title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: After marching across the desert the army arrived in Gaza, where it rested for two days, and then moved onto Jaffa. This city was surrounded by high walls flanked by towers. Jezzar had entrusted its defence to elite troops, with the artillery manned by 1,200 Ottoman gunners. The city was one of the ways into Syria, its port could be used by his fleet and a large part of the expedition's success depended on its fall. This meant Bonaparte had to capture the city before advancing further, and so he laid siege to it from 3–7 March.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: All the outer works were in the besiegers' power and a breach could be produced. When Bonaparte sent a Turk to the city's commander to demand his surrender, the commander beheaded him despite the envoy's neutrality and ordered a sortie. He was repulsed and on the evening of the same day the besiegers' cannonballs caused one of the towers to crumble. Despite the defenders' desperate resistance, Jaffa fell. Two days and two nights of carnage were enough to assuage the French soldiers' fury  – 4,500 prisoners were shot or beheaded by an executioner taken on in Egypt. This vengeful execution found apologists, who wrote that Napoleon could neither afford to hold such a large number of prisoners nor let them escape to rejoin Jezzar's ranks.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: Before leaving Jaffa, Bonaparte set up a divan for the city along with a large hospital on the site of the Carmelite monastery at Mount Carmel to treat those of his soldiers who had caught the plague, whose symptoms had been seen among them since the start of the siege. A report from generals Bon and Rampon on the plague's spread worried Bonaparte. To calm his army, it is said he went into the sufferers' rooms, spoke with and consoled the sick and touched them, saying "See, it's nothing", then left the hospital and told those who thought his actions unwise "It was my duty, I'm commander-in-chief". Some later historians state that Napoleon avoided touching or even meeting plague-sufferers to avoid catching it and that his visits to the sick were invented by later Napoleonic propaganda. For example, long after the campaign, Antoine-Jean Gros produced the commissioned painting "Bonaparte Visiting the Plague Victims of Jaffa" in 1804. This showed Napoleon touching a sick man's body, modelling him on an Ancien Régime king-healer touching sufferers from the "King's Evil" during his coronation rites – this was no coincidence, since 1804 was the year Napoleon Bonaparte crowned himself emperor.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: From Jaffa the army set off for the coastal town of Acre. En route it captured Haifa and the munitions and provisions stored there, along with the castle at Jaffe, the castle at Nazareth and even the town of Tyre much farther up the coast. The siege of Acre began on 18 March but the French were unable to take it and it was here that the Syrian campaign came to an abrupt halt. The city was defended by newly created Ottoman modern, elite infantry (Nizam-ı Cedid) under the command of Jezzar Pasha and was right on the coast, enabling it to be reinforced and resupplied by the British and Ottoman fleets.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: After sixty days' repeated attacks and two murderous and inconclusive assaults, the city remained uncaptured. Even so, it was still awaiting reinforcements by sea as well as a large army forming up in Asia on the sultan's orders to march against the French. To find out the latter's movements, Jezzar ordered a general sortie against Bonaparte's camp. This sortie was supported by its own artillery and a naval bombardment from the British. With his usual impetuosity, Bonaparte pushed Jezzar's columns back against their own walls and then went to help Kléber, who was retrenched in the ruins with 4,000 Frenchmen under his command against 20,000 Ottomans at Mount Tabor. Bonaparte conceived a trick which used all the advantages offered him by the enemy position, sending Murat and his cavalry across the River Jordan to defend the river crossing and Vial and Rampon to march on Nablus, while Bonaparte himself put his troops between the Ottomans and the magazines. These manoeuvres were successful, in what was known as the Battle of Mount Tabor. The enemy army, taken by surprise at many points at once, was routed and forced to retreat, leaving their camels, tents, provisions and 5,000 dead on the battlefield.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: Returning to besiege Acre, Bonaparte learned that Rear-Admiral Perrée had landed seven siege artillery pieces at Jaffa. Bonaparte then ordered two assaults, both vigorously repulsed. A fleet was sighted flying the Ottoman flag and Bonaparte realised he must capture the city before that fleet arrived with reinforcements. A fifth general attack was ordered, which took the outer works, planted the French tricolour on the rampart, pushed the Ottomans back into the city and forced the Ottoman fire to relent. Acre was thus taken or about to capitulate.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: One of those fighting on the Ottoman side was the French émigré and engineer officer Phélippeaux, one of Bonaparte's classmates at the École Militaire. Phélippeaux ordered cannon to be placed in the most advantageous positions and new trenches dug as if by magic behind the ruins which Bonaparte's forces had captured. At the same time Sidney Smith, commander of the British fleet, and his ships' crews landed. These factors renewed the courage of the besieged and they pushed Bonaparte's force back, with stubborn fury on both sides. Three final consecutive assaults were all repulsed, convincing Bonaparte that it would be unwise to continue trying to capture Acre. He raised the siege in May and consoled his soldiers with the proclamation:


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: After feeding the war for three months in the heart of Syria with a handful of men, taking forty guns, fifty flags, 10,000 prisoners, razing the fortifications of Gaza, Kaïffa, Jaffa, Acre, we shall return to Egypt.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: The French force's situation was now critical – the enemy could harass its rear as it retreated, it was tired and hungry in the desert, and it was carrying a large number of plague-sufferers. To carry these sufferers in the middle of the army would spread the disease, so they had to be carried in the rear, where they were most at risk from the fury of the Ottomans, keen to avenge the massacres at Jaffa. There were two hospital depots, one in the large hospital on Mount Carmel and the other at Jaffa. On Bonaparte's orders, all those at Mount Carmel were evacuated to Jaffa and Tantura. The gun horses were abandoned before Acre and Bonaparte and all his officers handed their horses over to the transport officer Daure, with Bonaparte walking to set an example.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: To conceal its withdrawal from the siege, the army set off at night. Arriving at Jaffa, Bonaparte ordered three evacuations of the plague sufferers to three different points – one by sea to Damietta, one by land to Gaza and another by land to Arish. During the retreat the army picked clean all the lands through which they passed, with livestock, crops and houses all being destroyed. Gaza was the only place to be spared, in return for remaining loyal to Bonaparte. To speed the retreat, Napoleon suggested the controversial step of euthanizing his own soldiers who were terminally ill with plague (between 15 and 50, sources vary) and not expected to recover through an opium overdose, to relieve their suffering, ease the retreat, prevent the spread of the disease and prevent the torture and executions the soldiers left behind would have received if captured by the enemy; his doctors refused to carry out such orders but there is also evidence in the form of first-hand testimonies that claim the mass euthanasia did take place, and the matter remains one for debate.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: Finally, after four months away from Egypt, the expedition arrived back at Cairo with 1,800 wounded, having lost 600 men to the plague and 1,200 to enemy action. In the meantime Ottoman and British emissaries had brought news of Bonaparte's setback at Acre to Egypt, stating that his expeditionary force was largely destroyed and Bonaparte himself was dead. On his return Bonaparte scotched these rumours by re-entering Egypt as if he was at the head of a triumphal army, with his soldiers carrying palm branches, emblems of victory. In his proclamation to the inhabitants of Cairo, Bonaparte told them:


