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Jeju Island

                              Jeju Island                                     

     Early history

According to legend, three demi-gods emerged from Samsung-hyeol which is said to have been on the northern slopes of Mt. Halla and became the progenitors of the Jeju people who founded the Kingdom of Tamna.

It has also been claimed that three brothers—including Ko-hu—who were the 15th descendants of Koulla, one of the Progenitors of the Jeju people, were received by the court of Silla, at which time [when?] the name Tamna was officially recognized, while the official government posts of Commander, Prince and Governor were conferred by the court upon the three. However, there is no concrete evidence of when the "Three Names" (Samseong-Ko, Yang and Pu) appeared nor for the exact date of when Ko-hu and his brothers were received by Silla. It may be supposed that the "Three Names" Founding Period occurred during the Three Kingdoms (Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla) Period on the mainland of Korea.

Taejo, founder of Goryeo, attempted to establish the same relationship between Goryeo and Tamna as Tamna had had with Silla. Tamna refused to accept this position and the Goryeo court dispatched troops to force Tamna to submit. Ko ja-gyeon, chief of Tamna, submitted to Goryeo in 938 and sent his son, Prince Mallo, to Goryeo's court as a de facto hostage. In 1105 (King Sukjong's 10th year), the Goryeo court abolished the name Takna which had been used up to this time and, from that year on, the island was known as "Tamna-gun" (district) and Goryeo officials were sent to handle the affairs of the island.

Tamna-country was changed to Tamna-county in 1153 during the reign of King Uijong and Choi Cheok-kyeong was posted as Tamna-Myeong or Chief of Tamna. In 1121 during Huijong's reign, Tamna was renamed "Jeju" and the posts of Judiciary were established on the island.

In 1271, General Kim Tong Jeong escaped with what remained of his Sambyeolcho force from Jindo and built the Hangpadu Fortress at Kwiil-chon from where they continued their fight against the combined Korean government-Mongolian army but within 2 years, faced by an enemy army of over 10,000 troops, the Sambyeolcho was annihilated.

Jeju Uprising, 1948

On April 3, 1948, against a background of an ongoing ideological struggle for control of Korea and a variety of grievances held by islanders against the local authorities, the many communist sympathizers on the island attacked police stations and government offices. The brutal and often indiscriminate suppression of the leftist rebellion resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of both villagers and communist radicals and the imprisonment of thousands more in internment camps.

While claims have been made that the US government oversaw and supported "anti-communist" activities administratively if not openly in the field, validation remains to be made. It is a fact the US was heavily involved in counter-insurgence operations across Korea at this time leading up to the Korean War and UN involvement.Similarly, the Northwest Youth League, a Korean government sponsored watchdog group made up of refugees who had fled North Korea, actively repressed any and all "communist sympathizers" with a campaign of shooting on sight anyone entering or leaving the president's "enemy zone" and using open, armed violence and what would be labeled today as terrorist activities. This led to the deaths of hundreds of islanders, with many other islanders being raped and tortured. Intolerance by mainland Korean officials of islanders in general at the time, government- and organization-sponsored isolation of the island and a rumored cover-up of evidence linking the rebellion's suppressors with foreign powers and people who have gone unprosecuted is believed to be the primary cause of public ignorance, hedging on denial, over the April 3, 1948 genocide on Cheju-do. A documentary by the BBC and PBS, Korea : The Unknown War and many activities and publications, including Sun-i Samch'on by Hyun Ki Young, by organizations and persons from within Cheju-do and around the world continue to attempt shedding the light on this event. The Uprising has become a symbol of Jeju's Independence from Korean Peninsula .

The provincial administrative building was burned to the ground in September 1948 and a new building was completed in 1-do, 2-dong in December, 1952.

Construction of a naval base

In June 2007, the Korean government selected Gangjeong, a village on the southern coast of the island, as the site of a $970 million naval base. The base is to house twenty warships, including submarines.

