G-Dragon accused of receiving preferential treatment in military hospital

G-Dragon has been accused of receiving preferential treatment while in the military.  On Monday, a local media outlet reported that the Big Bang front man, who is currently serving in the army, has been hospitalized in an Army Hospital in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province, since June 19 suffering from ankle pain. The problem is, according to the report, that the room he is using is a private first-class one specifically for colonels, inaccessible even to majors and lieutenants. His room is also equipped

PerformanceJune 25, 2018

Yuju of GFriend to release first EP

GFriend vocalist Yuju is set to release her first solo EP on June 29, her agency said.The news was first announced Monday at midnight on GFriend’s official website via a teaser image of rain falling on a flower with Yuju’s name at the top. The song’s title and the collaboration artist have not yet been revealed.   A teaser image for Yuju‘s upcoming solo EP (Source Music)Having debuted as a member of GFriend in January 2015 with a single “Glass Bead,” Yuju is well known for her outstanding vocal

PerformanceJune 25, 2018

S. Korea to establish Korea Center in New York City

South Korea will build an information center in New York City, a global hub of culture and the arts, by July 2020, the government said Monday.The Korean Culture and Information Service, which is affiliated with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said it will hold a ground-breaking ceremony for the facility, called the New York Korea Center, on Thursday.The new seven-story building on Manhattan's 32nd Street will have a total floor space of 3,212 square meters. It will be equipped with

CultureJune 25, 2018

Singer Rain eyes November comeback

Singer and actor Rain is planning to drop a new album in November, his agency said Monday.If the release goes as planned, the album will be his first in three years and 10 months since his sixth full-length album titled "Rain Effect" came out in January 2014. Singer and actor Rain (Rain Company)Rain Company said the star will focus solely on recording after finishing up shooting "Uhm Bok-dong," an upcoming South Korean film based on a true life story of cyclist Uhm Bok-dong, at the end of this m

PerformanceJune 25, 2018

[Herald Interview] The magic in Ed Kwon’s air

It isn’t common to come across a magician on the streets, but meeting a young professional magician who is also a college student is much more rare. Ed Kwon, or Kwon Joon-hyuk, is a 23-year-old Korean magician based in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. Despite his young age, he performed as a headliner act last Christmas at The Magic Castle in Los Angeles, the world-famous private club for magicians.  Ed Kwon 　On Tuesday, Kwon spoke with The Korea Herald before staging a magic show at an event held by

PeopleJune 24, 2018

EXO selected as face of Korea

The Korea Tourism Organization is creating a promotional video and K-pop act EXO is to appear on it.According to the KTO, officials are created series of videos on the theme “Korea Asks You, Have you ever?” referring to the unique experience in Korea from a foreigner’s perspective. (Korea Tourism Organization)“EXO, a top K-pop act has performed in front of the people from all around the world at the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games, has a large fan base across the world, and is an influential figur

PerformanceJune 24, 2018

Disgraced actor faces yet another sex attack accusation

How bad exactly was the star of the film “Bad Guy” is the question brewing in Korean entertainment circles, as veteran actor Cho Jae-hyun is fighting yet another accusation of a sex attack on his co-worker.Last week, Cho broke his silence to repudiate claims by a Korean-Japanese actress that he had raped her in 2001 while shooting a TV drama. The veteran actor said that he is guilty of adultery claiming that he had a romantic relationship with the actress outside of his marriage 16 years ago and

FilmJune 24, 2018

Direct flight to link Incheon and Philippines' Palawan

A direct flight between Korea’s Incheon Airport and Puerto Princesa Airport of Philippines’ Palawan launched on Saturday. Philippine Airlines will operate a 199-seater jet airliner Airbus A321 once a day. Incheon International Airport Corporation expects the new route to attract a yearly passenger of 120,000 traveling from Incheon to Palawan. This is the first regular flight route to open in Korea to Palawan, an archipelagic province of the Philippines known for its pristine nature. El Nido Lago

TravelJune 24, 2018

Lotte Duty Free apologizes for cutting off Black Pink mid-song

Lotte Duty Free, South Korea’s top duty-free operator, apologized via its official Instagram account Saturday for sending girl group Black Pink off stage mid-performance at its Lotte Duty Free Family Festival. The organizer of the two-day festival, held at the Seoul Olympic Stadium Friday and Saturday, said in its post that the “performance was interrupted during BLACKPINK’s third song, ‘Forever Young’” due to safety issues. Black Pink performed at the opening of the festival on Friday.  Black P

PerformanceJune 24, 2018

‘Along With the God’ sequels to be shot next year: report

Two more sequels for 2017 megahit “Along With the God: The Two Worlds” will be simultaneously shot next year, a local media outlet reported Sunday.Won Dong-yeon, the chief of Realies Pictures, said in an interview with Yonhap News Agency that the production company is planning to finish two scenarios for part three and four of the “Along With the God” series by the end of this year and shoot the film in 2019.“We are open to all possibilities, including a prequel or a spinoff,” Won was quoted as

