'The War' becomes EXO's fourth million seller album

EXO's "The War" has sold more than 1 million copies in less than one month, becoming the boy band's fourth "million seller" record, its agency said Monday. The Korean and Chinese versions of EXO's fourth full-length album have sold a combined 1.01 million copies to date, according to S.M. Entertainment. (Yonhap)The group's three previous full-length albums -- "XOXO" (2013), "Exodus" (2015) and "Ex'Act" (2016) -- sold over 1 million copies when including sales numbers for the Korean, Chinese and

PerformanceAug. 14, 2017

Black Pink's 'Boombayah' hits 200 mln YouTube views

The music video for "Boombayah," K-pop band Black Pink's debut song, has reached over 200 million views on YouTube, according to the group's agency Monday.The song, released in August of last year, reached the milestone on Sunday evening, YG Entertainment said, marking the single-largest YouTube view count for a debut song by any K-pop artist. (YG Entertainment)Three other songs by Black Pink -- "Playing with Fire," "Whistle" and "As If It's Your Last" -- have also been viewed more than 100 mill

PerformanceAug. 14, 2017

Wanna One’s SNL appearance scores record ratings

Rookie boy band Wanna One once again demonstrated its status as the hottest new K-pop act in Korea with its appearance on the live variety show Saturday Night Live Korea. 　SNL Korea, in its ninth season and currently airing on tvN, scored its highest ratings of the season with Saturday’s episode, reaching 3.4 percent in viewership share.　The show kicked off with a performance of “Pick Me.” 　(tvN)(tvN)“There was intense competition to get seats for the live show,” said host Shin Dong-yup. “The nu

PerformanceAug. 13, 2017

Kim Dae-hwan wins best new director at Locarno

Kim Dae-hwan was named best new director for “The First Lap” at the 70th Locarno International Film Festival, which wrapped up Saturday.The film, one of this year’s Jeonju Cinema Projects, debuted at the Jeonju International Film Festival in May. 　Kim debuted with first feature film “End of Winter” in 2014, a quiet drama about a family snowed in in Cheorwon, which won the New Currents Award at the Busan International Film Festival. The director studied film and digital media design at Hongik Uni

FilmAug. 13, 2017

[K-talk] Taeyang to perform in Asia in fall

K-pop group Big Bang’s Taeyang will perform in eight Asian cities this fall, following his North American tour.Taeyang will perform in Manila on Sept. 22, Hong Kong on Sept. 24, Bangkok on Sept. 30, Jakarta on Oct. 13, Kuala Lumpur on Oct. 15, Macau on Oct. 21, Singapore on Oct. 27 and Taipei on Oct. 29.The artist is resuming his Asia tour after two years, as part of his world tour. His concerts in Manila and Macau will be his first as a solo artist. Prior to the Asia tour, he performed in Japan

PerformanceAug. 11, 2017

Off-the-menu eats at new Thai spot

Everything about Krap Pom, a new Thai eatery that opened in Sinsa-dong, Seoul, is underground. Not only is the restaurant located in the basement, the place also sequesters a slew of off-the-menu specialties that one either has to intuitively order or discover by monitoring the restaurant’s Instagram feed, where owner Lee Hyun-jong posts new dishes. “The dishes that have passed the test are the ones we post on Instagram,” said Lee, 34.  Krap Pom’s pla neung manao (back, left) -- steamed fish spi

FoodAug. 11, 2017

[Home Cooking] Gaji bokkeum (stir-fried eggplants)

In the summertime, Korean tables are full of vegetable side dishes. Here’s a quick and easy summer side dish made with eggplants. Asian eggplants have tender skin and sweet flesh. Look for slender eggplants with a rich purple color and shiny skin, and without any soft or brown spots. To add a pop of green color to the dish, I used a couple of green chili peppers for this recipe. Garlic chives (buchu) works really well with this dish as well. Sometimes, I also add a handful of mushrooms (oyster,

FoodAug. 11, 2017

[Box Office] Movies in theaters this week

Midnight Runners(Korea)Opened Aug. 9Action. Directed by Kim Joo-hwanKi-joon (Park Seo-joon) is a police academy cade who is bursting with energy and eager to go catch the bad guys. What he lacks in thought he makes up for with action. Contrasting him is Hee-yeol (Kang Ha-neul), a fellow cadet who is timid and well-versed in theory but less savvy when it comes to the practical things. One day, the two witness a kidnapping and decides to take action. A Taxi Driver (Korea)Opened Aug. 2Drama. Direct

FilmAug. 11, 2017

[Travel Bits] Sights, festivals around Korea

Cultural Night Walk in JeonjuCultural Night Walk in Jeonju, a program selected by the Cultural Heritage Administration in a competition, offers visitors the chance to walk through hundreds of traditional Korean houses in Jeonju Hanok Village under the moonlight.Highlights include a moonlight photography competition, traditional music, Jeonju traditional opera, a shadow orchestra and night views of Jeonju.The event is being held until Sept.13. For more information, visit www.jeonju-night.kr for i

TravelAug. 11, 2017

Legislative gap adds to uncertainty for animal cafes

A lone capybara sits behind a glass pane in its enclosure. Surrounded by coffee-sipping patrons in a cafe, it is a long way from its native home of South America. Animal cafes in Korea are becoming increasingly numerous, and the wildlife on display increasingly diverse. For example, in some of Seoul’s most popular establishments, you can now meet meerkats, raccoons, fennec foxes and even wallabies. But is it a good idea to keep animals in cafe environments?  A capybara at an animal cafe (Chantel

