140911 Kang Ji Young Makes First Public Appearance Since Leaving KARA

Former KARA member Kang Ji Young has officially marked her new start as an actress in Japan by making her very first public appearance since leaving the girl group earlier this year in January.

On September 6, Kang Ji Young attended “The 19th Tokyo Girls Collection” (TGC) held at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan, and walked the runway as a model.

This runway stage received much interest, as it was the first event at which the public was able to catch a glimpse of Kang Ji Young following her exit from KARA.

On this day, she greeted her fans by saying, “Hello, everyone. This is Ji Young. I’m so happy to be able to stand in front of you all after such a long time. Has everyone been doing well? From now on, I would like to move forward and work hard as an actress without losing my roots. Please show support.”

Meanwhile, the former KARA member ended her contract with DSP Media and left for the UK in order to study language and acting. This past August, she made her plans to begin promotions as an actress known, by signing a contract with a Japanese entertainment agency, Sweet Power. Starting this October, Kang Ji Young will be acting as the lead female role in a new Japanese drama titled “Hell Teacher Nube.”

140821 Jiyoung signs with Japanese agency Sweet Power to start her acting career

Various Japanese media outlets including Oricon reported on the 21st, “Jiyoung has signed with Japanese entertainment agency Sweet Power and plans to promote using her name, Jiyoung.”

A Sweet Power rep apparently stated, “Jiyoung will show more mature charms than previously shown. We anticipate her activities as a global actress with her proficiency in Japanese and English.”

According to her agency, Jiyoung has been taking acting and English lessons in England after leaving KARA and signed her contract this month.

Jiyoung is scheduled to attend the “19th Tokyo Girls Collection” fashion show in Saitama Super Arena on September 6, and has recently completed a 2015 calendar photoshoot to be released early October.

140821 Ex-KARA Star Kang Ji Young Signs for Japanese Agency

Former KARA star Kang Ji Young has signed a deal with a Japanese talent agency as she looks to pursue an acting career. According to Japanese media outlet Oricon News, the ex-KARA member has put pen to paper on a deal with an agency called Sweet Power.

The agency stated that Kang Ji Young had been studying English in the United Kingdom for some time after leaving the girl group in January this year, but has now turned her attention to Japan, and signed a contract with the company earlier this month.

The agency also hinted that it might also seek to promote Kang Ji Young outside Japan, saying, “She has a mature charm, and she speaks good English and Japanese. We think she might have the potential to become a global actress.”

The ex-KARA star remains popular in Japan, and news of her return has been well received in the country. News reports about Kang Ji Young are currently trending on Japanese search engines.

140719 Jiyoung”s acting supposedly to overlap with KARA”s upcoming promotions in Japan

Previously, speculations arose that former KARA member, Jiyoung, might be starting a solo acting career in Japan. While her father previously commented, saying that nothing was certain, but she may want to go down that road after completing her education, reports are now resurfacing in relation to this possibility.

On July 18, Sports DongA revealed that Jiyoung will be taking her first steps as an actress in Japan starting this autumn according to an entertainment rep source. This report also claimed that she signed a contract with a famous agency in Japan calledSweet Power and has already set her plans for next year, as well.

Coincidentally, her former group, KARA, hinted that they will be heading over to Japan in this autumn, as well, after releasing new music in October, so it seems likely that both Jiyoung and KARA”s promotions will overlap. Maybe fans will get to see them together soon as it was revealed Jiyoung and KARA remained on close terms after her leave from the group.

Meanwhile, KARA will be releasing new music in Korea sometime in the middle of August with their new member, Youngji, and have already finished recording their title track and recording the MV. Now, they are engaged in dance practice for stage performances.

140624 Watch Nicole And Jiyoung’s Final Kara Performance As Baby Kara Prepares For First Alleged ‘Kara Project’ Elimination

As the talent variety show “Kara Project” heads into its fifth episode, the seven members of Baby Kara is anticipating the series” first potential elimination to find the replacements for former Kara members Nicole and Jiyoung.

Earlier this year, Nicole and Jiyoung left the DSP Media group Kara after their contract expired. In order to find their replacements, seven K-pop trainees became the group Baby Kara in order to compete in “Kara Project” for a chance to be in the popular girl group.



According to the Japanese news publication Kstyle, episode five of “Kara Project” will have each member of Baby Kara perform solo performances at the Olympic Park Stadium in Seoul. Reportedly, viewers are anticipating two eliminations from Baby Kara during the broadcast.

For the fourth round of votes for each member of Baby Kara, Somin came out on top with 20.11% of the votes, with So Jin and Young Ji in second and third place, respectively. The results are compiled of expert votes, pre-broadcast votes, live broadcast votes, and global fan votes.