In January 2010, the South Korean Navy signed two contracts with two construction firms to build pier facilities.; construction began in January 2011. By August, about 14 percent of the contract had been spent on initial construction work, but significant progress had not been made due to local resistance to the base.

Trying to prevent dredging and bulldozing, residents of Gangjeong have been living in tents in and near areas where construction is planned or ongoing. In addition to protests, the villagers have filed lawsuits to try to block construction and have widely publicized their opposition.

Historical names

Historically, the island has been called by many different names including :    

• Doi (도이, 島夷, literally "Island barbarian")
• Dongyeongju (동영주, 東瀛州)
• Juho (주호, 州胡)
• Tammora (탐모라, 耽牟羅)
• Seobna (섭라, 涉羅)
• Tagna (탁라, 乇羅)
• Tamna (탐라, 耽羅)
• Quelpart (q.v. gyulbat, 귤밭, 橘밭, literally "orange fields")
• Joonwonha-do(준원하도, meaning southern part of peninsula)
• Taegseunglee-do(택승리도, meaning the peaceful hot island in Choseon Dynasty)

Before the Japanese annexation in 1910, the island was usually known as Quelpart to Europeans. The name apparently came from the first European ship to spot the island, the Dutch Quelpaert, which sighted it after being blown off course on its way to the Dutch trading base in Nagasaki, Japan, from Taiwan (then the Dutch colony of Formosa).

When Korea was annexed by Japan in 1910, Jeju then became known as Saishū, which is the Japanese reading of the hanja for Jeju.

Before 2000, when the Seoul government changed the official Romanization of Hangul, Jeju-do was spelled Cheju-do. Almost all written references to the island before that use that spelling.

Geography

Jeju Island is a volcanic island, dominated by Halla-san (Halla Mountain): a volcano 1,950 metres (6,400 ft) high and the highest mountain in South Korea. The island measures approximately 73 kilometres (45 mi) across, east to west, and 41 kilometres (25 mi) from north to south.

The island was created entirely from volcanic eruptions approximately 2 million years ago, during the time period extending from the Tertiary to the beginning of the Quaternary period, and consists chiefly of basalt and lava. The eruptions took place in the Cenozoic era. It has ahumid subtropical climate, warmer than that of the rest of Korea, with four distinct weather seasons. Winters are cool and dry while summers are hot, humid, and sometimes rainy.

There is a crater lake which is the only crater lake in South Korea.

An area covering about 12% (224 square kilometres or 86 square miles) of Jeju is known as Gotjawa Forest . This area remained uncultivated until the 21st century, as its base of 'A' ă lava made it difficult to develop for agriculture. Because this forest remained pristine for so long, it has a unique ecology. The forest is the main source of groundwater and thus the main water source for the half millon people of the island, because rainwater penetrates directly into the aquifer through the cracks of the ʻAʻā lava under the forest. Gotjawal forest is considered an internationally important wetland under the Ramsar Convention by some researchersbecause it is the habitat of unique species of plants and is the main source of water for the residents, although to date it has not been declared a Ramsar site.

Hallim Park is one of the oldest and most popular tourist attractions on Jeju. It is located on the west coast of the island.

There is an annual fire festival on the island that stems from a custom of removing harmful insects and old grass in villages every winter. The fire festival is held on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month each year. Dal-gip(to pile up much wood) is burned when the moon rises while praying for good harvests and making good wishes. Jeju traditional food is eaten at the site of the festival. This festival was held 13 times until 2009. The ""Jeju Jeongwol Daeboreum Fire Festival"" started in 1997 and become a leading festival of Jeju. This takes place in Saebyeol Oreum located in Bongseong ri, Aewol Eup. It takes up to 25 minutes to reach it from Jeju International Airport by car. Jeju citizens do their utmost to prepare the Fire Festival so as to pass down, develop and ultimately develop branding for the unique folk culture resources of Jeju. Saebyeol oreum has a characteristic of a complex volcano. It has a horseshoe shaped crater that is both very wide and slightly split. Also, it rises high with the little peaks making an oval from the south peak to northwest. The scale is above sea level 519.3m, height 119m, circumference 2,713m, area 522,216㎡. Saebyeol oreum is the middle size among the 360 oreums in Jeju island. It is named after the saying "it brightens like a star".

