Moon Chae-won files suit against online commenter posing as boyfriend

Moon Chae-won will be taking legal action against an online commenter who falsely claimed to be the actress’ boyfriend, Moon’s agency Namoo Actors announced Wednesday. 　Actress Moon Chae-won (Namoo Actors)“We filed a complaint with the Gangnam Police Station on Tuesday afternoon,” said the agency in a statement. “We have in the past posted warnings against the overly rash actions of the online commenter posing as (Moon’s) boyfriend. But (the commenter) continued his postings. We have confirmed t

TelevisionApril 12, 2017

Kim So-hyang cast in US production of ‘Sister Act’

Musical actress Kim So-hyang has been cast in the US production of the hit Broadway musical “Sister Act,” her agency said Wednesday.According to EA&C, Kim will play a supporting role in the Asian tour of the musical that will kick off in May. It highlighted that this marks the first time a Korean actress has been cast in the American production of the musical.  Kim So-hyang (EA&C)Kim, 36, said she has been looking to participate in an American production and that “Sister Act” is a huge opportuni

PerformanceApril 12, 2017

[Herald Interview] How Namgoong Min became the office eccentric in ‘Good Manager’

The protagonist of “Good Manager,” the latest office satire to win Korean viewers’ avid approval, is by no means the quintessential good guy. A sassy accountant who speaks his mind and devises increasingly creative insults for his bosses, Kim Sung-ryong is an accidental hero portrayed by Namgoong Min.　“He’s the kind of person who laughs when someone falls down,” the actor said in an interview at a cafe in Nonhyeon-dong on Tuesday. 　Unlike the fast-talking character whose face alternates between

TelevisionApril 12, 2017

Actor Jang Hyuk to attend Singapore's Star Awards

South Korean actor Jang Hyuk will attend Star Awards 2017 in Singapore early next week as a presenter, his agency said Wednesday. (Yonhap)The star of the Korean TV series "Beautiful Mind" and "The Voice" will present awards to this year's top 10 male and female artists during the awards show on Sunday, Sidus HQ said.Star Awards is an annual ceremony held every year by Singapore's state-run media company Mediacorp to honor the best in the local television industry. This year's event is scheduled

TelevisionApril 12, 2017

Seoul to create ‘World Traditional Culture’ street

Seoul will transform a street in front of Dongdaemun Design Plaza into a “World Traditional Culture” venue on the third Sunday of each month. Called “Walking in the middle of Hallyu: K-Culture Festival,” various cultural fairs will be held on the 310-meter street from this week. Seoul police will ban vehicles from the street that stretches from the crossroad in front of DDP to Doosan Tower between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. The special events are to run through October, barring July and August when the w

CultureApril 12, 2017

Korean TV drama to hit Cameroon

A South Korean drama series will be shown on a major television network in Cameroon starting this month, a local production company specializing in Africa said Wednesday. (Yonhap)Frame in Africa said it has recently inked a contract with LTM to air KBS 2TV's "Bridal Mask" for two years on the Cameroonian terrestrial broadcaster in the prime time slot at 8-9 p.m.This would become the first Korean drama to be shown in Africa through a commercial deal, according to Frame.The show, which was broadca

April 12, 2017

Han Hyo-joo considers role in ‘Inrang’

Actress Han Hyo-joo recently received an offer to play the female lead role in director Kim Jee-woon’s “Inrang,” according to Han’s agency Tuesday.“Han Hyo-joo has not decided whether to accept the offer. She’s currently considering it in a positive light,” BH Entertainment said.Actress Han Hyo-joo (Yonhap)Gang Dong-won and Jung Woo-sung were also offered lead roles in the sci-fi action blockbuster film. Kang has confirmed the casting, while Jung has not yet decided. If Han decides to take up th

FilmApril 12, 2017

IU to sue YouTuber for sexual harassment

IU (Fave Entertainment)IU’s agency said Wednesday it plans to pursue legal action against a man running a channel on video-sharing platform YouTube for his recent sexual comments about the singer, comparing her to his dog.Fave Entertainment told local media that it had met with legal representatives to file charges against the man, and vowed a “strong response without mercy.”In a follow-up video, he alleged that the comment was merely a joke and that the reporter who wrote the story on his video

PerformanceApril 12, 2017

Library celebrates Yoon Dong-ju’s 100th anniversary

Namsan Library in Seoul plans to hold cultural events to celebrate the 100th anniversary of poet Yoon Dong-ju’s birth. Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education said Tuesday that book concerts, exhibitions and lectures will be placed in the library until the end of May. The library plans to hold a book event titled “Meet Dongju” on Saturday. Professor Kim Eung-kyo of Sookmyung Women’s University will recite Yoon’s poems. Music will be played along with the performance. Kim will also give a lecture

CultureApril 11, 2017

Lee Ki-hong explains decision to star in Korean film

Korean-American actor Lee Ki-hong said the opportunity to act alongside Choi Min-sik was one of his key reasons for joining the cast of upcoming political thriller “Special Citizen.”　“The fact that I could act in the same scene with him was one of the biggest reasons I wanted to participate (in the film),” he said Tuesday. “I also wanted to learn from many of Korea’s veteran actors.” 　Lee, who starred in the Hollywood sci-fi film “The Maze Runner” in 2014, is set to make his first Korean film ap

