140926 Ha Ji Won ‘Empress Ki’ Media Conference in Singapore 2014

Ha Ji Won at Media Conference (2)
Dressed in a gorgeous red dress, Ha Ji-won (female lead of Empress Ki) appeared at the Conrad Centennial Hotel on the afternoon of 26 September 2014. The female actress made her entrance through the front door, wowing the press with her beauty and stunning appearance.

When asked about the preparation process for her latest drama – Empress Ki, Ha Ji-Won explained that it is the longest drama she has ever filmed. Not only does this drama clock in a total of 51 episodes, it is also emotionally demanding. As the show progresses, Ha Ji-Won’s character undergoes lots of changes. From a boy to a palace gong nyeo, to a mother and the political ruler of the country, Ha Ji-Won finds that filming had been tough but the happiest time for her.

For her past several on-screen characters, Ha Ji-Won has been heavily involved with action scenes. When asked on her opinion, she expressed that she has always enjoyed action scenes, despite the risk of sustaining injuries. When filming the horse-riding scenes with fellow co-actor Ji Chang Wook, she suffered from bruises all over her leg. In addition, she took up ballet and stretching lessons prior to the filming to aid in portraying the elegance and confidence of her character.

Ha Ji Won at Media Conference (1)
Many have been curious as to how Ha Ji-Won managed to maintain her flawless complexion despite her busy schedules. To this, she explained that because of filming, she had been sleep-deprived for 6-7 months. However, she placed an emphasis on her diet, taking in lots of nuts and yogurt. Her mom even makes her doshirak (lunchboxes) during the filming process. She encourages all women to do weights to train their muscles and maintain a healthy lifestyle. She even mentioned that she’s proud of her toned arms, and also her hips.

When asked if she’s similar to her characters in real life, Ha Ji-Won smiled and said, “If you talk to my childhood friends, you would know I am no way near my character. But acting is something I really enjoy doing, and I think this is what I can offer to the audience.”

When asked about her opinions on her co-actors, she thanked the two male leads for their consideration and kindness at the film scene. She shared good chemistry with both Joo Jin-Mo and Ji Chang-Wook, and goes on to say that both their characters were distinct but charming.

Ha Ji-Won was surprised to see so many fans at the airport, and she planned on visiting a good restaurant for dinner. She also mentioned that on the 27 September, she will be meeting several fans at the Universal Studios Singapore, and she expressed her excitement in riding the Transformers ride. As she will be visiting Singapore fans again on 9 January 2015, she promised herself to plan in advance and travel around Singapore more the next time.

Thank you Starhub for the invitation to this media conference.

Ha Ji Won at Media Conference (3)

Be sure to catch Ha Ji Won’s spectacular performance in the Empress Ki on VV Drama. The Empress Ki 《奇皇后》is currently airing on VV Drama (StarHub TV Channel 855) 通过娱家戏剧台（星和视界第855频道）, every Monday to Friday at 5.45pm.

It is also currently screening on VV Drama On Demand (StarHub TV Channel 857) 娱家戏剧随选频道（星和视界第857频道).

For more pictures of Ha Ji-Won at the media conference, do visit https://www.flickr.com/photos/stararena/sets/72157647636751599/.

140801 Flumpool 5th Anniversary Tour [Moment] Singapore Press Conference

On 1 August evening, Flumpool held their 5^th Anniversary Tour 2014 <Moment> Open Press Conference at Jstage, prior to their first solo concert tour the next day.

On their comeback after a 6 months break, Ryuta Yamamura (Vocalist) expressed his excitement in holding their first solo concert and coming to Singapore once again to meet the fans. The members remained secretive when asked if they had prepared any special performances for the concert.

Flumpool-1
When asked when was their most memorable moment since debut, Kazuki Sakai (Guitarist) cheerfullly said, “Of course it’s when we come to Singapore!”. Ryuta added that the Budokan concert held in Japan last October was unforgettable, but it was a shame they couldn’t share it with their Singapore fans. Seiji Ogura (Drummer) also added that <Moment> would be special because it’s their first solo concert.

In response to this, Genki Amakawa (Bassist Guitarist) shared, “It was when I received my payment for the first time, (laughs) because my bank account had always been in a negative figure.”

The topic later on switched to choosing a song which represents their journey thus far. Seiji chose Akashi, for it was memorable when he sang with the secondary school choir; as well as during the concert with fans. Both Ryuta and Genki chose their debut song Hana ni Nare. Kazuki initially picked Taisetsu na Mono, but later picked Frame when the members complained that he was not even involved in the shooting of music video for Taisetsu na Mono.

