[Herald Interview] Daniel Dae Kim wants to populate productions with multiethnic casts

Daniel Dae Kim is widely credited with having broken barriers for Korean-American actors in Hollywood. Since his debut in 1992, Kim has starred in popular series, including “Lost” and “Hawaii Five-0,” and has been outspoken in his advocacy of racial equality in the American entertainment industry.Now, the 48-year-old is branching out into production, in particular Korean titles in the US. Next month, “The Good Doctor,” a remake of the hit 2013 KBS drama of the same name, written by Park Jae-bum,

FilmAug. 31, 2017

GFriend to return with repackaged album

GFriend will be releasing a repackaged version of its fifth album “Parallel,” titled “Rainbow.”The album will include the fifth album’s lead track “Love Whisper,” which topped various charts after its release on Aug. 1.  A teaser image for GFriend’s upcoming repackaged album “Rainbow” (Source Music)Teaser photos featuring the members posing in rainy summer weather were released Wednesday night. The repackaged album will be dropped on Sept. 13. GFriend, a six-piece group consisting of Eunha, Shin

PerformanceAug. 31, 2017

New cultural heritage chief vows ‘attitude overhaul’

Kim Jong-jin, the recently-named head of Cultural Heritage Administration, emphasized the importance of preserving cultural heritage and vowed changes in the CHA employees‘ attitude in achieving the goals of the organization.Kim who has been with CHA since 2001, however, stopped short of suggesting specific plans for revamping the system that has been criticized for lacking expertise, resulting in such fiascos as the recent “fake royal seal” controversy. Kim Jong-jin, head of Cultural Heritage A

CultureAug. 31, 2017

Twice's 'Signal' music video tops 100 mln YouTube views

K-pop group Twice's music video for "Signal" surpassed 100 million views on YouTube, its agency said Thursday. Released on May 15, the video reached the milestone late Wednesday, becoming the fifth video by the band to reach the milestone, according to JYP Entertainment. (JYP Entertainment)Twice has stormed the K-pop scene since its debut in October 2015. Starting with its debut track "OOH-AHH" and up until "Signal," all of its five lead tracks have nabbed the top spots on major music streaming

PerformanceAug. 31, 2017

[Herald Interview] BBC journalist Francine Stock talks about Korean films’ richness, complexity and honesty

Francine Stock, a broadcaster for BBC Television and Radio and formerly a movie critic, has been enthralled by the richness and delicacy of Korean films, ever since they began to make waves in her country about a decade ago. Having previously interviewed Korean director Park Chan-wook and Bong Joon-ho as a host of BBC Radio 4, Stock said globally acclaimed Korean films such as "Thirst" and “The Handmaiden,” both directed by Park, have paved the way for Korean cinema in England. Francine Stock (P

CultureAug. 30, 2017

Korean film's depiction of brutally abused women -- Is it too much?

The depiction of brutal female abuse in Korean films has become a hotly debated topic. Noir-thriller “V.I.P.,” which opened in theaters last week, has come under heavy fire for its excessively lengthy and detailed depiction of the sexual abuse and murder of a female character. In one long take, the camera dwells on several male characters, including Kim Kwang-il, a ruthless serial killer from North Korea played by Lee Jong-seok, caressing, torturing and choking a naked female victim lying on a t

FilmAug. 30, 2017

Park Si-hoo returns in ‘My Golden Life’

Actor Park Si-hoo is returning to the small screen with the new drama “My Golden Life” for the first time since a scandal four years ago. He plays Choi Do-kyung, who is from an affluent family and is studying how to run a business in his family’s company. The show marks Park’s return to the Korean drama scene after he was embroiled in a sex scandal in 2013.  Actor Park Si-hoo speaks at a press conference for KBS’ new drama series “My Golden Life” in Yeongdeungpo, Seoul, Tuesday (Herald DB)Park w

TelevisionAug. 30, 2017

‘Following’ a gift to HyunA’s fans

It's been a decade since baby-faced HyunA debuted with Wonder Girls in 2007. Having transitioned from a wide-eyed teen into a sex symbol and pop icon, HyunA says her new EP “Following” carries a message for those who supported her through thick and thin.“There are those who have trusted and followed me, who kept a close eye on me. (The album’s) meaning is that those people would keep doing that -- trust and follow me,” she said at a press conference held at Blue Square Samsung Card Hall in centr

PerformanceAug. 30, 2017

BTS’ new album ranks No. 1 on Amazon’s music preorders

K-pop band BTS’ upcoming new album became the most sought-after record among music preorders on Amazon, according to the online retailer’s website Wednesday. The EP “Love Yourself Seung ‘Her’” stood at No. 1 in Amazon’s CDs & Vinyl category, according to Amazon’s website and Big Hit Entertainment, which is BTS’ management agency. A screen grab of Amazon’s CDs & Vinyl category (Big Hit Entertainment)Amazon started accepting preorders for the album Tuesday at 7 a.m., a first for the US retail gian

PerformanceAug. 30, 2017

‘Legend of Blue Sea’ cleared of plagiarism

SBS hit drama “Legend of the Blue Sea” has been cleared of accusations of plagiarism.In January, screenwriter Park Ki-hyun filed a lawsuit against Park Ji-eun, screenwriter of the SBS show, claiming the TV series violated copyright of an unmade movie scenario titled “The Legend of Hae Wol Sea: Pearly Shells.”The Seoul Central District Prosecutor’s Office on Monday decided there was no charge to make, as “there is no possibility that Park Ji-eun or the production company could have seen the claim

