…in time for her 10th year debut anniversary.

BoA, who will be commemorating her 10th year as an artist, since her debut in 2000, will try a hand at producing her own album. On the 13th, an SM Entertainment official announced that BoA will be producing her own 7th Japanese album which is scheduled to be released on January 13th, 2010.

In BoA’s upcoming Japanese album, she will include a number of self-composed songs, her current Japanese single, “Bump Bump!”, soon to be released single, “White Wishes” as well as collaborations with various other artists.

Although plans for BoA’s future in Japan looks well though out, unfortunately fans in Korea will have to wait to see if BoA will be returning to the motherland for a comeback in 2010.

Another November birthday!

This November 5th marks BoA’s 24th birthday, and not only do fans get to celebrate her mere existence, but they get to view a brand new MV for her latest Japanese single too. “Mamoritai ~ White Wishes ~” is a beautiful song that highlights BoA’s natural vocal ability, and sounds just right for the upcoming holiday winter season.

The MV is very simple and sparse. The MV could have afforded a little more sparkle, but either way, “Mamoritai ~ White Wishes ~” sounds great.

Check it out~

Birthday wishes for BoA!

No doubt she can shake it too.

As her 28th Japanese single (damn that girl just keeps working), “BUMP! BUMP!” brings BoA back into her element. Featuring the rap stylings of m-flo’s resident Korean Verbal, this mid-tempo diddy has just the right amount of funk and soul.

Unlike her American material that is just full of bells and whistles, this is just pure BoA. The MV is fairly simple. A dimly lit room and some humorous masked background dancers fit the atmosphere of the song.

Her hair, we mean.

BoA fans may have noticed the pint-sized singer rocking a shorter hairstyle on the cover of her latest Japanese single “Bump Bump!” Well, if you were wondering if the chop was real or not rest assured, it is!

The singer showed up at the Tokyo Game Show 2009, sporting a shorter ‘do, confirming that she had indeed cut her trademark long locks in favor of a shorter style. BoA has had shorter styles for MVs the past (remember “Eien“), but she has never really cut her hair to achieve the look.

According to the singer, the shorter style was her idea. She had it cut because she wanted a change.

In other BoA news, the singer recently appeared at the Tokyo Game Show 2009 to perform her next Japanese single “White Wishes“. Why? Well, because it has been chosen as the theme song for Wii game “Tales of Graces“.

Now that we know the cut is for real, are you liking BoA’s new ‘do or do you wish she never made the chop in the first place?

For reference, BoA’s “Bump Bump!” cover~

Making netizens everywhere even more furious.Lee Soo-man, the man behind SM Entertainment, has recently been under scrutiny from netizens outraged at his lavish lifestyle while his famous pop acts are binded to unethical contracts. Lee is assumed to live on the 15th floor of one of the most luxurious complexes in Kang-nam (the richest burrow of Seoul). Take a look~

I doubt that all belongs to Lee Soo Man, most of these are probably complex amenities. Still, you have to pay a pretty penny for cribs like these.

Here is Lee Soo-man with one of his biggest cash cows, BoA.

DBSK may be in the picture, but is their trademark worth the most? Take a guess~

The August 17th episode of the MBC culture program “Good Day” investigated the estimated value of the top celebrity names/trademarks. What are the results?

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In ascending order, sixth place goes to thespians Won Bin and Choi Ji-woo who tied with an estimated value of 30-40 billion won. Pays off to always have a movie or television role on hand~

Fifth place goes to Dong-bang-shin-ki with an estimated 40-50 billion won. Their name may not be number one, but that amount is nothing to sneer at; no wonder SM Entertainment is clamoring to get the trademark rights to the name DBSK.

Shinhwa may currently not be conducting activities as a whole group, but their name comes in fourth place with an estimated worth of 50 billion won. Being a “legend” for ten plus years doesn’t amount to just any chump change.

Her success in American may be somewhat questionable, but there’s no question that BoA could be confused for the “Bank of Asia” as she snags third place with an estimated value of 100 billion won.

