Winner says no longer ‘ugly duckling of YG’

The past three years have been a roller-coaster ride for Winner, who made an unconventionally quick return Friday with the single album “Our Twenty For.”“If we were to tell you everything that we went through in the last three years, you’d be here all day,” Lee Seung-hoon told reporters at a press conference at IFC Mall in Seoul on Friday.  Winner poses for a photo prior to a press conference in Seoul on Friday. (YG Entertainment)Members of the boy band said they have always felt that they do no

PerformanceAug. 4, 2017

Girls’ Generation marks decadelong career with ‘Holiday Night’

Many K-pop groups have come and gone since 2007, but Girls’ Generation -- the longest-running girl group in Korea -- has survived to commemorate the 10th anniversary of its debut with the release of “Holiday Night.”The group was to release online Friday at 6 p.m. songs from its sixth studio album, before officially releasing the record Monday. Girls’ Generation (S.M. Entertainment)S.M. Entertainment will simultaneously unveil the music videos of “Holiday” and “All Night,” the double title tracks

PerformanceAug. 4, 2017

[Weekender] Upscale feline products cater to delicate tastes of cats

A growing number of South Korean cat moms and dads are willing to go the extra mile to satisfy the delicate preferences of their four-legged companions. Cat owners used to make do with mass-produced pet supplies, but nowadays, a wave of custom-made feline products are allowing cats to live a life of luxury.An Instagram photo of social media feline star Ddulggae eating an Alaskan halibut snack received a flurry of comments from some of her 73,000 followers, who expressed avid interest in the prod

CultureAug. 4, 2017

[Weekender] Special cafe for rescued cats offers chance for adoption

As the number of cat owners in South Korea goes up, so does the number of abandoned cats. Some 250,000 cats were abandoned or lost in 2016, according to the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency. Only 30 percent of them were adopted by new owners. The reason for the low adoption rate is the persistent prejudice against abandoned cats. People assume that rescued cats were abandoned for negative reasons, such as mental or physical issues. Earth Cat Cafe, located near Ewha Womans University in Seoul,

CultureAug. 4, 2017

[Weekender] Webtoon helps readers overcome prejudice against cats

When Chae Yu-ri first encountered two abandoned kittens in 2003, her heart fluttered with joy and excitement. Chae, then 26, grew up on a farm with animals and had always wished to have a cat. She brought the sister cats to her house and named them Bbotto and Zzagoo. Cartoonist Chae Yu-ri and ZzagooTo cherish every moment with those adorable creatures, Chae started to draw them in a cartoon. Named after the kittens, “Bbo-Zza-toon” was first published on Chae’s blog in the same year. Fourteen yea

CultureAug. 4, 2017

NBA star Stephen Curry to appear on ‘Infinite Challenge’ on Saturday

NBA superstar Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors is set to appear on MBC’s variety show “Infinite Challenge” on Saturday. A teaser photo for Saturday’s episode of MBC’s “Infinite Challenge” (MBC)A recently released preview photo showed Curry posing with other guests, including former professional basketball player Seo Jang-hoon, actor Nam Joo-hyuck, a longtime fan of the reigning NBA MVP, and actor Bae Jung-nam. The two-time MVP Curry visited Korea last week as part of his Asia promotion

TelevisionAug. 3, 2017

Drunk Lang reports calls police to report friend filming with hidden camera

Korean-American pop artist and television personality Nancy Lang, otherwise known as Park Hye-ryeong, on Thursday reported her friend to police while drunk. Gyeonggi Yangju Police said Park called the police at 8:20 a.m. Thursday to report her friend, with whom she had been drinking with since the previous day, accusing her of filming her with a hidden camera.  Police said that Park’s friend was not charged and Park had mistaken her friend’s behavior or had made the call by mistake. At the polic

PerformanceAug. 3, 2017

Tranquil summer fun returns in new season of ‘Three Meals a Day’

The tranquil joy of seaside life is returning to Korean television in a new season of “Three Meals a Day,” subtitled “Sea Ranch.” 　The new season takes place on the secluded island of Deungnyangdo, off the southern coast, and stars actors Lee Seo-jin, Eric Mun and Yoon Kyun-sang alongside a family of wild goats.　“Three Meals A Day,” which was created by director Na Young-seok in 2014, features a group of celebrities procuring food and making meals with rudimentary tools in the countryside.　This

TelevisionAug. 3, 2017

Kim Ki-duk says hitting actress was part of demonstration for scene: statement

Director Kim Ki-duk on Thursday released a statement in response to accusations he had hit and coerced an actress on the set of “Moebius” in 2013.The director said that he could not exactly recall the events from four years ago. However, he stressed that the strike happened while demonstrating a scene.“I myself was in the scene and might have hit the opposing actress while following the viewpoint or hit myself. This happened while I was demonstrating and explaining that this was the scene I want

FilmAug. 3, 2017

Is EXO the most stylish K-pop band ever?: Vogue

EXO is without a doubt one of the most popular K-pop groups, garnering attention not just for its music but its fashion as well. Vogue magazine took notice of the nine-member group’s ever-evolving fashion in a recent article titled “Is EXO the Most Stylish K-Pop Band of All Time?”  EXO (S.M. Entertainment) EXO (S.M. Entertainment)It said that the outfits seen in the music video for EXO’s “Ko Ko Bop” -- the lead single of its fourth album “The War” -- “continues EXO’s tradition of slowly pushing