Olle is a word in the local dialect which refers to the paths between houses and public roads."
The Jeju Olle Trail, called Jeju Olle Gil or simply, "jejuolle" in Korean, is a long distance footpath on Jeju Island. The course, mostly following the coastline, consists of 21 connected, numbered main courses, 5 major spurs, and a short spur that connects to Jeju Airport. The courses have an average length of 16 km and all together total 404 km. The exact length and locations change over time as trails are modified or re-routed. The courses pass through small villages, cross beaches, wind through farms and orchards, twist through forests, climb oreums (low parasitic volcanoes), and provide a good look at the lives of average Islanders and the unique natural beauty of Jeju Island.

Manjanggul is one of the longest lava tubes in the world. Manjang Cave, situated at Donggimnyeong-ri, Gujwa-eup, North Jeju, 30 kilometers east of Jeju City, was designated as Natural Monument No. 98 on March 28, 1970. The annual temperature inside the cave ranges from 11℃ to 21℃, thus facilitating a favorable environment throughout the year. The cave is also academically significant as rare species live in the cave. Created by spewing lava, "the lava turtle", "lava pillar", and "Wing-shaped Wall" look like the work of the gods. It is considered to be a world class tourist attraction. The Geomunoreum lava tube system is the most impressive and significant series of protected lava tube caves in the world and includes a spectacular array of secondary carbonate speleothems (stalactites and other formations). And it overwhelms other lava tubes with its abundance and diversity. The Geomunoreum Lava Tube System, which is regarded as the finest such cave system in the world, has an outstanding visual impact even for those experienced with such phenomena. It displays the unique spectacle of multi-colored carbonate decorations adorning the roofs and floors, and dark-colored lava walls, partially covered by a mural of carbonate deposits. In addition, lava tube caves are like those in limestone karst in scale, shape and internal decoration, but completely different in origin. Lava tube caves are known from basaltic terrain in most of the world's volcanic regions. The lava tube caves of the Geomunoreum Lava Tube System are, however, regarded as internationally important due to their length, massive volume, intricate passage configuration, well preserved internal lava features, abundant and spectacular secondary carbonate formations, ease of access, and their scientific and educational values. Another feature making Geomunoreum Lava Tube System globally significant and distinctive is the presence of carbonate deposits and formations. Very small deposits of calcite are common in lava tube caves, and are more significantly developed as speleothems in Duck Creek cave in Utah, USA. However, in abundance, density and diversity they are far less impressive than those of Yongcheongul and Dangcheomuldonggul Lava Tubes in Jeju, and the scale of these decorations within the lava caves of Jeju Island far exceeds any other comparable examples. The nomination is supported by the Commission on Volcanic Caves of the International Union of Speleology – the world's most authoritative scientific body on volcanic caves, which regards Jeju's lava caves as being of the highest international ranking. Yongcheongul Lava Tube has been discovered subsequently and is of equivalent value.

Sangumburi Crater is the crater of an extinct volcano. Unlike its brethren Halla-san and Songsan Ilch'ubong, this one exploded quickly, but did not spew much lava nor did it form much of a surrounding cone. This phenomenon is called maru in Korean, and Sangumburi is the only one of its kind in the country, making it Natural Monument #263. The remaining crater is 100 meters deep and an average of 350 meters across. Over 400 species of plants and animals live inside the crater. Visitors can walk around part of the rim (the rest is private property and fenced off), but they cannot venture down inside the crater. A well-paved path leads from the parking area to the viewing area, which has a small pavilion and several vista points. Also on the grounds are numerous grave sites made in traditional Jeju fashion: a wide, trapezoidal stone wall surrounding the burial mound. Several of the sites also have small stone figures that guard the mound from evil spirits. At the park entrance are several large rocks from the crater. During the eruption, molten rock flew from the volcano into the air and cooled into many exotic shapes.

