singer
‘My Hero Academia’ theme song creator arrested for assaulting girlfriend
- Singer-songwriter Kiro Akiyama, 26, was arrested on suspicion of assaulting his girlfriend.
- He allegedly caused bodily harm when he pulled her hair among other actions at his Shibuya apartment at around midnight on Nov. 23.
- According to authorities, the singer admitted to the allegations.
- Akiyama, whose real name is Yuya Arai, is best known for the opening theme song “Identity” to Season 2 of the anime “The Promised Neverland” and the ending theme song “Sketch” for the currently airing sixth season of the anime “My Hero Academia.”
Tokyo Metropolitan Police arrested singer-songwriter Kiro Akiyama on suspicion of assaulting his girlfriend.
The 26-year-old, whose real name is Yuya Arai, allegedly caused bodily harm to his girlfriend, who is in her 20s, when he pulled her hair among other actions at his Shibuya apartment at around midnight on Nov. 23.
Taiwanese singer Angela Chang says her mother stole her $3.4 million in savings
- Taiwanese singer Angela Chang opened up about her relationship with her family during her April 15 appearance on the Chinese variety show “Ace vs. Ace.”
- Her mother Jiang Rouyi, her father Zhang Zhihong, and her uncle Jiang Lile, spoke out against their famous relative during a public falling-out in 2009.
- Chang’s family claimed she was an “unfilial daughter” for abandoning her parents and refusing to help them financially.
- The 40-year-old singer countered their claims during a press conference, saying that her mother took off with her hard-earned savings amounting to NT$100 million (approximately $3.41 million).
Taiwanese singer Angela Chang shared details about her life that were previously unknown to the public, even revealing that her mother embezzled her millions of dollars in savings.
Chang, 40, opened up about her relationship with her family during her April 15 appearance on the Chinese variety show “Ace vs. Ace.”
Henry Lau laments Korean backlash over Chinese cultural appropriation claims: ‘It is because of my blood’
- South Korean fans protested the recent appointment of singer Henry Lau as a local police station’s anti-bullying ambassador.
- The website of Seoul’s Mapo Police Station was bombarded with more than 300 comments heavily against Lau's appointment.
- The negative reaction reportedly stems from claims that the former Super Junior-M member has supported China's alleged cultural appropriation of Korea's heritage.
- "I'm sorry if I did anything wrong and I apologize for the actions I did wrong and the words I said wrong," the singer wrote on Saturday in a now-deleted Instagram post.
- He then lamented that the controversy is purportedly due to his ethnic Chinese background: "What hurts me the most is that people are not uncomfortable with something that I said or did, but it is because of my blood.”
Henry Lau, a Canadian singer of Chinese descent, sparked online backlash from Korean fans after a local police station in Seoul appointed him as its anti-bullying ambassador.
Mapo Police Station, which is located in Seoul’s Mapo District, was heavily criticized last week after news broke about its appointment of the 32-year-old as the face of its anti-school bullying campaign.
‘Asian Americans have a place in music’: Singer’s emotional comment lauded by ‘Alter Ego’ judges
Korean American James Paek received a standing ovation after sharing his takeaway experience from the new Fox singing competition series “Alter Ego.”
Kingston Sol: On the Nov. 10 episode of the show, which sees the show’s contestants performing as their dream avatars, Paek took on a larger-than-life character that channels love and light named “Kingston Sol.” Along with his alter ego, he performed “Let It Go” by James Bay.
‘I never regret speaking up’: Taiwan-based singer Kimberly Chen on ‘Fragile’ being banned in China
Taiwan-based Australian singer Kimberley Chen has no regrets mocking Chinese nationalists even after her albums were taken down in China.
No regrets: The song “Fragile” by Namewee, which features Chen, was banned days after its release in China for insulting the authoritarian government and pro-Beijing nationalists. However, it went viral in neighboring countries and became No. 1 on Hong Kong and Taiwan YouTube.
Mandopop song mocking Chinese nationalists as ‘Fragile’ goes No. 1 on Hong Kong and Taiwan YouTube
A satirical song meant to mock Chinese nationalists recently went viral and is now banned in China.
“I’m so sorry”: On Oct. 15, Malaysian rapper Namewee released “Fragile,” a Mandopop song created with Taiwan-based Australian singer Kimberley Chen and uploaded on YouTube.
Phi Nhung, Vietnamese American musical icon, passes away from COVID-19
On Tuesday, Vietnamese American singer Phi Nhung passed away after a month-long battle with COVID-19 at Cho Ray Hospital in Saigon.
Heartbreaking news: Before she passed away, the 51-year-old singer was undergoing multiple different treatments, including extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) intervention, for COVID-19, according to VN Express.
Singer Utada Hikaru Reveals Nonbinary Identity, Wants More Discussions on LGBTQ Issues in Japan
Japanese American singer Utada Hikaru revealed their nonbinary identity during a recent livestream on Instagram.
The reveal: Over the weekend, the 38-year-old singer wished everyone a happy Pride Month and came out as nonbinary to their Instagram followers, according to Kotaku.
Legendary Vietnamese Singer Le Thu Passes Away at 78 After Getting COVID-19
Le Thu, a Vietnamese American songstress who rose to fame in the 1960s and 70s, died at the age of 78 after suffering from COVID-19.
Thu was reportedly admitted to Orange Coast Memorial Hospital in Fountain Valley, California and placed in the intensive care unit as early as Jan. 3.
K-Pop Legend Who Dodged Military Service Still Banned From South Korea
South Korea has declined action on a Korean American singer’s calls to be granted a visa to enter the country.
Yoo Seung-jun, also known as Steve Yoo (@yooseungjun_official), renounced his South Korean citizenship in 2002 to allegedly escape from the nation’s mandatory military service.
Singer Tiffany Young’s Tour Manager Tests Positive For COVID-19
Tara Redavid, aka Tara Anne, who works as a tour manager for Tiffany Young (Girls’ Generation), has reportedly been diagnosed with coronavirus (COVID-19).
To cover the cost for her treatment and other medical bills, a GoFundMe account has been set up for Tara. The friend who organized the campaign, known as Tom A., revealed that she has developed pneumonia as a result of contracting the coronavirus.
Korean Singer ATONE Saves Woman From Being Sexually Assaulted By U.S. English Teacher
Social media users are praising Im Ji Hyun, better known by his stage name ATONE, for bravely saving a woman from an attempted sexual assault in the hands of an American English teacher.
The incident happened on the morning of Nov. 30 when an English teacher, who was later revealed to be a U.S. citizen, tried to sexually assault a woman in the Mapo district of Seoul, South Korea, according to AllKpop.
