[Trending] Korean fans remember Marvel legend Stan Lee

Stan Lee, co-creator of Marvel Comics, passed away in Los Angeles on Monday at the age of 95, prompting a number of Korean fans to mourn the loss of the legendary icon. The creator of Marvel characters such as Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Hulk, Iron Man, the X-Men, Black Panther, Thor and many more had been suffering from pneumonia, according to media reports.  Stan Lee arrives at the Activision E3 Preview Event in Los Angeles June 14, 2010. (REUTERS)As his death was confirmed, the name “Stan

FilmNov. 13, 2018

Achim Freyer’s “Das Rheingold” kicks off 2-year journey

Achim Freyer’s “Das Rheingold” will kick off a two-year journey on Wednesday. The German producer’s latest opera -- the first installment of the Ring Cycle by Richard Wagner -- will premiere Wednesday at the Seoul Arts Center, where it will run until Nov. 18. The other three operas will be performed in the next two years. Singers perform during a rehearsal of Achim Freyer’s “Das Rheingold” on Monday at the Seoul Arts Center. (World Art Opera)Wagner’s Ring Cycle, or “Der Ring des Nibelungen,” is

PerformanceNov. 13, 2018

[Herald Review] 2nd of ‘Fantastic Beasts’ trilogy will leave viewers divided

‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald’ has nice elements, but feels like detour en route to grand adventure“Empire Strikes Back” really is a wonder, isn’t it? In a cinema world where so many middle films in trilogies seem to bite the dust, caught between exposition and setup for the final episode, and plots moving only half-way forward, the iconic film really hit the spot with its beyond-awesome twist and gripping storyline.No, “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” is not on par w

FilmNov. 13, 2018

Black Pink’s Jennie rules local, global charts with ‘Solo’

Jennie’s first solo single, “Solo,” topped both the Korean and global charts upon its release Monday evening. Representing the act, YG Entertainment said Tuesday that the Black Pink artist’s first solo track has landed atop eight local music-streaming charts including Melon, Bugs, Mnet and Genie. The song has also shot to No. 1 on iTunes charts in 49 countries including Argentina, Brazil, Cambodia, Chile, Egypt, Greece, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Poland and Spain. (YG Entertainment)Written

PerformanceNov. 13, 2018

Psy to hold signature ‘All Night Stand’ concerts

Singer Psy is planning to entertain fans with another installment of the “All Night Stand” concerts at the end of 2018. “All Night Stand” will be held at the KSPO Dome at Olympic Park in Seoul from Dec. 21-24. (Instagram)Psy notified fans of the upcoming shows via his social media account on Monday, posting a couple of playful tips, such as “Although it’s winter outside, where you’ll be with me is going to be summer. Wear mid-summer clothing inside your mid-winter jackets.”“All Night Stand” star

PerformanceNov. 13, 2018

Korean idols taking state exam for college entrance

Idols often seem to live in a different universe, surrounded by glitz and glamor onstage and on TV screens. But when it comes to Suneung, Korea’s annual college entrance exam, stars are on the same plane as every other 18 year-old in the country. Although not all celebrities decide to take Suneung, there are quite a number who wish to continue their studies alongside their careers. Stars who have said they will take the test this year are: Weki Meki’s Choi Yoo-jung and Lua; DIA’s Somyi; Stray Ki

PerformanceNov. 13, 2018

'Love Story’: Making North Korea relatable

Director Lee Kyung-sung’s “Love Story” is a play that is faithful to the theater’s fundamental function: imagination.“Love Story” follows on the heels of Lee’s 2017 work “Walking Holiday,” inspired by a walking tour of the Demilitarized Zone, which highlighted the reality of the divided Korean Peninsula.“Love Story,” however, is different as it provides a look at the physically unreachable land beyond the border. Actor Woo Bum-jin, actress Sung Soo-yeon and actor Na Kyung-min perform in “Love St

PerformanceNov. 12, 2018

[Trending] YouTube creator Banzz announces engagement via Instagram

YouTube creator Banzz on Saturday dropped a surprise announcement via Instagram that is set to be married next year. “I will be married next year!” Banzz said, uploading a selfie with his now fiancee to his official Instagram account. “We haven’t fixed the date yet, but will tell you guys later. I feel a lot better now!” He added. (Banzz`s Instagram)Banzz, one of the most popular broadcasters in Korea, is popular for his regular meokbang, or eating shows, held regularly via his YouTube channel.

TelevisionNov. 12, 2018

Korean speech contest in Yongsan-gu

A Korean-language speech contest will take place on Nov. 24 at the Multicultural Family Support Center in Yongsan-gu, central Seoul.This is the fourth year the contest will be held. Twelve expatriates who pass a preliminary round of evaluation will be invited to speak at the final competition.Participants are to write their own speeches on topics concerning why they love Korea and what about Korea draws them to like it. The occasion will serve as a chance to think about how policies in Korea for

Expat LivingNov. 12, 2018

Ruling, opposition parties take stance on recent ‘T-shirt controversy’ surrounding BTS

South Korean political parties across the aisle voiced their stances on the latest pop culture controversy involving a boy band and a certain T-shirt.Japanese broadcaster Asahi on Thursday canceled BTS’ scheduled appearance on its music show “Music Station,” citing a certain T-shirt worn by a member of the band as the reason behind the decision. The T-shirt featured images and phrases linked to South Korea’s liberation from Japanese colonial rule in 1945 -- including a photo of the atomic bombin

