BTS becomes first K-pop band to enter UK, German charts

BTS became the first K-pop band to have a song listed on top 100 single charts in Germany and the UK, its agency Big Hit Entertainment said Saturday. 　The boy band’s remix of the song “MIC Drop,” originally released in September, ranked 46th on the UK’s official top 100 single charts. The song ranked 71st on Germany’s official top 100 single charts. 　The song’s original Korean version -- written by Pdogg, Supreme Boi, Bang Si-hyuk, J-Hope and RM -- is included in BTS’ album “Love Yourself: Her.”

PerformanceDec. 3, 2017

‘EXO-L, you are wonderful fans’: EXO after winning at 2017 MAMA

HONG KONG -- K-pop group EXO expressed its gratitude to fans after winning the album of the year award at the 2017 Mnet Asian Music Awards at Asia-World Expo in Hong Kong on Friday. It was the fifth consecutive year that the group had received the grand prize, or Daesang, at the annual awards. EXO also won the Mwave global fans’ choice award at this year’s event. Its member Chen’s collaboration track with Dynamic Duo, “Nosedive,” won the best collaboration award, while the group’s subunit EXO-CB

PerformanceDec. 3, 2017

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Cozy staycation at Millennium Seoul HiltonMillennium Seoul Hilton is offering a cozy staycation package for the winter holidays through Feb. 28 next year. The Winter Escape Package offers accommodation in a deluxe room with a view of the city, a buffet breakfast for two at Cafe 395, two gingerbreads and access to a fitness center and swimming pool. The package starts from 240,000 won and is only Korean citizens or foreigners with an alien registration card. There is an additional charge of 50,00

TravelDec. 2, 2017

[Korean Bapsang] Mu doenjang guk (Radish soybean paste soup)

Korean radish, mu, is sweet and juicy these days! Make some soup with it. While the radish soup (mu guk) made with beef is more common, this doenjang (Korean fermented soybean paste) based radish soup, called mu doenjang guk, is light yet full of flavor.Doenjang guk is most commonly made with anchovy broth, but I used vegetable broth here. It’s vegan! Simply boil some basic aromatic vegetables, such as onion, garlic, scallion, dried kelp (dashima) and dried shiitake mushrooms -- all common ingre

FoodDec. 2, 2017

[Box office] Movies in theaters this week

Forgotten(Korea)Opened Nov. 29Mystery, thriller. Directed by Jang Hang-jun　On the night two brothers move into a new home, the older sibling Yoo-seok (Kim Moo-yeol) is kidnapped by a group of unidentified criminals. Younger brother Jin-seok (Kang Ha-neul) is haunted by hallucinations, both visual and auditory, since that day on. Yoo-seok miraculously resurfaces 19 days later with no memory of his disappearance or capture, but seems different. While tailing his returned brother, who disappears wi

FilmDec. 2, 2017

[Travel bits] Festivals, sights around Korea

Lotte World Christmas MiracleLotte Word Christmas Festival will be held from Nov. 11 to Dec. 31 with “Christmas Miracle” theme. Visitors can see Christmas decorations hung everywhere at the festival site.The event is held at Lotte World in Songpa-gu, Seoul and is open to visitors of all ages.For admissions and other information, refer to the homepage (http://www.lotteworld.com). It offers information in Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Russian, Vietnamese, Indonesian and Mongolian.Littl

TravelDec. 2, 2017

BTS wins Artist of the Year at MAMA for second year

K-pop sensation BTS has won the Artist of the Year Award at the Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA) for the second-straight year. BTS was announced the winner of the highly-coveted award on Friday at AsiaWorld-Expo in Hong Kong, the venue for the final event of this year's MAMA, a K-pop award show run by cable music network Mnet. The seven-member act also won MAMA's Artist of the Year in 2016.The band has taken the K-pop scene by storm this year, with its latest EP album "Love Yourself: Her" released

EntertainmentDec. 2, 2017

[Eye Plus] Seoul night with bright lights

A December night in Seoul is as bright as day, with streets adorned with colorful lights that greet the citizens and visitors. Luminaries, or festive light displays, were first used around 400 years ago in Italy to commemorate the saints. The ceremony is now sublimated to an art festival. Retailers including department stores and luxury boutiques have been the most eager to bring yearend festivities to their edifices in South Korea as well. Notable among them are department stores in Myeong-dong

Arts & DesignDec. 1, 2017

Rain says still looking for challenges in ‘Act 2’ of life

Fifteen years have passed since Rain splashed onto the K-pop stage with his deep voice, tall frame and trademark dance moves, singing about the “Bad Guy” that he is through his debut song. “It’s hard to believe that it’s been 15 years. I’m so thankful for that,” said Rain during a press conference held in Seoul on Friday prior to the release of his new EP “My Life Ae.” Ae, a Chinese character meaning love, represents his affection for the life he has led, and the music embedded deep within his l

PerformanceDec. 1, 2017

New reality show features Choo Shin-soo, Sunwoo Yekwon living abroad

JTBC’s new reality program “Stranger” (unofficial translation) will spotlight the struggles of Korean celebrities living abroad.The show, which kicks off Saturday at 6 p.m., is set to feature newcomers to reality television including baseball player Choo Shin-soo, pianist Sunwoo Ye-kwon and actress Seo Min-jung.Scheduled in the same time slot as MBC’s popular variety program “Infinite Challenge,” “Stranger” is up against a tough fight for viewers. But the show’s strength lies in its “portrayal o

