series, and hoping to lose weight and quit smoking. In a statement following the death of his brother, Ito Atsushi expressed that he still could not cope with the fact that his brother was gone, and that he had high hopes for an upcoming collaboration originally scheduled for April.

Text / Snoopy

Super Band, the rock group formed by Taiwan music legends Jonathan Lee, Lo Ta Yu, Emil Chau, and A-yue Chang, held its first concert on March 7 in Taipei Arena. The four superstars announced their collaboration in July 2008. Teasing fans in January with a brief performance at the 2009 CCTV Spring Festival Gala, the band has now officially started their highly anticipated concert tour. The first concert attracted fans of different generations, including celebrities like Lin Chi Ling, Sylvia Chang, Harlem Yu, David Tao, Mayday, Patty Hou, Tarcy Su, Barbie and Dee Hsu, Jacky Wu, Bobby Chen, Leehom Wang, Winnie Hsin, and Hu Gua, who were spotted among the audience.

With Jonathan on guitar, Emil on bass, Lo on keyboard, A-yue on drums, and all of them contributing vocals, the band began the show with the concert theme song "Village Folks". The four big shots also performed their new single "Desperados" and, together as well as individually, some of their most memorable classic hits, including Jonathan's "When the Love Has Gone", A-yue's "The First Taste of Love", Lo's "The Beautiful Island", and Emil's "Afraid of the Dark". After a splendid run of 30 songs and medleys, the band bowed out with a heated finale made up of "Friends", "Farewell", "True-Hearted Hero", and "Love Song 1980" to conclude the Taipei concert.

The tour will resume with its Hong Kong leg on March 28 and 29, and has booked dates in several cities in Mainland China in the subsequent months. The band is expected to release an album later this year, and be disbanded afterwards.

Text / dian

Acclaimed Mainland Chinese director Jia Zhangke was honored with the Outstanding Artistic Achievement Award at the 10th Las Palmas de Gran Canaria International Film Festival in Spain on March 9. The award was especially established this year to commemorate the festival's tenth anniversary, and benchmarks Jia's remarkable achievements in a decade of filmmaking.

A two-time Golden Lion winner, Jia Zhangke has been no stranger to international acclaim since his 1998 debut feature Xiao Wu, but the hailed abroad and ho-hummed at home auteur also got his first taste of domestic success this week. His 2008 film 24 City, which competed at Cannes last year and has sold distribution rights to over 30 countries, finally opened in China on March 6. A decades-spanning grassroots tale set in Chengdu, 24 City grossed over one million yuan (US$146,000) in just three days, putting it on track to be Jia's most commercially successful film at home. His previous World and Still Life grossed around 1.5 million yuan (US$219,000).

Jia also recently revealed in an interview with Esquire magazine that he was interested in directing an erotic film. After shooting Platform, the Sixth Generation director came up with the idea for a Shanxi-set erotic film titled Ta Xue Xun Mei whose story would be connected to the U.S. president! Jia abandoned the idea at the time at his producer's urging, but still plans to shoot the film in the future.

Text / Sanwei

Johnny's boy band Arashi's latest double A-sided single Believe/Kumori Nochi, Kaisei turned into the best-selling single of 2009 in only two days. Released on March 4, Believe/Kumori Nochi, Kaisei sold 520,000 copies in its initial week, making it the first single since KAT-TUN's March 2006 debut single Real Face to cross the 500,000 benchmark in the first week of sales. It is also Arashi's second single to sell more than 500,000 copies in the first week; their debut single A.RA.SHI reached first-week sales of 557,000 in autumn 1999.

The sales of Believe/Kumori Nochi, Kaisei easily passed that of female singer Akimoto Junko's ainomamade, which was previously the #1 single of the year with 351,000 copies sold. Believe is the theme song of the film Yatterman starring band member Sakurai Sho, while Kumori Nochi, Kaisei is the theme of the Asahi TV drama Uta no Onisan starring band leader Ohno Satoshi.

Text / Snoopy

Korean actress Jang Ja Yeon committed suicide on March 7 in the latest tragedy to hit the beleaguered cast of KBS youth drama Boys Over Flowers. The 26-year-old actress, whose death has sparked off great controversy in the media, was laid to rest on March 9. She played the supporting role of Sunny on Boys Over Flowers, part of the mean-girl trio that makes life miserable for protagonist Geum Jan Di.

Based on the best-selling Japanese comic Hana Yori Dango which also inspired hit television adaptations in Taiwan and Japan, Boys Over Flowers began broadcast on KBS on January 5. Since the start of production, the drama's cast have been struck with numerous accidents and injuries. All five main cast members - Lee Min Ho, Kim Hyun Joong, Kim Bum, Kim Joon, and Koo Hye Sun - have been involved in minor car accidents or set injuries. Most recently, leading actress Koo Hye Sun was hospitalized after a car accident on February 27, causing a delay in production.

Despite all the production setbacks, the Boys Over Flowers fervor that has swept Korea is as strong as ever. The drama's March 9th episode reached a series-high nationwide viewership rating of 35.5%, overtaking SBS daily drama Temptation of Wife for the first time for the #1 ratings spot. The drama's best-selling soundtrack, which has spawn multiple top ten hits, will also see a sequel in March with the release of a second soundtrack featuring T-max, SS501, Kara, A'ST1, and other popular artists.

Text / Sanwei