[Herald Interview] Jung Eun-ji says she sings to comfort herself

Long before Jung Eun-ji started her K-pop career in 2011, music was more than just a hobby or something she was good at. Speaking to The Korea Herald at her record label’s headquarters, she confides it’s always been a source of healing and stability for her. Growing up, she would hum songs like Maya’s “Shout Myself” whenever she felt depressed and Kim Gun-mo’s “My Son” when her parents objected to her dream to become a musician. It’s an effect she hopes to have on others by sharing her soothing

PerformanceOct. 17, 2018

Film star under fire for ‘drunken’ interview

In a promotional effort gone sour, Kim Ji-soo made headlines Wednesday by turning up hung-over for her group media interview.It was reported that Kim, a veteran actress whose career spans nearly three decades, was severely hung over when she appeared for her 10 a.m. interview, which was set up to promote her movie “Intimate Strangers.”After appearing 40 minutes late, she reportedly slurred when answering the questions and admitted that she was hung over. The interview was cut off after just 10 m

FilmOct. 17, 2018

Why is #ARMYIndependenceDay trending?

BTS’ global fandom Army has responded to a different view expressed by some K-pop and non-BTS fans by posting tweets with a sense of humor, resulting in the trending of the hashtag #ARMYIndependenceDay on Twitter. Some K-pop listeners and fans have recently expressed discomfort for the fast-growing BTS fan community. They have claimed that some of the band’s Army only listened to BTS and showed little interest for K-pop in general, leading to a flurry of posts with #ArmysRuinedKpopParty.In respo

PerformanceOct. 17, 2018

BTS' 'Love Yourself: Answer' stays on Billboard 200 chart for 7th week

K-pop sensation BTS' repackaged album "Love Yourself: Answer" ranked at No. 31 on the Billboard's main albums chart, data showed Wednesday. Previously taking No. 25, the album has now been on the Billboard 200 for seven weeks since it debuted atop on its release on Aug. 24.  (Yonhap)Along with the solid performance on the main chart, it was No. 1 on the "Top World Albums" chart, placed sixth on the "Independent Albums" chart and sixth on the "Top Album Sales" chart.The group's previous albums ar

PerformanceOct. 17, 2018

BTS dominates overseas iTunes songs charts with Japanese version of 'Fake Love'

The global K-pop group BTS has topped overseas iTunes Top Songs charts with a Japanese version of its hit song "Fake Love."The song with Japanese lyrics took the top post on the iTunes Top Songs charts of 38 regions, including Argentina, Chile, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Indonesia and Vietnam, on Tuesday. (Yonhap)The song was uploaded on online music services at 12 a.m., ahead of the release of the group's new Japanese album, which includes the song."Fake Love," the original Korean number

PerformanceOct. 16, 2018

2D illustrations breathe life into luxury fashion

For fashion enthusiasts and luxury goods lovers, an exhibition of fashion illustrator Megan Hess’ work is soon to open in Seoul. The Australian illustrator is known across the world for her work with luxury fashion houses and celebrities. She became a big figure in the fashion scene after drawing the cover illustration for the “Sex and the City” book after the series became a hit.  Fashion illustrator Megan Hess speaks during a press event held Tuesday at The Seouliteum in eastern Seoul. (Yonhap

Arts & DesignOct. 16, 2018

BoA to drop ‘Woman’ next week

K-pop star BoA is gearing up for a return to the music stage with her ninth full-length album “Woman.”“The veteran singer is getting prepared to return with her LP on Oct. 24,” said S.M. Entertainment, which represents BoA. “A day after the release of the 10-track album via local digital music platforms, the LP will be released in CD format.” (S.M. Entertainment)Eponymous track “Woman” is a dance pop tune with rhythmical base sounds that shines with BoA’s powerful vocals and dance performance th

PerformanceOct. 16, 2018

Changgyeong Palace to stay open at night starting next year

Changgyeong Palace, one of the four main Korean palaces, will stay open till 9 p.m. all year round, starting next year, for those who love to enjoy its night views, the head of the government office that manages the palaces said Tuesday.The Cultural Heritage Administration has allowed nighttime sightseeing of two palaces located in central Seoul -- Gyeongbok and Changgyeong -- on a limited basis. This year, Changgyeong Palace will open for night tour programs for 70 days and admit only 3,500 vis

CultureOct. 16, 2018

Koreas to resume Manwoldae dig around next week

South and North Korea are presumed to resume the joint excavation of an ancient palace site in North Korea as early as next week, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.The joint dig of Manwoldae, where the remains of the royal palace of the Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392) once stood, has been considered both a symbolic and substantial step for the two Koreas to reconcile their differing views on Korean history.Officials said North Korean scholars told their South Korean counterpart

CultureOct. 15, 2018

Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra’s “Ars Nova” provisionally marks its end

Contemporary classical music fans should not miss the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra’s upcoming “Ars Nova” concerts in October as this year’s edition could be the last season of the 13-year-long music series. In a statement released Monday, the SPO announced that it would not hold the “Ars Nova Series” in 2019, largely due to the current absence of experts who are capable of leading the series at the orchestra.The Seoul-based orchestra is in the process of filling its new music director, artistic