TelevisionDec. 1, 2017

Twice Christmas song to appear on repackaged album

Twice fans will be able to celebrate the upcoming holiday season with Christmas single “Merry & Happy,” which will be included in its new album.JYP Entertainment on Friday released the track list for “Merry & Happy,” due out on 6 p.m. Dec. 11, which is a repackaged edition of the girl group’s first studio album “Twicetagram.”  Twice (JYP Entertainment)The track is one of the new songs that will be included on the new record, along with “Heart Shaker.” JYP said that it is a Christmas song, lyrics

PerformanceDec. 1, 2017

‘Sister Act’ opens in Seoul, wrapping up Asia tour

The US production of the musical “Sister Act” has landed in Seoul, the final destination of its Asia tour that commenced in May.The Korean segment of the tour premiered Saturday in front of a sell-out crowd at Blue Square in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, and will run through Jan. 21, 2018.Based on the 1992 hit comedy film starring Whoopi Goldberg, the plot revolves around the singer Delores who witnesses a murder and takes refuge in a convent.While the plot may sound dark, the show is actually a light-hear

CultureNov. 30, 2017

Red Velvet tops Billboard’s World Albums chart again

Red Velvet has topped Billboard’s World Albums chart again with its second album “Perfect Velvet.” The album debuted at No. 1 on the chart, which sold 2,000 copies in the week that ended Nov. 23, according to Nielsen Music. The figure marks Red Velvet’s best weekly sales in the US after “Red Summer” in July, Billboard said, adding that the group’s success shows strong interest in K-pop girl groups in the US.  A poster for Red Velvet’s “Perfect Velvet” album (S.M. Entertainment)“Perfect Velvet” m

PerformanceNov. 30, 2017

Famed director Kim Ki-duk grilled for assault

Korean film director Kim Ki-duk has recently been investigated for allegations of assaulting an actress, the prosecution said Thursday.Seoul Central District Prosecutor summoned Kim on Monday and questioned him on a complaint filed in August. In the complaint, a 41-year-old actress accused him of slapping and coercing her to shoot an unscripted sex scene while filming the 2013 movie “Moebius.” The actress left the production after the said quarrel.  Kim Ki-duk (Yonhap)Kim admitted to having slap

FilmNov. 30, 2017

Korean ‘babbling comedy’ team Ongals to perform at London’s West End

Mime, beatboxing, juggling and babbling like babies while dressed in pajamas –- this is the brand of non-verbal, family-friendly comedy that Korean team Ongals hopes to spread around the world. In its next gig, the now seven-member team will become the first Korean group to perform in London’s West End, the home of world-class theater. Ongals will be performing in a five-week run starting Jan. 4, 2018 at the Soho Theatre, a comedy venue founded some 40 years ago. “Since ten years ago, we’ve been

PerformanceNov. 30, 2017

Pet dog stays with deceased actress for weeks

A pet dog stayed with its deceased owner for at least two weeks. Local media outlets reported Tuesday that actress Lee Mi-ji, 58, was found dead at her home more than two weeks after she passed away.  (Yonhap)The police revealed Wednesday that Lee’s pet dog stayed with her after her death. The dog did not bark when the police and the firefighters entered the house. “The dog was very thin. How it has survived is a mystery,” a police source said. “There weren’t any signs of damage to Lee’s body.”T

PeopleNov. 30, 2017

US remake of 'Grandpas Over Flowers' returns to NBC in Jan.

NBC's hit reality TV show "Better Late Than Never," the US adaptation of South Korean program "Grandpas Over Flowers," is set to return with season 2 in January, CJ E&M said Thursday.The popular series will be aired at 9 p.m. every Monday starting Jan. 1, the company said, adding that a special preview will be unveiled Dec. 11.The comic reality series shows four American stars in their twilight years -- William Shatner, Henry Winkler, George Foreman and Terry Bradshaw -- travel around the globe,

TelevisionNov. 30, 2017

Korean crime film to open in 10 foreign regions

The domestic crime flick "The Swindlers" will be released in 10 foreign regions, its local distributor said Thursday.Beginning with Australia and New Zealand on Thursday, the film starring Hyunbin and Yoo Ji-tae will open in North America on Friday, Hong Kong and Macao next Thursday, and Taiwan on Dec. 22, Showbox said.The film is also scheduled to open in Japan early next year, while discussions are under way for its release in the Philippines and Britain. Hyun Bin (left), Yoo Ji-tae star in "T

FilmNov. 30, 2017

Pianist Kim Sun-wook wears many hats

Pianist Kim Sun-wook, now based in London, has returned to Seoul for a string of performances that show him in different lights, beginning with a recital where he accompanied bass Young Kwang-chul in an evening of lieder, German poems set to classical music, at the Seoul Arts Center on Tuesday. On Thursday and Friday, Kim joins the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra led by conductor Osmo Vanska in a performance of Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2 in B- flat major, Op. 83 at the Lotte Concert Hall. Danish c

CultureNov. 29, 2017

Singer-actor Kim Hyun-joong to drop solo EP album

Singer-actor Kim Hyun-joong plans to release a new solo EP album, his agency said Wednesday.The former leader of boy group SS501 will put out a three-track digital EP album titled "Haze" later in the day, according to Keyeast Co. The love-themed record, Kim's fourth solo EP album, will be led by a song also named "Haze."  caption: Kim Hyun-joong (Herald DB)"Kim Hyun-joong took part in most of the EP's production, including the lyrics, songwriting and arrangement," the company said. Kim plans to

PerformanceNov. 29, 2017