EXO’s Lay says he’s a fan of BoA

K-pop idol group EXO’s Lay said that he is a big fan of K-pop diva BoA. 　“I am BoA’s fan,” Lay told reporters at a press conference for the entertainment show “EXO 90:2014.”　(OSEN)The remark came as he spoke on his feelings about taking part in the upcoming show.　“I am honored and excited that I can sing songs by my seniors,” he said.　The Mnet TV program “EXO 90:2014,” starring 11 members from EXO will revisit K-pop tunes from the 1990s to help new generations better communicate through music.　T

Aug. 11, 2014

HyunA puckers up for selfies

K-pop girl group 4Minute’s HyunA released a string of selfies she took with her dancers on Saturday, flaunting her signature red lips.　The K-pop diva let her black hair down and wore smoky makeup contrasting with her red lips. 　HyunA recently made her first solo release in nearly two years with “A Talk,” featuring the lead single “Red.” 　　(laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com) 　

Aug. 11, 2014

Suzy shows her mature side in Marie Claire

 K-pop idol Suzy revealed her mature side in fashion magazine Marie Claire. The singer and actress glowed in natural makeup and a matching hairstyle. She wore a sleeveless dress decorated with lace and added some simple jewelry. The whole pictorial can be seen in the August edition of Marie Claire. By Cho Han-na, Intern reporter (hnncho@heraldcorp.com)(Photo credit: Marie Claire)

Aug. 11, 2014

‘Jung Sisters’ Jessica and Krystal modeling for lapelette

K-pop idols Jessica from Girls’ Generation and Krystal from f(x) were chosen as the new models for fashion brand lapalette’s 2014 F/W collection. The ad for lapalette was shot using two different concepts -- original “lapalette” and the premium collection “most by lapalette.” The lapalette shoot showed the two sisters in the brand’s unique fashion matched with bags, while “most by lapalette” showed the two idols in more modern fashion. By Cho Han-na, Intern reporter (hnncho@heraldcorp.com)(Photo

Aug. 11, 2014

Photos of JYJ concert ‘The Return of the King’ revealed

K-pop boy band JYJ successfully held its concert “The Return of the King” at Jamsil Sports Complex in Seoul on Saturday. The group released their second full album “Just Us” on July 29 and will continue their concert tour to eight cities in Asia.(khnews@heraldcorp.com)[Photo Credit: OSEN]

Aug. 11, 2014

Yunho’s fierce appearance in 'The Night Watchman' expected

Jung Yunho, actor and member of TVXQ, is to make his first appearance in the MBC drama “The Night Watchman” on Monday.MBC revealed still pictures of Jung and actor Kim Heung-soo on Sunday from the episodes in an intensive sword fight.The actors’ fierce demeanors are building anticipation among fans for Jung’s first appearance and the fight scene.The drama, “The Night Watchman,” is broadcasted on MBC every Monday and Tuesday.By Kim Min-jin, Intern reporter (minjin103@heraldcorp.com)[Photo Credit:

Aug. 11, 2014

2PM to launch world tour concert in October

South Korean boy band 2PM will embark on a world tour concert series in major cities, its label JYP Entertainment announced Monday. The sextet is to kick off “2PM World Tour,” with the first concert to be held in Seoul from Oct. 3-4 shortly after its new album release. Following the two-day concert, 2PM will tour around several countries including Thailand, China, the U.S. and Indonesia to perform. 2PM is to return to the K-pop scene in September, with its fourth studio album and EP in Korea and

Aug. 11, 2014

‘Roaring Currents’ draws 10m viewers

The period action flick “Roaring Currents” has set yet another breakthrough box office record by drawing 10 million viewers quicker than any other film in Korean cinematic history.According to CJ E&M, the viewership of the historical action film topped 10 million as of Sunday, just 12 days since its premiere, becoming the fastest Korean movie to pass the milestone in the local film market. The previous record of surpassing the 10-million mark the quickest was held by two Korean films, “The Host”

FilmAug. 10, 2014

Beauty in conflict, vulgarity and action

A man holds his smartphone up in the air to take a snapshot of a protest over the Sewol ferry disaster. Artist Noh Sun-tag spots him and photographs the man and another protester pressing his smartphone camera button for him. Noh has observed scenes of protest and various social conflicts through his lens. His photographs are on display at the Korea Artist Prize exhibition, the annual artist award by the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea. The exhibition showcases works by fou

