JYJ’s Park Yu-chun to wed in September: report

JYJ’s Park Yu-chun will reportedly get married on Sept. 10, according to a local media report Tuesday.The report quoted Park and his fiance Hwang Ha-na’s families as saying, “Park is set to tie the knot with Hwang in Seoul. The couple is currently preparing for the wedding.”The bride-to-be is the 28-year-old granddaughter of Namyang Dairy Products’ founder. Singer-actor Park Yu-chun (C-Jes Entertainment)“We have not received any notice regarding the exact marriage date and we cannot confirm it,”

PerformanceJune 13, 2017

YG artists flood market with new albums

Artists managed by YG Entertainment, one of the largest K-pop agencies in South Korea, are pouring out new albums back to back in the first half of this year.Starting with Akdong Musician in January, five other YG artists have presented new albums in a row -- Winner and Sechskies in April, Psy and iKON in May and G-Dragon in June. Girl group Black Pink will be the next to drop an album on June 22, according to the agency. (Yonhap)Recently, there has been some bad news. Big Bang member T.O.P was

June 13, 2017

‘Okja’ gets first screening in Korea

Bong Joon-ho’s latest film “Okja,” which has been receiving international attention both for its unique story and the controversy surrounding its backer Netflix, was screened to the press Monday for the first time in Seoul.The film centers on the relationship between Mija, a country girl living in the mountains and played by 13-year-old Ahn Seo-hyun, and Okja, a super pig who boasts remarkable physical capabilities, intelligence and gentleness.Mirando, a multinational food research corporation h

FilmJune 12, 2017

[Seoul Saunter] Art brings life into historic Ihwa Mural Village

Perched at the top of Naksan is an old hillside community filled with steep stairways and narrow backstreets that are reminiscent of 1980s Korea. Known as Ihwa Mural Village, the mountainside village offers visitors fresh air, expansive views of the city, and most importantly, an array of colorful paintings and sculptures that are hidden behind every corner. The mural village, which is a 10-minute uphill walk from the bustling student district of Daehangno, has become one of the most frequented

CultureJune 12, 2017

Nine Muses rolls out teaser videos

Nine Muses started out a sequential release of teaser videos for its upcoming EP, starting with a video of Keumjo on Monday.The group’s agency Star Empire Entertainment revealed the first teaser video for “Muses Diary Part.2): Identity,” set for release on 6 p.m. on June 19. The video starts off with Keumjo -- clad in a white dress -- running away from an unidentified threat, set to the sound of piano and her vocals. Images from Nine Muses’ teaser video (Star Empire Entertainment)According to of

PerformanceJune 12, 2017

K-pop singer Gain questioned over marijuana claims

Seoul police on Monday said that they have investigated local singer Son Ga-in -- also known by her stage name Gain -- over her claim that an acquaintance of hers had offered her marijuana.Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency told the local press that officers have visited the 29-year-old singer and questioned her over the claims. The acquaintance in question, a friend of Gain’s boyfriend actor Ju Ji-hoon, has also been questioned as a witness. Last Sunday, Gain wrote on her Instagram account that s

PerformanceJune 12, 2017

Apink to release EP on June 26

Apink will unveil its sixth EP on June 26, its agency Plan A Entertainment said Monday, releasing its first record in more than nine months.On midnight, the agency posted a teaser image for the upcoming album on its Twitter, Facebook and Instagram account. The image shows the messages “Coming Soon. Pink up” with the release date of June 26, 6 p.m.“As Apink is returning after nine-month hiatus, the new EP will show them as more mature,” said Plan A Entertainment.  (Plan A Entertainment)The six-me

PerformanceJune 12, 2017

Ultra Korea captivates Seoul

A part of Seoul was set ablaze last weekend, as 120,000 music lovers flocked to Ultra Korea 2017, shaking it to the ear-blasting tunes from top-tier DJs gathered at the largest and hottest outdoor club in the country.Spread across the vastness of Jamsil Olympic Main Stadium in Seoul were four stages, from which electronic dance music shot out from big-shot artists KSHMR, Pendulum, Alesso, Nicky Romero, Steve Angello, Dubfire, Martin Solveig, Tiesto and Tchami. Standing alongside the top-tier mus

PerformanceJune 12, 2017

BTS to celebrate 4th-anniversary at ‘2017 BTS Home Party’

K-pop act BTS, also known as Bangtan Boys, will celebrate the fourth anniversary of its debut in “2017 BTS Home Party” on Tuesday.The upcoming event is a part of the group’s annual event titled, “BTS Festa,” which the group celebrates its big day every day, starting from June 1. BTS unveils new group photos for “2017 BTS Festa” (Big Hit Entertainment)For this year’s celebration, BTS has previously gifted new contents such as Jungkook and Jimin’s duet song “We Don’t Talk Anymore,” special choreog

June 12, 2017

Hong Sang-soo’s ‘Day After’ to hit Korean theaters in July

Hong Sang-soo’s latest film “The Day After,” which competed at the Cannes Film Festival in May, is set to hit local theaters on July 6, the film’s producer Jeonwonsa announced Monday.　Hong’s 21st film, the black-and-white dramedy stars Kim Min-hee, Jung Jae-young, Cho Yun-hee in a story about a married publishing company employee and the aftermath of his affair.　 Kim Min-hee stars in “The Day After.” (Jeonwonsa)It is Hong’s fourth film to be invited to the competition category at Cannes, followi