In response to their favorite Singapore food, Ryuta said, “Chili crab! But more so the fried mantou that comes with it, not the crab itself. (Laughs).”

On behalf of the band, Ryuta shares that Flumpool’s style of music has undergone some changes over the years. They started off with a sensitive yet strong image expressed through their lyrics, and later focussed more on band sounds, which showed their maturing and growing side.

When asked about their fourth visit to Singapore and Ryuta’s Mandarin skills, though Ryuta did not exactly answer the question, he delighted the fans by showing off his Mandarin proficiency.

In Mandarin, he said, “The best moment is having a concert with the fans. Our last concert at the café, fans were jumping in front of our stage!”

Kazuki recalls his previous visit where he took a picture with the Merlion, pretending as if he drank the water that came out of the Merlion’s mouth.

In response to their future plans, Ryuta explains they had previously worked with Mayday, the popular Taiwanese alternative rock band. Flumpool was inspired by Mayday, and aspires to become a band that would attract fans in every country.

Before they ended the press conference, Flumpool shared an acoustic live version of Hana ni Nare with their fans who came to support them. In addition, they handed out autographed posters to their fans who have bought Premium VIP tickets to their concert.

Special thanks to ONE Production for the invitation to this press conference.

Do visit https://www.flickr.com/photos/stararena/sets/72157645686515300/ for more pictures of Flumpool at the press conference.

Written by: Ong Yining

140412 Celebrate Songkran H2O Music Fest

Celebrate Songkran H2O Music Fest was successfully held on the 12 April 2014 at Wavehouse Sentosa with an amazing crowd and an incredible line-up of performing acts. The crowd was totally entertained by the various DJs and performers who came from Thailand, Hong Kong, South Korea, USA and Singapore.

This event was definitely one of a kind as the crowd not only gets to dance and jump along to the addicting music mixed by the numerous DJs, they also get to play with water using the water guns and pails available at the event. Many party-goers were all drenched head to toe and practically no one was left dry at the end of the event.

Far East Movement, a hip hop band from Los Angeles, was definitely the highlight of this event

Despite the heat, they belted out song after song without any break or any sign of tiredness. The crowd also sang along with them for all the songs and screamed for more when their performance ended.

Ming Bridges, a Singaporean singer, songwriter, actress and model, definitely charmed the crowd with her energy on stage.

Nam Gyu Ri

Nam Gyu Ri, a singer and actress from South Korean, made her debut DJ-ing performance in this event. Even though it was her debut stage for DJ-ing, she got the hang of it within seconds. It was good to see her enjoying herself on stage as well as the crowd who cheered for her.

Thank you OWL WAIT Pte Ltd and TJ Eventz for the invitation to cover this event.

Do check out our flickr for more photos of this event! https://www.flickr.com/photos/stararena/sets/72157644042225715/

140307 F.T Island 6th Anniversary Live in Singapore Press Conference and Hi-Touch Session

Press Conference
F.T Island is finally back in Singapore! With smiles on their faces, all members of F.T Island greeted everyone as they walked into the room and sat down to prepare for the commencement of the press conference.

When asked about their thoughts and feelings about coming back to Singapore, Hongki said it felt good to be back and since Korea is currently really cold, it is good to be in a warm country for a change. He laughed and added that Singapore was however, too warm.

The members expressed their excitement and anticipation to meet Singapore Primadonna once again this year. F.T. Island also talked about their upcoming plans; their next album, which would consist of numerous inputs and ideas from the members and they hope that the audience will give their support and look forward to it.

F.T Island has debuted for 8 years till now. Being the first idol band in Korea, Hongki mentioned that they faced lots of obstacles during these years. Facing stereotypes from people, many questioned, with only instruments, how far can they really go?

But all the stereotypes and doubts turned out to be a challenge for them to overcome instead.

Lastly, to all females going for the concert, Hongki recommended them to come dressed in trainers and sneakers in order to fully enjoy the concert. Also to drink lots of water to keep themselves hydrated. Warning for sore arms and legs included and lets get crazy with F.T. Island at their concert!

Hi-Touch Session
Hours before the stipulated starting time of the hi-touch session, many fans had already gathered at the atrium of Square 2 to get a good spot and to prepare for the arrival of F.T Island. Fans came prepared with hand-made fan boards, cameras, banners and balloons, hoping to convey their support and love for their idols when they arrive.

When the members finally arrived, screams and shouts of the fans could be heard throughout the whole of Square 2. Passers-by who heard their screams were intrigued and joined the crowd. One by one, the fans went on stage to receive their hi-touch from the members. The members gave the each lucky fan a high five and thanked them for showing their support. When the hi-touch session ended, the members of F.T. Island thanked the crowd for their support before leaving the venue.