Mt. Halla is the mountain of one of the three gods. It stands at the center of Jeju Island, spreading east and west. The east face is steep, the north side is gentle, and the east and west form a flat, wide highland. Mount Halla is a dormant volcano created by volcanic activities during the quaternary period of the Cenozoic era.It is primarily covered with basalt. On its top is a crater and Baeknok Lake. This mountain is a home to alpine plants and houses as many as 1,800 species of flora. It also boasts luxuriant natural forests and vast grasslands. In addition, precipitous cliffs and slopes and unusual rock formations standing along valleys produce magnificent scenic views. The community of azaleas also adds to the beauty of Mount Halla. Mount Halla's autumnal tints and snow-covered scenes have been selected[by whom?] as the best of the best. The 43-km long Road 5.16 crossing the eastern waist of the mountain from Jeju City to Seogwipo City is considered to be one of the best tourist roads in Korea. Along this road, there are many tourist attractions such as Sancheondan and Seongpanak, and people can enjoy the royal azalea blossoms in spring, lush, green woods in summer, colorful foliage in fall, and a glistening landscape of snow in winter. While enjoying the scenes, the road takes you to Seogwipo City and brings a scenic view of many different beaches. The 37 km-long Road 110 crossing the western waist of the mountain from Jeju-si to Jungmun runs through a high area which is 110m high above sea level, and it passes by Eoseungsang Reservoir, which is a source of water for Jeju islanders. The 99 Passes where, a legend says, neither a king nor a tiger are born because it is one short to 100 passes[?]. It also passes closely by Youngsil Giam (Youngsil Grotesque Rocks). It is possible to climb up to Wetse Oreum along Eorimok Trail and Youngsil Trail and to the top along Seongpanak Trail and Kwaneumsa Temple Trail.

TOP 10 KOREAN BOY BAND IN 2013

          TOP 10 KOREAN 
            BOY-BANDS
             IN 2013

1. SUPER JUNIOR

Super Junior (Korean: 슈퍼주니어; Syupeo Junieo) is a South Korean boy band. Formed in 2005 by producer Lee Soo-man of S.M. Entertainment, the group comprised a total of thirteen members at its peak. Super Junior originally debuted with twelve members, consisting of leader Leeteuk, Heechul, Hankyung, Yesung, Kangin, Shindong, Sungmin, Eunhyuk, Donghae, Siwon, Ryeowook andKibum. Kyuhyun joined the group in 2006.

Known as the "Kings of the Hallyu Wave", Super Junior launched into international recognition following the release of their best-selling single "Sorry, Sorry" in 2009, the title song of their most critically successful album Sorry, Sorry  and were the best-selling K-pop artist for three years in a row.

Over the years, they have been divided into smaller subgroups, simultaneously targeting different music industries and audiences. Largely due to Super Junior's success as entertainers, other Korean entertainment managements began to train their music groups in other areas of entertainment, such as acting and hosting. In addition to their commercial success, Super Junior has earned fourteen music awards from the Mnet Asian Music Awards, sixteen from the Golden Disk Awards, and is the second singing group to win Favorite Artist Korea at the 2008 MTV Asia Awards after JTL in 2003. In 2012 they were nominated for "Best Asian Act" in MTV Europe Music Awards showing one more time their popularity around world.

In December 2009, Hankyung departed from the group after filing a lawsuit against their agency S.M. Entertainment. Hankyung subsequently won the lawsuit in December 2010, though his departure from Super Junior was not made official until September 27, 2011, when S.M. Entertainment finally released a statement to that effect. Heechul enlisted for his mandatory military service on September 1, 2011. Kangin was absent from the group for their fourth and fifth album promotions, but completed his service in April 2012, and rejoined the group for their sixth album in mid 2012, however, the absent three members are considered as part of the group regardless. Leeteuk enlisted for his mandatory military service on October 30, 2012. As of 2012, Super Junior has nine active members: Yesung, Kangin, Shindong, Sungmin, Eunhyuk, Siwon, Donghae, Ryeowook, and Kyuhyun.