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: He is back in Cairo, the "Bien-Gardé", the head of the French army, general Bonaparte, who loves Mahomet's religion; he is back sound and well, thanking God for the favours he has given him. He has entered Cairo by the gate of Victory. This day is a great day; no one has ever seen its like; all the inhabitants of Cairo have come out to meet him. They have seen and recognised that it is the same commander in chief, Bonaparte, in his own person; but those of Jaffa, having refused to surrender, he handed them all over to pillage and death in his anger. He has destroyed all its ramparts and killed all those found there. There were around 5,000 of Jezzar's troops in Jaffa – he destroyed them all.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: The French were determined to exterminate the Mamluks or to expel them from Egypt. By that time, the Mamluks were driven out of Faiyum to Upper Egypt. General Desaix informed Bonaparte of his situation, and soon received a reinforcement of 1,000 cavalry and three light artillery pieces, commanded by General Davout.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: On 29 December 1798, the French army arrived at Girga, capital of Upper Egypt, and waited there for a flotilla to bring them ammunition. However, twenty days passed without hearing of the flotilla. In the meantime, Mourad Bey had contacted chieftains from Jeddah and Yanbu to cross the Red Sea and to exterminate a handful of infidels who have come to destroy the religion of Mohammed. He also sent emissaries to Nubia to bring reinforcements, and Hassan Bey Jeddaoui who also conjured to join against the enemies of the Quran.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: Upon hearing these endeavours, General Davout mobilized his forces on 2–3 January 1799, where he met a multitude of armed men near the village of Sawaqui. The insurgents were easily routed, and eight hundred of them remained on the battlefield. However, the locals kept gathering around Asyut to combat the French. On 8 January, Davout met another local forces at Tahta, where he killed a thousand men and put the rest to flight.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: In the meantime, Mourad Bey's army was reinforced by a thousand sherifs arriving from beyond the Red Sea, two hundred and fifty Mamluks led Hassan bey Jeddaoui and Osman bey Hassan, in addition to Nubians and North Africans led by Sheikh Al-Kilani, where they encamped near the village of Houé, all supported by the inhabitants of Upper Egypt and the Cataracts of the Nile.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: The combined Muslim army marched on 21 January 1799 in the desert, until they reached Samhud near Qena. On 22 January, Desaix formed three squares, two infantry and one cavalry. The latter was placed in the centre of the other two, in order to be protected. The French were scarcely drawn up in line, as the enemy cavalry completely surrounded them, while a column of Arabs from Yanbu fired continuously on their left. Desaix instructed the riflemen of the 96th Infantry Regiment to attack them, while Rapp and Savary, at the head of a squadron of cavalry, would charge the enemy in flank.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: The Arabs were attacked so vividly which forced them to flee, leaving about thirty of their own in the square, both killed and wounded. Afterwards, the Arabs of Yanbu, having rallied, came back to attack, and wanted to capture the village of Samhud, but the riflemen of the 96th Infantry Regiment assaulted them viciously and directed against them such a sustained fire, in which they were obliged to withdraw, after having lost many people.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: However, the numerous Muslim forces were advancing, uttering frightful cries, and the Mamluks swooped down on the squares commanded by the generals, Friant and Belliard, but they were so strongly repulsed by artillery and musketry fire that they had to withdraw, leaving the battlefield strewn with their dead.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: Mourad Bey and Osman bey Hassan, who commanded the Mamluk corps, could not stand against the charge of Davout's cavalry. They abandoned their positions, and dragged the whole army in their flight. The French pursued their enemies until the next day, and did not stop until after having pushed them beyond the Cataracts of the Nile.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: Desaix continued to march south, as he reached Esneh on 9 February. Meanwhile, Osman bey Hassan had stationed his forces at the foot of a mountain near Aswan. On 12 February, General Davout discovered the enemy positions and immediately made his military arrangements. He formed his cavalry in two lines, and, in this order of battle, he swooped down on the Mamluks. Osman bey Hassan was dangerously wounded, as he saw his horse killed under him. The French cavalry rushed with such impetuosity on the Muslims, and the fight turned into fury. However, the Mamluks were defeated and forced to abandon the battlefield.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: By the end of February 1799, Sherif Hassan and 2,000 Infantry arrived from Mecca. When Desaix and his forces reached Asyut, his flotilla was left behind near Qena. On 3 March, Muslims launched an attack on the flotilla which was called "L' Italie" led by Captain Morandi with 200 marines and 300 wounded and blind on board. Morandi tried to manoeuvre but the vessel was boarded by hundreds of invaders, in which he ordered that the vessel to be set on fire. He was later killed by rain of hostile bullets. However, all on board were eventually mutilated and killed.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: On 8 March 1799, General Belliard led his forces to fight 3,000 Meccan Infantry and 350 Mamluks in the plain of Abnud, located on the right bank of the Nile to the south of Qena. The French with their square formation managed to advance on the Muslims forces who later garrisoned themselves in the houses of Abnud. The fighting lasted for hours, afterward, the French managed to reach the courtyard of the village and set the houses on fire. The Muslims were forced to escape and the remaining injured were all killed.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: The Mamluks maintained with their strategy of inciting the locals against the French forces. On 1 May 1799, General Davout's forces killed at least 2,000 fellahin at Beni Adi near Asyut. However, as they were pursuing Murad Bey into Upper Egypt, the French discovered the monuments at Dendera, Thebes, Edfu and Philae.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: On 29 May 1799, General Belliard managed to capture Kosseir on the Red Sea, after he marched through the desert, to halt further incoming of Meccan troops or any possible invasion from the English.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: At Cairo the army found the rest and supplies it needed to recover, but its stay there could not be a long one. Bonaparte had been informed that Murad Bey had evaded the pursuit by Generals Desaix, Belliard, Donzelot and Davout and was descending on Lower Egypt. Bonaparte thus marched to attack him at Giza, also learning that 100 Ottoman ships were off Aboukir, threatening Alexandria.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: Without losing time or returning to Cairo, Bonaparte ordered his generals to make all speed to meet the army commanded by the pasha of Rumelia, Saïd-Mustapha, which had joined up with the forces under Murad Bey and Ibrahim. Before leaving Giza, where he found them, Bonaparte wrote to Cairo's divan, stating:


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: Eighty ships have dared to attack Alexandria but, beaten back by the artillery in that place, they have gone to anchor in Aboukir Bay, where they began disembarking [troops]. I leave them to do this, since my intention is to attack them, to kill all those who do not wish to surrender, and to leave others alive to be led in triumph to Cairo. This will be a handsome spectacle for the city.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: First Bonaparte advanced to Alexandria, from which he marched to Aboukir, whose fort was now strongly garrisoned by the Ottomans. Bonaparte deployed his army so that Mustapha would have to win or die with all his family. Mustapha's army was 18,000 strong and supported by several cannons, with trenches defending it on the landward side and free communication with the Ottoman fleet on the seaward side. Bonaparte ordered an attack on 25 July and the Battle of Abukir ensued. In a few hours the trenches were taken, 10,000 Ottomans drowned in the sea and the rest captured or killed. Most of the credit for the French victory that day goes to Murat, who captured Mustapha himself. Mustapha's son was in command of the fort and he and all his officers survived but were captured and sent back to Cairo as part of the French triumphal procession. Seeing Bonaparte return with these high-ranking prisoners, the population of Cairo superstitiously welcomed him as a prophet-warrior who had predicted his own triumph with such remarkable precision.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: The land battle at Abukir was Bonaparte's last action in Egypt, partly restoring his reputation after the French naval defeat at the same place a year earlier. With the Egyptian campaign stagnating and political instability developing back home, a new phase in Bonaparte's career was beginning – he felt that he had nothing left to do in Egypt which was worthy of his ambition and that (as had been shown by the defeat at Acre) the forces he had left to him there were not sufficient for an expedition of any importance outside of Egypt. He also foresaw that the army was getting yet weaker from losses in battle and to disease and would soon have to surrender and be taken prisoner by its enemies, which would destroy all the prestige he had won by his many victories. Bonaparte thus spontaneously decided to return to France. During the prisoner exchange at Aboukir and notably via the "Gazette de Francfort" Sidney Smith had sent him, he was in communication with the British fleet, from which he had learned of events in France. As Bonaparte saw (and later mythologised) France was thrown back into retreat, its enemies had recaptured France's conquests, France was unhappy at its dictatorial government and was nostalgic for the glorious peace it had signed in the Treaty of Campo Formio – as Bonaparte saw it, this meant France needed him and would welcome him back.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: He only shared the secret of his return with a small number of friends whose discretion and loyalty were well-known. He left Cairo in August on the pretext of a voyage in the Nile Delta without arousing suspicion, accompanied by the scholars Monge and Berthollet, the painter Denon, and generals Berthier, Murat, Lannes and Marmont. On 23 August, a proclamation informed the army that Bonaparte had transferred his powers as commander in chief to General Kléber. This news was taken badly, with the soldiers angry with Bonaparte and the French government for leaving them behind, but this indignation soon ended, since the troops were confident in Kléber, who convinced them that Bonaparte had not left permanently but would soon be back with reinforcements from France. As night fell, the frigate "Muiron" silently moored by the shore, with three other ships escorting her. Some became worried when a British corvette was sighted at the moment of departure, but Bonaparte cried "Bah! We'll get there, luck has never abandoned us, we shall get there, despite the English."


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: On their 41-day voyage back they did not meet a single enemy ship to stop them, with some sources suggesting that Bonaparte had purchased the British fleet's neutrality via a tacit agreement, though others hold this unlikely, since many would argue that he also had a pact with Nelson to leave him to board on the Egyptian coast unopposed with the fleet bearing his large army. It has been suggested that Sidney Smith and other British commanders in the Mediterranean helped Napoleon evade the British blockade, thinking that he might act as a Royalist element back in France, but there is no solid historical evidence in support of this conjecture.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: On 1 October, Napoleon's small flotilla entered port at Ajaccio, where contrary winds kept them until 8 October, when they set out for France. This was the last time Napoleon set foot upon his birthland. When the coast came in sight, ten British ships were sighted. Contre-amiral Ganteaume suggested changing course towards Corsica, but Bonaparte said "No, this manoeuvre would lead us to England, and I want to get to France." This courageous act saved them and on 8 October (16 vendémiaire year VIII) the frigates anchored in the roads off Fréjus. As there were no sick men on board and the plague in Egypt had ended six months before their departure, Bonaparte and his entourage were allowed to land immediately without waiting in quarantine. At 6 pm he set off for Paris, accompanied by his chief of staff Berthier. He stopped off at Saint-Raphaël, where he built a pyramid commemorating the expedition.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: On 1 November 1799, the British fleet commanded by Admiral Sidney Smith unloaded an army of Janissaries near Damietta, between Lake Manzala and the sea. The garrison of Damietta, 800 infantry and 150 cavalry strong, commanded by General Jean-Antoine Verdier encountered the Turks. According to Kléber's report, 2,000 to 3,000 Janissaries were killed or drowned and 800 surrendered, including their leader Ismaël Bey. The Turks also lost 32 standards and 5 cannons.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: The troops Bonaparte left behind were supposed to be honourably evacuated under the terms of the Convention of El Arish Kléber had negotiated with Smith and the Ottoman commander Kör Yusuf in early 1800, but Britain refused to sign and Kör Yusuf sent an amphibious assault force of 30,000 Mamlukes against Kléber.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: Kléber defeated the Mamlukes at the battle of Heliopolis in March 1800, and then suppressed an insurrection in Cairo. On 14 June (26 prairial), a Syrian student called Suleiman al-Halabi assassinated Kléber with a dagger in the heart, chest, left forearm and right thigh. Command of the French army passed to General Menou, who held command from 3 July until August 1801. Menou's letter was published in "Le Moniteur" on 6 September, with the conclusions of the committee charged with judging those responsible for the assassination:


