Yoo Ah-in exempted from military service due to tumor

Yoo Ah-in has been exempted from mandatory military service due to his medical condition, including a bone tumor, the actor’s management agency UAA said Tuesday. Yoo Ah-in (Yonhap)The 30-year-old actor was diagnosed with a bone tumor in 2015. He also ruptured his shoulder muscle while filming two action movies “Tough as Iron” (2013) and “Veteran” (2015). The pain had not been severe enough to hinder Yoo’s everyday activities, but the tumor recently grew in size and led to his exemption by the Mi

FilmJune 27, 2017

G-Dragon adds 5 European cities to on-going world tour

G-Dragon of Big Bang is set to hold solo concerts in five European cities in September, as part of his ongoing solo world tour.The artist’s label YG Entertainment said Monday that London, Birmingham, Paris, Amsterdam and Berlin have been added to the list of destinations for his solo tour, ACT III, M.O.T.T.E, that kicked off in Seoul on June 10. This is the first time for the artist to perform solo concerts in Europe. The European portion of the tour begins in Birmingham, England from Sept. 23. 

PerformanceJune 27, 2017

Seo Tai-ji to collaborate with BTS for 25th-anniversary concert

K-pop icon Seo Tai-ji will collaborate with K-pop boy band BTS for a concert in September to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Seo’s debut. Seo’s label Seotajji Co. said Tuesday that the legendary singer and BTS will perform several hits from all four albums of Seo’s previous group Seo Taiji and the Boys, without any changes to the original versions of the songs. “With BTS, Seo will perform his earliest songs exactly as they were performed in the 1990s,” an official from the label said.  Singer

PerformanceJune 27, 2017

PyeongChang Music Festival continues putting Olympics host city on map

Initially conceived as a way to promote PyeongChang’s bid to host the Winter Olympics, the PyeongChang Music Festival and School has come a long way. When violinist Kang Hyo, a professor at the Juilliard School in New York, launched the summer classical music festival and school in 2004 in the mountains of Gangwon Province, it was called the Daegwallyeong Music Festival and School, or the Great Mountains Music Festival and School in English. Modeled after the Aspen Music Festival in Colorado, US

PerformanceJune 27, 2017

Alter egos, drugs, psychoanalysis: Cast, director explain eerie charm of ‘Real’

Kim Soo-hyun believes that the cryptic sci-fi, action-crime psychological thriller “Real” will become the symbolic project of his 20s.　“Personally, I hope (the film) will be remembered as the representative work of my 20s, the last film of my 20s,” he told reporters after the press screening of “Real” at Seoul’s CGV Wangsimni, Monday. 　The 29-year-old actor, who rose to pan-Asian popularity as the extraterrestrial heartthrob in the 2014 drama “My Love From the Stars,” returns to the big screen w

FilmJune 27, 2017

(Photo) iKon expresses youth in coming-of-age photo book

iKon will attempt show off what it means to be young in a upcoming photo book, according to YG Entertainment.Its first photobook “Youth Volume 1” will show the everyday lives of iKon members. But instead of focusing on the limelight as a popular K-pop act, the images will shine light on how the seven members spend every day as young adults. “iKon has always shown great chemistry as a group, but the photo book will show each members‘ charms,” YG said.The photo book will also include a poster and

Arts & DesignJune 27, 2017

Lovelyz to hold first solo concert in Japan in August

K-pop group Lovelyz will hold its first solo concert outside of Korea in August, holding a performance for the fans in Tokyo. According to its agency Woolim Entertainment, Lovelyz will hold “2017 Lovelyz Concert Alwayz in Japan” on Aug. 5 and Aug. 6 in the Japanese capital. The group’s concerts in Seoul on July 29-30 are sold out.  (Woolim Entertainment)“We hope that (the Tokyo concert) will mark the beginning of more opportunities for the group to meet fans from around the world,” said Woolim E

PerformanceJune 27, 2017

BTS ‘one of most influential people’ on internet: Time

K-pop sensation Bangtan Boys -- or BTS -- added another impressive feat to its resume as Time magazine included it in the annual list of most influential people on the internet. According to the magazine, it looked into the candidate‘s global impact on social media and their overall ability to drive news in drawing up the 25-member list. BTS (Bighit Entertainment)“Overtaking Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez to spend 27 consecutive weeks atop Billboard’s “Social 50” chart, which tracks popularity a

PerformanceJune 27, 2017

Black Pink shatters record with 30 million YouTube views

Black Pink appears to be on the path from rookie sensation to K-pop giants, as the music video for the recently-released single “As If It‘s Your Last” reached 30 million views faster than any other K-pop group in history.The video topped 30 million views in less than fic days since its release. The previous record-holder was held by Twice‘s “Knock Knock,“ which reached the milestone in just over six days of its release. Black Pink (YG Entertainment)Psy holds the record among all Korean artists,

PerformanceJune 27, 2017

Ex-WINNER Nam Tae-hyun to release 1st EP with his new band

Singer Nam Tae-hyun will release his first EP as a member of the band South Club at 6 p.m. Tuesday. The band, led by the former singer of K-pop act WINNER, will unveil the EP ”90“ containing seven songs including ”I Got the Blues,“ ”Liar“ and previously-released ”Hug Me.“ Nam has participated in the creation of all the songs, except for the instrumental songs.Following the release, Nam will hold a fan meeting in Tokyo on July 8.Nam, 23, debuted in 2014 as a member of the boyband WINNER, but left

