'Alien: Covenant' takes weekend win from 'Guardians 2' in S. Korea

The Hollywood film "Alien: Covenant" took the top place from "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" in its first weekend at the South Korean box office, data showed Monday.The latest from Ridley Scott sold 524,613 tickets during the May 12-14 weekend, taking the throne on the weekend box office chart according to the computerized tally from the Korean Film Council. (20th Century Fox Korea)Released on Tuesday, the sixth in the Alien series has amassed 959,462 viewers until Sunday, staying on top of the

May 15, 2017

BTS' 'Not Today' tops Billboard's Twitter chart

South Korean boy band BTS, also known as Bangtan Boys, soared to No. 1 on Billboard's music chart that tracks shares and mentions of songs on Twitter, according to the publication Monday.According to Billboard's website, the band's 2017 song "Not Today" stood at the top of this week's Billboard Twitter Top Tracks, climbing 23 steps from the previous week. "Sweet Creature" by Harry Styles and Niall Horan's "Slow Hands" ranked third. (Yonhap)Another BTS song, "Fire," came in fourth.The chart is ra

May 15, 2017

VIXX seeks ‘Shangri-La’ with 5th anniversary project

Since its 2012 debut, VIXX has been noted for its on-stage concepts -- from vampires and voodoo dolls to even cyborgs.But its concept for upcoming EP “Shangri-La/Paradise on Earth” is about its search for the fictional utopia, which the band says has a special meaning to them.“To us, Shangri-La is when we are on stage. It’s when we communicate with the fans and share mutual love between each other. How we accomplish things one-by-one is our paradise,” said Leo during a press conference in Seoul

PerformanceMay 14, 2017

[Herald Interview] Im Si-wan didn’t know how dark he could go

Im Si-wan is among the few Korean entertainers who have completed their transition from K-pop singer into actor, but the 28-year-old is careful not to overestimate himself or his sensibilities.　The fact that his latest film, the upcoming crime flick “The Merciless (Bul Han Dang),” is set to screen at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival still feels surreal to him, the actor said in an interview at a cafe in Samcheong-dong, Seoul last Thursday. 　“I’m not sure what to expect,” said Im, whose atten

FilmMay 14, 2017

Seventeen to launch first world tour in July

Korean boy band Seventeen will kick off its first global tour concert series “2017 Seventeen 1st World Tour Diamond Edge,” with events in Seoul from July 14 to 16. Seventeen’s agency made the announcement via Seventeen’s official website Saturday.  (Pledis Entertainment)“In this year’s world tour, Seventeen will visit 13 cities. Members will perform various songs and performances in the unique way of Seventeen’s style,” Pledis Entertainment said in a statement. After the first concert, the tour

PerformanceMay 14, 2017

BTS tops brand reputation chart

South Korean boy band BTS, also known as the Bangtan Boys, topped the brand reputation chart for May in a survey by the Korea Reputation Center.The agency collected data from April 12 to May 13 to analyze consumer behavior. BTS came in at No. 1, followed by Sechs Kies and Winner.  South Korean boy band BTS (The Korea Herald)BTS has kept the top spot for seven consecutive months since last November. Its seventh Japanese single “Blood, sweat, tears” topped the Oricon Daily Single Chart in Japan. T

PerformanceMay 14, 2017

[Eye Plus] Conquering Seoul landmarks with hop-on/off tour buses

Whether it’s basking in history and tradition at one of Seoul’s five palaces, or emptying one’s wallet in some of the city’s most popular shopping districts, Seoul has a handful of tour buses serving both local and international tourists.Korea’s capital attracts more than 12 million tourists annually. Looking to offer visitors more variety and options, the city’s numerous tour bus lines include trolley buses, European-style double-decker buses and a panorama open-top bus.  (Yonhap)The Seoul City

TravelMay 12, 2017

'Ruler' dethrones 'Queen of Mystery' in mid-week TV race

"Ruler: Master of The Mask," MBC TV's new period drama, climbed to No. 1 in the Wednesday-Thursday late night drama race, single-handedly dethroning "Queen of Mystery" in its first week of broadcast, data showed Friday.Episodes three and four of "Ruler," which aired Thursday evening, recorded 10.5 percent and 12.6 percent viewerships, respectively, according to Nielsen Korea.This composite image shows highlights from MBC TV`s "Ruler: Master of the Mask." (Yonhap)The show has adopted a new progra

TelevisionMay 12, 2017

Lee Min-ho spotted on first day of military service

Lee Min-ho was spotted heading to work for the first day of his mandatory military service at the Gangnam-gu Office in Seoul, Friday.  Lee Min-ho goes to Gangnam-gu Office for his first day of mandatory military service as a public service worker, Friday. (Yonhap) Lee Min-ho goes to Gangnam-gu Office for his first day of mandatory military service as a public service worker, Friday. (Yonhap)Lee’s management agency MYM Entertainment denied rumors claiming that the actor would get off work early.