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: The committee, after carrying through the trial with all due solemnity and process, thought it necessary to follow Egyptian customs in its application of punishment; it condemned the assassin to be impaled after having his right hand burned; and three of the guilty sheikhs to be beheaded and their bodies burned.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: The Anglo-Ottomans then commenced their land offensive, the French were defeated by the British in the Battle of Alexandria on March 21, surrendered at Fort Julien in April and then Cairo fell in June. Finally besieged in Alexandria from 17 August – 2 September, Menou eventually capitulated to the British. Under the terms of his capitulation, the British General John Hely-Hutchinson allowed the French army to be repatriated in British ships. Menou also signed over to Britain the priceless hoard of Egyptian antiquities such as the Rosetta Stone which it had collected. After initial talks in Al Arish on 30 January 1802, the Treaty of Paris on 25 June ended all hostilities between France and the Ottoman Empire, returning Egypt to the Ottomans.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: An unusual aspect of the Egyptian expedition was the inclusion of an enormous contingent of scientists and scholars ("savants") assigned to the invading French force, 167 in total. This deployment of intellectual resources is considered as an indication of Napoleon's devotion to the principles of the Enlightenment, and by others as a masterstroke of propaganda obfuscating the true motives of the invasion: the increase of Bonaparte's power.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: These scholars included engineers and artists, members of the Commission des Sciences et des Arts, the geologist Dolomieu, Henri-Joseph Redouté, the mathematician Gaspard Monge (a founding member of the École polytechnique), the chemist Claude Louis Berthollet, Vivant Denon, the mathematician Jean-Joseph Fourier (who did some of the empirical work upon which his "analytical theory of heat" was founded in Egypt), the physicist Étienne Malus, the naturalist Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, the botanist Alire Raffeneau-Delile, and the engineer Nicolas-Jacques Conté of the Conservatoire national des arts et métiers.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: Their original aim was to help the army, notably by opening a Suez Canal, mapping out roads and building mills to supply food. They founded the Institut d'Égypte with the aim of propagating Enlightenment values in Egypt through interdisciplinary work, improving its agricultural and architectural techniques for example. A scientific review was created under the title "Décade égyptienne" and in the course of the expedition the scholars also observed and drew the flora and fauna in Egypt and became interested in the country's resources. The Egyptian Institute saw the construction of laboratories, libraries, and a printing press. The group worked prodigiously, and some of their discoveries were not finally cataloged until the 1820s.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: A young engineering officer, Pierre-François-Xavier Bouchard, discovered the Rosetta Stone in July 1799. Many of the antiquities collected by the French in Egypt were seized by the British Navy and ended up in the British Museum – only about 50 of the 5,000 Egyptian objects in the Louvre were collected during the 1799–1801 Egyptian expedition. Even so, the scholars' research in Egypt gave rise to the 4-volume "Mémoires sur l'Égypte" (published 1798–1801). A subsequent and more comprehensive text was "Description de l'Égypte", published on Napoleon's orders between 1809 and 1821. Publications such as these of Napoleon's discoveries in Egypt gave rise to fascination with Ancient Egyptian culture and the birth of Egyptology in Europe.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: The scientists also tested methods in hot air ballooning while in Egypt. Several months after the Cairo Revolt in 1798, inventor Nicolas-Jacques Conté and mathematician Gaspard Monge built a hot air balloon from paper, coloured with the tricolour red, white and blue of the French Republic. They launched the balloon above Azbakiyya Square above a crowd of spectators, but the balloon soon fell to earth, causing panic among the spectators. The French had also planned to demonstrate hot air balloon flight during their celebrations of the anniversary of the founding of the French Republic in 1798, but the scientists had lost their equipment at the Battle of the Nile.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: The printing press was first introduced to Egypt by Napoleon. He brought with his expedition a French, Arabic, and Greek printing press, which were far superior in speed, efficiency and quality to the nearest presses used in Istanbul. In the Middle East, Africa, India and even much of Eastern Europe and Russia, printing was a minor, specialised activity until the 1700s at least. From about 1720, the Mutaferrika Press in Istanbul produced substantial amounts of printing, of which some Egyptian clerics were aware of at the time. Juan Cole reports that, "Bonaparte was a master of what we would now call spin, and his genius for it is demonstrated by reports in Arabic sources that several of his more outlandish allegations were actually taken seriously in the Egyptian countryside."


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: Bonaparte's initial use of Arabic in his printed proclamations was rife with error. In addition to much of the awkwardly translated Arabic wording being unsound grammatically, often the proclamations were so poorly constructed that they were undecipherable. The French Orientalist Jean Michel de Venture de Paradis, plausibly with the help of Maltese assistants, was responsible for translating the first of Napoleon's French proclamations into Arabic. The Maltese language is distantly related to the Egyptian dialect; and classical Arabic differs greatly in grammar, vocabulary, and idiom. Venture de Paradis, who had lived in Tunis, understood Arabic grammar and vocabulary, but did not know how to use them idiomatically.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: The Sunni Muslim clerics of the Al-Azhar University in Cairo reacted incredulously to Napoleon's proclamations. Abd al-Rahman al-Jabarti, a Cairene cleric and historian, received the proclamations with a combination of amusement, bewilderment, and outrage. He berated the French's poor Arabic grammar and the infelicitous style of their proclamations. Over the course of Napoleon's invasion of Egypt, al-Jabarti wrote a wealth of material regarding the French and their occupation tactics. Among his observations, he rejected Napoleon's claim that the French were "muslims" (the wrong noun case was used in the Arabic proclamation, making it a lower case "m") and poorly understood the French concept of a republic and democracy– words which did not exist at the time in Arabic.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: In addition to its significance in the wider French Revolutionary Wars, the campaign had a powerful impact on the Ottoman Empire in general, and the Arab world in particular. The invasion demonstrated the military, technological, and organisational superiority of the Western European powers to the Middle East. This led to profound social changes in the region. The invasion introduced Western inventions, such as the printing press, and ideas, such as liberalism and incipient nationalism, to the Middle East, eventually leading to the establishment of Egyptian independence and modernisation under Muhammad Ali Pasha in the first half of the 19th century and eventually the Nahda, or Arab Renaissance. To modernist historians, the French arrival marks the start of the modern Middle East. Napoleon's astonishing destruction of the conventional Mamluk soldiers at the Battle of the Pyramids served as a reminder for modernising Muslim monarchs to implement wide-ranging military reforms.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: While the Egyptian Islamic scholar and historian Al-Jabarti was critical of Napoleon and the French, he preferred them over the Ottomans. To Jabarti, Napoleon was compassionate towards Muslims and poor folk and he safeguarded the lives of innocents and civilians. This was at odds with the "arrogance, cruelty and tyranny" of Ottoman rule, which he characterised as an un-Islamic system marked by corruption, backwardness and summary executions. Although critical of the French Republic and French Revolution, both Jabarti and his disciple Hassan Al-Attar were astonished by French technological advancements and appreciated the fair trials in the French judicial system.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: The campaign ultimately ended in failure, with 15,000 French troops killed in action and 15,000 by disease. Napoleon's reputation as a brilliant military commander remained intact and continued to increase, despite some of his failures during the campaign. This was due to his expert propaganda, such as his "Courrier de l'Égypte", set up to propagandise the expeditionary force itself and support its morale. Such propaganda spread back to France, where news of defeats such as at sea in Aboukir Bay and on land in Syria were suppressed. Defeats could be blamed on the now-assassinated Kléber, leaving Napoleon free from blame and with a burnished reputation. This opened his way to power and he profited from his reputation by engineering his becoming First Consul in the coup d'état of 18 brumaire (November 1799).


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: Napoleonic invasion of Egypt is widely regarded in contemporary academic circles to be "the first act of modern European imperialism" and also criticised for its role in shaping the civilizing mission narrative of 19th century European colonial empires.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: According to Professor Edward W. Said, Napoleonic invasion led to the dominance of Orientalist narratives of the Muslim world:"with Napoleon's occupation of Egypt, processes were set in motion between East and West that still dominate our contemporary cultural and political perspectives. And the Napoleonic expedition, with its great collective monument of erudition, the "Description de l'Égypte", provided a scene or setting for Orientalism.. Napoleon's invasion of Egypt in 1798 and his foray into Syria have had by far the greater consequence for the modern history of Orientalism."


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: Colonel Barthelemy Serra took the first steps towards creating a Mameluke Corps in France. On September 27, 1800 he wrote a letter from Cairo to the first consul, couched in an Oriental style. He regretted being very far away from Napoleon and offered his total devotion to the French nation and expressed the Mamelukes' wish to become the bodyguard to the first consul. They wished to serve him as living shields against those who would seek to harm him. The first consul became receptive of admitting a unit of carefully selected cavalrymen as his personal guard. He had an officer pay appropriate respects to the foreign troops and provided Napoleon himself with a full report to the number of refugees.


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: The British Army in Egypt, as it was known was the colloquial name of the forces under command of General Ralph Abercromby, the armies order of battle in March 1800 was;


title: French campaign in Egypt and Syria

text: The 2010 video game, , features an Egyptian Campaign, where players can control French armies throughout the campaigns in Egypt and Syria.


title: Howard Ashman

text: Howard Elliott Ashman (May 17, 1950 – March 14, 1991) was an American playwright, lyricist and stage director. He collaborated with composer Alan Menken on several works and is most widely known for his work on feature films for Walt Disney Animation Studios, for which Ashman wrote the lyrics and Menken composed the music. His work included songs for "Little Shop of Horrors", "The Little Mermaid", "Beauty and the Beast", and "Aladdin". Sir Tim Rice took over to write the rest of the songs for the latter film after Ashman's death in 1991.


title: Howard Ashman

text: Ashman was born in Baltimore, Maryland, the son of Shirley Thelma (née Glass) and Raymond Albert Ashman, an ice cream cone manufacturer. His family was Jewish. He started his theater experiences with the Children's Theater Association (CTA), playing roles such as Aladdin. Ashman first studied at Boston University and Goddard College (with a stop at Tufts University's Summer Theater) and then went on to earn his master's degree from Indiana University in 1974.


title: Howard Ashman

text: After graduating from Indiana in 1974 he moved to New York and worked as an editor at Grosset & Dunlap. His first two plays, "Cause Maggie's Afraid of the Dark" and "Dreamstuff", were met with mixed reviews. His play "The Confirmation" was produced in 1977 at Princeton's McCarter Theater and starred Herschel Bernardi. In 1977 he became the artistic director of the WPA Theater in New York. He met future collaborator Alan Menken at the BMI Workshop, where he was classmates with Maury Yeston and Ed Kleban, among others. He first worked with Menken on the 1979 musical "Kurt Vonnegut's God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater", adapted from Vonnegut's novel of the same name. They also collaborated on "Little Shop of Horrors" with Ashman as director, lyricist, and librettist, winning the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics and receiving a Grammy Award nomination. He also directed the workshop of "Nine" by Yeston at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, and after asking why Guido's wife stays with him after she knows he has not been faithful, inspired Yeston to write "My Husband Makes Movies".