PerformanceJune 27, 2017

[Herald Interview] Viewing history through an anarchist’s eyes: Director Lee Joon-ik

Director Lee Joon-ik’s latest film “Anarchist from Colony” is difficult to define. It centers on an unusual love story and a messy trial in Japanese courtrooms. It strives to be as accurate as possible in portraying a lesser-known, hard-to-fathom Joseon-era figure who spent over 20 years in a Japanese prison.　The man is Park Yeol, a self-proclaimed Korean anarchist who moved to Japan after the March First Movement of 1919 to further his education on the theories of anarchism and protest against

FilmJune 26, 2017

Fake social media account impersonates cancer-battling Kim Woo-bin

On Sunday, a photo of Kim Woo-bin was uploaded to an Instagram account falsely claiming to belong to the actor.The account does not belong to Kim, a representative of Sidus HQ, Kim’s management agency, said Monday. “Kim does not have any social media accounts,” the representative said. The uploaded photo was one taken a long time ago, the representative added. A photo of Kim Woo-bin at a gallery that was uploaded to a fake Instagram account on Sunday. (Instagram account)“We have expressed numero

FilmJune 26, 2017

Sulli says explicit nude, sex scenes necessary in ‘Real’

K-pop girl group member-turned-actress Sulli felt that the explicit sex scenes in the upcoming film “Real” were necessary to the story, she told reporters Monday.“I don’t think it was easy. It was a huge challenge for me, acting-wise and in other areas. It was hard and I had a lot of concerns but it was fun,” said Sulli in a rare press interview at the press screening of “Real,” held at CGV Wangsimni. Sulli attends the press screening of "Real" at CGV Wangsimni, Monday. (Yonhap) Sulli attends th

FilmJune 26, 2017

Korean violinist takes 1st prize in junior Tchaikovsky

A South Korean violinist has taken first place in an international competition for young musicians held in Astana, Kazakhstan, an institute for talented artists in Seoul said Monday.The National Institute for the Gifted in Arts said 14-year-old Kang Na-kyung topped the violin section, along with Japan's Eugene Kawai, at the International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians and won a prize of US$5,000. This provided photo shows violinist Kang Na-kyung, who took first prize at the Internat

PerformanceJune 26, 2017

[Seoul Saunter] Something old, something new, something exotic, something cool

Seoul is a vibrant megalopolis with modern high-rises crowding the city’s major arteries. Nestled among the gleaming buildings are maze-like alleys that appear to have escaped the passage of time. The Korea Herald explores the many nooks and crannies of Seoul, proclaimed the capital of Joseon in 1392, that reveal a multifaceted city. -- Ed.Step into the Itaewon-dong, Seoul, and you will find culture: a melting pot of different people, eateries, shops and bars roll out before the eyes of a bewild

CultureJune 26, 2017

Lena Park to wed in Hawaii

Korean-American singer Lena Park will tie the knot with her partner of three years next month, her agency said Monday.Confirming earlier reports, Catch Pop Entertainment told the media the wedding will take place in Hawaii on July 15, with only their respective families present at the ceremony. The groom-to-be’s family lives on the US island. A poster advertises Lena Park’s April concert. (Catch Pop Entertainment)Park will continue her career as a singer in Korea, officials said. She will live i

PerformanceJune 26, 2017

[Photo] T-ara’s Eunjung fashionable on Dazed & Confused cover

Singer Eunjung of T-ara showed off her charm in a photo shoot for the cover of a pop culture magazine.Her agency MBK Entertainment released the photos Monday, showing her attempts at various concepts and poses for Dazed & Confused. Eunjung’s photo and accompanying interview will be featured in the July edition of the magazine.  (MBK Entertainment) (MBK Entertainment)Last week, T-ara released its 13th album, “What’s My Name,” marking the group’s first release since reorganizing itself as a quarte

Arts & DesignJune 26, 2017

BoA to ‘transform’ in ‘CAMO’ project

K-pop icon BoA will go in a new direction with her new song, which her agency said will show off a completely different side to the 31-year-old artist. (S.M. Entertainment)S.M. Entertainment said the song for her “CAMO” project will be released online at 6 p.m. Monday, in line with its music video on online outlets, including Naver’s V channel and its own SM Town channel.The song will be a dance number with a heavy emphasis on bass and synthesizer sounds, according to the agency. US production t

PerformanceJune 26, 2017

'Transformers' dominates Korean weekend box office

The Hollywood action blockbuster "Transformers: The Last Knight" dominated the Korean box office for its opening weekend, data showed Monday.The Paramount film, the fifth installment in the series directed by Michael Bay, has attracted 1.265 million cinemagoers or 64.1 percent of all tickets sold over the June 23-25 weekend, according to a computerized tally from the Korean Film Council.  Transformers: The Last Knight poster (Yonhap)The Korean time-loop thriller "A Day" took a distant second spo

FilmJune 26, 2017

Actress Jun Ji-hyun expecting second child in January

South Korean actress Jun Ji-hyun is pregnant with her second child, according to her agency Monday.(Didier Dubot)"Jun Ji-hyun visited the hospital last week and learned that she's 10 weeks pregnant. The baby is due in January," Culture Depot said.The 36-year-old actress, also known as Gianna Jun outside of South Korea, married Choi Jun-hyeok, the second son of famous fashion designer Lee Jung-woo, in 2012. She gave birth to a son in February of last year.After her marriage, Jun has basked in the

TelevisionJune 26, 2017