TelevisionAug. 30, 2017

2017 CCF forum discusses image of Korea through eyes of the world

A cultural exchange event discussing Korea’s image, seen through the eyes of the global community, took place in Seoul on Monday and Tuesday.The eighth annual Culture Communication Forum 2017 brought together several leading figures in arts and culture from across the world to discuss “Korea’s image felt through sight,” at the Grand Hyatt Seoul on Tuesday. “I was born in Korea, and got adopted by a French family when I was 7 years old. I’ve been visiting Korea for the last seven years, and each

CultureAug. 29, 2017

‘Following’ invites HyunA’s fans to ‘trust and follow’ her

Baby-faced HyunA has endured a decade since her much-publicized debut as a member of Wonder Girls in 2007. Having turned from a wide-eyed teen prospect into a sex symbol and pop icon, HyunA says her new EP “Following” carries a message for those who supported her through thick and thin. HyunA speaks at a press conference held Tuesday in Seoul. (Yonhap) HyunA speaks at a press conference held Tuesday in Seoul. (Yonhap)“There are those who have trusted and followed me, who kept a close eye on me.

PerformanceAug. 29, 2017

Giving face, voice to marginalized through art

Turning an inanimate object imbued with symbolism into an animate being embodying the said symbolism, artist Krzysztof Wodiczko brings private narratives to public spaces.“My Wish,” commissioned by the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea and on display at the museum’s Seoul branch in Sogyeok-dong as part of the artist’s first major retrospective in Asia, tells the stories of 13 marginalized people in Korean society. Heard in the dark and silent exhibition hall of the museum thr

Arts & DesignAug. 29, 2017

[Photo News] Signs of fall in the sky in Seoul

Cool breeze and a clear sky signaled the arrival of fall in Seoul, South Korea, Tuesday. Daytime temperature dropped to an average of 18 degrees Celsius nationwide, creating an optimal weather for outdoor activities. A dry spell is anticipated in the following weeks. Photographed by Park Hyun-koo (phko@heraldcorp.com)

TravelAug. 29, 2017

[Herald Review] ‘Memoir of a Murderer’ is tiring, predictable tale

How many more stories of gruesome serial killings and smiling psychopathic murderers are left to tell in Korean cinema? “Memoir of a Murderer,” as is evident from the title, is yet another film that presents a killer as its lead. Unfortunately, it neither recounts a probing memoir nor delivers the terror of murder. 　It opens with an emaciated elderly man trudging along an empty railroad track. The air around him is as misty as his foggy memory -- he cannot remember where he is or what he is doin

FilmAug. 29, 2017

Ha Ji-won returns as surgeon in ‘Hospital Ship’

Actress Ha Ji-won is set to return to the small screen with the new MBC medical drama series “Hospital Ship.” 　Ha previously played lead roles in hit K-dramas such as the 2011 “Secret Garden.” She made her last drama appearance in “The Time We Were Not in Love,” which aired in 2015.　“The doctors on this show personally seek out patients who do not have medical benefits. It’s a different premise from many other medical dramas,” Ha said at a press conference for the show Monday in Seoul. 　The sett

TelevisionAug. 29, 2017

EXID wraps up Asia tour with Taipei concert

Girl Group EXID wrapped up its international tour of four Asian cities on Saturday with a concert held in Taipei, Taiwan.Visiting Taiwan for the first time since a fan meeting event last month, the K-pop act performed hits including “Hot Pink,” “L.I.E,” “Ah Yeah” and its 2014 breakout hit “Up & Down.” It also performed “With Out U” and “Of Course” live for the first time. EXID at 2017 Asia Tour in Taipei on Saturday. (Banana Culture Entertainment) EXID at 2017 Asia Tour in Taipei on Saturday. (B

PerformanceAug. 29, 2017

CL expresses feelings about 2NE1’s disbandment, promises new release

Former 2NE1 member CL took to Instagram on Monday to write a letter in English to her fans, expressing her feelings on the K-pop group’s disbandment and hinting at her new release. “I want to thank my fans for being patient/impatient and for always being there for me,” she wrote. “I promise you new music soon. I just want u to know I’m on my way and haven’t given up.”She said she was “completely broken” and that the “breakups from my love and to my group” -- were not easy for her because they we

PerformanceAug. 29, 2017

K-pop artists heat up Japan at A-nation 2017

A-nation, an annual summer concert series in Japan, wrapped up this year’s event Sunday, drawing tens of thousands of fans at Ajinomoto Stadium in Tokyo.The two-day event featured a stellar lineup of K-pop acts, including EXO, NCT 127, Red Velvet, Black Pink, D-Lite (Daesung) of Big Bang and iKON. EXO performs at the A-nation 2017 concert held at Ajinomoto Stadium in Tokyo on Saturday. (S.M. Entertainment)The three K-pop groups of S.M. Entertainment -- EXO, NCT 127 and Red Velvet -- took to the

PerformanceAug. 29, 2017

Jang Dong-gun, Hyun Bin to star in Joseon creature feature

Jang Dong-gun and Hyun Bin will star in an action blockbuster described as a Joseon-era zombie flick. 　The film, tentatively titled “Outbreak,” tells the story of vicious night creatures that threaten to overtake a Joseon royal palace.　Hyun will play Lee Chung, a character who struggles to protect the palace from the attack. 　The film is directed by Kim Sung-hoon, who worked with Hyun for last year’s action flick “Confidential Assignment.” Kim debuted in 2012 with the drama film “My Little Hero.

FilmAug. 29, 2017