2. BIG BANG

Big Bang or BigBang (Korean: 빅뱅; stylized as BIGBANG) is a South Korean male group under the management of YG Entertainment. Formed in 2006, the group consists of G-Dragon, T.O.P, Taeyang, Daesung, and Seungri. Big Bang is known for their unique urban-originated music and fashion style. The members' involvement in composing and producing their own music, most notably leader G-Dragon, has earned the group respect and praise from music industry experts.

The group's turning point came with their hit song Lies, which stayed at number one on Korean charts for a record-breaking seven consecutive weeks. Their follow up releases, Hot Issue and Stand Up, furthered their success, spawning hits such as Last Farewelland Haru Haru. From 2007 to 2008, Big Bang received many awards, including "Best Male Group", "Song of the Year", "Artist of the Year", and the Grand Award at the Seoul Music Awards.

From 2009 to 2010, Big Bang expanded their endeavors to Japan, and were voted "the Korean group that Japanese fans wish to see the most". They became the first foreign group awarded "Best Newcomer" from the Japan Cable Broadcasting Station and "Best New Artist" at MTV Japan. Amidst their Japanese group promotions, the members branched out to do solo activities. Taeyang, G-Dragon, and Seungri have released solo albums. G-Dragon and T.O.P also collaborated on an album under the sub-unit GD & TOP. Seungriand Daesung have acted in both TV dramas and musicals. T.O.P became a highly acclaimed film star. Daesung also hosted many of Korea's most popular variety TV shows.

After nearly a two-year hiatus in Korea, Big Bang reunited in 2011 with their successful album Tonight. However, promotions were cut short when multiple members encountered legal issues. In November 2011, representing the Asia-Pacific region, Big Bang emerged as the inaugural "Best Worldwide Act" winner at the 2011 MTV Europe Music Awards. This was the first time in six months all five members were seen together. In 2012, Big Bang released their fifth Mini Album Alive in Korea and Japan before embarking on their first ever World Tour which concluded in early 2013.

3. SHINEE

Shinee (pron.: /ˈʃaɪniː/ shy-nee; Korean: 샤이니; Japanese: シャイニー; more commonly known and stylized as SHINee) is aSouth Korean contemporary R&B boy group formed by SM Entertainment in 2008. The group consists of Onew, Jonghyun, Key,Minho, and Taemin. They made their debut on May 25, 2008 on SBS's The Music Trend with their single, "Replay" (Korean: 누난 너무 예뻐 (Replay)).

Since their debut, Shinee has released four full-length albums, four mini-albums, one live album and various singles. They have also won many awards, held three concert tours and starred in their own reality shows. Shinee is considered to be a fashion icon having started the "Shinee Trend" and are known for their highly synchronized and complicated dancing.

They made their Japanese debut on June 22, 2011 by releasing a Japanese version of their single, Replay, and gained the title "The artist who managed to get in top 3 for 3 continuous releases since debut" for the foreign artist category. Such an achievement had never been gained by anyone else ever since the single ranking chart was established 44 years ago in January 1968, followed by their first Japanese studio album, The First on December 7, 2011.

4. U-KISS

U-KISS (Korean: 유키스, Japanese: ユーキス) is a South Korean boy band formed by NH Media in 2008. Their name is an acronym, standing for Ubiquitous Korean International idol Super Star. The group consists of Soohyun, Kiseop, Eli, Kevin, Dongho, Hoon and AJ (the latter two joining the group in 2011).  Their breakthrough hit was Man Man Ha Ni (2009) from their EP ContiUKiss. They released their first full-length album Only One on February 3, 2010. In September 2011, U-Kiss released their second full-length album, Neverland. They made their formal debut in Japan in 2011 with the release of the single "Tick Tack".  The second single is entitled "Forbidden Love" while their first Japanese full-length album was A Shared Dream (2012). Since their debut, the group has released three full-length albums, seven extended plays and various singles. The group also participated in various TV reality shows and films.