No surprise here, second place goes to the mega hallyu star Bae Yong-joon with an estimated worth of more than 100 billion won. That Korean language DS game with his name on it must be selling like hot cakes.

First place with an estimated 180 billion won goes to none other than the Korea’s rock god, Seo Taiji. No wonder he was the first celebrity to have his very own credit card and cell phone named after him. His name just screams “$$$”.

Surprised or fair assessment? What other celebrity trademarks do you think roll in the dough like these stars?

[Hat tip to babyg1rlll]

A true Asian superstar.

The full version for Akon and BoA’s version of “Beautiful” has been released and…it sounds phenomenal!

This is one of Akon’s many tracks for his first Japan album and, of course, BoA was a surefire way to garner some attention. Though digitalized, BoA’s voice in this song sounds breathtaking: much more so than her own English tracks. Being a veteran entertainer, we wonder why BoA is struggling to reach her American dream.

Definitely worth a listen~

[hat tip to mimi for the clarification]

…with Akon.

It was just been a few weeks since the news about this collaboration broke out, but a preview has already been released.

The world-famous R&B artist hand-picked BoA to work with him on a remix of the song “Beautiful” for his upcoming Japanese album “Freedom + 2”. The two superstars originally met by chance in April at the Spring Groove 2009 concert.

The song’s official release date is set for August 5^th, but this preview is causing quite a stir among BoA and Akon fans alike.

There’s no doubt that working with a popular artist like Akon could improve her U.S. visibility, but could this be BoA’s big U.S. break? Probably not since this is Akon’s Japanese album, and BoA already has plenty of exposure in Japan. Nonetheless, it’s a good step for our pint-sized pop star to work with an American household name like Akon.

How do you think BoA sounds?

Who is making the bigger impact in America? You decide~

So you may be wondering, what is POPSEOUL! Final Face-Off? Well, as you know, here at POPSEOUL!, we dispense a lot of opinion over what and who we think is hot or not that you, the readers, may or may not agree with. You guys pour a lot of indignation or agreement into your comments, and we do in fact read them, although we generally keep it to a laissez faire sort of policy to just let you say what you want without interfering or what not.

With this new feature, we shall present TWO options to ONE decisive question that you must decide which is the right answer. It isn’t a matter of who is “better” or more “popular”, if that were the case, we wouldn’t necessarily be getting the right answer. There will be a poll, but that is really more of a gallup poll to gauge the general popularity of each choice, rather than the decisive factor. POPSEOUL! is going to decide by taking every comment (or as I would like to call it “argument” for or against) into consideration. If you’re from the states, just think VH1’s “Great Debate” minus the B-list celebrities and comedians.

Give us your most passionate dictum, your most convincing evidence, your most amusing relevant anecdote. Whatever it takes to make your point, do it! This will be a weekly feature, so after one week, we will announce the winner, as well as present the best comments provided by you readers. Got it? All right, let’s get started~

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For our first installment of POPSEOUL! Final Face-Off, we’re curious as to who you think is making the biggest impact in America so far. The gentlemen Rain and Se7en came out earlier in the game, but now they’ve both retreated back to Korea for the time being. The ladies of KPOP have taken the reigns of the American dream, and I’ve got to say, they’re whipping the boys.

BoA has undeniable star power, and experience on the music scene that spans eight years of success in Korea and Japan. Setting her sights on America, she’s adopted the R&B and hip hop stylings of mainstream USA, but she hasn’t lost her signature stage charisma and dance ability that has universal appeal. Releasing an entire English album, she’s been steadily promoting in the USA with song after song and making appearances like a bona-fide celebrity. BoA is trying to prove she is more than an Asian sensation and gradually assimilate herself onto the American music scene. However, is she making a big enough impact in the amount of time that she’s been here?