title: Howard Ashman

text: Ashman was director, lyricist, and book writer for the 1986 Broadway musical "Smile" (music by Marvin Hamlisch). This musical was not well received and closed with only 48 performances. Also in 1986, Ashman wrote the screenplay for the Frank Oz–directed film adaptation of his musical "Little Shop of Horrors", as well as contributing the lyrics for two new songs, "Some Fun Now" and "Mean Green Mother from Outer Space", the latter of which received an Academy Award nomination.


title: Howard Ashman

text: In 1986, Ashman was brought in to write lyrics for a song in Walt Disney Animation Studios' "Oliver & Company". He then also worked with Tina Turner on a script which never came to fruition. While there he was offered several works which had been on the back burner and was told about another project that Disney had been working on for a couple years. The film was "The Little Mermaid", Disney's first fairy tale in 30 years. Ashman, along with Menken, wrote all of the songs for the film. Ashman became a driving force during the early years of the "Disney Renaissance". He would hold story meetings, and said the animation and musical styles were made for each other, which is why Disney needed to continue making musical movies. He also made strong choices in casting actors with strong musical theater and acting backgrounds. "The Little Mermaid" was released in November 1989 and it was an enormous success. Ashman and Menken received two Golden Globe nominations and three Academy Award nominations, including two Best Original Song nominations for "Kiss the Girl" and "Under The Sea" with Ashman and Menken winning for the latter.


title: Howard Ashman

text: In 1988, while working on "The Little Mermaid", Ashman pitched the idea of an animated musical adaptation of "Aladdin" to Disney. After he wrote a group of songs with partner Alan Menken and a film treatment, a screenplay was written by Linda Woolverton, who had worked on "Beauty and the Beast". Directors John Musker and Ron Clements then joined the production, and the story underwent many changes, with some elements of the original treatment being dropped. Out of the 16 songs written for "Aladdin", three of Ashman's songs ended up in the finished film, which was released after his death.


title: Howard Ashman

text: During early production of "Aladdin", Ashman and Menken were approached to help reinvigorate and save the production of "Beauty and the Beast", which was going nowhere as a non-musical. Ashman, wishing to focus on "Aladdin" and his health, reluctantly agreed. It was at this time that his health began to decline due to his illness. Regardless, he completed lyrical work on "Beauty and the Beast" before succumbing to AIDS. The film was released mere months after his death and is dedicated to him. In May 2020, "Beauty and the Beast" co-director Kirk Wise said, "If you had to point to one person responsible for the 'Disney Renaissance', I would say it was Howard."


title: Howard Ashman

text: Along with Menken, Ashman was the co-recipient of two Grammy Awards, two Golden Globe Awards and two Academy Awards.


title: Howard Ashman

text: After winning at the 62nd Academy Awards for "The Little Mermaid", Ashman told fellow composer Alan Menken that they needed to talk about something important when they got home in Fishkill, New York. Upon arrival at Ashman's house, Ashman revealed to Menken that he was sick and had tested positive for HIV/AIDS.


title: Howard Ashman

text: Historian Peter C. Kunze noted that Ashman was supported by Jeffrey Katzenberg after coming out as HIV-positive, with the company even creating a production unit near his home so he could receive treatment in New York City rather than traveling to Burbank, California, to work on "Beauty and the Beast". Ashman did survive to see an early private screening of "Beauty and the Beast".


title: Howard Ashman

text: When taken to St. Vincent's Hospital in Manhattan, he weighed 80 pounds, had lost his sight, and could barely speak. On the early morning of March 14, 1991, two months before his 41st birthday, he died from heart failure caused by HIV/AIDS. "Beauty and the Beast" is dedicated to him, featuring the following message at the end of the closing credits: "To our friend Howard, who gave a mermaid her voice and a beast his soul, we will be forever grateful. Howard Ashman 1950-1991". He is buried in Oheb Shalom Cemetery in Reistertown, Maryland. He was survived by his sister Sarah Gillespie and mother Shirley Gershman.


title: Howard Ashman

text: Ashman never married and had no children. He met Stuart White, one of his first partners, at a summer university program in 1969. Originally close friends, the two formed a bond which led to a secret relationship. They both completed master's degrees at Indiana University and then moved to upstate New York. Ashman and White re-opened the Workshop of Players Art Foundation (WPA) together as artistic directors. The two fell out in 1980, but reunited briefly prior to White's death from AIDS in July 1983.


title: Howard Ashman

text: Ashman then met Bill Lauch in 1984 who worked as an architect. Lauch accepted Ashman's posthumous Oscar for "Beauty and the Beast" in 1992.


title: Howard Ashman

text: Over the course of his career, Ashman won two Academy Awards (one posthumous) out of seven nominations. Of these nominations, four are posthumous nominations, the most in Academy Awards history. He also won a posthumous Laurence Olivier Award and five Grammy Awards (three of them posthumous), among other accolades.


title: Howard Ashman

text: On the 2002 Special Edition DVD of "Beauty and the Beast", the Disney animators teamed up again and added a new song called "Human Again", which Ashman and Menken had written for the film but had been cut from the finished product. On Disc 2, there is a short documentary entitled "Howard Ashman: In Memoriam" that features many people who worked on "Beauty and the Beast" who talk about Ashman's involvement on the film and how his death was truly a loss for them.


title: Howard Ashman

text: Jeffrey Katzenberg claims there are two angels watching down on them that put their magic touch on every film they made. Those two angels are Ashman and Walt Disney himself.


title: Howard Ashman

text: An album of Ashman singing his own work entitled "Howard Sings Ashman" was released on November 11, 2008, by PS Classics as part of the Library of Congress "Songwriter Series."


title: Howard Ashman

text: The 2009 documentary, "Waking Sleeping Beauty", which centers around Disney's animation renaissance, is dedicated to him, as well as Frank Wells, Joe Ranft, and Roy E. Disney.


title: Howard Ashman

text: In March 2017, Don Hahn confirmed he was working on a documentary biographical film about Howard Ashman. The documentary film titled "Howard" premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 22, 2018, before having a limited theatrical run on December 18, 2018. It was released on Disney+ on August 7, 2020.


title: Gish gallop

text: The Gish gallop is a rhetorical technique in which a person in a debate attempts to overwhelm their opponent by providing an excessive number of arguments with no regard for the accuracy or strength of those arguments. In essence, it is prioritizing quantity of one's arguments at the expense of quality of said arguments. The term was coined in 1994 by anthropologist Eugenie Scott, who named it after American creationist Duane Gish and argued that Gish used the technique frequently when challenging the scientific fact of evolution. It is similar to another debating method called spreading, in which one person speaks extremely fast in an attempt to cause their opponent to fail to respond to all the arguments that have been raised.


title: Gish gallop

text: During a Gish gallop, a debater confronts an opponent with a rapid series of many specious arguments, half-truths, misrepresentations, and outright lies in a short space of time, which makes it impossible for the opponent to refute all of them within the format of a formal debate. Each point raised by the Gish galloper takes considerably more time to refute or fact-check than it did to state in the first place, which is known online as Brandolini's law. The technique wastes an opponent's time and may cast doubt on the opponent's debating ability for an audience unfamiliar with the technique, especially if no independent fact-checking is involved or if the audience has limited knowledge of the topics.


title: Gish gallop

text: Generally, it is more difficult to use the Gish gallop in a structured debate than a free-form one. If a debater is familiar with an opponent who is known to use the Gish gallop, the technique may be countered by pre-empting and refuting the opponent's commonly used arguments before the opponent has an opportunity to launch into a Gish gallop.


title: JLL (company)

text: Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated (JLL) is a global commercial real estate services company, founded in the United Kingdom with offices in 80 countries. The company also provides investment management services worldwide, including services to institutional and retail investors, and to high-net-worth individuals, as well as technology products through JLL Technologies, and VC investments via its PropTech fund, JLL Spark. The company is ranked 185 on the Fortune 500. It is one of the "Big Three" commercial real estate services companies, alongside Cushman & Wakefield and CBRE.


title: JLL (company)

text: JLL is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, and as of October 2018 was the second-largest public brokerage firm in the world. The company has more than 98,000 employees in 80 countries, as of 2022.


title: JLL (company)

text: Services include investment management, asset management, sales and leasing, property management, project management, and development. In 2014, the organization shortened its name to JLL for marketing purposes, while the legal name remained Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated.


title: JLL (company)

text: Former company president Christian Ulbrich succeeded Colin Dyer as CEO in October 2016. Karen Brennan was named CFO on June 22, 2020 effective July 15, 2020. Sheila Penrose served as board chairwoman starting in 2005, and was replaced by Siddharth ("Bobby") Mehta in 2020.


title: JLL (company)

text: After LaSalle Partners' IPO in 1997, in 1999, it merged with Jones Lang Wootton to form Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) as part of a $435 million deal.


title: JLL (company)

text: Jones Lang Wootton was a London auctioneer that originated in the 1700s. By 1976, Jones Lang Wootton expanded into the United States real estate market in New York City. The company had 4,000 employees in 33 countries around the time of the merger with LaSalle Partners.


title: JLL (company)

text: William Sanders founded real estate company International Development Corp in 1966 in El Paso, Texas.


title: JLL (company)

text: Sanders renamed the company LaSalle Partners in 1968 and relocated to Chicago, Illinois. The company first offered investment banking, investment management, and land services. By 1997, LaSalle had grown into three business divisions, Management Services, Corporate and Financial Services, and Investment Management, with ten U.S. corporate offices and seven international offices. LaSalle Partners made an initial public offering in 1996.