5. MBLAQ

MBLAQ, (în Hangul, 엠블랙, acronim pentru Music Boys Live in Absolute Quality) este un cvintet sud-coreean creat de cântărețul pop R&B, producătorul și actorul Rain în cadrul companiei J.Tune Camp. Cei 5 membri sunt: Seung Ho (Yang Seung Ho: Lider), G.O (Jung Byung Hee: Vocalist), Joon (Lee Chang Sun: Vocalist), Thunder/Cheon Doong (Park Sang Hyun: Vocalist/Rapper), și Mir (Bang Cheol Yong: Rapper). Trupa a debutat în 9 octombrie 2009 la concertul lui Rain,Legend of Rainism.

Pe 14 octombrie 2009 trupa și-a lansat albumul de debut, "Just BLAQ", care intrat în diverse topuri muzicale online și off-line din Coreea de Sud. Apoi grupul a lansat cel de-al doilea album Y pe 19 mai 2010, o piesă inițial compusă de Rainpentru el însuși. El a creat versurile, muzica și coregrafia pentru Y. Pe 10 ianuarie 2011, trupa și-a lansat primul album de studio, BLAQ Style.

6. FTISLAND

F.T. Island (Korean: F.T.아일랜드, Japanese: エフティー・アイランド; stylized as FTISLAND), short for Five Treasure Island, is a five-member South Korean pop/rock band. The members are Choi Jong-hoon (guitar and keyboard), Lee Hongki (lead vocals) Lee Jae jin (bass and vocals), Song Seung-hyun (guitar and vocals), and Choi Min-hwan (drums). Their debut album, titled "Cheerful Sensibility", was the sixth best-selling album in 2007. Their debut song "Lovesick" topped the K-Pop charts for eight consecutive weeks. Oh Won Bin was a member of the band until the beginning of 2009.

7. TVXQ

TVXQ, initials of Tong Vfang Xien Qi (Chinese: 東方神起), stylized as TVXQ!, is a South Korean pop group formed in 2003 under SM Entertainment. In South Korea they are known as Dong Bang Shin Ki (Korean: 동방신기), often abbreviated asDBSK; and in Japan as Tohoshinki (Japanese: 東方神起). Their name translates to "The Rising Gods of the East".

The group debuted in 2003 as a 5 member boy band consisting of leader U-Know Yunho, Max Changmin, Hero Jaejoong, MickyYoochun and Xiah Junsu. In July 2009, the latter three filed for an injunction against their Korean agency SM Entertainment. This led to TVXQ ceasing all public activities and appearances after 2009. After a hiatus of 2 years and 3 months, TVXQ returned as a duo consisting of Yunho and Changmin.

TVXQ is one of Asia's most successful acts and they have been labelled as "Asia's Stars" and "King of K-pop" as certified by their Tone Tour in Japan for their immense success and contributions to Korean pop. TVXQ is also the best-selling K-POP group in the world with over 11.7 million copies sold.^[10][11] Since their debut, TVXQ has released 6 Korean albums, 5 Japanese albums, over 20 Korean singles and over 30 Japanese singles. According to Gaon Chart and Oricon, till October 2012, TVXQ has sold over 11.7 million copies of albums alone throughout their career in Korea and Japan alone, excluding sales from other Asian and international countries, and 20 million copies in world-wide. TVXQ’s The Best Selection 2010 broke several records for being the first foreign male artists to surpass the 700,000 mark in Japan.^[14] They have two official fanclubs in Korea and Japan, known respectively asCassiopeia and BigEast, the former which notably earned a Guinness World Record in 2008 and 2011 for its size and is said to be one of the largest fan clubs in the world, boasting 800,000 fans in Korea alone.

TVXQ topped the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart for the ninth time with the release of their single "Keep Your Head Down" from their album of the same name in Japan, expanding their record for the most number-one singles by a foreign artist. It is the second time since Oricon inaugurated searching for sales in 1968 that a single by a foreign artist gathered more than 200,000 copies sold in the first week. The initial occurrence happened in 2009, when TVXQ sold 256,000 units of “Break Out!”.