PerformanceOct. 15, 2018

Hanbok designer to receive top culture honors post-death

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Monday announced that it will present the Geumgwan Order of Cultural Merit, the highest honor of its kind, to late designer Lee Young-hee, who specialized in the Korean traditional hanbok.Lee, who passed away on May 17 aged 82, was one of the best-known designers in the country.“For the past 40 years, she contributed to promotion of hanbok culture, its modernization and worldwide proliferation of hanbok while also educating those who followed in her

CultureOct. 15, 2018

[Photo News] BTS in Paris

(Yonhap)BTS met South Korean President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook during the band’s visit to Paris for a concert celebrating the friendship between Korea and France.The group posted pictures on Twitter of its members with Moon and his wife at the Korea-France Friendship Concert at theater Le 13eme Art on Sunday.(Yonhap)In photos released by the Blue House, Moon looked proud as the group powered through the hit-packed set, including “DNA” and “Idol,” before an audience of 400, inclu

PerformanceOct. 15, 2018

[Video] K-pop ads taking over Seoul subway

Traveling around Seoul on the subway, you’ll often see enormous advertisements featuring fan messages to K-pop idols.As K-pop groups like BTS gain a more prominent place on the global stage, at home in Seoul they are dominating public transport.An onlooker at Hongdae Station takes a photo of an ad celebrating BTS member Jimin’s birthday. (Park Ju-young/The Korea Herald)At Hongdae Station, which has more K-pop-inspired ads than any other station in the South Korean capital, fans make their way pa

PerformanceOct. 15, 2018

Nam June Paik Art Center holds 10th anniversary exhibition

An elephant pulls a cart loaded with devices like television sets, radios, telephones and gramophone speakers while a Buddha statue -- sitting on the elephant under an umbrella -- leads the way ahead. These once dominant means of communication are featured in artist Nam June Paik’s work “Elephant Cart.” It is one of the works on display as part of “Art Commons, Nam June Paik,” which kicked off at the Nam June Paik Art Center on Thursday. The exhibition reintroduces Paik’s artworks, along with th

Arts & DesignOct. 14, 2018

Boycott-free BIFF closes with a task at hand

The 23rd Busan International Film Festival drew to a close Saturday, shaken by Typhoon Kong-rey, but having enjoyed its first year since its operations were normalized.Rounding off the festivities was the closing film “Master Z: The Ip Man Legacy” by Yeun Woo-ping, after the opening piece “Beautiful Days” had kicked things off 10 days earlier.The festival recognized those around the film industry for their contribution and prospects. Landing the top awards in the New Currents award were “Savage”

FilmOct. 14, 2018

Seoul Fashion Week ready for kickoff

2019 S/S Hera Seoul Fashion Week, a major fashion event for fashion insiders and outsiders, is set to begin its six-day run on Monday.The biennial event, hosted by the Seoul Design Foundation to cement the city’s status as Asia’s main fashion hub, is to take place at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza in central Seoul through Saturday. The exterior of the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (Seoul Design Foundation) Poster image for 2019 S/S Hera Seoul Fashion Week (Seoul Design Foundation)Menswear designer Woo Yo

Arts & DesignOct. 14, 2018

‘Mr. Sunshine’ Lee Byung-hun wins top prize at APAN Star Awards

Actor Lee Byung-hun who starred in hit TV series “Mr. Sunshine” won big at this year’s APAN Star Awards, bringing home the grand prize.Despite the category being one of the most hotly contested, the veteran actor managed to fend off competition from the likes of Kim Nam-joo from “Misty” and Jeon Seung-woo from “Life,” adding yet another award to his glittering career.During his acceptance speech, Lee said many staff and actors worked together for “Mr. Sunshine” and that he had a lot of people to

TelevisionOct. 14, 2018

[Photo News] ‘We Dance’ at Han River

“We Dance Festival” took place at Yeouido Hangang Park on Saturday from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. The festival comprised of ballet, urban, jazz, tango, salsa and swing dance, flash mobs and open dance lessons. Guerrila performances of B-boy breakdancing and jazz dance were held from 1 p.m., followed by 500 swing dancers and a live band performed for the 6 p.m. opening show.Between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., 39 dance teams spanning six genres of dance, selected to perform through prior contest, held a relay perf

CultureOct. 14, 2018

Seoul Auction to refund MMCA over 2003 sale of counterfeit painting

Seoul Auction is to refund the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art over the 2003 sale of a painting that has since been declared a counterfeit.During a parliamentary audit of the state museum on Thursday, Rep. Kim Jae-won of the main opposition Liberty Korea Party pointed out that the museum had bought a counterfeit of Rhee Seund-ja’s painting “Memory of Hidden Trees” and criticized the museum for lax management of its collection.Memory of Hidden Trees,” which has been declared a coun

Arts & DesignOct. 12, 2018

[Weekender] Why BTS matters: From desert to ocean to world

In June, BTS’ “Magic Shop” blared through a crisis residential center in the central US. And it wasn’t a BTS fan who requested the song full of a hopeful message. A 20-something male survivor of a suicide attempt had asked the center’s consultant to play the Korean song during a music therapy class. Describing it as “beautiful,” he sang along to the song. This instance reported by Korean media outlets in September shows that BTS’ success goes beyond its performance on charts and sold-out world c

PerformanceOct. 12, 2018