title: JLL (company)

text: JLL purchased The Staubach Company in 2008. Roger Staubach served as executive chairman of JLL from 2008 until he retired in 2018. JLL merged with UK-based King Sturge in a £197 million deal in 2011. The combined business, with 2,700 employees and 43 offices, created the largest property agent in the UK, as reported by "The Telegraph" in 2011. The company acquired Irish-based Guardian Property Asset Management in 2015. LaSalle Investment Management, a subsidiary of JLL, managed $58 billion in real estate investments for institutional and retail clients, as of 2016. JLL had acquired 80 companies and established 100 offices worldwide by 2016.


title: JLL (company)

text: The company expanded from commercial real estate services to include property technology or "proptech", with the 2017 launch of its JLL Spark division. In June 2018, JLL Spark created a $100 million venture fund to invest in real estate start-ups, such as a technology to link office users with co-working spaces.


title: JLL (company)

text: JLL announced the acquisition of HFF in a deal worth $2 billion in March 2019. The acquisition was completed in July 2019 and worth $1.8 billion.


title: JLL (company)

text: In 2021, the company's technology division sold Stessa, the single-family rental asset management software company it acquired in 2018, to Roofstock as part of a deal in which JLL acquired a minority stake in Roofstock and it would provide services to JLL's clients.


title: JLL (company)

text: JLL manages the London offices of the social media company Facebook. In July 2021, JLL sought the removal of a cleaner from the offices when, in his capacity as a trade union representative, he organised a protest against a doubling of the cleaners’ workloads.


title: JLL (company)

text: In late 2021 and early 2022, JLL made two "proptech" acquisitions. In November 2021, it purchased the property management software company Building Engines, and in February 2022 it acquired Hank, a company developing AI-based technology to improve energy efficiency of buildings.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: Kara (Hangul: 카라, Japanese: カラ, often stylized as KARA) is a South Korean pop girl group formed by DSP Media in 2007. The group's final lineup was composed of Gyuri, Seungyeon, Hara and Youngji. Members Nicole and Jiyoung officially departed from the group in 2014, but rejoined the group for their 15th anniversary in 2022, while ex-member Sunghee left in 2008.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: The group originally started off as a quartet and made their debut in March 2007 with their first studio album "The First Blooming" and its single "Break It" while displaying a strong female image and a mature R&B sound. Expectations for the group were big because they were considered as successors to their senior labelmate, Fin.K.L. However, their debut was not well received by the public and was a commercial failure. The following year, Kim Sung-hee departed the group due to parental pressure, and members Goo Hara and Kang Jiyoung were brought in. After their addition, the group also changed their musical style and their image to the "pretty but natural" appeal, releasing their first mini-album, "Rock U" in July 2008. They achieved their first number one song with "Honey" (2009). In July 2009, the group released their second studio album, "Revolution" and spawned the hit single "Mister", whose choreography featured the "butt-dance", that helped increase the group's popularity within East Asia. Their follow-up singles including "Lupin" (2010), "Jumping" (2010), "Step" (2011), and "Pandora" (2012) were also successful and helped further establish the group within the Korean music industry. The group were ranked at No. 6 and No. 5 in Gallup Korea in 2009 and 2010 respectively, thus making them the second best girl group in Korea for 2010. They were also ranked at No. 4 and 13 in February 2012 and 2013's Forbes Korea Power Celebrity list, respectively.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: After finding national success, the group began to expand their music to Japan by signing to Universal Music Japan's subsidiary label, Universal Sigma in 2010. The group's debut was a success as they were dubbed as "Japan's No. 1 Rookie Artist of 2010" by "Oricon" and also receiving the "New Artist of the Year Award (International)" from the Japan Gold Disc Awards. In April 2011, the group achieved their first number one single in Japan with "Jet Coaster Love", making them the first foreign female group since the creation of the "Oricon" to rank number one in the first week of release and also the first foreign female group in thirty years to do so. Overall, the group managed to sell over one million physical singles within two years, making them one of the fastest-selling South Korean acts in Japan.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: In 2014, Nicole Jung and Kang Jiyoung decided not to renew their contracts with DSP Media thus leaving the group to pursue their own endeavors; Nicole debuted as solo artist and Jiyoung became an actress in Japan. Following their departures, a reality show titled "Kara Project" was aired on TV to select members to join the group. Seven trainees from DSP Media took part in the program. The winner of the competition was Heo Youngji who became the latest member to join the group.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On January 15, 2016, Kara disbanded after DSP Media announced that the contracts with Park Gyu-ri, Han Seung-yeon and Goo Ha-ra expired and they decided not to renew their contracts. After multiple discussions of a reunion over the years, a 15th anniversary album, "Move Again" was released in November 2022, with members Nicole and Jiyoung rejoining.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: The group's name comes from the Greek word "chara" (χαρά, lit. "joy"), which they interpreted to mean "sweet melody".


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: The group started off as a quartet with members Park Gyuri, Han Seung-yeon, Kim Sung-hee, and Jung Nicole. On March 29, 2007, Kara debuted on Mnet's "M! Countdown" with "Break It" from their first album "The First Blooming". Their debut song displayed a strong female image and R&B sound. Other singles from the same album were titled "If U Wanna" and "Secret World". Music videos for the first two singles were created. Although their album was acclaimed by critics, it was not well received by the general public and was overshadowed by other girl groups who debuted the same year. All promotions for their first album ended in the summer of 2007. In August 2007, the group came out with a documentary on M.net called "Kara Self Camera" which showcased the group, their talents, and the relationships they had with each other. The first season debuted on August 8, 2007, and ended on December 12, 2007, with over 15 episodes. In the following months, member Seungyeon continued participating in many television variety shows to keep the group's name recognizable to the public, as their first album was not a commercial success.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: Comparisons were often drawn between them and their senior labelmates, Fin.K.L, because of their similarities in style and concept as well as the fact that the two groups were signed to the same label. Additionally, each individual member of Kara was paralleled to a member of Fin.K.L. In response to the comparisons, the members of Kara stated that they regarded the comparisons as beneficial and inspiring.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: The group was scheduled to have their comeback in March 2008 with their second album, however, member Kim Sung-hee suddenly announced that she would be leaving the group and retire of the entertainment industry. She first announced her departure from the group due to her parents pressure, and hence she failed all of her college exams she made her decision to leave in order to focus on school and education. In response, DSP stated that the second album that was recorded would be shelved and replaced by a mini-album to come in May; in addition, two members would join the group. Auditions were held, and the two new members were eventually revealed to be Goo Ha-ra and Kang Jiyoung. The group made their return in the music industry as a quintet on July 24, 2008, with "Rock U" on "M! Countdown". Their first mini-album titled "Rock U" was released the next day. They made their comeback with the "cute" and "playful" image which was the complete opposite of the group's original image from their debut. The second season of "Kara Self Camera" premiered on August 18, 2008, which chronicled how the group was adapting to their two new members.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On November 29, 2008, DSP released a teaser video for their upcoming single, "Pretty Girl", which received over 40,000 hits within 12 hours. The full video was released on December 2, 2008, online and was positively received by the public. The EP, "Pretty Girl", was released on December 4, embodying a "fun-party" concept. The group began promoting their comeback on all major music shows on December 4, 2008, starting with "M! Countdown". During their first national performance on KBS's "Music Bank", member Goo Hara accidentally gasped "ah!" live on air due to slipping on falling confetti, and reportedly cried profusely afterwards. The incident became a hot issue to many viewers, but Goo Hara received comfort instead of criticism from the general public.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: Park Gyuri attributed their popularity increase to their "pretty but natural" appeal, while media reports gave credit to the band for finally finding its own identity in the music industry since the group's debut and to older male fans, most notably singer Shin Hae Chul.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: Due to their increasingly hectic schedule as their popularity rose, a few of the group's members were taken to the hospital on December 19 after a "Music Bank" rehearsal for cold symptoms and exhaustion.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: At the end of January 2009, DSP announced that it would commence voting on January 28 at the group's official website for the follow-up single to "Pretty Girl", which ended on February 2. By the deadline of February 2, "Honey" was the clear winner, with 60% of the votes. The song was remixed from the original version, and also underwent a slight name change from "하니" (Ha-ni) to "Honey". The group released the music video for "Honey" on February 16 and had their first live broadcasting comeback on KBS's "Music Bank" program on February 13, 2009; a repackaged mini-album entitled "Honey" followed on February 19 which featured remixed versions of songs from the group's previous EP.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: "Honey" became the group's first number one single when it topped "Gaon"'s weekly singles chart. The song earned the group their first music show award on "M! Countdown" on March 5. It held onto the position for three nonconsecutive weeks. The song also won the Mutizen award on SBS's program "Inkigayo" and the "Best Dance Award" at the 2009 Mnet Asian Music Awards.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: At the end of March, the group was chosen for the fourth season of MBC's "Idol Show", which marked the group's first hosting duties for a show. The group then had a reality show called "MTV Meta Friends", which chronicled a group of fans getting a chance to become friends with the group members. For the show, the group had their first concert since their debut in 2007.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: In June 2009, the group stated they would make their comeback in late July, with their concept upgraded. The first teaser pictures of the group were then released in mid-July, showing radical changes in the group's style and also saw a slight return of their "strong and mature" image previously seen from their debut.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: Their single "Wanna" was released on July 28, 2009, and immediately charted on various digital music charts. The music video was released on July 29, with the full album, "Revolution", available online on July 30. Comeback activities commenced on July 31, beginning with KBS's "Music Bank"; the group performed both "Wanna" and "Mister". "Mister" proved to be popular with netizens due to the "butt dance" that is featured prominently in the choreography. Due to the popularity of "Mister", Kara's overall popularity increased, evidenced by an influx of advertisement requests by various companies; in total, they had more advertisements in October 2009 than they had had the previous two years.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: "Wanna" also became a number one single for the group and won the Mutizen award on August 30, 2009, from "Inkigayo".