The Wondergirls have only been around for three years, but within that short amount of time, they’ve skyrocketed to stardom with their retro trilogy. Under the management of JYP, the girls have been able to latch onto one of the biggest pop acts in the states, the Jonas Brothers, for maximum exposure. The Wondergirls perform for thousands of people a night, spreading the infectious “Nobody” virus across North America. Targeting probably the most profitable demographic in America, the Disney set, there’s no doubt that JYP is a marketing mastermind. Yet, for all the massive exposure that they get, will America take the Wondergirls seriously?

So here are questions to consider: Who do think will be more embraced by the American music scene as a legit musical export from Korea? Who is making the more noteworthy and lasting impressive on the American mindset? Five years down the road, who will America remember? Who is able to rack up more American dollars and honors?

BoA or Wondergirls?

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The gauntlet has been thrown down, and who is taking it home?

WONDERGIRLS

Why? Here’s the podcast justifying our decision based on your comments.

Nothing like reaching the masses through a chick magazine.
First, our pint-sized diva was interviewed for Entertainment Weekely, and now she’s moving on up to a media outlet that reaches a large majority of young female readers, “CosmoGirl!“. She was only asked five general questions, but that just means you won’t have to strain your eyes to read a long interview about nothing.

Here is the CosmoGirl! interview. Learn anything new?

WHAT’S IT LIKE BEING A POP STAR/FAMOUS IN KOREA?

“Well, I definitely feel a difference when I’m here in the States and when I’m back home. It’s a difficult lifestyle and a lot more guarded. That’s why it’s cool to be in L.A. and walk around wherever I want.”

HOW DO YOU LIKE THE UNITED STATES SO FAR?

“Well so far I still haven’t been all over America but I’ve gone to several cities since I moved here for radio promos. I live in L.A. and I kind of enjoy it. But I have to say that I really, really love New York City. Because it feels like my home.”

WHAT AMERICAN ARTISTS OR MUSICIANS DO YOU ASPIRE TO BE LIKE OR LOOK UP TO?

“There’s so many great artists out there like Kanye, T-Pain, Lady Gaga. So I used to really, really love Michael Jackson so my dance moves came from his moves. But these days I’m more focused on pop. To learn more about the American music industry.”

WHAT IS THE BEST RELATIONSHIP ADVICE YOU’VE EVER GOTTEN?

“Be honest. Honesty is the most important part in a relationship because it builds trust, which is just as essential.”

WHO IS YOUR CELEBRITY CRUSH?

“The actor from The Hangover. Also in He’s Just Not That into You. Bradley Cooper! I just Googled it!”

Although the Wondergirls actually performed on the boobtube for the Wendy Williams’s Show, another American dreamer, BoA also managed up scrounge up a bit of U.S. press coverage for Entertainment Weekly Magazine.

BoA talks about where she hangs out, Britney Spears, Bradley Cooper, looking for cute guys and Weezer. Check out the short interview here.

And oh, just some advice to BoA….don’t appear so desperate.

Check out BoA’s new video, “Energetic”

[Hat tip to DY]

The Japanese do love them.

Since 2001, Avex Group, one of the biggest entertainment companies in Japan, holds an annual summer concert tour called “A-Nation” that features performances from some of their most popular artists. Throughout the month of August, various artists will perform in various locations, some of this year’s acts include TRF, Ayumi Hamasaki, hitomi, GIRL NEXT DOOR, and many more. Korea’s two Japanese favorites, BoA and Tohoshinki (TVXQ), have also been confirmed as acts for A-Nation 2009.

BoA is taking some time from her American dream to perform in Japan, the land where she really soared into stardom. TVXQ always seems to be in Japan, as their activities are more frequent there than in their homeland. Don’t blame SM Entertainment for shipping their hottest acts to Japan though because their market is much bigger and more influential than the music scene in Korea. It also leaves Korean fans hanging, meaning their comebacks always have a lot of hype surrounding them.

To view all acts and tour dates for A-Nation 2009, please click the image below and you will be redirected to the official website.
If you happen to be in Japan this August, why not swing by for your favorite Korean or Japanese musical artists?