PerformanceAug. 10, 2014

[Herald Review] 28 voices in ‘one mic,’ JYP Nation lives up to its name

JYP Nation, a union of all 28 artists from JYP Entertainment, marked a grand opening with the concert “2014 JYP Nation ― One Mic” in front of 6,000 fans at Jamsil Indoor Stadium in Seoul last weekend.Lines of fans snaked around the stadium under a clear sky as the speakers repeatedly played announcements in four different languages, welcoming international fans. Some came all the way to Seoul just for a rare chance to see so many big-time K-pop singers on one stage.JYP Nation poses with fans dur

Aug. 10, 2014

Miley naughty and nice in return to Nashville

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP) ― Miley’s back, y’all. Miley Cyrus made her delayed-due-to-illness return to the town where she grew up Thursday night, bringing a flying hot dog, a dwarf dressed as the Liberty Bell, a dozen recognizable hits, a taunt to the girls who beat her up in school and a lot of inappropriate touching. Drawing a crowd of mostly young women ― and a hefty number of moms ― the show was a little bit pop concert, a little bit late-night pay cable and a little bit great.In the audienc

PerformanceAug. 10, 2014

Clara reveals sexy swim suit look

Actress Clara posted a picture on Saturday of her sexy swim suit look on Twitter. Writing “Clara in Jeju,” she implied that she was off to Jejudo Island in the southern part of the country. (khnews@heraldcorp.com)

Aug. 10, 2014

[Weekender] High hopes for Pope Francis

Father You Heung-sik, bishop of the southern diocese of Daejeon, couldn’t believe his ears when he heard that Pope Francis, the leader of the 1.2 billion Roman Catholics worldwide, would be traveling to his diocese to attend a gathering of some 2,000 young believers. “This is a miracle. What else can I say?” said the priest who wrote to the pontiff several times to invite him to the sixth Asian Youth Day. No pope has ever attended the event. He believes that it was God’s will that the pope, reve

CultureAug. 8, 2014

[Weekender] Seosomun Martyrs’ Shrine birthplace of Korean Catholics

Pope Francis is to visit Seosomun Martyrs’ Shrine before presiding over the beatification Mass in Gwanghwamun Square on Aug. 16. Seosomun Martyrs’ Shrine occupies a central place in the history of Catholicism in Korea. During the 19th century, an estimated 10,000 Catholics were martyred across the country as a crackdown on Catholicism intensified amid power struggles, foreign intervention, and ideological conflict that put the converts at odds with the reigning Joseon state. Many Catholics who w

CultureAug. 8, 2014

[Weekender] In search of the roots of Korean Catholicism

DANGJIN, South Chungcheong Province ― Excitement over the pope’s visit prevails in South Chungcheong Province, with welcome placards hung at entrances of rural towns. Nestled in South Korea’s central region along the west coast, the province is usually not the most-visited tourist destination for Korean or foreign tourists. “We’ve never had a VIP guest like Pope Francis visit the region and I don’t think we ever will in the future,” said Kim Jeong-gyum, director of the culture and tourism divisi

TravelAug. 8, 2014

[Weekender] Korea awaits ‘people’s pope’

Last year, a 6-year-old boy in a yellow shirt wandered up on the stage during Pope Francis’ address to the large crowd at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City. The boy sat on the pope’s chair and hung out on the stage. He then clung onto the pope’s legs and refused to leave, even after promises of candy or cardinals’ other efforts to escort him away. The pope patted the boy’s head and gave him a generous smile as he delivered his speech. It was just another account of what Pope Francis is known fo

CultureAug. 8, 2014

[Weekender] Police tighten security ahead of papal visit

Korea is beefing up security ahead of next week’s visit by Pope Francis, as it prepares to escort the Catholic leader while tens of thousands of people are expected to tail his every move. But the pope’s insistence on keeping the distance between him and ordinary people as small as possible will prove challenging for security officials.Despite being one of the most high-profile religious leaders in the world, the famously frugal pope has rejected the use of a bulletproof car, opting instead for

CultureAug. 8, 2014

A tuneful campaign for unification

On Aug. 14, one day before Koreans mark their independence from Japanese colonial rule, Lee Seung-chul will embark on a tuneful campaign for the reunification of the Korean Peninsula. With a group of young North Korean defectors, the singer-songwriter will travel to the easternmost islets of Dokdo, where they will together sing his “unification song” and “Arirang,” an iconic folk song loved by Koreans on both sides of the border. The performance will be primarily symbolic with hardly any audienc

CultureAug. 8, 2014