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: During promotions for "Revolution", the group also performed internationally, including at Bangkok's Parc Paragon.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On November 25, 2009, M.Net premiered the reality show called "Kara Bakery", which followed the group as they attempted to plan, open, and advertise their own bakery. The show had 8 episodes and ran until early 2010. All proceeds from the bakery was donated to charity.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On December 14, 2009, it was reported that the group held a fan-meeting for their Japanese fans earlier that year in February marking the group's first promotional tour in Japan. Over 3,000 fans were reportedly registered, exceeding the capacity of the venue which resulted in a second showcase.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: After a short hiatus, DSP released two teaser photos of the group's comeback concept on February 9, 2010. The photos garnered a lot of interest because compared to their past album concepts, the new photos showed the members in dark outfits and smokey makeup that elicited a darker, more mature, and sexier feel. The next day, the album jacket was unveiled with a "Stealer" concept as well as the title track named "Lupin", which became number one on several online music charts shortly after release. The teaser video was released on February 12 on Naver; the EP, "Lupin", followed on February 17. The music video was released on February 22, garnering more than 90,000 views in the first 2 hours. The group began their broadcasting comeback starting on "M! Countdown" on February 25, 2010.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On March 4, 2010, the group won their first number one award for "Lupin" on "M! Countdown". On the following week, the group won yet another award on "M! Countdown", making it their second consecutive win on the music program. "Lupin" also gave the group their first number one win on "Music Bank" on March 12, 2010, making it the group's first win on this particular music show since their debut, holding onto the position for three consecutive weeks. The song also won the Mutizen award from "Inkigayo" on March 14.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: In March 2010, it was announced that the group will participate in the 8th Annual Korean Music Festival to be held at Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, with member Jung Nicole as host. Afterwards, the group became very active in Japan, holding showcases and hand shake events as preparation for their official Japanese debut. The group was featured in a video message for a show called "Arashi no Shukudai-kun", hosted by Japanese idol group Arashi. The group then held fan meetings on May 8 with more than 8,000 fans at Japan's Grand Prince Hotel. In addition, the group had an official Japan fan club meeting with 3,000 fans at Yokohama's Minato Mirai Hall on May 9. The group later on signed with Universal Music Japan's subsidiary label, Universal Sigma. On August 11, the group released their debut single, the Japanese remake of their Korean song, "Mister". The single ranked in various music charts and proved to be very popular in Japan. Following the release, the single exceeded expectations as it charted at number five on "Oricon"'s Daily Singles Chart with debut sales of 29,238 copies. The song eventually became the most downloaded song of all time by a Korean artist in Japan, with downloads exceeding 2 million as of March 2012.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: The group later on released their second single entitled "Jumping" on November 10, 2010. The song quickly climbed up on many charts including mobile downloads, and debuted at number 5 on the Daily Singles Chart of "Oricon". It eventually rose to number 2, only behind Arashi. The single peaked at number 5 on "Oricon"'s Weekly Singles Chart with debut sales of 54,977.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On September 29, 2010, the group released their compilation album, "Kara Best 2007-2010". The album is a compilation of their selected Korean tracks. It ranked number two on the "Oricon" Daily Albums Chart on the first day of release, selling 18,223 copies. It was announced on November 3, 2010, that the album was certified gold by the RIAJ, making the group the first ever Korean group since the 1990s to release an all-Korean album that was able break the 100 thousand copies barrier in Japan. It was eventually certified platinum with shipments exceeding 250,000 copies.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On October 23, 2010, the band represented Korea and performed at the 7th annual Asia Song Festival, organized by "Korea Foundation for International Culture Exchange", at the Seoul Olympic Stadium.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: Their debut Japanese album, "Girl's Talk", was released on November 24, 2010. It sold 107,000 copies in its first week and ranked number 2 in the "Oricon" Weekly Album Chart, making this the first album by a non-Japanese girl group in Japan in 6 years and 9 months to sell more than 100,000 albums in its first week. The album was certified double platinum by the RIAJ on November 18, 2011, with sales exceeding half a million in Japan.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: After taking a nine-month hiatus in the Korean music industry, the group announced the release of their single "Jumping", which was then promoted in both Korea and Japan. It was released as the title track for their fourth Korean mini-album of the same name, "Jumping". The group began their weekly promotion cycles starting from MBC's "Show! Music Core" on November 20, 2010. On December 10, the group eventually got their fourth number one win on KBS's "Music Bank" for "Jumping". Two days after their win on "Music Bank", the group won the Mutizen award for "Jumping" on SBS's "Inkigayo"'s 600th episode.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: After a very successful year in Japan, the group was chosen as the Best Rookie Artist according to a popular Japanese mobile ringtone site, "Recochoku". On December 20, 2010, "Oricon" also announced the group as 2010's Best Rookie Artist, generating revenue to some 1.3 billion yen (or US$15.4 million); and with a total of 493,000 copies of their releases sold this year.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On February 23, 2011, the group released a DVD called "Kara Best Clips", which is a compilation of their past music videos. After one week, the group was able to set a record when they ranked number one in the "Oricon"’s Weekly Composite DVD Chart for two weeks. This made them the first ever foreign artist to be number one for two consecutive weeks since the charts implementation in 1999. The DVD has sold approximately 230,183 copies.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On April 6, 2011, the group released their third Japanese single, "Jet Coaster Love", after the original release date was pushed back due to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. The single debuted at number one on "Oricon"s Weekly Singles Chart with 122,820 copies sold on its first week. It also peaked at number two on "Billboard"s Japan Hot 100. Despite its success, plans for promotion in Japan were hindered due to the natural disaster. Instead, the group announced that all proceeds from the single will be donated to Japan's natural disaster relief aid. On June 22, the group released their fourth Japanese single, "Go Go Summer!". The single debuted at number two on "Oricon"s Weekly Singles Chart with sales of 113,873 copies sold on its first week. The song became the group's second single to sell over 100,000 copies on its first week.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On August 4, 2011, the group officially announced that they will be releasing their third official album in mid-September and will resume their activities in South Korea for the first time in over six months. According to industry representatives, the group has used some of their spare time recording songs for the album while they were busy promoting their fourth Japanese single, "Go Go Summer!". However, the group would only promote in Korea for about three weeks as they have many things scheduled in Japan. The group eventually released their third Korean studio album titled "Step", on September 6. The album's title song, "Step", immediately topped various music charts in South Korea hours after its release. The song peaked at number two on "Gaon"s Weekly Singles Chart and number two "Billboard"s Korea K-Pop Hot 100. The group won first place on "M! Countdown" on September 15 and "Music Bank" on September 16, holding onto both positions for two consecutive weeks. The song also won first place on "Ingikayo" on September 25. By the end of 2011, the album has sold over 100,000 copies in South Korea.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: After the group finished their promotions in South Korea, they returned to Japan to release their fifth Japanese single, "Winter Magic", on October 19. The single ranked at number three on "Oricon"s Weekly Singles Chart with around 79,000 copies sold in the first week. On November 21, the group released their second Japanese studio album, "Super Girl", which included all their Japanese singles released that year. The album received over 360,000 pre-orders alone. The album eventually went on to debut at number one on "Oricon"s Weekly Album Chart with sales of 275,206 copies sold, making it the group's first number one album in Japan. With it, the group broke the record set by The Nolans, becoming the first foreign female group in thirty years to top both the singles and albums rankings. The album was eventually certified triple platinum by the RIAJ with sales exceeding 750,000 copies.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: After a busy year, the group celebrated their success by appearing on six major end-show programs in Japan. Among these were the 53rd annual Japanese Record Awards after "Go Go Summer!" was nominated in the category for "Best Song". They were also invited to the prestigious 62nd Kōhaku Uta Gassen, which is held annually at the end of the year, marking the group's first appearance on the program. They opened the second half of the program by performing a special medley of "Jet Coaster Love" and "Mister". "Oricon" also ranked the group at number four on the "Top 5 Best Selling Artists of the Year" in 2011 with fellow South Korean idol group Girls' Generation following closely at number five. On December 30, DSP announced that the group will embark on their first concert titled, "Karasia", in early 2012. Expectation for the group's first concert has risen since they are among the most successful girl groups in South Korea alongside Girls' Generation, 2NE1 and Wonder Girls.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On January 11, 2012, the group attended the Golden Disk Awards which was held in Osaka, where they won two awards; "Disk Bonsang" and "Best Hallyu Star Award". On January 18, the group was awarded with the "Asia Star Award" at the 7th Asia Model Awards Ceremony. The prize is a special honor only given to entertainers who played a pivotal role in spreading Asian culture throughout the world for a given year. The group was selected as the winner of the prize for the considerable achievement they've earned during the year of 2011 as one of the most favored Hallyu stars. On January 19, the group attended the Seoul Music Awards and were awarded the "Hallyu Special Award" and "Bonsang Award". On January 27, the RIAJ held the 26th annual Japan Gold Disc Awards ceremony, where the group was honored in five categories including "Best Asian Artist", "Best 3 Asian Albums" for "Girl's Talk", "Song of the Year by Download" and "Best 5 Songs by Download" for "Jumping", and "Best Music Video" for "Kara Best Clips". The group also received the GCS International Grand Award: "Korea-based Global Social Movement Proposed and Initiated" because of their donations to Japan's tsunami and earthquake relief.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On February 18, 2012, the group embarked on their first headlining Asian tour, "Karasia". They held their first solo concert at Seoul Olympic Park on February 18, and held another concert there on the 19th. The tour extended into Japan for twelve shows beginning on April 14 in Yokohama. On May 27, the group successfully concluded their first Japanese tour in Saitama. The tour drew around 150,000 people. with every single seat for each concert being sold. The last concert was broadcast live through streaming in sixty different theaters throughout Japan, and all the tickets to the theaters were sold out as well.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On February 29, 2012, the group became the first foreign artist to seize the top spot of two different categories on "Oricon"; the DVD and Blu-ray Disc ranking charts following the release of "Kara Best Clips II & Shows". The group also became the fifth artist in Japan to achieve this record after Namie Amuro, AKB48, Mr. Children, and Radwimps. On March 21, the group released their sixth Japanese single and first double A-side single, "Speed Up / Girl's Power". The single debuted at number two on "Oricon"s Weekly Singles Chart with sales of 99,236 copies sold on its first week. On April 13, following the gold certification of their sixth Japanese single for sales exceeding 100,000 copies, it was reported that the group had sold more than one million physical copies of their singles in Japan, making them the third South Korean artist to do so after BoA and TVXQ.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On July 14, 2012, the group performed at the MTV World Stage in Malaysia. They were one of the four acts including Justin Bieber, Jay Park, and Malaysian singer Mizz Nina.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On August 3, 2012, DSP announced that the group are set to release their fifth mini-album in South Korea at the end of August and will be aiming to show their matured charms through its concept. On August 6, their agency revealed the album's title, "Pandora", based on Greek mythology. They explained that the girls will be "reinterpreting the myth to express the most captivating and beautiful woman of this generation". From August 13 onwards, teasers featuring each of the members were released on consecutive days, starting with Jiyoung, then Hara, Gyuri, Nicole, then Seungyeon. On August 20, a group teaser was released. The mini-album along with the music video for the title track, "Pandora", was released on August 22. A showcase was held on the same day and was streamed live worldwide. Hours after release, the album's title track topped various music charts in Korea. The song peaked at number two on "Gaon"s Weekly Singles chart and number three on "Billboard"'s Korea K-Pop Hot 100, and was voted the most popular song in the month of August on "Melon". On August 28, the group won their first award on "Show Champion". On September 7, the group won an award on "Music Bank", and on September 13, they won an award on "M! Countdown". By the end of September 2012, the mini-album has sold over 70,000 copies.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On September 5, 2012, the group released a special album entitled "Kara Collection" in Japan. The album includes the members' solo songs performed on their first tour, "Karasia", in Japanese. The album debuted at number three on "Oricon"s Weekly Albums Chart with debut sales of 47,533 copies sold on its first week. On October 17, the group released their seventh Japanese single, "Electric Boy". The single debuted at number two on "Oricon"s Weekly Singles Chart with sales of 57,942 copies sold on its first week. On October 29, the group achieved their first number one single on "Billboard"s Japan Hot 100 when "Electric Boy" jumped to the top position. The single has been certified gold by the RIAJ. In the same month, DSP announced the release of the group's third Japanese album, "Girls Forever", which was released on November 14. The album included the singles "Speed Up / Girl's Power" and "Electric Boy" as well as the 2012 versions of the singles from their previous album. It debuted on "Oricon"s Weekly Album Chart at number two with first week sales of 73,224 copies. DSP also announced that the group will hold a concert in the Tokyo Dome on January 6, 2013. This makes the group the first female South Korean act to hold a concert at this particular venue. On December 14, 2012, Kara released a short version of Orion. The full version was released on December 17, 2012.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On January 6, Kara held a special New Years concert at Tokyo Dome in Japan, titled "Karasia 2013 Happy New Year in Tokyo Dome". The concert was successful, selling out all 45,000 tickets within five minutes and became the first Korean girl group to hold a concert at the Tokyo Dome. During the concert, the group announced that there will be an anime series from the girl group, entitled "KARA the Animation," and it is expected to air in early 2013. The show depicted the animated version of the members. On March 1, the anime series premiered, which featured five 27 minute episodes about each of the members pursuing different careers. Two feature Jiyoung as a firefighter and Nicole as a captain of a ship. The show aired in Japan and South Korea.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On March 27, Kara released their 8th Japanese single titled "Bye Bye Happy Days!". The single debuted at number 2 on the Oricon Weekly Single Chart, with sales of 65,588.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On June 23, KARA held their 2nd Japanese fan-meeting called 'Kamilia School' at the Yokohama Arena on the 23rd with total 24,000 Fans attendees. Kara transformed into professors and split up the meeting into three educational sessions focusing on music, art, and language.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On July 24, the group released their ninth Japanese single titled "Thank You Summer Love". It was announced on July 29 that the group's fourth Japanese album, "Fantastic Girls", will be released August 28.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On August 16, it was announced that the group will be releasing their fourth South Korean full-length album with a title-track called "Damaged Lady (숙녀가 못 돼)", on September 2. Teaser pictures show each member wearing formal androgynous attire. The album's first single, "Runaway", was released ahead of the album on August 21. The music video for the song contained scenes from the group's upcoming Korean drama titled "Secret Love". The group will be holding an album showcase at UNIQLO-AX Hall to celebrate its release and will be live streamed on Naver. On August 22, a photo album was uploaded on the group's Facebook page titled 'Princesses' showing each member in white feminine dresses and unveiling the title of the album to be "Full Bloom". The following day, another photo album was uploaded titled 'Queens' where the members can be seen wearing tiaras and unveiling the English name of the promotional track as "Damaged Lady".