TelevisionMay 12, 2017

EXID to tour Asia

Girl group EXID is embarking on it first Asia tour in June, its agency Banana Culture Entertainment announced Friday.EXID will kick off the tour with a Hong Kong concert on June 17, and proceed to Singapore and other countries, the agency said.The girl group has been rising in popularity throughout Asia. Its recent song “Night Rather Than Day” topped the Chinese YinYuetai charts, the iTunes KPOP charts, the Malaysia iTune KPOP chart and the Vietnamese iTunes charts upon its April release.  Promo

PerformanceMay 12, 2017

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Luxury sedan package at Sheraton Grand IncheonSheraton Grand Incheon Hotel is offering package combining accommodation and rental of a Jaguar XJ Sedan until June 30. Guests can stay at an executive suite, offering a view of the Central Park in Songdo, that comes with breakfast. They can also rent the luxury sedan for driving along the Songdo Coastal Road. The package also features a set of macaron and coffee at the Menagerie bakery inside Shiheung Shinsegae Premium Outlet. Free access to the swi

FoodMay 12, 2017

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights around Korea

Icheon Ceramic Festival Icheon Ceramic Festival introduces visitors to celadon, white porcelain, buncheongware and other premium Korean ceramics along with various hands-on programs.This includes uncovering ceramics and painting on ceramics, the most popular programs. The area is also well-known for hot springs that Joseon kings often visited.The festival is held in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, and runs yntuk Sunday.Admission and all programs are free of charge. Visit www.ceramic.or.kr for informa

CultureMay 12, 2017

Sleeper hit expands budding burger empire

When Downtowner, a burger spot, first opened in Hannam-dong last year, it was a quiet and uneventful affair. “On our first day, sales were 100,000 won,” said CEO Joon Lee, 36. Lee revealed it took two months for word to spread. Now, people stand in line to get their hands on one of Downtowner’s famous burgers.When a second location opened several weeks ago in Sinsa-dong, there was already a line of people waiting to grab lunch on the first day of business. Word had spread fast. Lee attributes th

FoodMay 12, 2017

‘K-pop Star 6’s Kriesha Tiu to debut on May 24

Kriesha Tiu, a contestant on the SBS competition show “K-pop Star 6,” is set to make her solo debut on May 24, according to the singer’s agency Urban Works Entertainment. “Tiu will put an end mark on her two years of training and release her first album on May 24. Please send your warm support to the singer who embarks on a new career in Korea,” said an agency official.  Promotional photo for Kriesha Tiu‘s upcoming debut album (Urban Works Entertainment)In a promo photo for the upcoming album ac

PerformanceMay 12, 2017

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Alien: Covenant(US)Opened May 9Sci-fi, thriller. Directed by Ridley ScottThe Covenant is a gigantic colony ship carrying thousands of colonists and embryos in hypersleep, bound for a new remote planet with a new energy source when members aboard (Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup) believe they have discovered a new, uncharted plot of paradise in space. There, they meet David (Michael Fassbender), a survivor of the previous Prometheus expedition. But the Utopian universe turns dark when alien for

FilmMay 12, 2017

[Movie Review] Laura Poitras zeroes in on Julian Assange and WikiLeaks in the elusive, unsettling ‘Risk’

Laura Poitras’ “Risk” is hardly the first feature film to take on Julian Assange, the elfin WikiLeaks mastermind who has spent the past decade exposing powerful secrets and cultivating his notoriety on the world stage. He has been addressed in several prior documentaries, notably Alex Gibney’s “We Steal Secrets: The Story of WikiLeaks,” and was even played by a platinum-haired Benedict Cumberbatch in the little-seen Hollywood drama “The Fifth Estate.”But Poitras, one of the most intrepid and inc

FilmMay 12, 2017

[Movie Review] ‘Snatched’ is a huge disappointment

The promising young writer Katie Dippold, who wrote “The Heat” and “Ghostbusters,” strikes out with her third feature, “Snatched.” This mother-daughter kidnapping comedy starring Amy Schumer and Goldie Hawn is a huge disappointment, and for Schumer, this is a low moment of a career that’s been peaking. As Emily, Schumer plays her characteristic problematic white girl character, a selfish, selfie-taking narcissist. But there’s no sharp satire to puncture that image, as some of the best work from

FilmMay 12, 2017

Seoul becomes a field of salad eateries

With healthy dining options being a big new trend, Seoulites have been looking to eateries that offer fresh salads to quell their appetite for delicious low calorie options. The following is a list of hip, healthy salad spots that have cropped up throughout Seoul recently.  What A Salad (Instagram) What A Salad (Instagram)What A SaladThe Itaewon store offers custom-made North American-style chopped salad. Diners can curate dishes of their liking from a rich assortment of some 40 different salad

FoodMay 11, 2017

Actress Kim Ok-bin hopes to do justice to female action scenes in ‘Villainess’

“The Villainess” actress Kim Ok-bin said she felt a heavy sense of responsibility as the heroine of an action-filled film.“I felt like I had to do a good job in order for people to invest more in women-led action movies,” she said at a press conference for the film, ahead of its Cannes premiere, at CGV Wangsimni, Thursday.  Kim Ok-bin (left) and Shin Ka-kyun attend a press conference for “The Villainess” at CGV Wangsimni, Thursday. (Yonhap)In the film, which has been invited to the midnight scre

FilmMay 11, 2017

BTS storms Japan's Oricon chart with new mini album

South Korean boy band BTS, also known as Bangtan Boys, rose to No. 1 on a major music chart in Japan with its latest Japanese mini album Thursday, its agency said. (Yonhap)"Blood Sweat & Tears," BTS' seventh Japanese single released Wednesday, topped the Oricon Daily Single Chart, selling over 141,000 copies as of Thursday morning, according to Big Hit Entertainment, the team's management agency.The mini album holds three songs previously released in South Korea -- "Blood Sweat & Tears" from 201

May 11, 2017