Park Shin-hye Gets 7 Million Weibo Followers

Park Shin-hye /Courtesy of S.A.L.T. Entertainment

Actress Park Shin-hye has gained over 7 million Weibo followers, making her the first Korean actress to reach that number as her popularity continues to grow in China.

Her latest TV series "Pinocchio" has been a hit in China, with more than 170 million views on China's Youku video sharing site after just six episodes.

"Pinocchio" airs in Korea on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and Chinese subtitles are uploaded to Youku on Thursdays and Fridays.

"There were great expectations for 'Pinocchio' even before it was released because almost all of Park's dramas, including 'The Heirs,' have been popular in China," a Chinese insider said.

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Shinhan Bank Makes US$100 Million Profit Overseas

Shinhan Bank achieved overseas profits of more than US$100 million for the first time.

In a press release on Monday, the bank said cumulative overseas profits from January to October totaled $107.4 million, leading to expected full-year overseas profits of $120 million.

Overseas profits are up 20 percent compared to 2013 and stem from banking operations in Vietnam, Shinhan Bank said.

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'Interstellar' Draws 8 Million Viewers

According to the Korean Film Council on Monday, Hollywood blockbuster "Interstellar" hit the 8-million mark in cinema attendance here, some three weeks after its release on Nov. 6.

It drew more than 352,000 moviegoers on Sunday alone, bringing the total to 8.31 million.

As the film still draws a herd of spectators, it is expected to soon hit the 10-million mark in attendance. Only two foreign films -- James Cameron's "Avatar" and Disney animation "Frozen" -- drew over 10 million viewers here.

"Interstellar" follows a team of explorers who travel through space in search of a habitable planet.

Its star-studded cast includes Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway and Matt Damon.

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Egyptian Telecom Earns $500 Million in N.Korea

Orascom Telecom Media and Technology of Egypt has earned more than US$500 million from its mobile phone business in North Korea.

Orascom posted the figure in an audit report on its website.

The cash balance of Koryolink, the North Korean cellular network operator in which Orascom owns a 75 percent stake, increased from $510 million in late June to $540 million in late September, according to analysis by accounting firm Deloitte on Sept. 30.

But the blog North Korea Tech said due to currency controls imposed by the regime, "that cash isn't readily available" to Orascom to repatriate.

The company has recently complained that North Korea is preventing it from sending the money to Egypt and is in negotiations with the regime.

In May last year, Orascom said there were more than two million people in North Korea with mobile phones, but it published no official statistics this time.

But North Korea Tech quoted an Orascom executive as estimating the number at 2.4 million.

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'Interstellar' Draws More Than 6 Million Moviegoers

More than six million people have watched "Interstellar" here since its release 17 days ago.

The sci-fi film was watched by more than 480,000 moviegoers on Sunday alone, bringing the total to 6.85 million viewers, according to the Korean Film Council.

It has become Christopher Nolan's most successful film in Korea, surpassing the Batman sequel "The Dark Knight Rises," which was watched by 6.39 million viewers here in 2012.

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First Korean Caddy to Earn W100 Million in a Season

Suh Jeong-woo has become the nation's first caddy to earn W100 million in one year as he helped the 19-year-old rookie Kim Hyo-joo win over W1 billion in prize money in a single season for the first time in the Korean Ladies Professional Golf Association.

Caddies are generally paid on a weekly basis during tournaments, and if their player wins the title or makes the top 10, they receive 5-10 percent of the prize money as an incentive.

Suh, 29, said he couldn't imagine that he would earn that much money as a caddy. He is glad but he can't believe it's actually happening, he added.

Suh Jeong-woo

Kim earned a total of W1.14 billion in prize money this season with five wins including three major titles on the KLPGA. Whenever she claimed a title, Kim took a photo with Suh as they held up the trophy together in recognition of his contribution.

Communicating frankly with the player is the key, Suh said. When he makes a mistake, he does not hesitate to apologize to the player. If the player makes a mistake, he encourages them to forget about it as soon as possible.

Suh was a weightlifter in high school before he took up golf. He then found it more rewarding to advise other players, putting down his own golf clubs to become a caddy.
"I want to continue this gratifying job as I share the joy and challenges of the player," he said.

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Music's Dr. Dre, Iovine give $70 million to USC academic program

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Rapper Dr. Dre and music mogul Jimmy Iovine have donated $70 million to establish an entrepreneurial undergraduate program at the University of Southern California, the Los Angeles school said on Wednesday.

The gift will create a new degree pulling faculty members from the university's business, fine arts, music and engineering departments.

The Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy for Arts, Technology and the Business of Innovation will begin in the fall of 2014 and enroll a first class of 25 students, USC said.

Dr. Dre, whose real name is Andre Young, and Iovine created the popular headphones Beats by Dr. Dre in 2006, successfully transitioning Dr. Dre's popularity as a rapper and hip-hop producer into the consumer electronics market.

"The vision and generosity of Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young will profoundly influence the way all of us perceive and experience artistic media," USC President C. L. Max Nikias said in a statement.

"Our goal is to ensure that the academy is the most collaborative educational program in the world," Nikias added.

USC said the program will bring in "icons and innovators" as visiting faculty members and speakers.

The program, which will be headed by fine arts dean Eric Muhl, will also require students to complete a year long group project.

Dr. Dre, 48, rose to fame in the 1980s as an hip-hop producer and member of gangster rap group N.W.A. He is also credited with helping develop the careers of rappers Snoop Dogg and Eminem in the 1990s.

Iovine, 60, is the chairman of Universal Music Group's unit Interscope Geffen A&M Records. His Interscope label embraced hip-hop music and edgier acts, including Dr. Dre and rocker Marilyn Manson, in the 1990s.

USC has also received large gifts from "Star Wars" director and alumnus George Lucas, who donated $75 million to the university's film school in 2009.

Universal Music Group is a subsidiary of Vivendi.

(Reporting by Eric Kelsey, editing by Piya Sinha-Roy and Sofina Mirza-Reid)

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'Twilight' Studios Sued For $500 Million

A clan of faux-fiends is plotting to suck Lionsgate and Summit Entertainment dry.

Read the whole story at EW.com

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