“Somin for first! So happy!” commented andyboy17 on allkpop after the latest polls. “When she makes it in Kara she”ll be my second favorite in the group!”

“I follow this show very closely and I”ve said this from the very beginning that Somin is the most “idol ready” out of everyone,” added kpopislifeyo on June 24. “She can sing, dance, and at the same time she looks like a model. Somin and So Jin are my picks.”

Should there be eliminations during episode five, Yoo Ji and Shi Yoon could both be in danger, as they are currently in sixth and seventh place.

In anticipation of episode five, some fans are reminded of Nicole and Jiyoung”s final performance with Kara in Kobe last year, where the quintet performed the Korean version of the song “Dear Kamilia,” a song dedicated to their fanbase.

Check out Nicole and Jiyoung”s final performance as “Kara Project” gets one step closer to finding the next members of Kara.

140611 Former Kara Member Jiyoung’s Father Says There Is No Plan For His Daughter To Become An Actress In Japan

The father of former Kara member Jiyoung has spoken out about reports his daughter is planning to debut as an actress in Japan.

E News Daily reports that they reached out to the singer”s father for comments regarding recent reports that Jiyoung met with Sweet Power, a Japanese entertainment agency, in London, where she is currently a student.

However, Jiyoung”s father says while she did meet reps from the company, no decisions have been made yet.

“The Japanese entertainment reps and Jiyoung simply had a meal together in London after running into each other there,” he reportedly said to E News Daily.”Following completion of her studies, she will think about [whether or not she wants to work as an actress in Japan].”

Reports were initially made on June 9 regarding Jiyoung”s lunch meeting saying that the Sweet Power reps flew to London specifically to meet with Jiyoung.With many fans curious what the future holds in store for the former Kara star, some other speculative reports have suggested Jiyoung will travel to the US to pursue a career after wrapping up her studies in England.

However, her father asks everyone to be patient while she concentrates on her education.

“Please just accept it as a meeting and nothing more.[Jiyoung] has not signed a contract yet,” he said.

Sweet Power currently represents some of Japan”s top actresses such as Meisa Kuroki, Maki Horikita, and Mirei Kiritani.Well-known Korean actress Kim Tae Hee has also currently working with the agency.

The 20-year-old idol singer announced in January of this year that she would be leaving Kara when her contract with the group”s agency expired in April.The young star decided to go to London in order to focus on her acting and language skills.

140610 Jiyoung rumored to be in talks with a Japanese agency for a possible acting career

Jiyoung is rumored to be preparing to start anew as an actress in Japan by signing with a famous agency.

According to several media outlets, a Japanese weekly magazine revealed on the 10th, “Jiyoung, who left KARA and departed to London for her studies last April, will resume her activities as a celebrity.”

“Jiyoung has always had the dream to be an actress and the Sweet Power CEO traveled all the way to London to meet Jiyoung and consult with her about her future… Jiyoung is expected to return to fans in Japan as an actress within this year.”

The agency Sweet Power is home to top Japanese actresses including Meisa Kuroki (Satsuki Shimabukuro), Maki Horikita, as well as Korean actress Kim Tae Hee who works with the agency for her Japanese promotions.

The Japanese magazine also reports that when they contacted Sweet Power for confirmation, the agency responded, “It”s true the CEO met with Jiyoung in London and listened to a consultation about her activities as an actress… However, nothing has been decided on.”

Stay tuned for potential updates to come!

131024 KARA’s Kang Jiyoung, Not a Girl, Not Quite a Woman “Innocent Yet Sexy”

Kang Jiyoung, Not a Girl, Not Quite a Woman… ‘Innocent & Sexy’

Girl group KARA member Kang Jiyoung showed off her innocent yet sexy charm, which is attracting attention among fans.

Kang Jiyoung recently had a photo shoot for a fashion magazine, with which she won the admiration of fans by freely crossing the boundary between youth and womanhood.

At the shoot, she exposed a little bit of shoulder and radiated her sex appeal, and also she brought forth her youthful beauty with a girl-like innocence. She was able to switch between concepts with her gaze and poses, and was praised from the staff for the mature attitude she brought to the set.

In the interview following the photo shoot, she revealed, “When I was young, I wanted to hurry up and become 20 years old (Korea’s “legal” age). But once I turned 20, I found that there’s not much to it.” She continued, “Although I still don’t feel much different, I try hard to act like an adult with my actions and in my thoughts. Even when I pose for photo shoots, I try to fully understand the concept and strike poses and make facial expressions that fit best with the concepts.”

She also said, “More than anything, I’m sad there’s only 2 months left of being 20. I still have so many things I want to do, and I don’t know what I should do first.”

Photo credit: SURE

131025 KARA Han Seung Yeon and Kang Ji Yeon, Ready for the Winter with Republic of Aurora

Girl group KARA’s Han Seung Yeon and Kang Ji Young are ready for winter wonderland posing for a 2013 winter collection alongside actor Lee Min Ki.