FilmApril 11, 2017

Universal Music to launch Korean label

Global record label Universal Music will launch its first Korean label, On the Record, the company said Tuesday. “On the Record” is meant to signify that the label will present music that needs to be more widely known, according to the company. (Universal Music)Universal Music has various subsidiary labels over the world, including Def Jam where Justin Bieber is signed, Republic with Ariana Grande and Interscope with Eminem. However, this marks the first time for the music giant to launch a Kore

PerformanceApril 11, 2017

Quartet EXID seeks to grow despite Solji’s absence

An eclipse is usually associated with an image of darkness and shadow, and such was the case for EXID with its main vocalist Solji missing from the launch of its latest EP “Eclipse.”The remaining four members, however, said the temporary shake-up is only a prelude to better things to come. “The title symbolizes our changes as an artist and our commitment to ‘rise again’ as a full five-member team after Solji’s return, as does the full moon after a lunar eclipse,” LE said during a media event hel

PerformanceApril 11, 2017

Former Wonder Girl Ha:tfelt joins Amoeba Culture

Park Ye-eun, former member of Wonder Girls also known by her stage name “Ha:tfelt,” has inked a management deal with Amoeba Culture, the agency said Tuesday.“As of April 7, 2017, Ye-eun has become the newest member of the Amoeba Culture family as solo artist Ha:tfelt,” the agency said in a press release. “She has shown a lot of potential both with her career as a member of the Wonder Girls and as a solo artist. We will try our best to make sure that she can show off her wide spectrum of musical

PerformanceApril 11, 2017

'Good Manager' tops TV popularity chart, 'Whisper' debuts at No. 2

"Good Manager," KBS 2TV's late-night office comedy series, topped a benchmark TV popularity index in late March, while SBS TV's new legal thriller "Whisper" soared to second place, data showed Tuesday. (Yonhap)"Good Manager" scored 260.7 points on the Content Power Index (CPI), becoming the most popular TV program from March 27 to April 2.CPI, developed by entertainment company CJ E&M and Nielsen Korea, measures the popularity of TV shows based on the number of views of related news stories, onl

TelevisionApril 11, 2017

Gong Yoo to be featured on CNN’s ‘Talk Asia’

Actor Gong Yoo will appear on the CNN talk show “Talk Asia,” according to the actor’s agency, Management Soop. Actor Gong Yoo (Management Soop)“Gong Yoo had an interview with ‘Talk Asia’ on April 3. The talk show wanted to feature the actor on the program since his popularity is soaring after starring in tvN’s drama ‘Guardian: The Lonely and Great God,’” the agency said.“Talk Asia” is a weekly half-hour interview show on CNN International. It is produced at CNN’s Asia-Pacific region headquarters

TelevisionApril 11, 2017

BTS among nominees for Billboard's Top Social Media Artist

K-pop idol group BTS or Bangtan Boys has been nominated for the "Top Social Media Artist" of the Billboard Music Awards 2017, the organizer unveiled on its website on Monday. (Yonhap)The popular boy band will compete with Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande and Shawn Mendes. It is the only Korean artist on the nominee list.The Billboard said they were picked based on "key fan interactions with music, including album and digital songs sales, streaming, radio airplay, touring and social eng

PerformanceApril 11, 2017

‘SMTown Live’ concert will be back in Seoul

S.M. Entertainment artists will reunite at the 2017 SMTown concert tour titled “SMTown Live,” according to the agency Tuesday. S.M. Entertainment artists perform at the “SMTown Live Tour V in Japan” held at Kyocera Dome in Osaka, Japan, in 2016. (S.M. Entertainment)“The upcoming concert will gather the artists on the big stage again in Korea since the fourth tour, which was held in 2014 in the country,” an S.M. Entertainment representative said.The 2014 “SMTown Live World Tour IV in Seoul” featu

PerformanceApril 11, 2017

Two years after UNESCO listing, tug-of-war game faces new challenges

DANGJIN, South Chungcheong Province -- On Sunday, the sprawling yard behind the Gijisi Juldarigi Museum was packed with residents of the city of Dangjin, South Chungcheong Province, all engaged in a joint effort to achieve one goal: to pull a gigantic 1-meter-wide, 200-meter-long, 40-metric ton rope into place for a game of tug-of-war.Bits of straw filled the air along with the shouts of festivalgoers, from children to the elderly, anticipating the 500-year-old event about to take place. The Gij

CultureApril 11, 2017

Kim Hyun-joong to push ahead with Japan tour amid DUI charge

South Korean singer-actor Kim Hyun-joong will hold his upcoming publicity events in Japan as scheduled despite being charged with drunk driving, his agency said Monday. (Herald DB)According to Keyeast Entertainment, Kim will release a new single in Japan on June 6 and hold a 16-city tour there, titled "Inner Core," starting the next day. Kim, a member of the K-pop boy band SS501, was caught driving under the influence of alcohol on a street in Seoul's Songpa Ward around 1:55 a.m. on March 26, ac

PerformanceApril 10, 2017