In 2011, TVXQ returned as a duo with the release of their Korean pop album Keep Your Head Down, which ranked at No. 1 on the Gaon Chart two weeks after its release. Their full-length Japanese album TONE was released on September 28, 2011, selling 205,000 copies in its first week and reaching #1 on the Daily, Weekly and Monthly Oricon Charts. This is the first time in TVXQ's history that they have achieved a #1 in all 3 Oricon rankings charts. Since their 2011 comeback, TVXQ has sold more than 1 million copies in Korean album sales and Japanese singles and album sales. Billboard described the group as "K-pop royalty".

8. SS501 

SS501 (pronounced as Double-S Five-Oh-One or Deo Beul E Seu Oh Gong Il, Hangul: 더블에스오공일, Chinese: 雙五百強之一,Japanese: ダブルエスオゴンイル ) is a South Korean boy band formed under the management of DSP Media, formerly known asDaesung Entertainment and DSP Entertainment. The group debut in 2005 with five members: Kim Hyun-joong, Heo Young-saeng,Kim Kyu-jong, Park Jung-min and Kim Hyung-jun.

As of June 2010, upon the expiration of group's contract with DSP Media, all the members have subsequently moved to other management companies, to pursue solo careers, but Kim Hyun-joong, the leader, has stated that they have not disbanded.

The name of the band is a combination of letters and numbers that have special meaning. The first “S” stands for “Superstar". The second “S” is an abbreviation for "Singer". The combination of 5, 0, and 1 symbolizes "five members united as one forever".SS501's official fan club name is Triple S (means SSS : Super Star Supporters).

9. BEAST

Beast (pron.: /ˈbiːst/; Korean: 비스트; stylized as BEAST or B2ST) is a six-member boy band from South Korea, formed in 2009 byCube Entertainment. The band's members are Yoon Doo-joon, Jang Hyun-seung, Yong Jun-hyung, Yang Yo-seob, Lee Gi-kwang, and Son Dong-woon.

Beast has released one Korean full-length album, six Korean mini-albums, one Japanese full-length and various singles. The group's debut release was in October, 2009, when their first mini-album, Beast Is the B2ST, was made available. They then released their first full-length album, Fiction and Fact, in 2011, receiving their first triple crown on M.net's M! Countdown for their lead singleFiction. In the same year, Beast made their Japanese debut with the release of the single, Shock (Japanese Version).

The group gained attention for the lack of industry success previously experienced by its members, with media outlets referring to them as "a group of recycled material". However, the group has achieved significant commercial and critical accolades with time, winning the Bonsang award at the Seoul Music Awards in both 2011 and 2012. Beast won the Artist of the Year (Daesang) award at the Melon Music Awards and Album of the Year for Fiction and Fact at the Gaon Chart Awards for the second quarter of the year in 2011. "Fiction" also won a Daesang for "Song of the Year" at the 2011 KBS Music Festival.

10. 2PM

2PM (Hangul: 투피엠) is a South Korean boy band managed by JYP Entertainment. The current members are Jun. K (formerly known as Junsu), Nichkhun, Taecyeon, Wooyoung, Junho and Chansung. Former leader, Jay Park, officially left the group in early 2010.

The members of 2PM found their start under Korean musician Park Jin Young, who formed an eleven-member band known as One Day. Eventually the band was split into 2PM, and a similar but independent group known as 2AM. 2PM debuted with the song "10 Jeom Manjeome 10 Jeom" (10점 만점에 10점, lit. 10 Points Out of 10 Points), which showcased their acrobatic dance styles. They achieved their first Number 1 single with "Again & Again". Both singles featured on their first studio album, The First Album 1:59PM, released in 2009. The band went on to release another Korean album, known as Hands Up, in 2011. They made their Japanese debut later that year with Republic of 2PM.