PerformanceAug. 3, 2017

[K-Talk] EXO ‘The War’ stays atop Billboard world albums chart

EXO remains the king of the hill atop Billboard’s world albums chart, defending the No. 1 spot for a second straight week with its latest album.The boy band’s “The War: The 4th Album” became the top-selling international album in the US as of Thursday, while also topping local Gaon charts in digital song downloads and album sales. EXO (S.M. Entertainment)The K-pop sensation has been making strides with the album since its July 19 release, entering the Billboard 200 at No. 87 last week. It marked

PerformanceAug. 3, 2017

[Newsmaker] Director Kim Ki-duk accused of actress assault

To say Kim Ki-duk is not a director for everyone would be an understatement. He uses rape, prostitution and incest in his films to strip all pretense and examine the raw human emotions of impulse, violence and lust.However, the controversial director may have gone a step too far: An actress has filed a complaint with prosecutors, alleging that the award-winning director physically assaulted her and coerced her to shoot an unscripted sex scene while filming “Moebius,” which was released in 2013. 

PerformanceAug. 3, 2017

Heize, Suran to join Seo Tai-ji retrospective project

Heize and Suran were amongst the newest group of performers to join a retrospective project honoring the 25th anniversary of legendary K-pop icon Seo Tai-ji, according to Seo's company Thursday.The two solo divas, along with Eddy Kim and Crush, are on board for a project to remake Seo's past hits, Seo Tai-ji Company said.The four artists were joined by Seo's recommendation, the company explained.  Eddy Kim, Suran, Crush and Heize (from top left, clockwise)/ YonhapSince last month, BTS, Younha an

PerformanceAug. 3, 2017

Girls' Generation, Yuhki Kuramoto to grace DMZ concert

Idol band Girls' Generation and Japanese new age composer Yuhki Kuramoto are among the artists set to perform at this year's DMZ Peace Concert near the inter-Korean border north of Seoul, according to organizers Thursday.The two-day concert at the unification-themed Nuri Peace Park in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, will be held from Aug. 12, with the first day dedicated to K-pop stars, including Girls' Generation, BTOB, B1A4, Cosmic Girls and GFriend, MBC TV said. (S.M. Entertainment)On Aug. 13, Yuhki

PerformanceAug. 3, 2017

'A Taxi Driver' dethrones 'The Battleship Island' on opening day

"A Taxi Driver" on the 1980 pro-democracy uprising in Gwangju dethroned fellow Korean historical blockbuster "The Battleship Island" at the box office on its opening day, data showed Thursday.The period drama starring Song Kang-ho and German actor Thomas Kretschmann conquered the previous one-week leader, selling a total of 697,858 tickets on Wednesday, according to the computerized box office tally from the Korean Film Council.  "A Taxi Driver" was screened 7,068 times on 1,446 screens across t

FilmAug. 3, 2017

Kim Ki-duk sued for assault, coercion on 2013 movie set

An actress is suing director Kim Ki-duk for assault and coercion, reports said Thursday.The actress says Kim slapped her and forced her to shoot a sex scene that was not in the script while working on Kim’s 2013 film “Moebius.” She eventually quit, and Lee Eun-woo replaced her in the female lead role. Kim Ki-duk (Yonhap)Kim’s representative said that while it is true that the director struck the actress across the face, it had been part of coaching a scene. “We never forced a sex scene that wasn

FilmAug. 3, 2017

GFriend gets in the mood for summer with new single ‘Love Whisper’

Clad in matching mint-green shirts and skirts, the six members of K-pop darling GFriend performed their summery track “Love Whisper” at a showcase Tuesday. The group had made a bold move with its previous funk-driven hit “Fingertip,” diverging from its signature innocent schoolgirl image for the first time. This time, it kept to its sleek sound in “Love Whisper,” the lead track of the group’s fifth EP “Parallel,” released Tuesday evening.  GFriend performs during a press showcase for its fifth E

PerformanceAug. 2, 2017

Ferry Corsten may work with S.M. artists this winter

Dutch DJ Ferry Corsten said he may work on another song with an artist of S.M. Entertainment, adding that his previous works with the agency had been “an amazing, cool experience.”“I think I might be back here (Korea) for S.M. writing camp in the winter,” Corsten said before his performance at Unite With Tomorrowland Korea in Incheon on Saturday. “I was very happy to have worked on tracks with Luna and Amber (of f(x)).” Ferry Corsten performs during Unite With Tomorrowland Korea in Incheon on Sa

PerformanceAug. 2, 2017

[Herald Interview] Ferry Corsten talks about ‘Blueprint,’ electronic music scene

Pioneer of the music genre now known as trance, Ferry Corsten continues to expand his scope today, just as he has done for the past 20 years.The Korea Herald caught up with the Dutch disc spinner before his performance at Unite With Tomorrowland Korea in Incheon on Saturday, and asked how he continues to motivate himself after two decades. Ferry Corsten performs during Unite With Tomorrowland Korea in Incheon on Saturday. (Unite With Tomorrowland) Ferry Corsten performs during Unite With Tomorro

PerformanceAug. 2, 2017

‘Falsify,’ about reporters exposing social injustices, tops ratings

“Falsify,” a drama-thriller series revolving around journalists seeking to expose social injustices, is leading ratings. The show clinched first place among drama series aired Mondays and Tuesdays at 10 p.m., with 12.1 percent viewership as of Tuesday, according to Nielsen Korea. 　 “Falsify” (SBS)“Falsify” kicked off on July 24. It stars Namgoong Min as the temperamental tabloid reporter Han Moo-young. 　Uhm Ji-won plays a jaded prosecutor who has learned that the road to justice is paved with in

TelevisionAug. 2, 2017