The concept that was being showed in the collection”Republic of Aurora”, was the warmth from winter fun. While Lee Min Ki showed his alluring looks, KARA’s maknae Kang Ji Young played as the mood-maker and Han Seung Yeon brought on her aegyo.

During the said photo shoot, Han Seung Yeon and Lee Min Ki did a couple’s pose andtheir photographer asked for more romantic expressions from them, the singer suddenly gave a back-hug to Lee Min Ki, surprising everyone.

KARA is on their Japanese arena tour which started last October 8 at Yokohama and will continue to perform next month.

130924 Kara's Kang Ji Young Poses for a "Boy Meets Girl" Vogue Girl Photo Shoot

Kang Ji Young posed for the young fashion magazine “Vogue Girl” with a boy/girl concept titled “Boy Meets Girl.”

Kang Ji Young’s portrayal of the two sexes showcased her lovely yet playful charms. Eyes were drawn to Kang Ji Young’s dazzling beauty even as she dressed up as a boy.

Each cut showed both the boy Kang Ji Young as well as the girl Kang Ji Young. Eight different makeup styles were used for this photo shoot and although the photo shoot wasn’t easy to execute, Kang Ji Young displayed her talents and skills by pulling off each look.

Kang Ji Young is said to have picked each cut that would be featured in the magazine and showed a forward and energetic attitude throughout the shoot, earning the praise of the staff.

Meanwhile, Kara is actively promoting their latest single “Damaged Lady.” Kang Ji Young’s dual charm photo shoot can be found in the October edition of “Vogue Girl.”

130923 KARA Kang Jiyoung Reveals Charismatic Charm for Photo Shoot

KARA Kang Jiyoung revealed an interesting photo shoot online.

On September 23, Vogue magazine revealed a photos of Kang Jiyoung for a ‘Boy meets Girl’ concept shoot.

The photos showed Jiyoung sporting different hair styles and make up looks.

She showed her bright and bubbly personality at the shoot as she worked with the staff.

On the other hand, KARA is currently busy promoting their new song, “Damaged Lady.”

130904 Youngest Kara Member Kang Jiyoung Disses Gyuri??

On the September 2nd episode of KBS 2 "National Talk Show Hello," all the members of Kara appeared as guests on the show. On the show, Kang Jiyoung, the youngest member of the group, revealed what she envied about each member of the group.

When the MCs asked her what quality of trait she envied most about the other members of Kara, she answered, "I envy Hara's small face and lean figure. I also envy Nicole's muscles and toned body. As for Gyuri, I envy her confidence." That last part elicited laughter from everyone, as it sounded a little like she was insulting Gyuri for not having another body part that Kang Jiyoung envies. However the youngest member's intention wasn't to insult Gyuri, but in fact to praise her for her confidence.

To this MC Shin Dong Yup said, "It sounds like there is no basis for this confidence." And instead of being upset or embarrassed, Gyuri coolly said, "Jiyoung, take your time and answer the question." Her cool manner of responding to such a statement has made people more attracted to Gyuri.

In this same episode of "National Talk Show Hello," Nicole admitted that she thinks EXO's Kai is cool, and has quickly become a hot topic among the fandoms.

130906 KARA Goo Hara and Kang Jiyoung Show Tears on ‘Radio Star’

Kara’s members Goo Hara and Kang Jiyoung shed tears on the latest episode of MBC’s “Radio Star” which aired on the 4th. The viewer’s opinion divided between pity and surprise. These two opposing views were expressed primarily on the discussion forum on the official homepage of Radio Star.

Goo Hara showed tears when the MCs, who are known to be at times obscene and mean-spirited in their questions, badgered her about her love life. Goo Hara has been caught up in a scandal with her close friend Lee Soo Hyuk, and has also revealed that she is dating BEAST’s Yong Junhyung. Before the program began, Goo Ha Ra said she will answer every question honestly except questions about her love life.

However, the MCs of Radio Star disregarded this and asked her about her love life anyway. Yoon Jong Shin and Super Junior’s Kyuhyun were on the attack when Goo Ha Ra started to cry. Kim Goo Ra, who is usually the meanest MC of the program, chastised them, saying, “You should know when enough is enough,” and comforted Goo Hara, saying, “People need to talk about it often and a lot before it dies down, so have patience.”

Goo Hara apologized as well, saying that her emotions got the best of her.

Kang Jiyoung began to cry when the MCs began to speak to them about her playfulness. Being the youngest member of KARA, she confessed that she always felt that people didn’t think she was able to pull off the groups’ various sexy or boyish concepts. When the MCs asked her for a display of her youthful playfulness, she broke out in tears of frustration.

