• BTS's Jimin Celebrated with Fan Events from Seoul to Busan

    With BTS Jimin's birthday (October 13) coming up, fans are getting ready to celebrate in a big way! From Seoul to Busan, fan projects are in full swing.

    One of Jimin’s biggest fanbases, ALLFORJIMIN, is putting up a special outdoor ad on the Shinhan Bank building in Myeongdong, Seoul. It will run from October 7 to 13, showing their love for Jimin. They also teamed up with the Chinese fanbase MoonRising to promote a solo exhibition called The Truth Untold: Untold Feelings, which will take place at Le Méridien Moxy in Myeongdong starting October 11.

    Fans in China are also showing their love. MoonRising has organized bus stop ads around Korea, displaying heartfelt letters from Chinese fans to Jimin at various locations, like Pangyo Station and Hyundai Department Store.

    A special tradition among Jimin’s fans is the annual blood donation campaign, started in 2019. His fan site "Beloved You" is encouraging people to donate blood in his honor. The campaign is running in Seoul and Busan, and the fan site shared, “On Jimin’s birthday, we hope to spread love by encouraging blood donations."

    Another fan site, "Fabulous Boy," is putting up screen ads at Hongdae Station from October 8 to 14. Plus, a group of fans from Korea, Japan, and Russia are collaborating to broadcast over 130 birthday ads per day at Busan Station, along with special ads at Lotte Department Store in Seomyeon, Busan.

    Even in Yeoncheon, where Jimin is currently serving in the military, two cafés are giving free drinks to soldiers in honor of his birthday. This thoughtful gesture adds to the festive mood, making Jimin's birthday feel extra special this year.

    Fans are going all out to celebrate Jimin, showing just how much he means to them!

    Source (1)

  • Architect Calls Out KBS Drama for Hammering Nails Into Cultural Heritage Site—What Really Happened?

    A recent KBS drama shoot starring Girls' Generation's Seohyun and 2PM's Taecyeon has sparked controversy after accusations of damaging a UNESCO World Heritage site.

    On January 2, architect Min Seo Hong took to Facebook to criticize the production of the upcoming drama I Took the Male Lead's First Night, which used Byeongsan Seowon, a historic Korean Confucian academy, as a filming location.

    His post, titled "An Account of What I Witnessed at Byeongsan Seowon," detailed shocking allegations about the crew's actions.

    Min shared that he visited Byeongsan Seowon on December 30, only to find the site bustling with drama staff.

    "As I approached, I saw crew members moving around. At first, I didn’t realize it was a filming set, but when I entered the seowon, I felt uneasy knowing this historic site was being used this way," he wrote.

    What he saw inside was alarming. According to Min, props were scattered throughout the seowon, and staff were hammering nails into wooden pillars to hang lights.

    When he confronted them, they reportedly dismissed his concerns, saying, "We already have permission from Andong City. If you’re curious, contact them."

    Determined to take action, Min contacted Andong City’s Cultural Heritage Department. A city official admitted they had approved the filming but appeared unaware of the damage being done.

    "When I asked if they knew about the nails in the wooden pillars, they seemed flustered and promised to order their removal immediately," Min shared.

    Experts later informed Min that incidents like this aren’t uncommon, with some modern heritage sites even being dismantled for filming. "People might think hammering nails is minor, but in traditional Korean houses, it’s a big deal to even drive in one nail. For cultural heritage, this should never happen," he said.

    Min’s biggest concern is the decision to allow such a valuable site, designated as Historic Site No. 260 and a UNESCO World Heritage site, to be used for filming at all. "This was a KBS drama production, and it’s deplorable that they showed such little care for cultural heritage," he added.

    The drama, I Took the Male Lead's First Night, is already drawing backlash before its release, with many netizens expressing anger over the alleged damage to the historic site. Comments online include:

    "Why are cultural heritage sites being used as filming locations in the first place?"

    "If this is true, KBS owes an apology not just to viewers but to the nation."

    "Respect for cultural heritage should come before making a drama."

    Neither KBS nor the drama's production team has released an official statement regarding the allegations.

    However, the issue has sparked heated debate, with many calling for stricter regulations on the use of heritage sites for filming.

    Source: [1]