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On October 19, the group received the Best Female Group Award at the Korean Entertainment 10th Anniversary Awards.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On January 13, 2014, it was announced that Nicole would be withdrawing from the group due to the expiration of her contract with DSP Media. Then on January 15, it was announced that Jiyoung would also leave the group after her contract expired in April 2014. The group then reorganized with Gyuri, Seungyeon, and Hara as a trio who would be carrying on future schedules.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: In May 2014, DSP Media launched a reality TV show called "Kara Project" which revolves around seven trainees (including former members of DSP's group Puretty) who will compete to become future members of the group. On July 1, the live voting results commenced on 6:45 pm (KST). Heo Youngji was proclaimed the winner with a total score of 49,591.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: The group's drama series, titled "Secret Love", first aired on June 13, 2014, at DRAMAcube and ran for six weeks. The drama revolved around the love stories of each member of the group including Nicole and Jiyoung.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: The group released their sixth extended play, "Day & Night", in South Korea on August 18 before going on their third Japanese tour on October 24. They returned with track titled "Mamma Mia", which was produced by Duble Sidekick. A music video was filmed in the Gyonggi Province on July 9. "Mamma Mia" was also released as their 11th Japanese single and the first single to feature Youngji after Nicole and Jiyoung departure. "So Good" was announced later as the B-side of the single.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On March 15, 2015, the group released a Japanese triple A-side single, "Summer-gic/Sunshine Miracle/Sunny Days". It topped Oricon Daily Singles Chart selling over 28,000 copies. Subsequently, It was ranked number two at the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart with sales of 52,496 copies, behind V6's "Timeless."


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: The group released their seventh EP, "In Love", on May 26, 2015. Its lead single, "Cupid", was performed prior to its official release at KBS' Dream Concert on May 23, 2015.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: The group released their fifth Japanese studio album, "Girl's Story" on June 17, 2015. The album includes their cover of Fin.K.L's "Forever Love."


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On July 17, 2015, it was announced that Kara would embark on their fourth Japanese tour beginning in September. The tour started on September 1, 2015, at Zepp Nanba in Osaka.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On January 15, 2016, DSP Media announced Gyuri, Seungyeon and Hara's departure from the group due to contracts expiring, resulting in the group's disbandment. The company also noted that Youngji would continue her music career as a solo artist. Member Gyuri later contested reports of the group's disbandment, stating that if the opportunity arose in the future, the members would release an album. Youngji also voiced in September 2016 that she did not consider the group to be disbanded. However, no further updates were released following this interview.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On June 11, 2022, former Kara members Gyuri, Seungyeon, Nicole, Jiyoung and Youngji reunited for a group photoshoot which was shared on each of their Instagram accounts. 3 days later, it was reported that the members of Kara were in the process of discussing a reunion single in celebration of their 15th anniversary.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On September 19, 2022, it was announced that Kara would be releasing an album under RBW to commemorate the 15th anniversary of their debut in November, with Nicole and Jiyoung rejoining the group. On October 18, it was confirmed that the new album, titled "Move Again", would be released on November 29. On October 20, it was announced that the Japanese version of the album would be released. After the release of the new album, KARA will hold fan meetings in Fukuoka, Yokohama, etc. starting in Osaka, Japan on February 23, 2023.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On November 10, it was announced that Kara would be holding their comeback stage at the 2022 MAMA Awards. On November 11, it was confirmed the group had finished filming their comeback music video.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: The original group recorded a song titled "Fighting" on the soundtrack for "강남엄마 따라잡기" (""Chasing a Mother from Kangnam""), a drama that aired on SBS; the soundtrack was released on July 25, 2007.The group also participated in the second soundtrack for "Boys Over Flowers", recording the song "Love is Fire".


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: "Ddokateun Mam" ("", ""The Same Heart"") was a song used in "i-Musician", an upcoming mobile game that the group promoted; the song was released digitally in June 2009.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: In January 2010, they sang the main original soundtrack of drama series "별을 따다줘" ("Catch Me a Star").


