(Clockwise from left) Seo In Guk, TVXQ, Girl’s Generation and BAP (www.newsen.com and Jonathan Hicap)
Japanese girl group AKB48 and boy band One Direction won as Artists of the Year at the recently concluded Japan Gold Disc Awards 2014.
Several K-pop artists also emerged as winners in the prestigious awards, including TVXQ, Girls’ Generation and BAP.
The Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ) picked the category winners based on music sales from Nov. 21, 2012 to Dec. 31, 2013.
AKB48 won for Japanese music and One Direction won for western music. According to RIAJ, AKB48 sold 306,829 albums, 9.91 million singles, 750,771 music videos and 4 million music downloads during the period.
In comparison, One Direction sold 672,701 albums, 45,398 singles, 49,455 music videos and 1.39 million music downloads.
Boy band TVXQ won the Best Asian Artist, Album of the Year (Asia), Best 3 Albums (Asia), Song of the Year by Download and Best Music Video.
The RIAJ quoted TVXQ’s Jung Yunho as saying, “I am very happy that TVXQ’s album ‘TIME’ has won the Gold Disc Awards. Thanks to everyone for their support. I will continue to work harder.”
Shim Changmin, on the other hand, said, “I am very grateful to everyone for making it possible to win the prize. In 2014, we will work hard. Thank you for your support.”
Girls’ Generation won two awards in the Best 3 Albums (Asia) category for “Girls Generation II: Girls & Peace” and “Love & Peace.”
Korean boy band BAP won the New Artist of the Year (Asia) and Best 3 New Artists (Asia) along with Korea’s Seo In Guk and Taiwanese singer Lin Yuchun.
AKB48, One Direction and TVXQ also won the Album of the Year awards for Japanese, western and Asian music, respectively.
Here’s the complete list of winners:
Artist of the Year
Best Asian Artist
Best Enka/Kayokyoku Artist
Best New Artists
Best 5 New Artists (Japan)
Best 3 New Artists (western)
Best 3 New Artists (Asia)
Best Enka/Kayokyoku New Artist
Album of the Year
Best 5 Albums (Japanese)
Best 3 Albums (western)
Best 3 Albums (Asia)
Soundtrack Album of the Year
Animation Album of the Year
Concept Album of the Year
Single of the Year
Best 5 Singles
Song of the Year by Download
Best 5 Songs by Download
Best Music Videos
Paulo Avelino
Actor Paulo Avelino is not about to give up his love for KC Concepcion – who is currently studying abroad – intimating that he is bent on doing everything to prove his feelings for her.
“May effort kumbaga,” he quipped in a report on ABS-CBN.
The 25-year-old actor said that he and Concepcion make it a point to communicate with each other, despite being “sobrang busy namin pareho.”
“I’m doing a soap here and she’s in the US taking different classes,” he intimated.
His friendship with Concepcion is a source of inspiration for Avelino.
“Ngayon, I am inspired. Sometimes you just want to inspire someone, ganu’n din siya. She’s been inspiring me also, giving me advice,” he said.
Avelino shared that he likes Concepcion for her beauty and brains.
In a separate report on Push, Concepcion said that she enjoys Avelino’s company.
“Feeling ko parang hindi lang siya ’yung basta nagpapa-cute,” she said.
Avelino is busy taping for “Honesto,” which will air its final episode on March 14.
Concepcion is in the US taking up classes on acting and professional development.