CultureAug. 11, 2017

Wellspring of creativity and drive

Be careful what you say, his mother had warned him as a young boy. “What I said had a funny way of coming true,” said Jung Ku-ho recently in an interview with The Korea Herald at a cafe in Itaewon, Seoul. Divine intervention probably has little to do with Jung’s trailblazing success as a fashion designer and, now, creative director. Rather, creativity, drive and being at the right place and at the right time probably explain Jung’s ability to realize his dreams, as far-fetched as those dreams ma

CultureAug. 11, 2017

[Eye Plus] Excitement runs through Han River

Although the sea is usually the top choice for exciting water activities, it is not easy for busy Seoulites to carve out time to travel to the nearest beach. But for water sports fans who desire to beat the heat with a rush of adrenaline, the Han River is a more practical destination with a splash of summer fun. The river that runs through South Korea’s capital will help ease the stress of city-dwellers. Family-friendly activities, including waterskiing, kayaking, and windsurfing, are offered wi

TravelAug. 11, 2017

Black Pink collaborates with Dior for Isetan event in Japan

Black Pink is holding a promotional event in Japan with international fashion brand Dior, as it kicks off its musical career in the country.Since Wednesday, the K-pop group has been holding the promotion at Isetan department store in Shinjuku, Tokyo, with the Dior product Rouge Dior Liquid. The event will continue until Tuesday. (YG Entertainment) (YG Entertainment)Black Pink’s Japan debut has been garnering attention in the country, with the group featured on the covers of popular magazines suc

Arts & DesignAug. 11, 2017

BTS announces ‘Love Yourself’ series ahead of album in September

K-pop group BTS on Friday announced the start of a new conceptual series, “Love Yourself,” ahead of the upcoming release of its new album in September.The boy band revealed a poster featuring Jungkook to promote the series, which will include a collection of music under a single concept. It showed Jungkook holding a flower while sitting on a wheelchair.  A poster for “Love Yourself” featuring Jungkook of BTS (Bit Hit Entertainment)“The poster hints at the entire story of the ‘Love Yourself’ seri

PerformanceAug. 11, 2017

TWICE’s Japanese debut album sells over 250,000 copies

K-pop group TWICE’s Japanese debut album has sold more than 250,000 copies in less than two months, its agency said Friday.“#TWICE” has sold over 260,000 copies since its release on June 28 and has been certified “Platinum” by the Recording Industry Association of Japan, according to JYP Entertainment. Platinum certification is given to records with sales of over 250,000. (JYP Entertainment)TWICE is the first South Korean artist to be certified as Platinum in Japan.The album, which contains TWIC

PerformanceAug. 11, 2017

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Skincare, spa at Sheraton Seoul D Cube City The Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel is offering a package of luxurious spa and skincare treatments with the Swiss company Valmont, a leading skincare brand with over 30 years of experience, at its Aequalis Spa.Valmont’s signature product Energy Ritual features four different facial treatments designed to replenish the skin using glacial water and reduce wrinkles. Guests can receive a treatment for 30, 90, 110, or 120 minutes. The 30-minute treatment s

FoodAug. 11, 2017

Smeraldo debunked? BTS sends fans on wild-goose chase

Fan theories are supposed to be a little crazy, but rarely do they go as wild as the “smeraldo” conspiracy surrounding BTS’s September comeback.Jin, the eldest member of BTS, posted a picture of himself holding a bouquet of flowers on Wednesday with a simple message “Smeraldo.” The post sent fans into a frenzy over the meaning, with the most popular theory being that it is linked to the concept of BTS’s upcoming album.A flower called “smeraldo” does not actually exist, but there is a blog that s

PerformanceAug. 10, 2017

‘Peek under Joseon woman skirt’ invites public fury

“Don’t miss the opportunity to take a peek under this Joseon beauty’s skirt,” reads the description to a parodic adaptation of “Portrait of a Beauty,” a classic masterpiece by late Joseon Kingdom artist Shin Yun-bok. In the parody installation, the portrayed woman’s skirt is replaced with a piece of clothing that could be lifted by the viewers. Below the skirt, the woman’s bare legs and underwear are realistically painted.(Instagram)Alive Museum in Seoul, where the controversial parody work was

CultureAug. 10, 2017

‘S.M.’s youngest’ NCT Dream to come back next Wednesday

Teenage boyband NCT Dream hopes to make an impact next Wednesday with the release of its new EP “We Young.” The six-track record will be released online at 6 p.m., along with the physical copies, according to S.M. Entertainment.Its title song “We Young” is an up-tempo dance number of tropical house genre, the agency said.  Teaser image of Chunle from NCT Dream. (S.M. Entertainment)A day before the album’s release, the group will hold a showcase at the Hyundai Motor Studio in Goyang, Gyeonggi Pro

PerformanceAug. 10, 2017

Musicals to watch out for in coming months

Foreign and local musical productions will continue to entertain fans well into the second half of the year.Among the most anticipated musicals in Seoul this year is the US production of “Sister Act,” which will open at Samsung Electronics Hall at Blue Square in Seoul on Nov. 25 and run until Jan. 21, 2018.The show is a musical adaptation of the smash-hit 1992 comedy film of the same name starring Whoopi Goldberg. Its plot revolves around a singer, Delores, who unintentionally witnesses a murder

CultureAug. 10, 2017