FilmJune 12, 2017

K-pop diva Lee Hyo-ri to drop new album early July

K-pop dancing diva Lee Hyo-ri is set to release a new album in the beginning of July, her agency Kiwi Media Group said Monday. “The album had originally been planned for June, but we have decided to release it in the beginning of July,” the agency said. “We are in the process of working on the last touches of the album and have not yet specified a date.” Lee Hyo-ri (Kiwi Media Group)Lee worked with composer Kim Do-hyun to produce the album. It will mark the songstress‘ return to the music scene

PerformanceJune 12, 2017

Actress Park Shin-hye begins Asian fan meeting tour in Hong Kong

South Korean actress Park Shin-hye has kicked off her fan-meeting tour of Asian cities in Hong Kong, her agency said Monday. "Park had a happy time with her local fans at Hong Kong's KITEC on Saturday," S.A.L.T. Entertainment said in a release.The actress performed six songs, including a song from the medical series "Doctors" where she played Yoo Hye-jung, a neurosurgeon, during the event.  (Yonhap)In the "Dr. Yoo's consultation section," she put on a doctor's gown and listened seriously to the

June 12, 2017

Tilda Swinton lands in Korea

Actress Tilda Swinton was spotted entering the country at Incheon Airport on Monday morning.Dressed comfortably in a beige cap and navy frock, Swinton was accompanied by her husband, German visual artist Sandro Kopp.  Tilda Swinton lands at Incheon Airport on Monday morning. (Herald Pop) Tilda Swinton lands at Incheon Airport on Monday morning. (Herald Pop)Swinton, along with other cast members of the upcoming film “Okja,” will participate in various promotional events for the film during her st

FilmJune 12, 2017

Korean pianist wins top prize at Van Cliburn competition

Sunwoo Yekwon has won the top prize at the 15th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, marking the first time a South Korean pianist has won at the prestigious event.Sunwoo, a 28-year-old graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, was announced the gold medalist at the quadrennial event held at Fort Worth, Texas, from May 25 to June 10. He played a competition repertoire that included the Dvorak Piano Quintet in A Major, op. 81 and Rachmanioff Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor, op. 30 to cap

CultureJune 11, 2017

John Park to release single Wednesday

Singer John Park will release his first single in almost a year, returning with “Do Not Disturb” on Wednesday.According to his agency Music Farm Entertainment, the new single will “prominently feature Park’s unique vocal tone.” (Music Farm)It was written by Andy Platts of the London-based Mamas Gun, and Park wrote the lyrics for the song. It marks a repeat of the combination used for his debut single “Falling” in 2012, which also featured Platts’ music and Park’s lyrics. Park’s last single “Thou

PerformanceJune 11, 2017

Britney Spears Seoul concert feeds on ’90s nostalgia

American pop star Britney Spears held a concert in Korea for the first time Saturday at Gocheok Sky Dome in Guro-gu, Seoul. 　Spears was previously in Korea in 2003 to promote her album “In the Zone.” She appeared on a local TV program and sang a duet with Korean singer BoA, but Saturday’s show, the second leg of her Asia tour following Japan, was her first concert here. 　Concert organizers opened up 17,000 seats for the event, with the highest-priced VVIP tickets at up to 220,000 won ($195). The

PerformanceJune 11, 2017

Group of fans calls for Super Junior to drop Sungmin

A group of fans of K-pop act Super Junior has demanded Sungmin be removed from the popular band. An online fan community that calls itself “Super Junior Gallery” released a statement on Sungmin with the title “Sungmin Out” on Sunday.Fans leave an image calling for Sungmin’s boycott from Super Junior at one of the group’s fan sites Saturday. (DC Inside)The statement read, “We can no longer support (Sungmin) and just watch him doing whatever he wishes to do, including his deceptive actions toward

PerformanceJune 11, 2017

[Herald Review] G-Dragon reveals ‘true self’ at Seoul concert

From the singer’s outfits to the concert lighting and his microphone, everything on stage was splashed a bloody red, a color that represented the theme of G-Dragon’s Saturday solo performance: going back to the roots of his birth.  G-Dragon performs during a concert at Sangam World Cup Stadium in Seoul on Saturday. (YG Entertainment)“Hello, my name is Kwon Ji-yong. You are witnessing the first-ever concert by ‘the human Kwon Ji-yong’,” the frontman of Big Bang screamed at 40,000 fans after openi

PerformanceJune 11, 2017

[EYE PLUS] Rediscovering inner self

In pitch-black darkness before dawn, a group of foreigners walk up the stone steps of Daewoongjeon, the main hall of Geumsunsa Buddhist temple. (Photographed by Park Hyun-koo)With shoes left at the door, they kneel on pillows and clasp hands. At the sound of a gong, they bow their foreheads to the floor, stand upright and then bow again. Only the crickets outside provide a dawn soundtrack. With that, another day at a Korean temple stay has begun. (Photographed by Park Hyun-koo)Here at Geumsunsa,

CultureJune 9, 2017

T.O.P leaves hospital amid military service suspension

T.O.P of South Korean boy band Big Bang, who has been hospitalized for a drug overdose, left the hospital on Friday, as he was officially suspended from his mandatory military service due to a marijuana scandal. (Yonhap)"I'm sorry," the singer responded succinctly towards a barrage of questions from reporters as he came out of the intensive care unit of Ewha Womans University Medical Center in western Seoul.The singer, who came out sitting in a wheelchair, was in a patient gown and wearing a mas

PerformanceJune 9, 2017