PerformanceNov. 11, 2018

[Herald Review] “The Lion King” brings grand spectacle to Korea

Truth be told, it feels almost irrelevant to discuss how great “The Lion King” musical is: What hasn’t been said about the multiple Tony Award-winning show that has been seen by over 95 million worldwide, across more than 100 cities in 20 countries? But seeing it onstage in its original language, for the first time in Korea, was a reminder that “The Lion King” is not just about the story, the music, the message, colorful -- in every definition of the word -- characters and creative set. It is al

PerformanceNov. 11, 2018

BTS ‘T-shirt controversy’ prickles decadeslong Korea-Japan tensions

BTS-related headlines had been mostly about breaking sales records or appearing on international TV programs; that was prior to Thursday, when Japanese broadcaster TV Asahi axed the group’s appearance last minute over a T-shirt worn by Jimin that was deemed too political.“There has been controversy over the design of a T-shirt worn by a member (of the group) and we asked the intention behind wearing (the shirt) and worked together with the record label. Regretfully, however, we decided to postpo

TelevisionNov. 11, 2018

Winner’s blue waves in the Philippines

Winner successfully wrapped up its first solo concert “Winner 2018 [Everywhere] Tour in Manila” in the Philippines on Saturday. Local fans threw special events for the group as gifts.  (Winner performs at “Winner 2018 [Everywhere] Tour in Manila” on Nov.10. / YG Entertainment)Fans flocked to the airport to welcome Winner by passionately singing “Everyday.” Banners showing images of each member adorned street lamps around the concert hall. The unique fashion donned by fans also grabbed attention,

PerformanceNov. 11, 2018

More than 100,000 tickets reserved for BTS documentary

Tickets sold in advance for an upcoming documentary about K-pop boy band BTS' ascent to global fame have passed the 100,000 mark, data showed Sunday.According to data compiled by the Korean Film Council, "Burn the Stage," set to be released Thursday in the domestic market, ranked No. 1 on the chart based on the ticket reservation rate, which is at 26.8 percent. This was followed by "Bohemian Rhapsody" with 21 percent and "Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald" with 20.4 percent. (Big Hit E

PerformanceNov. 11, 2018

Mamamoo fans to boycott December concert

Mamamoo’s fan association declared a boycott of the group’s upcoming December concert, as well as merchandise purchases, Saturday, in a protest against recent moves made by the act’s RBW entertainment agency. The fan group vowed to take firm actions against the agency until it gives sincere feedback regarding the improvement of labor conditions for the girl group, requesting specific measures including delaying the “2018 4 seasons F/W” concert. Mamamoo’s “Moomoo” fandom Friday issued a statement

PerformanceNov. 11, 2018

Black Pink performs before 10,000 fans in Seoul

A large arena in Seoul was rocked with cheers from some 10,000 fans when the sharp intro of "DDU-DU DDU-DU," the popular title track off girl group BlackPink's first EP album "Square Up," was played.The song opened the "Black Pink 2018 Tour [In Your Area] Seoul x BC Card" on Saturday night, the first solo concert in Korea by the rising rookie girl group since its debut in August 2016. Black Pink (YG Enetertainment)The concert at the Olympic Gymnastics Arena was originally set to begin at 6 p.m.

PerformanceNov. 11, 2018

SHINee's Onew to join Army next month

Popular boy band SHINee's leader Onew will begin his mandatory military service next month, his management agency said Friday."Onew will enter the military as an active-duty soldier on Oct.10," SM Entertainment said in a release. "We're not going to reveal the date and time of his entry as he wants to make it low-profile."He will have no separate event to bid farewell to his fans, it added. Onew (Yonhap)Debuting in 2008, Onew has released such hit songs as "Ring Ding Dong," "Lucifer," "Dream Gir

PerformanceNov. 9, 2018

Will Park Su-geun beat his own record?

Park Su-geun’s 1961 work “People at the Marketplace” will be auctioned on Nov. 21 at K Auction’s November sale.Park is a Korean painter known for his artworks that portray the daily life of the Korean people in the mid-20th century. Park Su-geun’s “People at the Marketplace” (K Auction)The estimated price for “People at the Marketplace” is 4 billion won-5.5 billion won ($3.5 million-$4.9 million), the auction house said. The work was owned by a foreign collector for about 40 years before it was

Arts & DesignNov. 9, 2018

Famous prayer sites for college entrance exam

Buddhist temples are crowded nowadays with mothers ardently praying for their children's success on the annual college entrance exam, which is just a week away.The state-administered exam is extremely important for students as getting into a good college can mean getting decent jobs after graduation in the academic background-oriented Korean society.Many parents visit prayer sites nationwide, mostly Buddhist temples, around this time of the year to wish for their children's good test results. He

TravelNov. 9, 2018

Japan’s ‘Music Station’ cancels BTS appearance over ‘controversial’ T-shirt

BTS’ planned appearance on “Music Station,” a flagship music program of Japanese broadcaster Asahi, has been canceled, stirring up a whirlwind of controversy. The announcement came a day before the K-pop act’s scheduled appearance on the Japanese music program slated for Friday. “Music Station” stated on its official website, “A specific T-shirt worn by a BTS member caused a controversy, which was reported by media. We asked about the intention of wearing the outfit to the act’s agency and tried

PerformanceNov. 9, 2018