KARA was away from the fans for over a year, and this was one of the shows that they planned to appear on. They will continue to appear on TV shows to appeal to the fans that missed them for over a year.

KARA’s Han Seongyeon expressed surprise and compassion. She said, “I’m the crybaby of the group, but seeing the other members cry made me realize that they must have felt what I felt when I cried in front of them.”

130906 Singers shed tears on show

Two members of the girl group Kara cried during a talk show on Wednesday because they were asked to talk about a subject that makes them feel uncomfortable.

Goo Ha-ra and Kang Ji-young went on the MBC talk show “Radio Star” with another member, Han Seung-yeon, and chief producer of JYP Entertainment, Park Jin-young.

Goo cried when the hosts asked her questions about her romantic relationship as there were rumors she dated singer Yong Jun-hyung, of the boy group Beast, and actor Lee Soo-hyeok, of the KBS drama “Shark”.

As the hosts are known for asking guests questions in a straightforward way, she said she was scared to come on the show.

“I think reports come out in a skewed direction when I talk about relationships”, said Goo.

Gyu-hyun of Super Junior, who is also a host on the show, said, “Goo can see the end of her career when I start talking”. Goo responded that Gyu-hyun would also have a lot to lose and started crying, claiming that her tears were from anger.

Kang cried when Kim Goo-ra, one of the hosts, asked her to show a cute face as she is known for acting cute in Japan, but Kang said she didn’t know how to act cute.

By Lee Sun-min

130830 Jiyoung asks fans if they're ready for KARA's comeback next week with a picture

KARA's Jiyoung asked the fans to get ready for the group's comeback with a selca.

On August 30, Jiyoung wrote, "Finally the music will be released next week. Is everyone ready!?!" as she attached the above picture.

Jiyoung grabbed the fans' eyes with her charismatic stare while biting her bottom lips.

After seeing her update, the viewers wrote, "Giant baby is really pretty", and "Jiyoung's stare selca, so cute."

130902 KARA Nicole and Kang Ji Young Try to Seduce the Camera

Recently, girl group Kara‘s members Kang Ji Young and Nicole revealed an adorable photo of themselves.

On her Instagram on September 2, Kang Ji Young uploaded a picture along with a short message, “With Nicole Unnie.”

In the released picture are Kang Ji Young and Nicole gazing at the camera. They both have their long hair down and are wearing sleeveless shirts. Kang Ji Young is holding a finger to her lips, while Nicole has her lips in a sexy pout. With their smoldering gazes, both Kang Ji Young and Nicole look gorgeous in this photo.

Fans that saw this picture commented, “They are so sexy,” “Both look pretty,” and “I am looking forward to Kara’s comeback.”

Meanwhile, Kara recently released its new song “Damaged Lady.”

130811 Lee Min Ki, KARA's Seungyeon and Jiyoung Behind the Scenes of New Photoshoot

KARA‘s Seungyeon and Jiyoung, along with actor Lee Min Ki, recently participated in a fall pictorial photoshoot for the fashion brand UNIONBAY.

In the stills released, it is evident that all three contributed to a lively and uplifting atmosphere, perfectly capturing the playfulness of the fashion choices. 

A representative of UNIONBAY remarks that the three have become quite close, having been working together for two years. He complemented them on their natural teamwork, and ability to complete the photoshoot in a lively manner.

130804 ‘Entertainment Relay’ KARA Kang Jiyoung, “I Want To Act With Gong Yoo”

Girl group KARA’s member Kang Jiyoung chose actor Gong Yoo as the actor she wants to work with.

In KBS2 “Entertainment Relay” aired today, actor Lee Min Ki and KARA’s Han Seungyeon and Kang Jiyoung filming for a photo shoot were interviewed.

The three seemed to have been a lot less awkward from the beginning, as they had gotten closer through working together for the photo shoot.

As an actor she wants to work with, Kang Jiyoung chose Gong Yoo and said, “I’m studying hard,” not being able to hold in her smiles as she talked about Gong Yoo.

Photo Credit: KBS2

130727 KARA releases Jiyoung & Nicole versions “Thank You Summer Love” MVs

KARA releases the solo version MVs of members Nicole and Jiyoung, check out the MVs below

130726 KARA Kang Jiyoung-Nicole Turn Into Cartoon Characters

Girl group KARA’s member Kang Jiyoung turned into the cartoon character Pippi Longstocking.

Yesterday, KARA’s Nicole posted on her Instagram, “Pigtails JY” along with a picture.

In the picture, Kang Jiyoung’s hair is tied to her sides with a yellow tie, turning into the animation character Pippi. Nicole was also in a pink dress with a pink ribbon in her hair, looking like a cartoon character as well.

Internet users who saw this commented, “You look like cartoon characters,” “So cute,” etc.

Photo Credit: Nicole Instagram