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: The group appeared on MBC's "Music Travel LaLaLa" on October 22, 2009, where they performed "길" (""Road"") by g.o.d and "빙글 빙글" (""Round and Round"") with NoBrain. These tracks were included on "Music Travel LaLaLa"'s soundtrack, released in February 2010.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: In April 2010, it was revealed that the group will sing a cheer song for the 2010 FIFA World Cup entitled "We're with You". Behind-the-scenes and individual member teaser videos were revealed along with photos of the group wearing cheerleader outfits. The song was later included on the repackaged version of their second Japanese studio album, "Super Girl". The single was released on May 3, 2010.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: In November 2010, Seungyeon's solo track "Superstar" for KBS's drama "Mary Stayed Out All Night" was revealed.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: In 2011, Gyuri and Hara recorded 2 songs for the soundtrack of the SBS's drama "City Hunter". "시티헌터" sung by Gyuri was released on June 23 and "I Love U, I Want U, I Need U (Sweet Acoustic Version)" sung by Hara was released on July 27.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: The group has endorsed online games, clothing, food & beverage, cosmetic products as well as shoes. Kara became endorsers of a cosmetics product, Mistine BB Wonder Compact in Thailand by April 2010. In May 2010, Kara became the female faces of Samsung Doogeun Doogeun Tomorrow Campaign. Kara has also been endorsing for Ask and also for fleece boot company Bear Paws.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: With the group's successful debut in Japan in August 2010, offers from different electronics, clothing and beverage brands started coming. In October 2010, it was revealed that group has sealed a revenue of 2 billion won from endorsements just 2 months after their Japanese debut. Officials said, "Kara shows a sophisticated image on stage while outside the stage, they show a friendly image" On October 28, 2010, it was confirmed that Kara was chosen as the new models of one of the three biggest Carrier companies in Japan, "KDDI", showing their popularity. Starting on November 1, the group promoted the "Au Santa Letter of Challenge", organized by the "Au Smart Sports Run&Walk", where the group members dressed up in Santa Claus costumes, offering the users gifts with various contents. They also created a "Challenge Live" Twitter account where users posted support messages then 15 pairs people were chosen to attend the Limited Kara Live Event via lottery. Furthermore, with their success in Japan, Japanese game production company Rhaon Japan revealed through their official TalesLand official website that Kara became the new models for their game. Players were able to find group members as characters in the game, and were able to see a short animation of Kara, along with a promotional video on the landing page.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: In 2010, the group opened their own online clothing franchise called "Karaya", which members Gyuri, Hara and Jiyoung were chosen as spokesmodels. The said online shop proved to be a big hit and rose to 4th place in popularity among celebrity owned internet shopping mall sites.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: In June 2011, the group was chosen by LG Electronics as the Japanese CF models for their upcoming cellphone brand, LG 'Optimus Bright'. They also released their Japanese single titled 'Go Go Summer', which was used for the commercial and was promoted at the same time. The commercial and print advertisements were launched on June 17. Moreover, members Park Gyuri, Goo Hara and Kang Jiyoung became the female models for Korean cosmetic brand "Nature Republic". The three members started their exclusive activities with Nature Republic on June 3, 2011.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On March 15, the group announced the release of their own figure dolls created with the "Mister" theme making them the first girl group launch their own toy-brand based upon themselves. The dolls were sold in South Korea and Japan. They were produced by professionals from Hot Toys, DC Comics, Nokia, and Enterbay. This also marked the first time that a doll-based on South Korean idol group has been released because in the past, figures were created for celebrities in Korea, namely actors.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On June 18, 2012, the group released their own premium fragrance line called "K5J", an acronym for "Kara 5 Jewel" and members participated in the development of the perfume from the beginning. The fragrance is a special gift for the fans and to bring them even closer together. The perfume was created in Paris in partnership with 3CY, a premium Asian lifestyle brand. The perfume also went on sales at 1,200 offline stores in Japan.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On August 29, 2012, DSP revealed that the group has been selected as the ambassadors to bring awareness to K-Food by the MAF and the aT Korea Agro-Fisheries Trade Corporation. Their advertisement campaign was distributed in China, Japan, and as well as Southeast Asia.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On January 16, 2012, it was announced that the members of the group will each release their own solo material for their concerts in February. Park Gyuri's song entitled "Daydream", Han Seung-yeon's song entitled "Guilty", Jung Nicole's song entitled "Lost" featuring 2AM's Jinwoon, Goo Ha-ra's song entitled "Secret Love", and Kang Jiyoung's song entitled "Wanna Do" were all performed during their "Karasia" tour. All the songs were released one by one from August 22 to 26. The teasers for all the videos were released on August 31, 2012. The music videos for "Daydream" and "Secret Love" were released on September 1, 2012. The music videos for "Lost" and "Wanna Do" were released on September 3, 2012. The next day, the music video for "Guilty" was released. The songs were included in their compilation album entitled "Kara Collection".


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: In July 2015, Hara became the first member of Kara to make a solo debut with the EP, "Alohara (Can You Feel It?)".


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On January 19, 2011, a lawyer representing four of the five Kara members announced to the media that they would be terminating their contract with DSP Entertainment, effective immediately; a lawsuit was also filed on their behalf. Park Gyuri, the leader of the group, was the only one remaining with their management company. In one statement, the lawyer representing the four stated that "the company repeatedly denied any requests and unilaterally forced tasks upon the members", and that they have been preparing for legal action for two months. Later that day, it was announced that Goo Hara would discontinue her involvement with the lawsuit and has rejoined the company, as she apparently was not fully aware of the lawsuit's details. In a statement, DSP Entertainment firmly rebutted all accusations, also stating that they wished to resolve the issues and reconcile with the members quickly. DSP also denied earlier reports of denying Kara members their fair share of profits, stating that each member was paid ₩300,000,000 for their work.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: The lawyer for the three remaining members released another statement giving further details of their allegations. Their representatives stated that they were misinformed regarding their Japanese promotions, and that their relationship with the company severely deteriorated with the hospitalization of CEO Lee Ho-yeon in March 2010.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On April 28, 2011, the dispute between DSP Entertainment and Kara's 3 members (Han Seung-yeon, Nicole Jung, Kang Ji-young) was finally resolved.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: But two years later, in October 2013, DSP released statement that Nicole would not be renewing her contract with DSP Media upon its termination in January 2014. Seungyeon, Gyuri and Hara all renewed their contracts for a further two years, and Jiyoung is taking her time to decide whether or not to study abroad, as her contract doesn't end until April 2014. However, it was confirmed later on by Nicole through her Twitter account that they are still in the midst of discussing and resolving the contract issues as Nicole still wants to work as a member of KARA while managed by a different agency. Alongside Nicole's contract issue, DSP Media however has revealed that "Because Kang Ji Young contract expires in April next year, she has decided to think over her future." An exclusive report from news outlet OSEN however had shed a bit more light regarding her circumstances with the news outlet claiming that Kang Ji Young was leaning towards making a decision to go abroad to study. The report claimed that while she wasn't outright saying that she wanted to leave the group, she had stated that she needed a certain amount of time to rest. On January 14, Jiyoung had officially made her decision to leave Kara once her contract expires in April 2014. Jiyoung's father stated that it will be difficult, but is necessary for Jiyoung so she may leave DSP to pursue her dreams.


title: Kara (South Korean group)

text: On February 2, 2012, DSP Media refuted accusations that the man who followed Kara during their time in Japan was a Chongryon-affiliated North Korean agent but was actually their schedule manager.


title: Takuya Kimura

text: A 1996 television drama series, "Long Vacation", in which he landed his first lead role, became a massive success, creating a phrase called the ""Lon-bake phenomenon"". He was given the title, "The King of Ratings", as his subsequent television series continued to generate high ratings and each show became a social phenomenon as it aired. Five of his works are ranked in the 10 best-viewed TV drama series in Japan, the highest of which is his 2001 drama series, "Hero". He also starred in blockbuster films, including "Love and Honor" (2006), "Hero" (2007) and "Howl's Moving Castle" (as a voice actor, 2004).


title: Takuya Kimura

text: Kimura is also known for his work in the video games "Judgment" and "Lost Judgment", portraying Takayuki Yagami.


title: Takuya Kimura

text: In 1987, at age 15, Kimura auditioned to enter Johnny & Associates, a talent agency that recruits and trains young boys to become singers and members of boy bands. In Autumn 1987, twenty young boys, including Kimura, were put together into a group called The Skate Boys, which was initially created as backup dancers for a famous boy band, Hikaru Genji. In April 1988, producer Johnny Kitagawa chose six out of the twenty boys to create a new boy band; "SMAP."


title: Takuya Kimura

text: In 2020, Kimura released his first solo album, entitled "Go with the Flow". The album, which included songs written for Kimura by well-known bands and artists such as [ALEXANDROS], Superfly, Noriyuki Makihara, and Love Psychedelico, debuted at #1 on the Oricon Albums Chart on the week of its release. A month later, he held a four-day tour in both Tokyo and Osaka entitled "TAKUYA KIMURA Live Tour 2020 Go with the Flow". The concert was released on Blu-Ray and DVD, on July 8, 2020, debuting at #1 as well on the Oricon Charts.


title: Takuya Kimura

text: On May 20, 2021, the Weibo Starlight Awards 2020 ceremony was held online. Kimura, alongside his two daughters, Cocomi and Kōki, were awarded alongside Western artists such as Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, and Louis Koo.


title: Takuya Kimura

text: A follow up to his solo album "Go with the Flow" was released on January 19, 2022, entitled "Next Destination". The album features the song entitled "Mojo Drive", a collaboration between Kimura and renowned city-pop artist Tatsuro Yamashita, who wanted to write a song to highlight Kimura's baritone voice after attending his solo concert in February. Yamashita also composed two other tracks, namely "Good Luck, Good Time", and "Morning Dew" for the album. In addition to Yamashita, "Next Destination" also features songs written by Kyōka Suzuki, Sanma Akashiya, Man with a Mission, and Shigesato Itoi.


title: Takuya Kimura

text: In 1988, Kimura made his acting debut in a television series, "Abunai Shonen III", along with his band members. After appearing in several television series, he first attracted attention after landing a role in a high-rated television series, "Asunaro Hakusho", in 1993. The scene where he hugged his co-star Hikari Ishida from behind became popular in Japan and a man hugging a girl from behind was later named "asunaro daki", meaning "asunaro hug". From 1994, men in Japan started copying his fashion and style, as clothes and fashion items became instant hits, the thick, black-rimmed glasses he wore in "Asunaro Hakusho", being one of them. The phenomenon was collectively called the "Kimutaku syndrome". He won the Ishihara Yujiro New Artist Award for his performance in "Shoot", in which he made his screen debut.