FilmJune 24, 2018

Han Seo-hee explains her ‘encounter’ with BTS’ V at club

Han Seo-hee on Saturday explained in a social media post how she allegedly came to meet BTS’ V at a club. Han had come under heavy fire after she let slip that she met V at a club when she was partying at the age of 19. Both Han and V were born in 1995. Her remark which suggested that V got into a club underage enraged the BTS fan club ARMY. “I didn’t know him. I had a table with my friend, and he just came. Kim Ki-bum brought him. I didn’t even know who he was. ARMY, please don’t yap at me. I d

PerformanceJune 24, 2018

[Weekender] Mind your surroundings

The next time you are atop one of Seoul’s mountains, take a look at what surrounds the megalopolis buzzing below you. More specifically the old Seoul, referring to the modern-day city’s northern area surrounded by four gates. It is said that the city has the perfect balance between yin and yang. The water is supposed to be yang, which forms the Han River on the old city boundaries. It is in harmony with the mountains -- the yin -- which extends from all the way back from Baekdusan, thus completi

CultureJune 22, 2018

[Weekender] When ‘pungsu jiri’ meets home interior design

Although “pungsu jiri,” a Korean version of Chinese feng shui that concerns correlation between life-force energy and its surroundings, is often regarded as superstitious, the idea is often reflected in the interior design of many Korean residences.The practice of integrating this intricate art of geomancy with housing, at the macro level, is usually done by building one’s home on an auspicious site to bring peace and luck. But it doesn’t always have to be complicated, as there are simple ways t

Arts & DesignJune 22, 2018

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

The Accidental Detective 2: In Action(Korea)Opened June 13Comedy, MysteryDirected by Lee Eon-hee　Comic book store owner Dae-man (Kwon Sang-hoo) and detective Tae-soo (Sung Dong-il) become full-time private investigators. As their first big case, the duo looks into the seemingly accidental death of a man, which turns out to be something more. With the help of cyber whiz Yeo-chi (Lee Kwang-soo), the two seek to uncover the truth.　Ocean’s 8(US)Action, Comedy, Crime Opened June 13Directed by Gary Ro

FilmJune 22, 2018

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights around Korea

Donggang International Photo Fest The annual DongGang International Photo Festival features events such as the DongGang Photography Award Exhibition, International Open Call, Photojournalists Exhibition and Gangwon Province Photographers Exhibition.Visitors can enjoy 10 exhibitions and workshops during the festival, which runs till Sept. 21. Admission is 3,000 won for adults, 1,500 won for teenagers and 1,000 won for children. The event is open to visitors of all ages.For more information, call

TravelJune 22, 2018

Jo Jung-suk, Gummy to tie the knot this fall

Celebrity couple Jo Jung-suk and Gummy will be tying the knot this fall.  Jo announced the happy news on his fan site, writing, “Maybe I’m standing at a new starting line of my life or at a crossroads where I can grow up as an actor, and I feel excited and somehow nervous, as I’ll be walking that road with someone else.” (Culture Depot, C-Jes Entertainment)“While the exact date hasn’t been set yet, the reason I couldn’t tell you earlier, I’m going to get married this year. I decided to marry her

PerformanceJune 22, 2018

Twice to drop first Japanese full-length album in September

Twice is set to drop its first Japanese full-length album in September, its agency said.According to JYP Entertainment on Friday, the nine-piece K-pop girl group will release “BDZ” on Sept. 12. With “BDZ” standing for bulldozer, the album produced by the agency’s head producer Park Jin-young embodies the band’s determination to move forward. Twice (JYP Entertainment)　It will include five new songs and five of Twice’s previous Japanese singles such as “One More Time,” “Candy Pop,” “Wake Me Up,”

PerformanceJune 22, 2018

Boy band sues entertainment agency for ‘poor’ treatment

A five-piece Korean boy band debuted during the summer of 2016 after signing a contract with an agency in December 2015. However, the group’s hopes of becoming part of the next generation of Hallyu were shattered in less than a year.The agency, downsizing its workforce, did not provide the band with a manger, a vehicle or vocal and dance lessons.The bandmates were asked to pay for their own hairstyling and makeup, as well as aesthetic procedures such as dermal fillers and botulinum toxin injecti

PerformanceJune 22, 2018

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Italian getaway at Park Hyatt SeoulPark Hyatt Seoul presents its Summer at the Park package for guests looking for a staycation. The package includes a breakfast buffet for two people at the hotel’s Italian restaurant Cornerstone. Italian-style popcorn and beer are prepared in the rooms and guests in a suite will receive a bottle of red wine.A limited number of family guests with kids younger than 7-year-old will be provided special kids’ amenities. The price starts from 325,000 won for a standa

FoodJune 22, 2018

Hyatt’s Andaz to launch in Seoul

Andaz, a luxury boutique hotel brand under Hyatt, is set for its first launch in Korea. The brand under the global hotel chain Hyatt plans to open its first hotel in Seoul by 2019, Hyatt Hotels Corp. announced Wednesday. A Hyatt affiliate has entered into agreements with Kt estate Inc. and Hotel HDC Co., Ltd. for the development of Andaz Gangnam. An architectural rendering of Andaz Gangnam (Baum Architects)The new boutique hotel will be situated near Apgujeong Station.Andaz Gangnam is expected t

TravelJune 22, 2018